JACK THE DULLARD笨漢漢斯

Words: Joe

Translator:趙 衡

Art: 靈繪童工作室

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess in want of a husband; a husband who had a silver tongue. She sent out a message to all the free men, “Come down to my castle, and win my heart with your words.”Out in the country an old man heard the message. He smiled to himself and did a little jig, for the old man had three sons,and he would send two out to chase the princess.

從前，有一位非常美麗的公主，她想要找到一個口才出眾的人來做自己的丈夫。于是她向所有的單身漢們發出消息：“到我的城堡來吧，用你的口才贏得我的心。”在遙遠的鄉下，一個老人得知了這個消息后，不由得暗自竊喜。原來，老人有三個兒子，他可以讓其中兩個兒子去追求公主。

These two were super smart and learned. As learned as one could be, they knew the dictionary by heart, and also knew all about law and business. Did I mention they were smart? But the third son...He knew very little. His father wouldn’t send him to the castle. His name was Jack the Dullard, and all the people in the village thought he was stupid, including his father.

老人的這兩個兒子非常聰明，而且學識淵博。就像那些學識淵博的人一樣，他們對詞典爛熟于心，懂得所有的法律和商業知識。我剛才是不是說過他們很聰明？但是第三個兒子……卻是個沒有什么學問的人，他的父親也不打算讓他到城堡去。他叫笨漢漢斯，村里所有的人都認為他很蠢，包括他的父親在內。

On the next day the father gave each of his learned sons a horse, because his sons were so smart. One got a black horse, and the other got a white one. They each rode off for the castle, and their father watched their balloon-shaped heads bounce slowly over the horizon. Jack the Dullard asked his father for a horse, but his father just pointed at him and laughed. “You?” He said while crossing his arms. But Jack did not give up. He rode out on his billy goat to run after his brothers.

第二天，老人給了有學問的兩個兒子一人一匹馬，因為他覺得兩個兒子都很聰明。一個兒子得到一匹黑馬，另一個兒子得到一匹白馬。兩人騎著馬，匆匆朝城堡趕去，老人目送著他們，直到兩人逐漸消失在地平線上。笨漢漢斯請求父親也給他一匹馬，但老人用手指著他哈哈大笑。“就你？”他抱著手臂說。但漢斯并沒有氣餒，他騎著自己的那只公山羊，去追趕兩個哥哥。

Along the way to meet them, Jack the Dullard picked up a dead crow, an old wooden shoe, and a handful of clay. He smiled and hung them on his goat. When he finally caught up to his brothers, they asked him what he wanted to do with these silly things. Jack told them that he would give them to the princess as gifts. They looked at each other, and then burst into laughter. When they had finally finished, they rode ahead and continued to prepare their most wonderful learned speeches.

在趕路的過程中，笨漢漢斯撿到一只死烏鴉、一只舊木鞋和一把泥土，他開心地將這些東西掛在公山羊身上。他終于趕上了兩個哥哥，哥哥們問他帶著這些沒用的東西干什么。漢斯告訴他們，他要將這些東西作為禮物送給公主。哥哥們對視一眼，忍不住放聲大笑。后來他們終于止住笑聲，騎馬走在前面，一路上繼續準備著他們那美妙無比的演講。

After a long ride, all three brothers arrived at the castle. Many men had ridden there from all over the country. Each was busy practicing his speech, and each went into the hall one at a time. After a few men had gone in, it was the turn of the brother on the black horse. He rode in confidently, but upon seeing the princess, his tongue froze in his mouth. So he stood there with his mouth wide open, and his tongue hanging limp. The princess shuddered and told him to be gone.

經過長途跋涉，兄弟三人終于來到了城堡。城堡里已經聚集了很多從各地趕來的人們，每個人都忙著練習自己的演講，而公主每次只在大廳會見一個人。在一些人進去之后，終于輪到了騎黑馬來的哥哥。他自信滿滿地騎馬進去，但一看到公主，便什么話都說不出來了，他張口結舌，呆立在那里。公主被他這幅樣子嚇壞了，趕緊打發他離開。

The other brother, the one on the white horse, rode in next, but when he saw the princess he just stammered, then steamed like a kettle, forgetting all his words. So the princess told him to get out as well. Finally Jack rode in on his goat.The princess asked him about the crow. Jack told her that he found it in a clay ditch next to a wooden shoe, which he then held up in his other hand. Jack the Dullard answered her questions fluently, the princess smiled and was impressed by the wit of his speech. So, Jack the Dullard became Jack the King, and nobody laughed at him ever again.

騎白馬的哥哥接著進入大廳，但他一看到公主，馬上變得結巴起來，整個人像燒開的水壺一樣冒著熱氣，所有準備好的詞句全忘光了。于是公主也打發他離開了。最后，漢斯騎著公山羊進來了。公主問那只烏鴉是怎么一回事，漢斯說自己是在一只木鞋旁邊的土溝里面找到的，他又用另一只手把木鞋和泥土舉了起來。漢斯的對答如流把公主逗樂了，她被漢斯機智的回答深深打動。于是，笨漢漢斯一躍成了國王漢斯，從此再也沒有人嘲笑他了。