9 How the Alphabet Was Made字母表是怎么创造出来的-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《远古传奇Just So Stories》

How the Alphabet Was Made The week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy. Best Beloved^{①) made that little mistake about her Daddy's spear and the Stranger-man and the picture-letter and all, she went carp-fishing again with her Daddy. Her Mummy wanted her to stay at home and help hang up hides② to dry on the big drying-poles③ outside their Neolithic Cave, but Taffy slipped away④ down to her Daddy quite early, and they fished. Presently she began to giggle, and her Daddy said, 'Don't be silly,child.' 'But wasn't it inciting^{}!' said Taffy. 'Don't you remember how the Head Chief puffed out} his cheeks, and how funny the nice Stranger-man looked with the mud in his hair?' 'Well do I,' said Tegumai. 'I had to pay two deerskins-soft ones with fringes^{}-to the Stranger-man for the things we did to him.' 'We didn't do anything,' said Taffy. 'It wasMummy and the other Neolithic ladies-and the mud.' 'We won't talk about that,' said her Daddy, 'Let's have lunch.' Taffy took a marrow-bone and sat mousy-quiet {} for ten whole minutes, while her Daddy scratched on pieces of birch-bark with a shark's tooth. Then she said, Daddy, I've thinked of a secret surprise. You make a noise-any sort of noise ·150· 字母表是怎么创造出来的 在上个故事中,我们讲到特菲曼·梅塔柳迈 ① beloved /br 'lavd/ adj (亲爱的读者,我们还是叫她特菲)出了点儿小 心爱的,亲爱的 错,所犯的错误与她爸爸的渔叉、外族人和图画 信有关。一个星期后,她又和爸爸一起去捕鱼。 妈妈本想让她待在家里,帮着她把兽皮惊在新石 ②hide /haid/ n. 兽皮 ③drying-pole 器时代山洞边那个大大的惊衣杆上,但特菲一早 /draikin-pool/n. 凉衣 便偷偷地溜到河边去找爸爸。他们在一起捕鱼的 杆 时候,特菲突然咯略地笑起来。爸爸对她说 ④ slip away 溜走 giggle/qigl/v. 略咯地 “别犯傻了,孩子。” 笑,傻笑,咯咯地笑着 “那可真有意思!”特菲说,“难道你不记得 说 silly /srl/a. 愚的 首领鼓起腮帮子、那个外族人满头泥巴的样子了 incite /in'sat/ v. 激励 吗?” 煸动,激起 ⑧puff out 鼓起 “我记得清清楚楚,”特奎曼·鲍普苏菜说。 fringe /frindy/ n. 边缘. “为了补偿我们对他所做的一切,我不得不赔给 流苏,端 那外族人两张带毛边的、柔软的鹿皮。” “我们没做什么错事,”特菲说,“做错事的 是妈妈和其他女人们--还有那些泥巴。” mousy-quite “我们不说这些了,”爸爸说,“吃午饭吧。” /mausI-kwalat/a. 安 特菲拿起一块髓骨,安静地坐下,整整十分 静的 钟什么也没有说。这时爸爸拿着一根裟鱼齿在 树皮上划着道道。特菲开口说:“爸爸,我想出 了一个谁也想不到的秘密游戏。你随便发出个声 ·151· Just SoStories 'Ah!' said Tegumai. 'Will that do to begin with?' 'Yes,' said Taffy. 'You look just like a carp-fish with its mouth open. Say it again, please.' 'Ah! ah! ah!' said her Daddy. 'Don't be rude, my daughter.' 'I'm not meaning rude, really and truly,'said Taffy. 'It's part of my secret-surprise-think. Do say ah, Daddy, and keep your mouth open at the end, and lend me that tooth. I'm going to draw a carp-fish's mouth wide-open^{①.' 'What for?' said her Daddy. 'Don't you see?' said Taffy, scratching away on the bark. 'That will be our little secret s'prise. When I draw a carp-fish with his mouth open in the smoke at the back of our Cave-if Mummy doesn't mind-it will remind you of that ah-noise. Then we can play that it was me jumped out of the dark and surprised you with that noise-same as I did in the beaver-swamp last winter.' 'Really?' said her Daddy, in the voice that grown-ups{② use when they are truly attending{③. 'Go on,Taffy.' 'Oh bother④!' she said. 'I can't draw all of a carp-fish, but I can draw something that means a carp-fish's mouth. Don't you know how they stand on their heads rooting in the mud? Well, here's a pretence carp-fish (we can play that the rest of him is drawn). Here's # just his mouth, and that means 'ah.' And she drew this. (1.) 'That's not bad,' said Tegumai, and scratched on his own piece of bark for himself; 'but you've forgotten the feeler that hangs across his mouth.' 'But I can't draw, Daddy.' 'You needn't draw anything of him except just the opening of his mouth and the feeler across. Then we'll know he's a carp-fish, 'cause .152· 远古传奇] 音--什么声音都可以。” “啊(a)!”特奎曼说,“先从这个开始可以吗?” “可以。”特菲说,“你看起来就像一只张着 巴的鲤鱼。请你再说一遍。” “啊!啊!啊!”爸爸说, “女儿,不许没有礼 貌。” “我真的不是那个意思,”特菲说,“这只是我 ① wide-open /waid-'sopon/ ad. 那个了不得的惊人秘密的一部分。爸爸,说‘啊', 大张着 嘴巴一直张着。把那只鳌鱼齿借给我吧,我要把鲤 鱼大张着的嘴巴画下来。” “干什么用?”爸爸问。 “你不明白吗?”特菲说,同时不停地在梓树皮上 刻画着。“这就是我们那个谁也想不到的秘密游戏。 如果我在山洞后面被烟熏黑的地方画一只张着大嘴的 鱼--如果这样做妈妈不介意的话--它就会提醒 你,让你想起啊'这个发音。然后我们就可以假装 ② grown-up 是我从黑暗中跳出来,用那个声音吓了你一跳--就 /qraon-Ap/v. 大人 像我们去年冬天在河狸出没的沼泽地里玩儿的那样。” ③ attend /s'tend/ v. 专 “真的?”爸爸问,听得出这个大人被特菲的想 心 ④bother /bpòa/ n. 麻 法深深地吸引住了。“继续说下去,特菲。” 烦,讨厌的东西 “,讨厌!”她说,“我没法儿画出一整条鲤鱼 pretence /prr: 'tens/ n.假装 但我可以画点儿什么代表鲤鱼的嘴巴。你知道它们大 头朝下栽进淤泥里的样子吧?那么,假装这是鲤鱼 (假设鱼的其他部分已经画出来了),这就是它的嘴巴 代表啊'。”她就画出了下面这个图形(①)。 “这倒不错,”特奎曼说,随手在自已的梓树皮 上也画了一下,“但你忘记了它嘴边长的触须。” feeler /fi:la (r)/ n “但我不会画呀,爸爸。” 触须 {#)## ·153· Just SoStories the perches^{①} and trouts{②} haven't got feelers. Look here, Taffy.' And he drew this.(2.) 'Now I'll copy it.' said Taffy. 'Will you understand this when you see it?' And she drew this.(3.) # 'Perfectly③,' said her Daddy. 'And I'll be quite as s'prised when I see it anywhere, as if you had jumped out from behind a tree and said “Ah!”, 'Now, make another noise,' said Taffy, very proud. 'Yah!' said her Daddy, very loud 'H'm,' said Taffy. 'That's a mixy④ noise. The end part is ah-carp- fish-mouth; but what can we do about the front part? Yer-yer-yer and ah! Ya!' 'It's very like the carp-fish-mouth noise, Let's draw another bit of the carp-fish and join 'em,' said her Daddy. He was quite incited too. 'No. If they're joined, I'll forget. Draw it separate. Draw his tail{}. If he's standing on his head the tail will come first. Besides, I think I can draw tails easiest,' said Taffy. 'A good notion{,' said Tegumai. 'Here's a carp-fish tail for the yer-noise.'And he drew this. (4.) 'I'll try now,' said Taffy. 'Member I can't draw like you, Daddy. Will it do if I just draw the split^{} part of the tail, and the sticky^{}-down line for where it joins?' And she drew this. (5.) # Her Daddy nodded, and his eyes were shiny^{} bright with'citement .154· 远古传奇) ① perch /pa:tf/ n. 河 “只要在它张大的嘴上画一条线就行了。这样 鲸 ② trout /traut/ n. 鲜鱼 我们就知道这是条鲤鱼了,因为河胪和鳞鱼没有 鱼 触须。看这儿,特菲。”他又画了一笔②)。 “我也照这样画一笔,”特菲说,“看到这个 的时候,您会明白这是什么意思吗?”她画出了 下面这个图形③)。 “绝对明白,”爸爸说,“在哪儿看见它,我 ③ perfectly /pa:fiktl ad.完全地,完整地 都会大吃一惊。就像你从一棵树背后跳出来大叫 一声‘啊一样。” “现在,你再发出个声音吧”,特菲说。她很 为自已感到骄傲。 “呀!”爸爸大声说。 “嗯,”特菲说,“这是个混合音。后面的音 ④mix /miks/n. 混合 是·啊'--鲤鱼嘴巴,前面的音我们该怎么 办?‘耶-耶'(ye)和‘啊'(a)!呀!” bit/bt/n. 小段,- “这听起来像鲤鱼嘴代表的声音。我们再画 部分 出鲤鱼身体的另外一部分,跟原来的合在一起。” 爸爸也兴致勃勃地说。 separate / seporat/ “不,如果合在一起的话,我就会忘掉。分 a.分开的 tail /tel/ n. 尾巴 开画吧,画它的尾巴。如果鱼头朝下,那尾巴就 先伸出来了。而且,我想画尾巴是最容易的。” ⑧ notion / noufn/ n 特菲说。 想法,主意 “好主意,”特奎曼说,“这个是代表‘耶’ (ye)这个音的鲤鱼尾巴。”他画了出来。 split /splrt/a. 分叉 “让我试试。”特菲说,“但爸爸,你要知 的 道,我没办法画得像你那样好。如果我只画尾巴 sticky /stikr/a. 粘 的,粘住的 的分叉部位,再用一条向下的竖线和鱼身子连起 shiny /fanr/ a. 放 来,怎么样?”她画出了图形(5)。 光的,发光的 ##_)### ·155· Just SoStories 'That's beautiful,' she said.'Now make another noise, Daddy.' 'Oh!' said her Daddy,very loud. 'That's quite easy,' said Taffy. 'You make your mouth all around like an egg or a stone. So an egg or a stone will do for that.' 'You can't always find eggs or stones. We'll have to scratch a round something like one.' And he drew this. (6.) 'My gracious^{①}!' said Taffy, 'what a lot of noise- pictures we've made, carp-mouth, carp-tail, and egg! Now, make another noise, Daddy.' 'Ssh!'said her Daddy, and frowned{②} to himself, but Taffy was too incited to notice. 'That's quite easy,' she said, scratching on the bark. 'Eh, what?'said her Daddy. 'I meant I was thinking, and didn't want tobe disturbed③.' 'It's a noise just the same. It's the noise a snake④ makes, Daddy, when it is thinking and doesn't want to be disturbed. Let's make the ssh-noise a snake. Will this do?' And she drew this.(7.) 'There,' she said. 'That's another s'prise-secret. When you draw a hissy-snake by the door of your little back-cave where you mend the spears, I'll know you're thinking hard; and I'll come in most mousy- quiet. And if you draw it on a tree by the river when you are fishing, I'll know you want me to walk most most mousy-quiet, so as not to shake the banks.' 'Perfectly true,' said Tegumai. 'And there's more in this game than .156. 远古传奇) 爸爸点点头,他的眼里闪着兴奋的光芒 “太妙了,”她说,“现在你再发一个别的 音,爸爸。” “噢(o)!”爸爸大声说。 “这个太简单了。”特菲说, “你的嘴巴张得 圆圆的,像个鸡蛋,也像一颗卵石。那么,鸡蛋 和卵石就能代表这个声音了。” “但你不可能总能找到鸡蛋或卵石。我们最 ① gracious / qretfas/ int 天啊 好把这个圆圆的形状画下来。”他画了起来(6)。 “太棒了!”特菲说,“我们创造了多少代表 声音的符号啊一一鲤鱼嘴巴、鲤鱼尾巴,还有鸡 ② frown /fraun/v. 皱后 蛋!爸爸,现在再发出另外一种声音。” “嘶(s)!”爸爸一边说,一边对自已皱了皱 眉头。但特菲太兴奋了,没有注意到。 “这可挺简单的。”她一边说,一边在树皮上 ③ disturb /dt'sta:b/ v. 打 划着。 扰,打乱 “呃,什么?”爸爸说,“我的意思是我正在 ④snake /sneik/ n. 蛇 思考,并且不愿意被别人打扰。” “这个声音正好代表这个意思。这是蛇发出 来的声音,爸爸。当蛇在思考并且 不愿意被人打扰时就发出这种声 音。我们画一条蛇表示‘嘶' (s) 这个声音。这个行吗?”她画了出 来(7)。 “那么,”她说,“这是另外一个秘密游戏。 shake /ferk/v. 摇动,动 当你在后面小山洞的门口修理渔叉时,只要画出 摇 一条嘶嘶叫的蛇的图形,我就知道你正在认真思 考着问题,就会用最轻的声音、蹑手聂脚地走过 来。如果你钓鱼时在旁边的树于上画上这个符 号,我就知道你想让我用最轻最轻的脚步走路 不要在河岸上乱乱跳。” “太对了,”特奎曼说,“你一定想不到这游戏 ·157· Just SoStories you think. Taffy, dear, I've a notion that your Daddy's daughter has hit upon the finest thing that there ever was since the Tribe{① of Tegumai took to using shark's teeth instead② of flints③ for their spear-heads. I believe we've found out the big secret of the world.' 'Why?' said Taffy, and her eyes shone{④ too with incitement. 'I'll show,' said her Daddy. 'What's water in the Tegumai language?' *Ya, of course, and it means river too-like Wagai-ya-the Wagai river. 'What is bad water that gives you fever if you drink it-black water- swamp-water?' 'Yo,of course.' 'Now look,' said her Daddy. 'S'pose you saw this scratched by the side of a pool in the beaver- swamp?' And he drew this.(8.) 'Carp-tail and round egg. Two noises mixed! Yo, bad water,'said Taffy. 'Course I wouldn't drink that water because I'd know you said it was bad.' 'But I needn't be near the water at all. I might be miles} away, hunting{}, and still-' 'And still it would be just the same as if you stood there and said. ''G'way, Taffy, or you'll get fever. 'All that in a carp-fish-tail and a round egg! O Daddy,we must tell Mummy, quick!' and Taffy danced all round him. 'Not yet,' said Tegumai; 'not till we've gone a little further. Let's see. Yo is bad water, but So is food cooked on the fire, isn't it?' And he drew this. (9.) 'Yes. Snake and egg,' said Taffy. 'So that means dinner's ready. If you saw that scratched on a tree you'd know it was time to come to the Cave. So'd I.' ·158. 远古传奇) 有多了不起。亲爱的特菲,我想自从特奎曼部落用 ①tribe /traib/ n. 部落,部 鱼齿代替隧石做渔叉头以来,我的女儿想出了这 族 世界上最伟大的一个主意。我相信,我们已经发现 ② instead /in'sted/ ad. 改 为,更换 了这世界上最重大的秘密。” ③flint /flnt/n. 爆石 “为什么?”特菲问,她的眼里也闪着兴奋的 ④shine /fain/v. 闪耀 光芒。 “我会讲给你听的。”爸爸说,“在我们特奎 曼部落的语言里,‘水'怎么说?” “当然是'亚'(ya),它也指河流--瓦格 亚就是河。” “那人喝了以后会发烧的脏水--黑水、沼 泽水怎么说?” “当然是'幽'(yo)。” “现在你瞧,”爸爸说, pool /pu:l/n. 沼泽地. “假设河狸沼泽池的一个水潭 水池 边刻着这个图形。”他画了起 mixed /miks/ 混合 来(8)。 “鲤鱼尾巴和圆圆的鸡蛋,两个音结合在一 起! ‘幽'(yo),脏水。”特菲说,“当然我不 会喝那儿的水了。因为我知道你说那儿的水脏。” mile /mal/ n. 英里 ⑧hunt /hAnt/v. 狩猎 “但我不一定就要站在水边,哪怕我在几英 里外的地方打猎,也一样-” “也一样能告诉我快离开,特菲,否则喝 了你就会发烧的”,好像你就站在水边。全部意 思已经包括在鲤鱼尾巴和圆圆的鸡蛋里了!噢 爸爸,我们一定要把这些告诉妈妈,快点儿!” 特菲围着爸爸又崩又跳。 “等一会儿,”特奎曼说,“我们再想想。 '幽'(yo)指的是脏水,但‘嗖'(so)应该是 指火上烹制的食物,对不对?”他画了出来(9)。 “对,蛇和鸡蛋,”特菲说,“那意思是饭做 .159·