6.King John and the Abbot约翰国王和修道院院长-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《西方老故事50篇Fifty Famous Stories Retold》

Fifty Famous Stories Retold 6.King John and the Abbot I.THE THREE QUESTIONS. There was once a king of England whose name was John.He was a bad king;for he was harsh and cruel to his people,and so long as he could have his own way,he did not care what became of other folks.He was the worst king that England ever had. Now,there was in the town of Canterbury a rich old abbot who lived in grand style in a great house called the Abbey.Every day a hundred noble men sat down with him to dine;and fifty brave knights,in fine velvet coats and gold chains,waited upon him at his table. When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived,he made up his mind to put a stop to it.So he sent for the old man to come and see him. "How now,my good abbot?"he said."I hear that you keep a far better house than I.How dare you do such a thing?Don't you know that no man in the land ought to live better than the king?And I tell you that no man shall." "O king!"said the abbot,"I beg to say that I am spending nothing but what is my own.I hope that you will not think ill of me for making things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me." “Think ill of you?”said the king.“How can I help but think ill of you?Al that there is in this broad land is mine by right;and how do you dare to put me to ·032· 西方老故事50篇 6.约翰国王和修道院院长 (1)国王的三个问题 从前，英格兰有一位约翰国王。他对待人民冷酷残 暴、为所欲为，并且丝毫不把百姓的疾苦放在心上，堪 称英格兰历史上最坏的国王。 当时，坎特伯雷城住着一位修道院老院长。此人非 ①abbot[ebam.男修道 常富有，住在富丽堂皇的修道院里面，每天要和一百名 院院长 贵族一起用餐，而且还要五十名衣着华丽的卫士陪侍在 身旁。 约翰国王听说了修道院院长的生活方式，便打定主 意加以制止。于是，他派人把老院长叫来见他 “我的修道院院长，”国王说。“听说你住的房子比 我的还要阔气很多，你好大的胆子！难道你不知道不允 许有人比国王生活得还要好吗？这绝对不允许！” “啊，国王陛下！”修道院院长说，“我花的都是 自己的钱，我只是想让我的朋友和勇士们过得开心快 乐，除此之外别无他意，请陛下不要误会！” “我误会了你？”国王说。“这怎么可能？这偌大国 土上的一切都归我所有，你竟然敢生活得比我好，你让 ·033· Fifty Famous Stories Retold shame by living in grander style than I?One would think that you were trying to be king in my place.” “Oh,do not say so!”said the abbot“For” "Not another word!"cried the king."Your fault is plain,and unless you can answer me three questions,your head shall be cut off,and all your riches shall be mine." "I will try to answer them,O king!"said the abbot. “Wel,then,”said King John,“as I sit here with my crown of gold on my head,you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live.Secondly,you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole world;and lastly,you shall tell me what I think.” "O king!"said the abbot,"these are deep,hard questions,and I cannot answer them just now.But if you will give me two weeks to think about them,I will do the best that I can..” "Two weeks you shall have,"said the king;"but if then you fail to answer me,you shall lose your head,and all your lands shall be mine." The abbot went away very sad and in great fear.He first rode to Oxford.Here was a great school,called a university,and he wanted to see if any of the wise professors could help him.But they shook their heads,and said that there was nothing about King John in any of their books. Then the abbot rode down to Cambridge,where there was another university. But not one of the teachers in that great school could help him. At last,sad and sorrowful2,he rode toward home to bid his friends and his brave knights goodbye.For now he had not a week to live. II.THE THREE ANSWERS. As the abbot was riding up the lane which led to his grand house,he met his shepherd going to the fields. “Welcome home,.good master!”cried the shepherd.“What news do you bring us from great King John?" ·034· 西方老故事50篇 我的脸面往哪里搁？别人心里也许会想，这个家伙是不 是想取代我做国王。” “啊，陛下千万不能这样讲！”修道院院长说：“我…” ①plain [plein]a.清晰的， “住口！”国王叫道。“你罪行昭彰，不需要再辩解。 明显的 我要问你三个问题，如果你答不上来，你的脑袋就要搬 家，你的所有财产也将归我所有。” “陛下，我一定好好回答您的问题！”修道院院长说。 “那好！”约翰国王说，“现在我头戴金冠坐在这里， 你要告诉我我能活多少岁，差一天也不行。第二个问题， 如果我想骑马环游世界，告诉我要花多长时间。第三个 问题，告诉我我心里想的是什么。” “陛下！”修道院院长说，“这些问题实在太难太 深奥了，我现在回答不上来。如果能给我两周时间考虑， 我一定可以回答上来。” “那就给你两周时间。”国王说，“如果再回答不上来， 不光你的脑袋要搬家，你的所有土地都要归我所有。” 修道院院长离开的时候，心里感到既难过又害怕。 他先骑马来到牛津，这里有一所伟大的大学，院长想或 许能找到一位聪明的教授给予他帮助。可是教授们都直 摇头，说书本里面根本找不到关于约翰国王的内容。 接着修道院院长又骑马去了剑桥，想得到剑桥大学 老师们的帮助，可也是失望而归。 修道院院长的心情变得十分沉重，准备回家跟朋友 2sorrowful ['soroufual: 'sx-】a.充满悲伤的 和勇士们道别。当时剩下的时间已经不足一周了。 ③bid sb.goodbye向 告别 (2)三个答案 回家的路上，修道院院长遇见了正要下地干活的牧羊人。 ④shepherd[fepad]n.牧 “我的主人，您回来了！”牧羊人叫道。“您从约 羊人 翰国王那里带回了什么消息？” ·035· Fifty Famous Stories Retold "Sad news,sad news,"said the abbot;and then he told him all that had happened. "Cheer up,cheer up,good master,"said the shepherd."Have you never yet heard that a fool may teach a wise man wit?I think I can help you out of your trouble..” “You help me!”cried the abbot“How?how?” "Well,"answered the shepherd,"you know that everybody says that I look just like you,and that I have sometimes been mistaken for you.So,lend me your servants and your horse and your gown,and I will go up to London and see the king.If nothing else can be done,I can at least die in your place." "My good shepherd,"said the abbot,"you are very,very kind;and I have a mind to let you try your plan.But if the worst comes to the worst,you shall not die for me.I will die for myself." So the shepherd got ready to go at once.He dressed himself with great care. Over his shepherd's coat he threw the abbot's long gown,and he borrowed the abbot's cap and golden staff.When all was ready,no one in the world would have thought that he was not the great man himself.Then he mounted his horse,and with a great train of servants set out for London. Of course the king did not know him. "Welcome,Sir Abbot!"he said."It is a good thing that you have come back. But,prompt2 as you are,if you fail to answer my three questions,you shall lose your head.” "I am ready to answer them,O king!"said the shepherd. "Indeed,indeed!"said the king,and he laughed to himself."Well,then, answer my first question:How long shall I live?Come,you must tell me to the very day.” "You shall live,"said the shepherd,"until the day that you die,and not one day longer.And you shall die when you take your last breath,and not one moment before.” ·036· 西方老故事50篇 “坏消息，糟糕的消息！”修道院院长说。接着， 他就把事情的经过讲给了牧羊人听。 “振作起来，振作起来，我的主人，”牧师说，“您 ①wit[win.机智 听没听说过愚笨的人也可以给聪明人传授智慧？这个问 题就包在我身上了。” “你能帮我？”修道院院长大喊了起来，“你快说 怎么帮？怎么帮？” “好，”牧羊人回答道，“您知道大家都说我长得十 分像您，有时候还有人把我们俩认错。那何不让我借用 您的佣人、马和衣服去伦敦见国王，大不了我替您掉脑 袋。” “我好心的牧羊人，”修道院院长说，“你的心实在 太好了！我倒想让你试一试，不过即使这样不行，我也 不会让你为我送死，我会自己去受死的。” 于是，牧羊人做好准备马上出发。他用修道院院长 的长袍遮住牧羊穿的短衣，又借来他的帽子和首饰细心 地装扮起来。一切收拾妥当后，恐怕世上没人能看出他 是修道院院长的替身了。牧羊人骑着马，领着一帮仆人， 浩浩荡荡地启程前往伦敦。 果然不出所料，国王并没有认出他是谁。 ②prompt[prompt)a.迅速 “欢迎，尊敬的修道院院长！”国王说，“欢迎回来 的 不过尽管你回来得很快，如果你回答不上我问的三个问 题，你的脑袋还是要搬家。” “啊，国王陛下，我己经做好准备了！”牧羊人说。 “那太好了！”国王说完大笑了起来。“那好，第 一个问题：我究竟能活多长时间？快告诉我，我能活到 哪一天。” “陛下，”牧羊人说，“您能活到您去世的那一天， 一天也不会多。您咽下最后一口气就要离开人世，一秒 钟也不会早。” ·037· Fifty Famous Stories Retold "You sball live until the day that you die." The king laughed. "You are witty,I see,"he said."But we will let that pass,and say that your answer is right.And now tell me how soon I may ride round the world." "You must rise with the sun,"said the shepherd,"and you must ride with the sun until it rises again the next morning.As soon as you do that,you will find that you have ridden round the world in twenty-four hours." The king laughed again."Indeed,"he said,"I did not think that it could be done so soon.You are not only witty,but you are wise,and we will let this answer pass.And now comes my third and last question:What do I think?" "That is an easy question,"said the shepherd."You think that I am the Abbot of Canterbury.But,to tell you the truth,I am only his poor shepherd,and I have come to beg your pardon for him and for me."And with that,he threw off his long gown. ·038· 西方老故事50篇 “您能活到您去世的那一天。” 国王笑了起来。 “你很机智。”国王说，“好吧，第一个问题就算你 答对了。现在你告诉我，如果我骑马绕世界一周，需要 花费多长时间。” “如果太阳出来您就出发，”牧羊人说，“骑着马跟 太阳一起走，直到第二天太阳再次升起，这时候您就会 发现自己二十四小时内绕了世界一周。” 国王又笑了。“回答得极是！”国王说，“没想到你 回答得这么快！你不但机智，而且聪明，这个答案也算 通过了。现在我要问第三个问题，也是最后一个问题： 我心里面想着什么？” “这个问题简单。”牧羊人说，“陛下在想，我肯定 是坎特伯雷修道院的院长。可实话禀告陛下，我只是他 的穷牧人，到这儿来是求您对我们俩开恩的。”说完， ·039· Fifty Famous Stories Retold The king laughed loud and long. "A merry fellow you are,"said he,"and you shall be the Abbot of Canterbury in your master's place." “O king！that cannot be,”said the shepherd;“for I can neither read nor write..” "Very well,then,"said the king,"I will give you something else to pay you for this merry joke.I will give you four pieces of silver every week as long as you live.And when you get home,you may tell the old abbot that you have brought him a free pardon from King John." ·040· 西方老故事50篇 牧羊人脱下了他身上的长袍。 国王放声大笑了好一阵儿。 “你这个家伙真讨人喜欢。”国王说，“应该让你来 做坎特伯雷修道院的院长。” “啊，陛下！那可使不得。”牧师说道，“我不识字， 也不会写字。” “既然这样，那好吧！”国王说，“为了这个有趣 的玩笑，我准备额外犒赏你。从现在开始在你有生之年， 每周都可以从我这里得到四块银币。回去后你告诉修道 院老院长，就说约翰国王看在你的分上已经宽恕了他。” ·041·