TOM-TIT-TOT
汤滴豆
ONCE upon a time there was a woman and she baked five pies. But when they came out of the oven they were over-baked, and the crust was far too hard to eat. So she said to her daughter:
很久很久以前的一天，有个妈妈她烘了五块饼。但是当饼出炉时有点烘过头了，饼的外壳太硬了，根本咬不动。于是她和她的女儿说：
"Daughter," says she, "put them pies on to the shelf and leave 'em there awhile. Surely they'll come again in time." By that, you know, she meant that they would become softer; but her daughter said to herself, "If Mother says the pies will come again, why shouldn't I eat these now?" So, having good, young teeth, she set to work and ate the lot, first and last.
“闺女啊，”她说，“把这些饼放到架子上去，在那儿放一会儿，我肯定它们到时会回过来的。”不过，你知道的，她的意思是说，过阵子饼会变软点儿；但是她的女儿自言自语说：“如果妈妈说饼会再回来的，那我现在干嘛不把它们吃掉呢？”她年轻啊，牙齿好得很，于是她就开动了，吃了好多好多，从第一块吃最后一块，全部吃光。
Now when suppertime came the woman said to her daughter, "Go you and get one of the pies. They are sure to have come again by now."
晚餐时间到啦，妈妈对她的女儿说，“去把饼拿回来吧，现在它们肯定回过来了。”
Then the girl went and looked, but of course there was nothing but the empty dishes.
然后女儿就跑去看看，但是当然啦除了空盘子之外，啥也没有。
So back she came and said, "No, Mother, they ain't come again."
于是她回来说：“不，妈妈，它们没再回来。”
"Not one o' them?" asked the mother, taken aback like.
“一块都没？”妈妈吃了一惊，问到。
"Not one o' them," says the daughter, quite confident.
“一块都没有。”女儿非常肯定地说。
"Well," says the mother, "come again, or not come again, I will have one of them pies for my supper."
“哦，”妈妈说，“回过来了也好，没回过来也好，我晚饭总得吃块饼。”
"But you can't," says the daughter. "How can you if they ain't come? And they ain't, as sure's sure."
“但是你没法吃啊，”女儿说，“它们没来你怎么能吃呢？它们就是没回来，我十分肯定！”
"But I can," says the mother, getting angry. "Go you at once, child, and bring me the best on them. My teeth must just tackle it."
“但是我可以吃的，”妈妈生气地说。“孩子，现在立刻去把它们里面最好的一块拿来。我的牙齿肯定可以对付它。”
"Best or worst is all one," answered the daughter quite sulky, "for I've ate the lot, so you can't have one till it comes again—so there!"
“最好最坏都一样，”女儿很生气地答道，“因为我都吃光了，所以你要等到它们再回来以后才能吃——就这样！”
Well, the mother she bounced up to see; but half an eye told her there was nothing save the empty dishes; so she was dished up herself and done for.
好吧，妈妈跳起来看了一下，但是只瞄了半眼她就很清楚那里只有空盘子，啥也没剩。她就这么被摆了一道，晚饭就这么给毁了。
So, having no supper, she sat her down on the doorstep, and, bringing out her distaff, began to spin. And as she span she sang:
晚饭没得吃，于是她坐在门槛上，拿出她的纺纱杆开始纺纱。她边纺边唱：
"My daughter ha' ate five pies today,
My daughter ha' ate five pies today,
My daughter ha' ate five pies today,"
“我闺女今天吃了五块饼，
我闺女今天吃了五块饼，
我闺女今天吃了五块饼，”
for, see you, she was quite flabbergasted and fair astonished.
你看，她被女儿的胃口给吓到了，非常的吃惊。
Now the King of that country happened to be coming down the street, and he heard the song going on and on, but could not quite make out the words. So he stopped his horse, and asked:
这时这个国家的国王刚巧从街上走过，他听到这支歌一遍又一遍地唱，可是听不大清歌词。于是他停下马，问道：
"What is that you are singing, my good woman?"
“我的好人，你在唱什么啊？”
Now the mother, though horrified at her daughter's appetite, did not want other folk, leastwise the King, to know about it, so she sang instead:
这个妈妈虽然被她女儿的胃口吓到了，可是家丑不可外扬啊，她可不想让外人知道这事儿，至少不想让国王知道这事儿。于是她改口唱道：
"My daughter ha' spun five skeins today,
My daughter ha' spun five skeins today,
My daughter ha' spun five skeins today."
“我闺女今天纺了五个锭，
我闺女今天纺了五个锭，
我闺女今天纺了五个锭。”
"Five skeins!" cried the King. "By my garter and my crown, I never heard tell of any one who could do that! Look you here, I have been searching for a maiden to wife, and your daughter who can spin five skeins a day is the very one for me. Only, mind you, though for eleven months of the year she shall be Queen indeed, and have all she likes to eat, all the gowns she likes to get, all the company she likes to keep, and everything her heart desires, in the twelfth month she must set to work and spin five skeins a day, and if she does not she must die. Come! is it a bargain?"
“五个绽！”国王大喊。“以我的勋章(*译注1)和我的皇冠的名义起誓，我从来没有听过任何人能够做到这件事！你看啊，我正要找一个少女做我的妻子，你的女儿一天能纺五个锭，她太适合做我的妻子了！但是我要提醒你，虽然在今年接下来的十一个月里她会是真正的王后，可以吃到所有她想吃的东西，可以穿到所有她想穿的衣服，可以有所有她希望有的随从，可以拥有所有她心里想要的东西；但是到了第十二个月，她必须要工作，每天要纺出五个锭，如果做不到的话她就得死。怎么样，我们可以成交吗？”
So the mother agreed. She thought what a grand marriage it was for her daughter. And as for the five skeins? Time enough to bother about them when the year came round. There was many a slip between cup and lip, and, likely as not, the King would have forgotten all about it by then.
妈妈同意了。她想，对她女儿来说，这是多么盛大的婚礼啊！至于五个锭？等一年到头时会有足够的时间来烦心这事儿了。再说了，吃到嘴里的才算是你的(*译注2)，说不定，到那时国王早就把这事儿忘掉了。
Anyhow, her daughter would be Queen for eleven months. So they were married, and for eleven months the bride was happy as happy could be. She had everything she liked to eat, and all the gowns she liked to get, all the company she cared to keep, and everything her heart desired. And her husband the King was kind as kind could be. But in the tenth month she began to think of those five skeins and wonder if the King remembered? And in the eleventh month she began to dream about them as well. But ne'er a word did the King, her husband, say about them; so she hoped he had forgotten.
不管怎么说，她的女儿可以做十一个月的皇后呢。于是他们结婚了，而且在这十一个月里，新娘真的是要多开心有多开心。她真的吃到了所有她想吃的东西，穿到了所有她想穿的衣服，有所有她希望有的随从，拥有了所有她心里想要的东西。她的丈夫也是要多好就有多好。但是到可第十个月，她开始想起那五个锭的事情，不知道国王还记得吗？到了第十一个月，她开始做关于五个锭的梦了。但是国王，她的丈夫，对这件事一个字也不提；于是她希望他已经忘记了。
But on the very last day of the eleventh month, the King, her husband, led her into a room she had never set eyes on before. It had one window, and there was nothing in it but a stool and a spinning-wheel.
但是，到了第十一个月的最后一天，国王，她的丈夫，把她带到了一个她之前从来没见过的的房间。房间有一扇窗，除了一个凳子和一张纺车之外，什么都没有。
"Now, my dear," he said quite kind like, "You will be shut in here tomorrow morning with some victuals and some flax, and if by evening you have not spun five skeins, your head will come off."
“现在，我亲爱的，”他很温柔地说，“明天一早，你会被关在这里，我会提供一些食物和亚麻给你，如果到了晚上你还没能织出五个锭的话，你的人头就得落地。”
Well, she was fair frightened, for she had always been such a gatless thoughtless girl that she had never learnt to spin at all. So what she was to do on the morrow she could not tell; for, see you, she had no one to help her; for, of course, now she was Queen, her mother didn't live nigh her. So she just locked the door of her room, sat down on a stool and cried and cried and cried until her pretty eyes were all red.
哦天呐，她吓坏了，因为她一直就是个做事欠考虑的女孩儿，她可从没学过纺线啊。所以明天能做什么，她可是一点主意都没有。你也看到了，没人能帮到她，因为，她现在是皇后啦，她的妈妈当然没有和她住在一起。于是她把她房间的门锁上，坐在一张凳子上哭了起来。她哭啊哭啊，把她那可爱的大眼睛都哭红了。
Now as she sat sobbing and crying she heard a queer little noise at the bottom of the door. At first she thought it was a mouse. Then she thought it must be something knocking.
就在她坐在那儿哭啊哭啊哭个没完时，她听到门的下面传来了小小的、奇怪的声音。开始她以为是只老鼠。然后她想，肯定是有什么东西在敲门。
So she upped and opened the door and what did she see? Why! A small, little, black Thing with a long tail that whisked round and round ever so fast.
于是她站起来打开了门。她看了什么？哇！一个小小的，黑色的东西，有一个长长的尾巴，长尾巴一圈一圈地打转，转得可快了。
"What are you crying for?" said that Thing, making a bow, and twirling its tail so fast that she could scarcely see it.
“你为什么哭啊？”那东西说着，鞠了一躬，它的尾巴转得太快了，她几乎看不到它的尾巴了。
"What's that to you?" said she, shrinking a bit, for that Thing was very queer like.
“关你什么事？”她说着，缩了缩身子，因为那东西看起来太古怪了。
"Don't look at my tail if you're frightened," says That, smirking. "Look at my toes. Ain't they beautiful?"
“如果我的尾巴吓到你了的话，别看它就是了，”那东西得意地笑着说。“看我的脚吧。它们多漂亮啊！”
And sure enough That had on buckled shoes with high heels and big bows, ever so smart.
果然，那东西的鞋子非常漂亮，有高高的跟，鞋上带着扣子，上面还有个大大的蝴蝶结。
So she kind of forgot about the tail, and wasn't so frightened, and when That asked her again why she was crying, she upped and said, "It won't do no good if I do."
于是她忘掉了那只尾巴，这样她就不那么害怕了，然后那东西又问了她一遍她为什么哭，她提高语调，说：“我说出来的话，又不会有任何的好处。”
"You don't know that," says That, twirling its tail faster and faster, and sticking out its toes. "Come, tell me, there's a good girl."
“你不说出来怎么知道呢，”那东西说着，把它的尾巴转得越来越快，还把它的脚趾头伸了出来。“来吧，告诉我吧，好女孩儿！”
"Well," says she, "it can't do any harm if it doesn't do good." So she dried her pretty eyes and told That all about the pies, and the skeins, and everything from first to last.
“好吧，”她说，“就算告诉你没有任何好处，可也不会有什么坏处。”于是她把她可爱的大眼睛擦擦干，告诉了那东西关于饼的事情，以及五个锭的事情，还有其它所有的事情，从头到尾，一件不拉。
And then that little, black Thing nearly burst with laughing. "If that is all, it's easy mended!" it says. "I'll come to your window every morning, take the flax and bring it back spun into five skeins at night. Come! Shall it be a bargain?"
听完以后，那个小小的，黑色的东西大笑起来，差点笑爆掉。“如果就这点事儿的话，那太容易办了！”它说。“我每天早上会来到你的窗前，把亚麻拿走；等到晚上再给你送回五个锭。怎么样，我们可以成交吗？”
Now she, for all she was so gatless and thoughtless, said, cautious like:
现在，就算她是那么样一个欠考虑的人，还是小心地问道：
"But what is your pay?"
“那我要付什么代价呢？”
Then That twirled its tail so fast you couldn't see it, and stuck out its beautiful toes, and smirked and looked out of the corners of its eyes. "I will give you three guesses every night to guess my name, and if you haven't guessed it before the month is up, why—" and That twirled its tail faster and stuck out its toes further, and smirked and sniggered more than ever—"you shall be mine, my beauty."
那东西把尾巴转得快到你都看不到它，并把它的美丽的脚趾头们伸出来，得意地笑着，用眼角瞟着她说：“我每天晚上会给你三次机会来猜我的名字，如果你到月底还是没有猜到的话，哇哦——”，那东西的尾巴转得更快了，脚趾头也伸得更长，得意地笑得更厉害了——“你就是我的了，我的美人儿。”
Three guesses every night for a whole month! She felt sure she would be able for so much; and there was no other way out of the business, so she just said, "Yes! I agree!"
每天猜三次，可以猜整整一个月！她简直可以肯定，猜这么多次她肯定能猜到,再说她也没别的办法了，于是她说：“好，我同意！”
And lor! How That twirled its tail, and bowed, and smirked, and stuck out its beautiful toes.
哦，天呐！那东西的尾巴那个摇啊，又是鞠躬又是得意地笑，又是伸长它的漂亮的脚趾头。
Well, the very next day her husband led her to the strange room, again, and there was the day's food, and a spinning-wheel and a great bundle of flax.
第二天，她的丈夫又把她带到那个奇怪的房间里，里面放了当天吃的食物，还有一个纺车，以及一大捆的亚麻。
"There you are, my dear," says he as polite as polite. "And remember! if there are not five whole skeins tonight, I fear your head will come off!"
“我亲爱的，你就呆在这儿吧，”他能多礼貌就有多礼貌地说。“要记住哦！如果到今天晚上还没纺好五整个锭的话，我担心你的脑袋会落地呢！”
At that she began to tremble, and after he had gone away and locked the door, she was just thinking of a good cry, when she heard a queer knocking at the window. She upped at once and opened it, and sure enough there was the small, little, black Thing sitting on the window ledge, dangling its beautiful toes and twirling its tail so that you could scarcely see it.
在那一刻她开始发抖，在他离开之后她把门锁好，只想大哭一场。这时她听到有奇怪的声音在敲窗户。她立刻起身打开窗，在窗框上的的确确站着那个小小的，黑色的东西，摇摆着它美丽的脚趾，它的尾巴转得那么快，你几乎看不到它。
"Good morning, my beauty," says That. "Come! hand over the flax, sharp, there's a good girl."
“早上好啊，我的美人儿，”那东西说。“来吧！把亚麻递给我，好姑娘！”
So she gave That the flax and shut the window and, you may be sure, ate her victuals, for, as you know, she had a good appetite, and the King, her husband, had promised to give her everything she liked to eat. So she ate to her heart's content, and when evening came and she heard that queer knocking at the window again, she upped and opened it, and there was the small, little, black Thing with five spun skeins on his arm!
于是她把亚麻递给那东西，然后关上了窗。接下来，你肯定猜得到，她吃掉了食物，正如你所知道的那样，她胃口很好的，而她的丈夫，国王，也发过誓要给她所有她想吃的东西。于是她吃了个心满意足。夜晚到了，她听到窗上又传来了奇怪的敲打声，于是她站起来，打开了窗子，看到那个小小的，黑色的东西，手上捧着五个纺成的锭子！
And it twirled its tail faster than ever, and stuck out its beautiful toes, and bowed and smirked and gave her the five skeins.
它把尾巴转得前所未有的快，把它的脚趾头伸长，鞠了一躬，假笑着把五个锭交给她。
Then That said, "And now, my beauty, what is That's name?"
然后那东西说，“现在，我的美人儿，那东西的名字是什么啊？”
And she answered quite easy like:
她毫不费力地回答说：
"That is Bill."
“那东西叫比尔。” (*译注3)
"No, it ain't," says That, and twirled its tail.
“不，不对。”那东西转动着尾巴说。
"Then That is Ned," says she.
“那么，那东西叫耐德，”她说。 (*译注4)
"No, it ain't," says That, and twirled its tail faster.
“不，不对，”那东西说着，尾巴转得更快了。
"Well," says she a bit more thoughtful, "That is Mark."
“好吧”，她的深思熟虑地说，“那东西叫马克。” (*译注5)
"No, it ain't," says That, and laughs and laughs and laughs, and twirls its tail so as you couldn't see it, as away it flew.
“不，不对，”那东西说着，笑啊笑啊笑得，尾巴转得快到你根本看不见，然后它就飞走了。
Well, when the King, her husband, came in, he was fine and pleased to see the five skeins all ready for him, for he was fond of his pretty wife.
接下来，当国王，她的丈夫，进来时，他很高兴看到五个锭已经在那里等着他了，因为他很宠爱他美丽的妻子。
"I shall not have to order your head off, my dear," says he. "And I hope all the other days will pass as happily." Then he said goodnight and locked the door and left her.
“我不用被迫下令让你的人头落地了，我亲爱的，”他说。“我希望接下来的每一天都可以开心地渡过。”然后他道过晚安，把她留在房间里，把门锁掉就走了。
But next morning they brought her fresh flax and even more delicious foods. And the small, little, black Thing came knocking at the window and stuck out its beautiful toes and twirled its tail faster and faster, and took away the bundle of flax and brought it back all spun into five skeins by evening. Then That made her guess three times what That's name was; but she could not guess right, and That laughed and laughed and laughed as it flew away.
不过第二天早上，他们又给她带来了新鲜的亚麻和更多可口的食物。然后小小的，黑色的东西又来敲窗户，伸出它的美丽的脚趾，越来越快地转动着它的尾巴，把成捆的亚麻带走了，到傍晚带来纺好的五个锭子。然后那东西又让她猜了三次它的名字，但是她还是猜不对，然后那东西就笑啊笑的飞走了。
Now every morning and evening the same thing happened, and every evening she had her three guesses; but she never guessed right. And every day the small, little, black Thing laughed louder and louder and smirked more and more, and looked at her quite maliceful out of the corners of its eyes until she began to get frightened, and instead of eating all the fine foods left for her, spent the day in trying to think of names to say. But she never hit upon the right one.
然后啊，每天早上和傍晚，都发生同样的事情，而且每个傍晚她都猜三次，但是她没有一次猜对。每天那个小小的，黑色的东西都笑得越来越大声，笑得越来越得意，用眼角瞟她时也越来越恶毒，她开始害怕起来，于是白天她开始不再把所有的时间都花在吃光食物上了，而是要花时间使劲儿想名字。不过她还是一次都没有猜对。
So it came to the last day of the month but one, and when the small, little, black Thing arrived in the evening with the five skeins of flax already spun, it could hardly say for smirking:
接下来还差一天就要到月底了，当小小的，黑色的东西晚上带着五个纺好的亚麻锭来到房间时，他得意地笑啊笑啊，几乎没办法说话了。
"Ain't you got That's name yet?"
“你猜到那东西的名字没啊？”
So says she—for she had been reading her Bible:
她现在已经非常认真地对待这件事了，甚至去仔细读了圣经，于是她说道：
"Is That Nicodemus?"
“那东西是叫尼可迪默思吗？” (*译注6)
"No, it ain't," says That, and twirled its tail faster than you could see.
“不，不对，”那东西说着，把尾巴摇得看都看不到。
"Is That Samuel?" says she all of a flutter.
“那东西叫塞缪尔吗？”她非常焦急地说。 (*译注7)
"No, it ain't, my beauty," chuckles That, looking maliceful.
“不，不对，我的美人儿。”那东西吃吃地笑着，看起来好邪恶。
"Well—is That Methusaleh?" says she, inclined to cry.
“好吧——那东西叫玛士撒拉吗？”她说着，都快哭出来了。 (*译注8)
Then That just fixes her with eyes like a coal a-fire, and says, "No, it ain't that neither, so there is only tomorrow night and then you'll be mine, my beauty."
那东西的眼睛象煤炭火一样的红，她看了立刻就哭不出来了。那东西说，“不，也不对。那么，就只有明天一个晚上了，然后你就是我的了，我的美人儿。”
And away the small, little, black Thing flew, its tail twirling and whisking so fast that you couldn't see it.
说完，这个小小的，黑色的东西就飞走了，它的尾巴转啊转的，转得好快啊，你们简直看不到它。
Well, she felt so bad she couldn't even cry; but she heard the King, her husband, coming to the door, so she made bold to be cheerful, and tried to smile when he said, "Well done, wife! Five skeins again! I shall not have to order your head off after all, my dear, of that I'm quite sure, so let us enjoy ourselves." Then he bade the servants bring supper, and a stool for him to sit beside his Queen, and down they sat lover-like, side by side.
她觉得好难过，连哭都哭不出来了，但是她听到了国王，她的丈夫，来到了门外。于是她假装出愉快的表情，在听他说话时努力微笑。她听到她的丈夫说：“很棒啊，老婆！又是五个锭！我不用被迫下令让你的人头落地了，我亲爱的，这一点我很肯定，让我们好好享受一下吧。”然后他下令让仆人们带来晚餐，并给他带来一个板凳，好让他可以坐在他的王后的边上。他们肩并肩坐在那儿，看上去非常恩爱。
But the poor Queen could eat nothing; she could not forget the small, little, black Thing. And the King hadn't eaten but a mouthful or two when he began to laugh, and he laughed so long and so loud that at last the poor Queen, all lackadaisical as she was said:
但是可怜的王后什么也吃不下去，她没办法忘掉那个小小的，黑色的东西。国王没吃一两口，就开始笑起来。他笑得时间又长，又大声，最后可怜的王后懒洋洋地问道：
"Why do you laugh so?"
“什么事情让你这么好笑啊？”
"At something I saw today, my love," says the King. "I was out a-hunting, and by chance I came to a place I'd never been in before. It was in a wood, and there was an old chalk-pit there, and out of the chalk-pit there came a queer kind of a sort of a humming, bumming noise. So I got off my hobby to see what made it, and went quite quiet to the edge of the pit and looked down. And what do you think I saw? The funniest, queerest, smallest, little, black Thing you ever set eyes upon. And it had a little spinning-wheel and it was spinning away for dear life, but the wheel didn't go so fast as its tail, and that span round and round—ho-ho-ha-ha!—you never saw the like. And its little feet had buckled shoes and bows on them, and they went up and down in a desperate hurry. And all the time that small, little, black Thing kept bumming and booming away at these words:
“我在笑我今天看到的事情呢，我亲爱的，”国王说。“我今天出去打猎，偶然来到了一个我之前从没到过的地方。这个地方在森林里，那里有个废旧的石灰矿，在石灰矿的里面传来一种奇怪的声音，像是嗡嗡嗡～，或是哼哼哼～的声音。于是我起了好奇心，想去看看到底是什么东西发出的这种声音，于是我非常轻声地绕过石灰矿的边缘，朝下看去。你猜猜我看到了什么？最古怪的，最奇怪的，最小的，黑色的东西，你绝对没看到过的。它有一个小小的纺车，正在那儿为了它的生活纺线呢，但是那纺纱的轮子可没它的尾巴转得快，那尾巴转啊转啊转啊——哇哈哈哈！——你从没看到过那是什么样子。而且它的小小的脚上穿了带扣子的鞋子，鞋子上还有蝴蝶结，那些脚啊上上下下地快得要命。而且那个小小的，黑色的东西还一刻不停、没完没了地絮絮叨叨着这几句话：”
"Name me, name me not,
Who'll guess it's Tom-Tit-Tot."
“猜呀猜，猜不透，
谁能猜到我叫汤滴豆。”
Well, when she heard these words the Queen nearly jumped out of her skin for joy; but she managed to say nothing, but ate her supper quite comfortably.
哦，当王后听到这些话时，她的心高兴得差点儿从嗓子眼儿跳出来；不过她尽力控制住自己，什么也不说，不过接下来晚饭就吃得舒服极了。
And she said no word when next morning the small, little, black Thing came for the flax, though it looked so gleeful and maliceful that she could hardly help laughing knowing she had got the better of it. And when night came and she heard that knocking against the windowpanes, she put on a wry face, and opened the window slowly as if she was afraid. But That thing was as bold as brass and came right inside, grinning from ear to ear. And oh, my goodness! How That's tail was twirling and whisking!
接下来，第二天早上当那个小小的，黑色的东西来取亚麻时，它看起来是那么的开心，那么地邪恶，她差点忍不住要笑出来，不过她还是控制住了，一句话也没说。夜晚来临了，她听到那东西敲窗玻璃的声音了，她换上一副脸部扭曲的表情，装成害怕的样子，慢慢地打开了窗户。不过这次啊，那东西又大胆、又厚脸皮地直接从窗子进来了，嘴笑得裂到耳朵丫子。哦，天呐！那东西的尾巴转啊转啊，转得多快啊！
"Well, my beauty," says That, giving her the five skeins all ready spun, "what's my name?"
“哦，我的美人儿，”那东西说着，把五个纺好的锭子递给她，“我的名字是什么啊？”
Then she put down her lip, and says, tearful like, "Is—is—That—Solomon?"
她嘴角朝下弯着，好象眼泪都要滴下来了，“嗯～那东西～是不是～叫～所罗门？” (*译注9)
"No, it ain't," laughs That, smirking out of the corner of That's eye. And the small, little, black Thing came further into the room.
“不，不对，”那东西笑着，斜着眼睛得意地瞟着她。这个小小的，黑色的东西又朝房间里走得远了点儿。
So she tried again—and this time she seemed hardly able to speak for fright.
于是她再试了一次——这次她看起来害怕得几乎说不出话来了。
"Well—is That Zebedee?" she says.
“呃——那东西是叫…西庇太吗？”她说。 (*译注10)
"No, it ain't," cried the impet, full of glee. And it came quite close and stretched out its little black hands to her, and O-oh, its tail...!!!
“不，不对，”它高兴坏了，大声喊到。它已经离她非常近了，朝她伸出它的小小的黑色的手，而且，哦，天呐！它的尾巴…！！！
"Take time, my beauty," says That, sort of leering like, and its small, little, black eyes seemed to eat her up. "Take time! Remember! Next guess and you're mine!"
“慢慢儿来，我的美人儿，”那东西说着，目光非常邪恶，而且它的小小的，黑色的眼睛看起来简直要把她吃掉。“慢慢儿来！要记着哦，再猜一次，你就是我的了！”
Well, she backed just a wee bit from it, for it was just horrible to look at; but then she laughed out and pointed her finger at it and said, says she:
她朝后退了一点儿，因为它看起来太可怕了；不过然后她就笑出声来，用她的手指指着它，说道：
"Name me, name me not,
“猜呀猜，猜得透，
Your name is
你的名字叫
TOM
汤
TIT
滴
TOT."
豆。”
And you never heard such a shriek as that small, little, black Thing gave out. Its tail dropped down straight, its feet all crumpled up, and away That flew into the dark and she never saw it no more.
哦，你肯定从来没听到过那个小小的，黑色的东西可以发出这种尖叫声。它的尾巴直直的垂了下来，它的脚完全皱了起来，那东西飞到黑暗中不见了，她自那以后再也没有见到它。
And she lived happy ever after with her husband, the King.
从此她和她的丈夫，国王，快乐地生活在一起。
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以下为译注，内容出自互联网搜索，供大家参考：
*译注1：garter，原意为吊袜带，但行文中与crown并列，显然不通，取它的引申意，勋章。
《源自古法语“腿肚”的意思》>
1 a. (C)[常 ~s]袜带
a pair of ~s
一副袜带
b. [~s](美) (附于女用束腹等之) 吊袜带
( (英)suspenders)
2 [the]
a. 嘉德勋位 (the Order of the Garter)
(Knight 之最高勋位)
a Knight of the G
嘉德勋爵士
(略作 K.G.)
b. (表示此勋位之) 嘉德勋章
【字源】嘉德勋章 [勋位] 是于 1348 年左右由英王爱德华 (Edward) 三世所制定. 据说在一次舞会中,索尔斯堡 (Salisbury) 伯爵夫人不慎掉落袜带时,国王急中生智,立即把它拾起系在自己膝下而替伯爵夫人解了围. 嘉德勋章 (the Garter) 的名称源自这个典故. 这勋章由袜带及首饰、星章等而组成,男子将袜带系于左膝下,女子则系于左臂上;
*译注2：There's many a slip between the cup and the lip
字面意思是，在杯子和嘴唇之间还会有事故发生。
据说，这句话出自罗马神话：
海神尼普顿（Neptune）的儿子 Ancaus拥有一个他引以为荣的葡萄园。
一次，一个奴隶预言Ancaus今年喝不上这座葡萄园的葡萄酒。
到了收获的季节，新鲜的葡萄采摘下来酿造成酒，Ancaus把那个作出预言的奴隶叫来，为自己倒了一杯酒，嘲笑他的预言不灵验。而那个奴隶回答的正是这句“There's many a slip between the cup and the lip”。
正在这个时候，外面跑进来一个奴隶，说葡萄园闯进一头野猪（boar），伤人伤物。Ancaus来不及喝酒就跑了出去。
最后的结果是，Ancaus被野猪杀死，那杯已经倒好的酒也也没有喝上。
如今，这句话多用来警告那些差一点就成功的人，不要功亏一篑、功败垂成。
英文的解释是，“Don't be too sure that your plan is going to work because anything can go wrong at anytime.The plan is good but it can still fail.”
(别对你的计划太自信，因为每时每刻任何意外都有可能发生。即使你的计划是好的，它最后也可能失败。)
*译注3: Bill, 比尔
也有帐单的意思
*译注4: Ned, 耐德
俚语里有10元金币的意思
*译注5: Mark, 马克
这个词也有钱或是金子相关的意思：
1.
An English and Scottish monetary unit that was equal to 13 shillings and 4 pence.
银币：英格兰和苏格兰货币单位，相当于13先令4便士
2.
Any of several European units of weight that were equal to about 8 ounces (227 grams), used especially for weighing gold and silver.
金银重量单位：任一种欧洲的重量单位，相当于8盎司（227克），尤指用于衡量金银
*译注6: Nicodemus, 尼科迪默思，圣经中的人物，出自福音书。详见下：
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, who, according to the Gospel of John, showed favour to Jesus. He appears three times in the Gospel: the first is when he visits Jesus one night to listen to his teachings (John 3:1-21); the second is when he states the law concerning the arrest of Jesus during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:45-51); and the last follows the Crucifixion, when he assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the corpse of Jesus for burial (John 19:39-42).
*译注7: Samuel, 塞缪尔
《圣经》希伯来的士师,预言者
samuel(希伯来文)，schama(意为『听』)和el(意为『上帝』)连成的。其完整意思为"被上帝听到的人"。这和圣经中的传说有关。圣经说预言家samuel的母亲把他的降生看作是上帝对她的祷告的回报。
*译注8: Methuselah, 玛士撒拉
诺亚洪水前的犹太族长,据传为活到 969 岁的长寿者; Enoch 之子;
出自《圣经》“创世记”
*译注9: Solomon, 所罗门
所罗门 (男子名, 古以色列国王大卫之子, 以智慧著称)
以色列国王。大卫之子和继承人。约公元前960-前930年在位，在公元前 10 世纪中叶 。《旧约》中载有其事迹。所罗门的父亲大卫开创犹太王朝 ，并谋求建立一个从埃及边界直至幼发拉底河的帝国。所罗门继承王位以后消灭他的政敌，并将他的朋友安插在军队、政府和宗教机构的岗位。所罗门还通过联姻的办法加强自己的地位。他与各地国王的女儿和姐妹成亲，其中有一个是埃及法老的女儿，法老攻占并焚毁迦南人的迦萨城，把它送给所罗门。与所有帝国的开创者一样，所罗门也是以武力维持自己的版图，除了步兵以外，他还有令人惊异的战车兵和骑兵。所罗门建立的贸易站网后来成为犹太人在外聚居区的核心 。所罗门帝国以商业为主，一切政府机构都为贸易服务。他在首都耶路撒冷周围给驻以色列的主要外国贸易使团修筑馆驿。示巴在阿拉伯半岛南部）女王访问所罗门。所罗门兴建耶路撒冷城墙和圣殿。所罗门是一位精力充沛的行政官，他把以色列原有的12支派重新划分为12个行政区，每一个区由国王任命一名总督，12 名总督受一位大总督管制。所罗门还以贤明著称。他也是一位有名的诗人，写过1000多首诗歌，相传《圣经》中所收《雅歌》和《箴言》为其所作。所罗门当政时期是以色列与犹太联合王国的巅峰期，军队强大，商业繁荣，耶和华圣殿和华美的王宫相继在耶路撒冷建成。因此而被视为古代以色列最伟大的国王。其晚年奢靡无度，沉湎女色，致使国家每况愈下。死后国家分裂。
所罗门是古代以色列国王大卫的儿子。据《圣经》记载。大卫统一了犹太各部落，建立王国，定都耶路撒冷。
所罗门小的时候非常的聪明，17岁时继承了王位。他和埃及公主结了婚，与埃及人合作把国家建立得非常强大。所罗门在位时，是古代以色列王国最强盛的时期。
现在人们称赞一个人的聪明才智，常用“所罗门的智慧”这句话来形容。
*译注10: Zebedee, 西庇太
耶稣的12门徒中，有两个是他的儿子。
雅各伯，又译雅各(Jacob)，西庇太(Zebedee)的儿子，耶稣为他们起名为“半尼其”(Boanerges)，意为“雷子”(Thunder Brother)
若翰，又译约翰(John)，西庇太(Zebedee)的儿子，耶稣为他们起名为“半尼其”(Boanerges)，意为“雷子”(Thunder Brother)
西庇太 ZEBEDEE
耶稣稍往前走，又见西庇太的儿子雅各，和雅各的兄弟约翰，在船上补网。耶稣招呼他们；他们就把父亲西庇太，和雇工人留在船上，跟从耶稣去了。(可一19--20)
西庇太对主的工作最大的贡献就是他的两个儿子。很多人比他付出的少，极少人能胜过他。这两个儿子是家庭事业中的得力助手，因此没有了他们，对父亲来说，是最大的损失。虽然最后证明，他们的父亲的确因他们蒙福，他们也使我们受惠不少。或许西庇太这个名字在生意圈里并不响亮，但他在圣经中却大有尊荣。雅各是第一个殉道的使徒，而约翰是最后一个。如果西庇太像很多基督徒父亲一样，坚持儿子们留在家中，他可能在物质上成为更宏厚的人，但却失去了那真正的伟大，就是作两个跨越整个使徒时代的人物之父。