[翻译大赛NO.3]Twelve Months/十二月

THERE was once a woman who was left a widow with two children. The elder, who was only her stepdaughter, was named Dobrunka; the younger, who was as wicked as her mother, was called Katinka. The mother worshiped her daughter, but she hated Dobrunka, simply because she was as beautiful as her sister was ugly. Dobrunka did not even know that she was pretty, and she could not understand why her stepmother flew into a rage at the mere [265] sight of her. The poor child was obliged to do all the work of the house; she had to sweep, cook, wash, sew, spin, weave, cut the grass, and take care of the cow, while Katinka lived like a princess, that is to say, did nothing.

Dobrunka worked with a good will, and took reproaches and blows with the gentleness of a lamb; but nothing soothed her stepmother, for every day added to the beauty of the elder sister and the ugliness of the younger. "They are growing up," thought the mother, "and suitors will soon appear who will refuse my daughter when they see this hateful Dobrunka, who grows beautiful on purpose to spite me. I must get rid of her, cost what it may."

从前有个女人，她的丈夫去世了，只留她跟两个孩子一起生活。大一点儿的那个孩子是她的继女，叫多布朗卡；小一点儿的，跟她妈妈一样邪恶，叫做卡廷卡。这个女人喜欢自己的亲生女儿，但是她非常讨厌多布朗卡，因为多布朗卡很漂亮，而卡廷卡却很丑。多布朗卡压根就不知道自己有多漂亮，也不明白为什么继母一看到她就发火儿。这个可怜的孩子被要求承担了家里的所有活儿：她得擦地、做饭、洗衣、缝纫、纺线、织布、割草，还得照顾家里的牛。而卡廷卡生活得则像个公主一样，换句话说，她一点儿活都不用干。

多布朗卡对自己的操劳并没什么怨言，连继母的责备和打击她也用羊羔一般的温柔承受下来。但是这也不能让她的继母开心一点，因为多布朗卡越来越漂亮，而卡廷卡却越来越丑。“她们都长大了，”继母想：“很快就会有人到家里来求婚，但是他们看到这讨厌的多布朗卡就肯定不会娶我的女儿了。这个小丫头长这么漂亮就是故意来气我的！我一定要不惜一切代价把她除掉。”

One day in the middle of January, Katinka took a fancy for some violets. She called Dobrunka and said: "Go to the forest and bring me a bunch of violets, that I may put them in my bosom and enjoy their fragrance."

"Oh, sister, what an idea!" answered Dobrunka; "as if there were any violets under the snow!"

"Hold your tongue, stupid lass," returned her sister, "and do as I bid you. If you do not go to the forest and bring me back a bunch of violets, I will beat you to a jelly." Upon this the mother took Dobrunka by the arm, put her out of the door, and drew the bolt on her.

The poor girl went to the forest weeping bitterly. Every thing was covered with snow; there was not even a footpath. She lost her way, and wandered about till, famishing with hunger and perishing with cold, she entreated God to take her from this wretched life.

All at once she saw a light in the distance. She went on, climbing higher and higher, until at last she reached the top of a huge rock, upon which a great fire was built. Around the fire were twelve stones, and on each stone sat a motionless figure, wrapped in a large mantle, his head covered with a hood which fell over his eyes. Three of these mantles were white like the snow, three were green like the grass of the meadows, three were golden like the sheaves of ripe wheat, and three were purple like the grapes of the [266] vine. These twelve figures, gazing at the fire in silence, were the Twelve Months of the year.

在一月中旬的一天，卡廷卡突然想要紫罗兰。她把多布朗卡叫过来说：“去森林给我摘一束紫罗兰来，我要把它们捧在胸前嗅闻它们的芬芳。”

“哦，妹妹，这是多么奇特的想法！”多布朗卡说，“雪地里怎么可能有紫罗兰呢？”

“闭嘴吧，你这傻姑娘，”她的妹妹反驳道：“就找我说的去做。如果你不去森林给我带一束紫罗兰回来，我就把你揍成肉酱。”于是继母就拉住多布朗卡的胳膊，把她推出门外，还给门插上了门闩。

这个可怜的姑娘一路哭哭啼啼地走去森林。所有的东西都被大雪覆盖了，森林里几乎没有路可走。她迷了路，在林子里走来走去，又冷又饿快要死去了。她恳求上帝能把她从这悲惨的生活中带走。

突然她看到远处有火光。她便一直向前走，走啊走，直到最后她爬到一块大石头的顶上，那里有一堆火燃的正旺。在火堆旁有十二块石头，每块石头上都有个人坐在那儿不动，他们围着大披风，带着风帽，帽子盖住了他们的眼睛。这里面有三个人的披风是雪白色的，三个则是像草地一样的绿色，还有三个是像成熟的小麦那样的金黄色，三个是像葡萄那样的紫色。这十二个静静地盯着火苗儿的人，就是一年中的十二个月。

Dobrunka knew January by his long white beard. He was the only one that had a staff in his hand. The poor girl was terribly frightened. She drew near, saying, in a timid voice: "My good sirs, please let me warm myself by your fire; I am freezing with cold."

January nodded his head. "Why have you come here, my child?" he asked. "What are you looking for?"

"I am looking for violets," replied Dobrunka.

"This is not the season for them; there are no violets in the time of snow," said January, in his gruff voice.

"I know it," replied Dobrunka sadly; "but my sister and mother will beat me to a jelly if I do not bring them some. My good sirs, please tell me where I can find them."

Old January rose, and, turning to a young man in a green mantle, put his staff in his hand, and said to him, "Brother March, this is your business."

March rose in turn, stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! the flames rose, the snow melted, the buds put forth on the trees, the grass turned green under the bushes, the flowers peeped through the verdure, and the violets opened—;it was spring.

多布朗卡认出了一月，因为他有长长的白胡子。他是唯一一个手里握着权杖的。这个可怜的女孩子要被吓坏了。她慢慢走近他们，羞怯地说：“我的好先生们，请让我用你们的火暖暖身子吧，我快要冻僵了。”

一月点了点头：“你为什么来这里，我的孩子？”他问，“你在找什么？”

“我在找紫罗兰。”多布朗卡说。

“这可不是找紫罗兰的时候。雪地里可没有紫罗兰。”一月说。他的声音冷冰冰的。

“我知道，”多布朗卡伤心地说，“但是要是我不给妹妹和妈妈带回一些紫罗兰去，她们会把我揍成肉酱的。我的好先生们，请告诉我哪里可以找到紫罗兰吧。”

年长的一月站起身来，转向一个穿着绿披风的年轻人，把手中的权杖递给他，说：“三月，这就是你的事儿了。”

三月站起身来，用权杖搅着面前的火焰，天啊，她看到了什么！火焰升了起来，积雪融化，树木发芽，灌木下的草叶转绿，花朵在草地中忽隐忽现，紫罗兰也绽开了——春天来了。

"Make haste, my child, and gather your violets," said March.

Dobrunka gathered a large bouquet, thanked the Twelve Months, and joyfully ran home. You can imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the stepmother. The fragrance of the violets filled the whole house.

"Where did you find these fine things?" asked Katinka, in a disdainful voice.

"Up yonder on the mountain," answered her sister. "It looked like a great blue carpet under the bushes."

Katinka put the bouquet in her bosom, and did not even thank the poor child.

“快点儿，我的孩子，摘一束紫罗兰吧。”三月说。

多布朗卡摘了一大束紫罗兰，感谢了十二月之后开心地跑回了家。你可以想想卡廷卡和继母该有多吃惊！紫罗兰的香味充满了整个房间。

“你从哪儿找到这些漂亮的花儿的？”卡廷卡用一种鄙夷的语气问。

“就在山那边。”她的姐姐回答道，“那就像是在灌木丛下铺了一大块蓝色的毯子。”

卡廷卡把花捧在胸前，可怜的多布朗卡甚至连声谢谢都没得到。

The next morning the wicked sister, as she sat idling by the stove, took a fancy for some strawberries. [267] "Go to the forest and bring me some strawberries," said she to Dobrunka.

"Oh, sister, what an idea! as if there were any strawberries under the snow!"

"Hold your tongue, stupid lass, and do as I bid you. If you don't go to the forest and bring me back a basket of strawberries, I will beat you to a jelly."

The mother took Dobrunka by the arm, put her out of the door, and drew the bolt on her.

The poor girl returned to the forest, looking with all her eyes for the light that she had seen the day before. She was fortunate enough to spy it, and she reached the fire trembling and almost frozen.

The Twelve Months were in their places, motionless and silent.

"My good sirs," said Dobrunka, "please let me warm myself by your fire; I am almost frozen with cold."

"Why have you returned?" asked January. "What are you looking for?"

"I am looking for strawberries," answered she.

"This is not the season for them," returned January, in his gruff voice; "there are no strawberries under the snow."

"I know it," replied Dobrunka sadly; "but my mother and sister will beat me to a jelly if I do not bring them some. My good sirs, please tell me where I can find them."

Old January rose, and, turning to a man in a golden mantle, he put his staff in his hand, saying, "Brother June, this is your business."

June rose in turn and stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! the flames rose, the snow melted, the earth grew green, the trees were covered with leaves, the birds sang, and the flowers opened—;it was summer. Thousand of little white stars enameled the turf, then turned to red strawberries, looking, in their green cups, like rubies set in emeralds.

第二天早上这邪恶的妹妹懒散地坐在火炉前的时候，又突然想要吃草莓。

“去森林给我采点儿草莓来。”她吩咐多布朗卡。

“哦，妹妹，这是多么奇特的想法！雪地里怎么会有草莓呢？”

“闭嘴吧，你这傻姑娘，就找我说的去做。如果你不去森林给我采点草莓回来，我就把你揍成肉酱。”

于是继母就拉住多布朗卡的胳膊，把她推出门外，还给门插上了门闩。

这个可怜的姑娘又回到森林里，尽力找昨天她看到的火光。她幸运地又看到了那片火光，当她到了火前面的时候已是浑身发抖，要冻成冰棍了。

十二月都安安静静的，一动不动地坐在他们自己的地方上。

“我的好先生们，”多布朗卡说，“请让我用你们的火暖暖身子吧，我快要被冻僵了。”

“你为什么又来了？”一月问，“你在找什么？”

“我在找草莓。”多布朗卡回答道。

“这可不是找草莓的时候。”一月冷冰冰地说，“雪地里可没有草莓。”

“我知道，”多布朗卡伤心地说，“但是要是我不给妹妹和妈妈带些草莓回去，她们会把我揍成肉酱的。我的好先生们，请告诉我哪里可以找到草莓吧。”

年长的一月站起身来，转向一个穿着金黄披风的年轻人，把手中的权杖递给他，说：“六月，这就是你的事儿了。”

六月站起身来，用权杖搅着面前的火焰，天啊，她看到了什么！火焰升了起来，积雪融化，大地转绿，树木长满了叶子，鸟儿低鸣，

花朵盛开——夏天来了。无数小白花点缀在草丛中，然后它们变成了红色的草莓，看上去这些在绿色叶子上的果实像是散布在祖母绿里的红宝石。

"Make haste, my child, and gather your strawberries," said June.

Dobrunka filled her apron, thanked the Twelve Months, [268] and joyfully ran home. You may imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the stepmother. The fragrance of the strawberries filled the whole house.

"Where did you find these fine things?" asked Katinka, in a disdainful voice.

"Up yonder on the mountain," answered her sister; "there were so many of them that they looked like blood poured on the ground."

Katinka and her mother devoured the strawberries without even thanking the poor child.

“快点儿，我的孩子，采一些草莓吧。”六月说。

多布朗卡摘了满满一围裙草莓，感谢了十二月之后开心地跑回了家。你可以想想卡廷卡和继母该有多吃惊！草莓的芬芳充满了整个房间。

“你从哪儿找到这些草莓的？”卡廷卡用一种鄙夷的语气问。

“就在山那边。”她的姐姐回答道，“山上有那么多草莓，它们看上去就像是溅到大地上的血滴。”

卡廷卡跟她的母亲吃光了所有的草莓，连句谢谢都没说。

The third day the wicked sister took a fancy for some red apples. The same threats, the same insults, and the same violence followed. Dobrunka ran to the mountain, and was fortunate enough to find the Twelve Months warming themselves, motionless and silent.

"You here again, my child?" said old January, making room for her by the fire. Dobrunka told him, with tears, how, if she did not bring home some red apples, her mother and sister would beat her to death.

Old January repeated the ceremonies of the day before.

"Brother September," said he to a gray-bearded man in a purple mantle, "this is your business." September rose and stirred the fire with the staff, when behold! the flames ascended, the snow melted, and the trees put forth a few yellow leaves, which fell one by one before the wind—;it was autumn. The only flowers were a few late pinks, daisies, and immortelles. Dobrunka saw but one thing, an apple tree with its rosy fruit.

第三天，这邪恶的妹妹又想吃红苹果。同样的恐吓、同样的辱骂、同样的暴力又发生了。多布朗卡跑到山上去，她幸运地又看到了十二月正在安安静静、一动不动地围着火焰取暖。

“你又来了，我的孩子。”一月说着，给她腾出地方来让她取暖。

多布朗卡流着泪，说如果自己不能把红苹果带回家，她的继母和妹妹会把她打死的。

年长的一月重复了之前的仪式。“九月，”他冲一个穿紫色披风的灰胡子老头儿说，“这是你的事儿了。”

九月站起身来，用权杖搅着面前的火焰，天啊，她看到了什么！火焰升了起来，积雪融化，树木都披上了黄色的外衣，叶子被秋风簌簌地吹下——秋天来了。只有一些迟开的粉红色小花跟雏菊还开着。多布朗卡注意到一株苹果树，上面结满了红润的果实。

"Make haste, my child; shake the tree," said September.

She shook it, and an apple fell; she shook it again, and a second apple followed.

"Make haste, Dobrunka, make haste home!" cried September, in an imperious voice.

The good child thanked the Twelve Months, and joyfully ran home. You may imagine the astonishment of Katinka and the stepmother.

[269] "Fresh-plucked apples in January! Where did you get these apples?" asked Katinka.

"Up yonder on the mountain; there is a tree there that is as red with them as a cherry tree in July."

"Why did you bring only two? You ate the rest on the way."

"Oh, sister, I did not touch them; I was only permitted to shake the tree twice, and but two apples fell."

"Begone, you wretch!" cried Katinka, striking her sister, who ran away crying.

“快点儿，我的孩子，摘些苹果吧。”九月说。

她摇了摇苹果树，掉下一只苹果来；她又摇了一下苹果树，第二只苹果掉了下来。

“快点儿，多布朗卡，快快摘完苹果回家！”九月不耐烦地喊着。

这个好孩子感谢了十二月之后开心地跑回了家。你可以想想卡廷卡和继母该有多吃惊！

“一月里新鲜的苹果！你从哪儿找到这些苹果的？”卡廷卡问。

“就在山那边。那里有株苹果树，上面的苹果红得像是七月的樱桃。”

“你为什么只带了两个回来？你一定是在路上吃掉了其余的苹果。”

“哦，妹妹，我压根没碰它们；我只被允许摇了两下树，只有两只苹果掉了下来。”

“滚开！你这坏蛋！”卡廷卡大叫着打了她的姐姐，多布朗卡哭着跑走了。

The wicked girl tasted one of the apples; she had never eaten anything so delicious in her life, neither had her mother. How they regretted not having any more!

"Mother," said Katinka, "give me my fur cloak. I will go to the forest and find the tree, and, whether I am permitted or not, I will shake it so hard that all the apples will be ours."

The mother tried to stop her. A spoiled child listens to nothing. Katinka wrapped herself in her fur cloak, drew the hood over her head, and hastened to the forest.

Everything was covered with snow; there was not even a footpath. Katinka lost her way, but she pushed on, spurred by pride and covetousness. She spied a light in the distance. She climbed and climbed until she reached the place, and found the Twelve Months each seated on his stone, motionless and silent. Without asking their permission, she approached the fire.

"Why have you come here? What do you want? Where are you going?" asked old January gruffly.

那邪恶的姑娘吃了一只苹果，她从来没吃过这么好吃的苹果，她的母亲也没有。没有更多的苹果可吃，她们是多么遗憾！

“妈妈，”卡廷卡说，“把我的皮披风拿过来。我去林子里找到那棵苹果树，不管怎样，我要把树上的苹果都摇下来，它们就是我们的了。”

这母亲想要阻止她，但是一个被宠坏了的孩子是听不进母亲的劝的。卡廷卡穿上了皮披风，戴上风帽，向森林冲了过去。

所有的东西都被雪覆盖了，森林里几乎没有路可走。卡廷卡迷了路，但她一直走啊走，被骄傲和贪心一直鞭策着，没有停下脚步。她发现远处有一处亮光。她爬啊爬，直到自己到了那里，发现十二月坐在自己的石头上，安安静静、一动不动地烤着火。没有问可不可以，卡廷卡就凑到了火边上。

“你来这里干什么？你想要什么？你要到哪儿去？”一月冷冰冰地问。

"What matters it to you, old fool?" answered Katinka. "It is none of your business where I come from or whither I am going." She plunged into the forest. January frowned, and raised his staff above his head. In the twinkling of an eye the sky was overcast, the fire went out, the snow fell, and the wind blew. Katinka could not see the way before her. She lost herself, and vainly tried to retrace her steps. The snow fell and the wind blew. She called her mother, she called her sister, she prayed to God. The snow fell and [270] the wind blew. Katinka froze, her limbs stiffened, and she fell motionless. The snow still fell and the wind still blew.

The mother went without ceasing from the window to the door, from the door to the window. The hours passed, and Katinka did not return. "I must go and look for my daughter," said she. "The child has forgotten herself with those hateful apples." She took her fur cloak and hood, and hastened to the mountain. Everything was covered with snow; there was not even a footpath. She plunged into the forest, calling her daughter. The snow fell and the wind blew. She walked on with feverish anxiety, shouting at the top of her voice. The snow still fell and the wind still blew.

“关你什么事，老蠢货？”卡廷卡说，“我从哪儿来到哪儿去跟你一毛钱关系都没有。”卡廷卡又往森林里去了。一月皱起眉来，把权杖举到头上。天阴了下来，火焰熄灭了，大雪纷纷落下，大风席卷了大地。卡廷卡看不清路，她迷失了方向，徒劳地想沿原路返回。雪继续下，风继续刮。她喊妈妈，喊姐姐，向上帝祈祷。雪仍然在下，风仍然在刮。卡廷卡冻僵了，她的四肢都麻木了，浑身失去了直觉。雪还在下着，风还在刮着。

在家的母亲从窗口走到门前，又从门前走到窗口。但是几小时过去了，卡廷卡还没有回来。“我必须去找我的女儿，”她说，“她一定是吃起苹果来忘了回来了。”她穿上自己的皮披风，戴上风帽，也冲上了山。所有的东西都被雪覆盖了，森林里几乎没有路可走。她走进了森林，呼唤着自己的女儿。雪飘下来，风呼呼地刮着。她焦虑地走着，用自己最大的声音喊着女儿。雪依然在下，风依然在刮。

Dobrunka waited through the evening and the night, but no one returned. In the morning she took her wheel and spun a whole distaff full; there was still no news. "What can have happened?" said the good girl, weeping. The sun was shining through an icy mist, and the ground was covered with snow. Dobrunka prayed for her mother and sister. They did not return; and it was not till spring that a shepherd found the two bodies in the forest.

Dobrunka remained the sole mistress of the house, the cow, and the garden, to say nothing of a piece of meadow adjoining the house. But when a good and pretty girl has a field under her window, the next thing that follows is a young farmer, who offers her his heart and hand. Dobrunka was soon married. The Twelve Months did not abandon their child. More than once, when the north wind blew fearfully and the windows shook in their frames, old January stopped up all the crevices of the house with snow, so that the cold might not enter this peaceful abode.

Dobrunka lived to a good old age, always virtuous and happy, having, according to the proverb, winter at the door, summer in the barn, autumn in the cellar, and spring in the heart.

多布朗卡等了一整个晚上，但是没有人回来。第二条早上她纺了一纺纱杆的线，依然没有任何消息。“会发生什么事么？”这个好姑娘这样说着，为继母和妹妹哭泣。阳光穿过了薄雾，大地依然被雪覆盖。多布朗卡为继母和妹妹祈祷，但她们没有回来，直到春天有个牧羊人发现森林里有两具尸体。

多布朗卡成了房子的女主人，她照顾奶牛、花园，还照顾临近房子的一小片土地。但是当一个漂亮的好姑娘有了一片田地之后，接下来就肯定会有个年轻的农夫了，他把自己那颗爱着她的心和自己的土地给了她。多布朗卡很快结了婚。十二月并没有忘记这个姑娘。当北风呼呼地吹过，窗子被吹得摇摇欲坠的时候，一月不止一次停下来用雪补好了房子的所有缺口，这样寒冷就不会渗进这美好的住所了。

多布朗卡活了很大年纪，她一直有着高尚的美德，活得很开心，就像谚语说的那样，冬天在她的大门外，夏天在她的谷仓里，秋天在她的酒窖里，而春天在她的心里。