The Strange Adventures of the King's Head
乌有大王的脑袋奇遇记
A good many years ago, the Magical Monarch of Mo became annoyed by the Purple Dragon, which came down from the mountains and ate up a patch of his best chocolate caramels just as they were getting ripe.
很久很久以前，乌有大魔王被乌青龙给惹恼了，正赶上巧克力焦糖成熟的时候，这家伙从山上冲下来，把最好的一片巧克力焦糖全给吃掉了。
So the King went out to the sword-tree and picked a long, sharp sword, and tied it to his belt and went away to the mountains to fight the Purple Dragon.
于是，乌有大王到剑树摘下一把长长的利剑，挂在腰上，上山找乌青龙算账去了。
The people all applauded him, saying one to another:
人们无不拍手称快，纷纷说道：
"Our King is a good King. He will destroy this naughty Purple Dragon and we shall be able to eat the caramels ourselves."
“我们的大王真是个好国王。这下他干掉这个胡闹的乌青龙，我们又有焦糖吃了。”
But the Dragon was not alone naughty; it was big, and fierce, and strong, and did not want to be destroyed at all.
不过乌青龙可不仅仅是会胡闹而已，它长得又大又壮，不但凶狠，而且一点也不想被干掉。
Therefore the King had a terrible fight with the Purple Dragon and cut it with his sword in several places, so that the raspberry juice which ran in its veins squirted all over the ground.
于是乌有大王与乌青龙恶战一番，用剑砍伤了乌青龙好几个地方，从它的血管里流出来的红树莓汁洒得遍地都是。
It is always difficult to kill Dragons. They are by nature thick-skinned and tough, as doubtless every one has heard. Besides, you must not forget that this was a Purple Dragon, and all scientists who have studied deeply the character of Dragons say those of a purple color at the most disagreeable to fight with. So all the King's cutting and slashing had no effect upon the monster other than to make him angry. Forgetful of the respect due to a crowned King, the wicked Dragon presently opening wide its jaws and bit his Majesty's head clean off his body. Then he swallowed it.
要杀死龙总是很难的。它们天生长着厚皮硬甲，显然大家也都听说过。此外，你不要忘了，这可是乌青龙，所有研究龙类的专家都认为，这种乌青色的，是最不好对付的。于是，不管乌有大王怎么砍啊劈啊，除了让乌青龙更加生气外，一点效果都没有。无视对一位有冕之王应有的尊重，邪恶的乌青龙一下子张开大嘴，一口咬掉了国王陛下的脑袋。然后，咽到肚子里去了。
Of course the King realized it was useless to continue to fight after that, for he could not see where the Dragon was. So he turned and tried to find his way back to his people. But at every other step he would bump into a tree, which made the naughty Dragon laugh at him. Furthermore, he could not tell in which direction he was going, which is an unpleasant feeling under any circumstances.
这下乌有大王当然明白没办法再打下去了，因为他根本看不到乌青龙在哪儿了。于是他转身想要原路返还，回到他的臣民身边。可是乌有大王每迈出一步，都会撞到树上，不守规矩的乌青龙看了反倒哈哈大笑。更糟糕的是，乌有大王也没办法知道他在往哪个方向走，任何情况下，这滋味都不是好受的。
At last some of the people came to see if the King had succeeded in destroying the Dragon, and found their monarch running around in a circle, bumping into trees and rocks, but not getting a step nearer home. SO they took his hand and led him back to the palace, where every one was filled with sorrow at the sad sight of the headless King. Indeed, his devoted subjects, for the first time in their lives, came as near to weeping as an inhabitant of the Valley of Mo can.
后来，总算有些人来看乌有大王有没有成功地干掉乌青龙，这才发现他们的大王在那儿原地打转，不是撞在树上就是石头上，就是没有往回多走半步。于是他们搀着他的手，领着他回到王宫，所有的人看到无头国王这幅惨样没有不心碎的。说老实话，国王的忠实臣民，作为乌有谷的居民，有生以来第一次差一点流下泪来。
"Never mind," said the King, cheerfully; "I can get along very well without a head; and, as a matter of fact, the loss has its advantages. I shall not be obliged to brush my hair, or clean my teeth, or wash my ears. So do not grieve, I beg of you, but be happy and joyful as you were before." Which showed the King had a good heart; and, after all, a good heart is better than a head, any say.
“没事的，”国王开心地说道，“没脑袋我也能过得很好，事实上，没了有没了的好处。我也用不着梳头、刷牙、洗耳朵了。别难过了，求你们了，和以前一样开心快活吧。”瞧这话说的，乌有大王的心多好啊，毕竟，心好比脑袋好要重要得多。
The people, hearing him speak out of his neck (for he had no mouth), immediately began to laugh, which in a short time led to their being as happy as ever.
大伙儿听到他脖子这么一说（因为没有嘴了），立刻笑了，很快他们又像往常一样快活了。
But the Queen was not contented.
但是王后有点不开心。
"My love," she said to him, "I can not kiss you any more, and that will break my heart."
“亲爱的”，她对他说道，“我都不能再吻你了，我的心都要碎了。”
Thereupon the King sent word throughout the Valley that any one who could procure for him a new head should wed one of the princesses.
于是国王在整个乌有谷下令道，只要有人能给他弄个新脑袋，就可以娶走一个公主。
The princesses were all exceedingly pretty girls, and so it was not long before one man made a very nice head out of candy and brought it to the King. It did not look exactly like the old head, but the efface was very sweet, nevertheless; so the King put it on and the Queen kissed it at once with much satisfaction.
公主们可个个都是非常漂亮的姑娘，所以没过多久就有个年轻人用糖块做了个十分漂亮的脑袋献给了乌有大王。这个脑袋看上去和原来那个不太一样，但味道可甜了；乌有大王装上了这个脑袋，王后立刻非常满意地亲了又亲。
The young man had put a pair of glass eyes in the head, with which the King could see very well after he got used to them.
小伙子在脑袋上装了一对玻璃眼珠子，乌有大王适应以后又能看得很清楚了。
According to the royal promise, the young man was now called into the palace and asked to take his pick of the princesses. There were all so sweet and lady-like that he had some trouble in making a choice; but at last he took the biggest, thinking that he would thus secure the greatest reward, and they were married amid great rejoicing.
有大王金口一诺，小伙子被召进宫来，任由他挑选一位公主。每个公主都长相甜美、样貌端庄，这让小伙子作出选择有些难；不过最后他挑了个年龄最大的，因为他觉得大点儿才算大奖，娶了才算大喜。
But, a few days afterward, the King was caught out in a rainstorm, and before he could get home his new head had melted in the great shower of lemonade that fell. Only the glass eyes were left, and these he put in his pocket and went sorrowfully to tell the Queen of his new misfortune.
可好景不长，没过几天，乌有大王被暴雨淋了，还没回宫，他的新脑袋给瓢泼的柠檬水一泡就化了。只剩下来两个玻璃眼珠子，他只能把它们放在口袋里，伤心地告诉王后又悲剧了。
Then another young man who wanted to marry a princess made the King a head out of dough, sticking in it the glass eyes; and the King tried it on and found that it fitted very well. So the young man was given the next biggest princess.
接着又来一个想娶公主的年轻人，他给乌有大王用面团做了个脑袋，然后把玻璃眼珠装了上去；乌有大王试了试，发觉很适合。于是这个小伙子也娶走一位大公主。
But the following day the sun chance to shine extremely hot, and when the King walked out it baked his dough head into bread, at which the monarch felt very light-headed. And when the birds saw the bread they flew down from the trees, perched upon the King's shoulder and quickly ate up his new head. All but the glass eyes.
可第二天正好太阳暴晒，乌有大王在外面转了一圈，面团脑袋就被烤成了面包，这让大王觉得脑袋空空的。鸟儿们看到有块面包，就从树上飞下来，停在乌有大王的肩头，很快就吃掉他的新脑袋。只给他留下来两个玻璃眼珠子。
Again the good King was forced to go home to the Queen without a head, and the lady firmly declared that this time her husband must have a head warranted to last at least as long as the honeymoon of the young man who made it; which was not at all unreasonable under the circumstances.
我们的好国王又不得不没了脑袋回去见王后，王后严正声明道，再有人给大王做脑袋，至少要保证脑袋能用到和他的蜜月时间一样长；这要求说啥也不过分啊。
So a request was sent to all loyal subjects throughout the Valley asking them to find a head for their King that was neat and substantial.
于是，这个要求被传达到整个乌有谷的忠实臣民那里去，要求他们给乌有大王找一个美观坚固的脑袋。
In the meantime the King had a rather hard time of it. When he wished to go any place he was obliged to hold out in front of him, between his thumbs and fingers, the glass eyes, that they might guide his footsteps. This, as you may imagine, made his Majesty look rather undignified, and dignity is very important to every royal personage.
在此期间，乌有大王的日子可不太好过。不管他要去哪里，他都得把手伸向前方，用食指和大拇指捏着玻璃眼珠子，好用它们看清脚下的路。这个样子，可想而知，让国王陛下看起来毫无派头，而气派对于每一个王室成员来说那可是非常重要的。
At last a wood-chopper in the mountains made a head out of wood and sent it to the King. It was neatly carved, besides being solid and durable; moreover, it fitted the monarch's neck to the T. So the King rummaged in his pocket and found the glass eyes, and when these were put in the new head the King announced his satisfaction.
最后，还是一个山里的伐木工用木头雕了一个脑袋献给了乌有大王。这脑袋，雕工精细，坚固耐用；而且，大小和国王的脖子严丝合缝，就跟原装的一样。乌有大王赶紧翻了翻口袋，找到玻璃眼珠子，装在新脑袋上，然后赞不绝口。
There was only one drawback--he couldn't smile, as the wooden face was too stiff; and it was funny to hear his Majesty laughing heartily while his face maintained a solemn expression. But the glass eyes twinkled merrily and every one knew that he was the same kind-hearted monarch of old, although he had become, of necessity, rather hard-headed.
只有一个缺点——他没法展现笑容，木头脸太僵硬了；想想多可笑吧，一边可以听到国王陛下开怀大笑，另一边他的脸上却一副死板着的表情。不过玻璃眼珠子快活地眨着，大家都明白他和原来一样，还是个热心肠的国王，虽然他现在，身不由已地，变得冷面无情。
Then the King sent word to the wood-chopper to come to the palace and take his pick of the princesses, and preparations were at once begun for the wedding.
于是，国王派人宣伐木工进宫挑选公主，婚礼的准备工作也立刻紧锣密鼓起来。
But the wood-chopper, on his way to the court, unfortunately passed by the dwelling of the Purple Dragon and stopped to speak to the monster.
但伐木工，在他去王宫的路上，不幸地经过了乌青龙住的地方，停下来和这个怪兽说上话了。
Now it seems that when the Dragon had swallowed the King's head, the unusual meal made the beast ill. It was more accustomed to berries and caramels for dinner than to heads, and the sharp points of the King's crown (which was firmly fastened to the head) pricked the Dragon's stomach and made the creature miserable. After a few days of suffering the Dragon disgorged the head, and, not knowing what else to do with it, locked it up in a cupboard and put the key in its pocket.
回过头来看，自打乌青龙把国王的脑袋吞到肚子里，这个加餐让它可遭了大罪了。看来还是浆果和焦糖比脑袋更合乌青龙的胃口，乌有大王王冠上的尖刺（这个王冠是紧紧卡在脑袋上的）戳在乌青龙肚子上，让它苦不堪言。一连痛了好几天后，乌青龙把脑袋吐了出来，不知道还有什么用，就丢进柜子里面锁了起来，钥匙放进了它的口袋里。
When the Dragon met the wood-chopper and learned he had made a new head for the King, and as a reward was to wed one of the princesses, the monster became very angry. It resolved to do a wicked thing; which will not surprise you when you remember the beast's purple color.
乌青龙碰到伐木工，知道他给乌有大王做了一个新脑袋，作为奖赏可以娶一位公主，顿时大怒。它决定做件大坏事，要是你还记得这家伙是乌青色的，你也就不会觉得惊讶了。
"Step into my parlor and rest yourself," said the Dragon, politely. Wicked people are most polite when they mean mischief.
“请到我的客厅休息休息，”乌青龙很有礼貌地说道。坏人做坏事的时候都是最有礼貌的。
"Thank you, I'll stop for a few minutes," replied the wood-chopper; "but I can not stay long, as I am expected at court."
“谢谢你，那我就歇一小会儿，”伐木工答道，“我可不能待得太久，国王还等着见我呢。”
When he had entered the parlor the Dragon suddenly opened its mouth and snapped off the poor wood-chopper's head. Being warned by experience, however, it did not swallow the head, but placed it in the cupboard. Then the Dragon took from a shelf the King's head and glued it on the wood-chopper's neck.
当他走进客厅的时候，乌青龙突然张开大口，可怜的伐木工一下子就被咬掉了脑袋。有了前车之鉴，这回乌青龙没有把脑袋咽下去，而是放进了柜子里。然后它从柜子里把乌有大王的脑袋拿了出来，粘在了伐木工的脖子上。
"Now," said the beast, with a cruel laugh, "you are the King! Go home and claim your wife and your kingdom."
“好了，”怪兽带着残忍的笑容说道，“你是大王了！赶紧回去要你的老婆和王国吧。”
The poor wood-chopper was much amazed; for at first he did not really know which he was, the King or the wood-chopper.
可怜的伐木工惊呆了，一时间也不知道自己是谁，是乌有大王还是伐木工。
He looked in the mirror and, seeing the King, made a low bow. Then the King's head thought: "Who am I bowing to? There is no one greater than the King!" And so at once there began a conflict between the wood-chopper's heart and the King's head.
他朝镜子里一看，看到了乌有大王，赶紧深深鞠了一躬。然后，乌有大王的脑袋想：“我在朝谁鞠躬呢？还有谁能比国王大！”顿时，伐木工的心和乌有大王的脑袋之间起了巨大的冲突。
The Dragon was mightily pleased at the result of its wicked stratagem, and having pushed the bewildered wood-chopper out of the castle, immediately sent him on his way to the court.
乌青龙对它这个坏点子相当的满意，它把糊里糊涂的伐木工推到城堡外面，让他立刻上路去王宫。
When the poor man neared the town the people ran out and said: "Why, this is the King come back again. All hail, your Majesty!"
这个可怜的人走到城边的时候，人们跑出来说道：“啊，大王又回来了。国王陛下，万岁！”
"All nonsense!" returned the wood-chopper. "I am only a poor man with the King's head on my shoulders. You can easily see it isn't mine, for it's crooked; the Dragon didn't glue it on straight."
“乱说！”伐木工回道。“我只是个顶着大王脑袋的可怜人。你们很容易就能明白这不是我的脑袋，脑袋是歪的；乌青龙就没有粘对地方。”
"Where, then, is your own head?" they asked.
“那么，你自己的脑袋到哪里去了？”他们问道。
"Locked up in the Dragon's cupboard," replied the poor fellow, beginning to weep.
“被锁在乌青龙的柜子里了，”可怜的家伙说着，就呜咽起来。
"Here," cried the King's head; "stop this. You mustn't cry out of my eyes! The King never weeps."
“够了，”国王的脑袋大喝道，“给我打住。不许你从我的眼睛里流出泪来！乌有大王流血不流泪。”
"I beg pardon, your Majesty," said the wood-chopper, meekly, "I'll not do it again."
“请您原谅，陛下大人，”伐木工顺从地说道，“我再也不敢了。”
"Well, see that you don't," returned the head more cheerfully.
“好吧，谅你也不敢了，”脑袋稍稍开心一些地回道。
The people were greatly amazed at this, and took the wood-chopper to the palace, where all was soon explained.
人们见此情景大惊失色，赶紧把伐木工送到王宫，很快一切就真相大白了。
When the Queen saw the King's head she immediately kissed it; but the King rebuked her, saying she must kiss only him.
王后看到乌有大王的脑袋立刻亲了一下；可乌有大王呵斥道，她只能亲他一个人。
"But it is your head," said the poor Queen.
“可这就是你的脑袋啊，”可怜的王后说道。
"Probably it is," replied the King; "but it is on another man. You must confine yourself to kissing my wooden head."
“也算是，”乌有大王回答说，“但它在另一个人身上。你只能亲我这个木头脑袋。”
"I'm sorry," sighed the Queen, "for I like to kiss the real head best."
“对不起，”王后叹了口气，“可我更想要亲原来那个脑袋。”
"And so you shall," said the King's head; "I don't approve your kissing that wooden head at all."
“你想亲哪个就亲哪个，”乌有大王的脑袋说道，“我压根就不同意你亲那个木头脑袋。”
The poor lady looked from one to the other in perplexity. Finally a happy thought occurred to her.
可怜的女人困惑地看看这边又看看那边。最后，她想到了一个好主意。
"Why don't you trade heads?" she asked.
“为什么不把脑袋换一换呢？”她问道。
"Just the thing!" cried the King; and, the wood-chopper consenting, the exchange was made, and the Monarch of Mo found himself in possession of his own head again, whereat he was so greatly pleased that he laughed long and merrily.
“说的是呀！”乌有大王叫道;伐木工同意后，脑袋换了过来，乌有大王发觉自己的脑袋又回来了，对此他相当满意，开心地大笑起来。
The wood-chopper, however, did not even smile. He couldn't because of the wooden face. The head he had made for the King he now was compelled to wear himself.
伐木工这下可笑不起来了。因为他那张木头脸没法笑。他给大王做的脑袋这回倒给他自己用上了。
"Bring hither the princesses," commanded the King. "This good man shall choose his bride at once, for he has restored to me my own head."
“把公主带上来，”国王吩咐道。“这个好伙计应该立刻挑选他的新娘，多亏了他，让我找回了自己的脑袋。”
But when the princesses arrived and saw that the wood-chopper had a wooden head, they each and all refused to marry him, and begged so hard to escape that the King was in a quandary.
可公主们到了，一看，伐木工顶着一个木头脑袋，全都拒绝嫁给他，一个个都竭力要求不嫁出去，这可让国王难办了。
"I promised him one of my daughters," he argued, "and a King never breaks his word."
“我答应过把女儿嫁给他，”他说服道，“金口一开，岂能食言。”
"But he hadn't a wooden head then," explained one of the girls.
“但那时候他可不是个木头脑袋，”一个姑娘回道。
The King realized the truth of this. Indeed, when he came to look carefully at the wooden head, he did not blame his daughters for not wishing to marry it. Should he force one of them to consent, it was not unlikely she would call her husband a blockhead--a term almost certain to cause trouble in any family.
乌有大王觉得这话说得也在理。说实话，他仔细看了看那个木头脑袋，也觉得不能怪他的女儿们不愿意嫁给他。就算他强迫哪一个嫁了，到时候也难保她不叫自己的丈夫木头疙瘩——这么一叫，管得放在哪家，都肯定和睦不了啊。
After giving the matter deep thought, the King resolved to go to the Purple Dragon and oblige it to give up the wood-chopper's head.
左思右想之后，乌有大王决定去找乌青龙，让它把伐木工的脑袋交出来。
So all the fighting men in the kingdom were got together, and, having picked ripe swords off the sword-trees, they marched in a great body to the Dragon's castle.
于是全国的战士都集中起来，他们从剑树上摘下来熟了的剑，组成一支大军，浩浩荡荡来到乌青龙的城堡。
Now the Purple Dragon realized that if it attempted to fight all this army, it would perhaps be cut to pieces; so it retired within its castle and refused to come out.
这下子，乌青龙明白，要是和这么一支大军打起来，十有八九会被劈成碎片，于是它退缩在城堡里面，拒不出战。
The wood-chopper was a brave man.
伐木工是个勇敢的人。
"I'll go in and fight the Dragon alone," he said; and in he went. By this time the Dragon was both frightened and angry, and the moment it saw the man it rushed forward and made a snap at his head.
“让我一个人冲进入，宰了乌青龙，”他说着，就冲了进去。这时候乌青龙既心惊胆战，又怒火中烧，它看到有人冲了进来，一口就朝那人的脑袋咬了下去。
The wooden head came off at once, and the Dragon's long, sharp teeth got stuck in the wood and would not come out again; so the monster was unable to do anything but flop its tail and groan.
木头脑袋立刻就被咬了下来，乌青龙长长的利齿一下子扎进了木头里，再也拔不出来了；这个怪兽再也不能胡作非为了，只能扑通一声倒在地上，哼哼起来。
The wood-chopper now ran to the cupboard, took out his head and placed it upon his shoulders where it belonged. Then he proudly walked out of the castle and was greeted with loud shouts by the army, which carried him back in triumph to the King's palace.
伐木工跑到柜子边，取出他的脑袋安回到肩膀上原来的位置。然后，他骄傲地走出城堡，大军为他发出震天的欢呼声，簇拥着他凯旋回宫。
And, now that he wore his own head again, one of the prettiest of the young princesses willingly agreed to marry him; so the wedding ceremony was performed amidst great rejoicing.
现在，他找回了自己的脑袋，一位最年轻漂亮的公主也欣然同意嫁给他，两个人就在一片欢腾中举行了婚礼。