10. 猿猴的哭泣

THE CRYING APE　

很久以前的一个晚春，一队战车轰隆隆地在平原上疾驰而过。战士们穿着闪亮的盔甲，旌旗在风中飘扬。　

　　Long, long ago, a file of chariots rumbled quickly across the plain late one spring. The soldiers wore sparkling armor. Banners fluttered in the breeze.

车队后面跟着几个持剑和矛的将军。他们身后是一辆漂亮的战车。坐在车上的是伟大的楚国国君。　　

　　Following them came several generals with their swords and spears. They were followed by a beautiful chariot. Sitting in the chariot was the great King of Chu.

每年国王都要启程视察他的国土，打打猎或训练他的军队，以躲避他乏味的宫廷生活。　　

　　Every year the King took a trip through his kingdom to inspect his land, to hunt, to train his troops, and to get out of his stuffy old palace.

国王有位将军名叫杨有持，此人以箭术闻名。即使两千年以后的现在，人们仍然记得他是一个如此出色的射手。他百发百中。国王很信任他。在那次大狩猎中，兔子啊、鹿啊，所有的野兽都惊惶失措，四散逃走，却找不到一个安全地方躲避杨有持的箭。如果他射一百次，就中一百次。　　

　　The King had a general called Yang Youchi who is very famous for his archery. Even now, over two thousand years later, people still remember what a good shot he was. He never missed. The King trusted him. During the great hunt the rabbits and deer and all the wild animals ran here and there in panic, but nowhere was safe from the arrows of General Yang Youchi. If he shot one hundred times, he hit his aim one hundred times.

平原上有一颗很大的树。国王的人马经过时，听到一阵骚乱。他们看到一只猿猴在他们头顶的树枝上。它无礼地上窜下跳，戏弄士兵们，还朝他们扔果核。　　

　　On the plain was a huge old tree. As they passed, the soldiers heard a noise. They saw an ape in the branches above their heads. It jumped up and down disrespectfully, mocking the hunting soldiers. It threw a nut at them.

"好家伙，我来教训教训你。" 一个射手瞄准猿猴说。但当他射出箭后，猿猴躲过了。箭嗖搜地空穿过树枝。队伍中发出一阵哄笑。　　

　　"Okay, pretty boy, I'll teach you a lesson." said an archer as he aimed at the ape. But as he shot his arrow, the ape dodged, and the arrow hissed harmlessly through the branches. A shout of laughter went up from the troops.

"算你走运，"士兵哼了一声，"看箭！"　　

　　"Lucky," snorted the soldier. "Take that!"

他又射了一箭，这次猿猴没有躲，它在空中接住了箭！它轻蔑地用鼻子发出嗤嗤声，然后将箭折成两段。　　

　　He shot another arrow, and this time the ape didn't dodge -- it snatched the arrow out of the air! Then it sniffed the arrow contemptuously before breaking it in two.

这下士兵们恼了。他们朝它射箭，但猿猴聪明又灵敏，它在空中抓住了他们射的箭，更加放肆地嘲笑他们。　　

　　Now the soldiers were mad. They shot arrows at it， but the ape was so clever and so quick that it caught their arrows in midair and mocked them even more.

国王看到猿猴如此放肆，他命令杨将军去把自作聪明的猿猴射下来。　　

　　When the King saw how disrespectful the ape was, he ordered General Yang to go shoot down that smart aleck ape.

猿猴好像明白祸事来了，因为当杨将军骑马奔向树时，它哭了起来。眼泪顺着它的脸哗哗地淌，它可怜兮兮地哀号起来。　　

　　The ape seemed to understand, because as soon as General Yang rode toward the tree, the ape began to cry. Tears rolled down its face, and it sobbed and howled very piteously.

国王问道："猿猴哭什么呀？"　　

　　The King asked, "Why is the ape crying?"

杨有持答道："它肯定知道我箭无虚发，不管它多狡猾，在陛下的命令下，它现在也得死了。这是它为什么哭的原因。"　　

　　Yang Youchi answered, "It must know that my arrows never miss, so no matter how cunning it may be, it must die now, at your highness' command. That is why it is crying."

国王沉思起来。猿猴好伤心啊，其他的动物肯定也很痛苦。他尊贵的心里充满了慈悲。他叫杨将军放下武器，取消打猎，以免伤害更多的动物。　　

　　The King hung his head in thought. How sad the ape was! All the other animals must be suffering, too. His royal heart filled with mercy. He told General Yang to put away his weapons, and called off the hunt, so that no more animals would be hurt.

当他提前返回都城时，那里所有的人都知道国王被一只猿猴的眼泪打动了。楚国人非常高兴拥有这样一位善良又仁慈的国王，他们更加勤奋地为国效力。此后几百年，楚国一直很强大。　　

　　When he returned to his capital ahead of schedule, all the people there found out that the King had been moved by an ape's tears. The people of Chu were all very happy to have such a kind and loving King, so they worked very hard for their country, and from then on, Chu was strong and powerful for hundreds of years.