对付巨人的武器

Words—so innocent and powerless as they are， as standing in a dictionary； how potent for good and evil they become， in the hands of one who knows how to combine them！

—Nathaniel Hawthorne （纳撒尼尔·霍桑，美国著名小说家）

When Colin the storyteller was a young man， people were drawn to him like flies to honey. They would soak up1 his tales， then toss coins into his cap.

But as years passed， some people began to doubt the value of the tales. And， in time， Colin became known as a lazy man who didnt do an honest days work.

“He takes our coins and gives only words in return，” the people complained.

So， instead of continuing to travel and tell tales， Colin settled in a small cottage near the village of Ladira， where he was tolerated but not embraced.

To save the tales， he wrote them down. Each evening hed curl up with the books hed fashioned2 and get nearly as much joy from reading the stories as he used to give telling them. He knew that remembering was important， even if it was he alone who remembered.

Then， one day， the earth trembled. The people of Ladira gasped3 as a giant stepped over the horizon. His voice sent shingles4 slipping from roofs. His footsteps left holes in the fields. He settled on a nearby hillside， eating several sheep as a midmorning snack.

The townsfolk rushed to the mayor， but the mayor knew even less about giants than they did. The giant ate several more sheep and started in on the cattle. The people wailed5 and wept and worried. What could they do？

Colin was writing in his cottage when he felt the ground move. He saw the giant and his heart hammered. Realizing that he alone had the tools for this task， Colin hurried to town. He found the people in the town hall， arguing about what to do.

Colin cleared his throat. “I will speak to the giant，” he offered. “If I succeed， youll be all the better for it. If I dont， youll be none the worse.”

“Whats your price？” the mayor asked.

Colin smiled. “Only a listening ear. Its all a storyteller ever wants.” And so the bargain was struck6. The villagers trembled as Colin hiked the steep hill to where the giant sat， enthroned7 on a boulder8.

Arriving， Colin doffed9 his cap. “WHO ARE YOU？” the giant rumbled. “A storyteller，” replied Colin. “I rushed here， hoping to learn your story.”

Flattered10， the giant decided not to smash11 the storyteller with an uprooted tree just yet.

Colin continued， “Stories about giants are the best. What a pity they always end so… poorly.”

“POORLY？”

Colin nodded. “We rarely know the giants side of the story， because the giant is often killed. So tell me about yourself， before its too late.”

“TOO LATE？” The giants booming voice started a small avalanche12.

“Surely youre not threatened by me，” soothed13 Colin. “You remind me of Bernard the Giant， who was taller than this hill.” Colin shook his head， reflecting. “So unfortunate about Bernard. If only Greta the Giant-Slayer hadnt paid him a visit.”

The giant stood， then sat abruptly. His head did not nearly reach the hilltop.

“Never mind，” consoled14 Colin. “Someday youll reach a good height. Until then， perhaps Greta will leave you alone.”

“YOU KNOW GRETA？” The giant eyed the nearby town nervously.

“Shes one of my favorite people，” Colin replied. Indeed， he loved the tale of Greta the Giant-Slayer and had often told it.

“Then there was Bernards brother， Bloford，” Colin continued. “From across the lake， he skipped15 that rock youre sitting on. It made five good hops before landing here.”

The giant tried and failed to lift the boulder.

“Never mind，”said Colin.“Youll eventually come into your strength.”

“WHAT HAPPENED TO BLOFORD？” the giant roared.

Colin coughed delicately. “He was defeated by Prince Allendo and his magic sword. But enough about my friends. Tell me about yourself.”

“PRINCE ALLENDO IS YOUR FRIEND？” The giants voice was now hoarse16 with fright.

“I just had a pleasant breakfast with him，” replied Colin. This was true， for hed read the story of Allendo while eating his morning meal.

The giant fidgeted17.

“Then theres a man who needs neither sword nor spear to vanquish18 giants，” Colin went on. “He lives down in the valley.”

The giant sprang up. “Sit！” urged Colin. “Its a wonderful tale. Youll never guess what he uses to ensure victory.”

“NO MORE！” the giant thundered. “THIS PLACE IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ME！” He strode off， nervously glancing about. He vowed never to return. Colin smiled. “Colin uses the most powerful weapons of all，”he whispered. “Words.”

Then Colin the storyteller strode down the road to Ladira， where the people would surely be eager to hear his tale.

说书人科林年轻的时候，人们就像蜜蜂逐蜜一样被他吸引。他们会如痴如醉地听他讲各种故事，然后把钱币投进他的帽子里。

然而，随着岁月的流逝，一些人开始怀疑这些故事的价值。而且到了后来，科林成了大家眼中的懒汉，没有正儿八经地干过一天的活儿。

“他拿走了我们的钱，却只是动了动嘴皮说了说话而已。”人们抱怨说。

于是，科林不再继续游走各地讲故事，而是在拉迪纳村附近的一个小屋里住了下来。这个村庄的人能够容忍他，但却并不接受他。

为了保全这些故事，科林把它们写了下来。每天晚上，他都会蜷缩着坐在他自制的那些书旁读着那些故事，从中获得的乐趣几乎和当初他讲这些故事时播撒的乐趣一样多。他知道，记住这些故事非常重要，哪怕只有他一个人记得。 后来有一天，大地震动起来。一个巨人从地平线那边走来，拉迪纳村的人们都惊得倒抽了一口气。巨人一说话就震得房瓦从屋顶纷纷滑落，一走动就在田野里留下一个个坑洞。他在村子附近的一个山坡上坐下，把好几只羊当做上午的点心吃掉了。

小镇的居民都跑去找镇长，但是镇长对巨人的了解甚至还不如他们多。

巨人又吃了一些羊，而后开始吃牛。人们又是号叫又是哭泣，心急如焚。但是他们又能怎么办呢？

科林感觉到地面震动的时候，正在自己的小屋里写故事。他看到了那个巨人，心脏怦怦地剧烈跳动起来。科林意识到只有自己才拥有对付巨人的武器，于是匆匆赶到了镇上。他发现镇上的人们都聚在议政大厅里，争论着该做些什么。

科林清了清嗓子。“我会去跟巨人谈，”他提议说，“如果我成功了，对你们都有好处；若我失败了，对你们来说情况也不会变得更糟。”

“那你有什么条件？”镇长问。

科林笑着说：“我只想要肯倾听的耳朵。这是一个说书人永远想要的唯一的东西。”就这样，交易达成了。科林沿着陡峭的山坡向巨人坐着的地方走去时，村民们都吓得瑟瑟发抖。那巨人正高坐在一块巨石上。

到了那里，科林脱下帽子向巨人致意。“你是谁？”巨人问话的声音隆隆作响。“一个说书人，”科林回答，“我赶来这里，就是希望能听听关于你的故事。”

巨人听了这话很开心，决定暂时先不拿一棵连根拔起的树拍死这个说书人。

科林接着说：“巨人们的故事都是最棒的，只是很可惜，他们的结局往往……不太好。”

“不太好？”

科林点了点头，说：“我们对巨人那边的故事知之甚少，因为巨人常常被别人杀掉。所以跟我讲讲你自己吧，否则就来不及了。”

“来不及了？”巨人轰隆隆的声音引发了一场小雪崩。

“当然，我不会对你造成任何威胁。”科林安抚道。“你让我想起了巨人伯纳德，他比这座山还高，”科林摇了摇头，陷入沉思，“伯纳德太不幸了！要是巨人杀手格蕾塔没有去拜访他就好了！”

巨人站了起来，又猛地坐下。他的头距离山顶还差得很远。

“不用担心，”科林安慰他说，“总有一天你会长得很高的。在那之前，说不定格蕾塔不会去打扰你。”

“你认识格蕾塔？”巨人紧张地看了看附近的这个小镇。

“她是我最喜欢的人之一。”科林答道。事实上，他非常喜欢巨人杀手格蕾塔的故事，以前还常常给人讲这个故事。

“还有伯纳德的兄弟布洛福德，”科林接着说，“他从湖的对岸把你现在坐着的这块石头打着水漂扔了过来，石头在湖面漂亮地弹跳了五次之后落到了这里。”

巨人试了一下，但没能把那块巨石举起来。

“没关系，”柯林说，“你以后会长力气的。”

“布洛福德后来怎么了？”巨人咆哮道。

科林轻轻咳了一下，说：“他被艾伦多王子和他的魔剑打败了。不过不要讲我这些朋友的事了，给我讲讲你自己的故事吧。”

“艾伦多王子是你的朋友？” 巨人现在声音嘶哑，透着恐惧。

“我刚刚和他一起愉快地共进了早餐。”科林回答。这是真的，因为他刚刚吃早餐时读了艾伦多王子的故事。

巨人开始坐立不安。

“还有一个人，他既不需要剑也不需要矛就能战胜巨人，” 科林继续说道，“他就住在那边的山谷里。”

巨人一下子跳了起来。“坐下！”科林催促道，“这个故事很精彩，你永远也猜不到他到底用什么来取得胜利。”

“不要再说了！”巨人怒喝道，“这个地方对我来说太危险了！”他说完便迈着大步匆匆离开，边走边紧张地四处张望。他发誓再也不来这里了。科林笑了，他轻声说道：“科林用的是最强大的武器——语言。”

然后，说书人科林大步流星地踏上了回拉迪纳村的路，那里的人们肯定非常想听他的故事。

注释

1. soak up： 花时间去感受）愉快的事情

2. fashion vt. （常指用手工等）制作；使成形

3. gasp vi. 倒抽气

4. shingle n.【建】木瓦

5. wail vi. 哀号；悲鸣；嚎啕痛哭

6. strike vt. 达成（交易、合同等）

7. enthrone vt. 使居于最高地位

8. boulder n. 巨砾

9. doff vt. 脱（帽）致敬，举（帽）致意

10. flatter vt. 使满足，使满意

11. smash vt. 打破，摧毁

12. avalanche n. 雪崩

13. soothe vt. 安慰，抚慰

14. console vt. 安慰，抚慰；慰问

15. skip vt. 使（石片等）跳跃着擦过水面

16. hoarse adj. （嗓音）嘶哑的

17. fidget vi. 坐立不安，烦躁

18. vanquish vt. 征服；击败，战胜