Knave1 and Fool 无赖和傻子

向红选译

A fool named Fool and a knave named Knave once set up house together2. It shows what fool the Fool is. Fool thinks it is lucky to meet Knave.

一个傻子叫福尔，一个无赖叫克莱夫，两人要把房子建到一起，这就显得傻子到底有多傻。而福尔却还在想，能遇到克莱夫是他的幸运。

As they dont like work， the Knave says that they should live upon their savings3 and they should use Fools share4 then Knaves. Just when Fools share is end， Knave comes to Fool and saiys， “My bag has been taken up by some thief5.”

因为他们两个人都不喜欢工作，克莱夫就提议，他们应该依靠积蓄生活，可以先用福尔的，再用克莱夫的。就在福尔的积蓄用完的时候，克莱夫跑过来哭着跟福尔说：“我的包被小偷偷走了。”

Fool said， “We have shared good luck together， and now we will share poor. I think we must find work.”

福尔说：“我们有福同享，有难同当。我觉得我们得去找份工作了。”

Knave says： “Since we dont like finding work， we can travel till work finds us.”

克莱夫说：“既然我们不喜欢找工作，我们可以一起去游玩，直到工作找到我们。”

They go on till they come to the foot of a hill. A businessman6 is standing by his wagon7. It is broken down.

于是他们一直走，直到有一天来到一个山脚下，有一个商人站在他坏掉的货车旁。

“You seem two strong men. If you will carry this chest8 to the top of the hill where there is a hotel， I will give you two gold pieces for your trouble，” the businessman says.

“你们两个人看着很强壮，如果你们能帮我把这个箱子从山脚搬到山顶的旅馆，我会给你们两块金子来解决你们的困难。”商人说。

Knave says to Fool， “I will lead the up one， which is the hardest， and you shall go the other side， the easy one.”

克莱夫对福尔说：“那我来抬上面这头，因为这是最重的，你去抬下面那头，比较容易。”

Fool doesnt know that the lower end of their burden9 is heavier. When they get， they are here till their money is spent up.

福爾不知道下面那头才是更重的。当他们完成任务得到酬劳之后，决定一直留在这里，直到他们把钱花完为止。

A few days later， it is a long time for them without work or food. They come upon a man who sits by the roadside breaking stones10， with a bowl of porridge11 and a spoon. The man says， “If you will break up this stone， you shall have the porridge for dinner.”

几天之后，他们又有好一段时间没有工作和吃的了。这时，他们在路上遇到一个人坐在路边敲碎石头，旁边放着一碗粥和一把勺子。这个人说：“如果你们愿意把这堆石头碎完，我可以把这碗粥送给你们当做晚餐。”

“If we eat first， we shall have strength12 for our work，” said Knave. “There is only one spoon， so we must eat by turns.”

“我们要先吃饭，然后才有力气干活。”克莱夫说，“现在只有一个勺子，所以我们必须轮流吃。”

Knave begins to eat， and goes on till he has eaten a third of the porridge. Fool takes his turn. Thus， Knave has twice as much as Fool.

克莱夫先吃，他吃了三分之一的粥。然后福尔再吃，这样一来，克莱夫吃的就是福尔的两倍。

They then start to work. “As there is only one hammer13，” says Knave， “we must work by turns. As I begin last time， you shall begin this.” By this means， Fool does twice as much work as Knave.

吃完他们便开始干活了。“因为只有一把锤子，所以我们也要轮流工作。刚才是我先吃的，所以这次你先来。”克莱夫说。这样下来，福尔做的工作就是克莱夫的两倍。

After a while， they meet with a farmer. He offers to give them dinner and a nights room， if they would drive the birds away from a field of corn for him till sunset14. But when Fool claps15 and shouts16 till he is tired， Knave goes to the other place and lies down.

那之后，他们又遇见一个农民。农民说，要是他们愿意在日落前帮他把鸟从玉米地里赶走，就为他们提供晚餐和住宿。但是当福尔尽力驱赶鸟儿的时候，克莱夫却在另一个地方躺下睡着了。

Fool says， “I think that we ask the farmer to have sheep and dogs. All this shouting and clapping is saved17.”

福尔说：“我觉得我们应该让农民放羊、养狗，这样就不用叫喊和拍掌了。”

This day， Knave and Fool lie down. Thus， they sleep till evening. When the sun is down， they find that the sheep has all run away， and the dog after them.

这天，福尔和克莱夫都躺下睡觉了。结果一直睡到傍晚，太阳落山的时候，他们才发现羊都跑了，狗追在后面跑了。

“The only plan for us is to go different ways to find the sheep，” said Knave. “Only let us meet here again.” Fool goes on， but Knave goes back to his place， and lies down as before. When Fool is back， the farmer sees the dog brings the sheep back. So they get the reward18.

克莱夫说：“现在唯一的办法就是分头去把羊找回来，最后我们在这里汇合。”福尔出发了，但是克莱夫却回到原来的地方，像以前一样躺下睡觉。福尔回来的时候，农民看见狗把羊都带回来了，所以他们也得到了应有的报酬。

Fool says， “The work is not so easy. Could we not find a better one？”

福尔说：“这份工作也不容易，我们不能再找一个更好的吗？”

“Can you beg19？” says Knave. Nothing is needed but walking and talking.

“你会乞讨吗？”克莱夫说：“除了走路和说话，其他的什么都不用。”

Kind people give Fool a penny or two from time to time. Meanwhile， Knave goes to the back yard. He picked up some meat or anything there.

善良的人时不时会给福尔一两个便士。这时，克莱夫则跑到后院偷拿一些肉或者其他的东西。

Next day， they exchange20. Fool went to the back door. But the mistress21 of the farm sends him away. Knave， from the front， has watched her leave， and then he takes a ham and bread from the table.

第二天，他們交换，福尔去后门。但是农场的女主人却把他赶走了。在前门的克莱夫看着女主人离开后，便拿走了桌子上的火腿和面包。

At the next place， Fool goes to the front door as before. Knave takes a fat goose and some apples. Fool comes back with nothing， but Knave just gives him some apples.

换下一个地方的时候，福尔还是和以前一样在前门乞讨，克莱夫却跑到后院牵走了一只肥鹅，还拿了几个苹果。福尔回来的时候两手空空，但是克莱夫却只给了他苹果。

After a while， but Knave finds the loss22 of the goose is known. He puts it into Fools arms and says， “I will go to the next farm， and see if I can beg a bottle of wine for the dinner.”

不久之后，克莱夫发现好像有人知道了鹅被偷的事，于是他把鹅推到福尔怀里，说：“我得去别的农场，看看能不能为晚餐讨到一瓶酒。”

At this time， the farmer and his men come up， and find Fool eating the apples， with the goose on the grass beside him. The poor Fool is hit and put in the stocks23.

这时，农民和伙计们赶到了，看到福尔吃着苹果，鹅就在他身边的草地上。可怜的福尔被打了一顿，还被戴上了足枷。

Next day， Knave comes and says， “I am going at once to pawn24 my own clothes to give some money， and you？”

第二天，克莱夫来了，他说道：“我准备马上把我的衣物拿去典当，换点钱。你呢？”

The poor Fool begs his friend to draw off25 his shoes， and to take his hat and coat as well. But Knave does not come back.

可怜的福尔求着他的朋友帮他脱掉鞋子、帽子还有大衣。可是，克莱夫走了就再也没有回来。

（英语原文选自：classicreader.com）