于是，这位首领来到近前问克罗伊斯：“你为什么呼唤索伦的名字？”
起初，克罗伊斯沉默不语。但是，当塞勒斯温和地重复了一遍他的问题后，他把索伦拜访他的宫殿以及所说的一切都娓娓道来。这段话深深地打动了塞勒斯。他想起了那句话“没有人能够知道自己将会遭遇什么样的不幸，或者所有的荣耀将会被什么样的悲惨所取代。”因此，他想知道是否有一天，他也会失去现在的权势，落在敌人的手中绝望地挣扎。
“总之，”他说道，“对于那些身陷不幸的人们是否应该给予仁慈和友爱？我要像其他人对我那样对待克罗伊斯。”于是，他让克罗伊斯重获自由，并且从此以后像对待最敬重的朋友那样对待他。
“As Rich as Croesus”
SOME thousands of years ago there lived in Asia a king whose name was Croesus. The country over which he ruled was not very large, but its people were prosperous and famed for their wealth. Croesus himself was said to be the richest man in the world; and so well known is his name that, to this day, it is not uncommon to say of a very wealthy person that he is “as rich as Croesus.”
King Croesus had everything that could make him happy—lands and houses and slāves, fine clothing to wear, and beautiful things to look at. He could not think of anything that he needed to make him more comfortable or contented. “I am the happiest man in the world,” he said.
It happened one summer that a great man from across the sea was trāveling in Asia. The name of this man was Solon, and he was the lawmaker of Athens in Greece. He was noted for his wisdom; and, centuries after his death, the highest praise that could be given to a learned man was to say, “He is as wise as Solon.”
Solon had heard of Croesus, and so one day he visited him in his beautiful palace. Croesus was now happier and prouder than ever before, for the wisest man in the world was his guest. He led Solon through his palace and showed him the grand rooms, the fine carpets, the soft couches, the rich furniture, the pictures, the books. Then he invited him out to see his gardens and his orchards and his stables; and he showed him thousands of rare and beautiful things that he had collected from all parts of the world.
In the evening as the wisest of men and the richest of men were dining together, the king said to his guest, “Tell me now, O Solon, who do you think is the happiest of all men?” He expected that Solon would say, “Croesus.”
The wise man was silent for a minute, and then he said, “I hāve in mind a poor man who once lived in Athens and whose name was Tellus. He, I doubt not, is the happiest of all men.”
“像克罗伊斯一样富有”（3）
This was not the answer that Croesus wanted; but he hid his disappointment and asked, “Why do you think so?”
“Because,” answered his guest, “Tellus was an honest man who labored hard for many years to bring up his children and to give them a good education; and when they were grown and able to do for themselves, he joined the Athenian army and gāve his life brāvely in the defense of his country. Can you think of any one who is more deserving of happiness?”
“Perhaps not,” answered Croesus, half choking with disappointment.“But who do you think ranks next to Tellus in happiness?” He was quite sure now that Solon would say “Croesus.”
“I hāve in mind,” said Solon, “two young men whom I knew in Greece. Their father died when they were mere children, and they were very poor. But they worked manfully to keep the house together and to support their mother, who was in feeble health. Year after year they toiled, nor thought of anything but their mother’s comfort. When at length she died, they gāve all their love to Athens, their native city, and nobly served her as long as they lived.”
Then Croesus was angry.“Why is it,” he asked,“that you make me of no account and think that my wealth and power are nothing? Why is it that you place these poor working people above the richest king in the world?”
“O king,” said Solon, “no man can say whether you are happy or not until you die. For no man knows what misfortunes may overtake you, or what misery may be yours in place of all this splendor.”
Many years after this there arose in Asia a powerful king whose name was Cyrus. At the head of a great army he marched from one country to another, overthrowing many a kingdom and attaching it to his great empire of Babylon. King Croesus with all his wealth was not able to stand against this mighty warrior. He resisted as long as he could. Then his city was taken, his beautiful palace was burned, his orchards and gardens were destroyed, his treasures were carried away, and he himself was made prisoner.
“The stubbornness of this man Croesus,” said King Cyrus, “has caused us much trouble and the loss of many good soldiers. Take him and make an example of him for other petty kings who may dare to stand in our way.”
Thereupon the soldiers seized Croesus and dragged him to the market place, handling him pretty roughly all the time. Then they built up a great pile of dry sticks and timber taken from the ruins of his once beautiful palace. When this was finished they tied the unhappy king in the midst of it, and one ran for a torch to set it on fire.
“Now we shall hāve a merry blaze,” said the sāvage fellows. “What good can all his wealth do him now?”
As poor Croesus, bruised and bleeding, lay upon the pyre without a friend to soothe his misery, he thought of the words which Solon had spoken to him years before: “No man can say whether you are happy or not until you die,” and he moaned, “O Solon! O Solon! O Solon!”
It so happened that Cyrus was riding by at that very moment and heard his moans. “What does he say?” he asked of the soldiers.
“He says, ‘Solon, Solon, Solon!’” answered one.
Then the king rode nearer and asked Croesus, “Why do you call on the name of Solon?”
Croesus was silent at first; but after Cyrus had repeated his question kindly, he told all about Solon’s visit at his palace and what he had said.
The story affected Cyrus deeply. He thought of the words,“No man knows what misfortunes may overtake you, or what misery may be yours in place of all this splendor.” And he wondered if some time he, too, would lose all his power and be helpless in the hands of his enemies.
“After all,” said he,“ought not men to be merciful and kind to those who are in distress? I will do to Croesus as I would hāve others do to me.” And he caused Croesus to be given his freedom; and ever afterwards treated him as one of his most honored friends.
戈尔迪绳结（1）
古时候，在亚洲的西部，有一个富饶美丽的地方，它就是佛里吉亚。
那个地方的人们与希腊人有血缘关系，他们过着快乐富裕的生活。居住在大山里的人们拥有金矿和上好的大理石采石场；居住在山谷中的人们拥有高产的葡萄园和橄榄园；居住在小山之间的人们养着大群的羊，出产世界上最为优良的羊毛。
长久以来，这些纯真质朴的人们不曾拥有一位国王。每个人都根据自己的想法，心甘情愿地做着对大家都有益的事情，因此，也没有必要选举一位统治者。然而，没过多久，当这些人逐渐变得聪明以后，每个人开始按照自己的意愿，为自己谋私利。采金矿的人偷吃附近山谷里的邻居种植的葡萄和橄榄。种植葡萄的农夫开始宰杀居住在小山之间的人们养殖的羊。牧羊人偷取山地人从矿山挖出的金子。紧接着，一场悲惨的战争爆发了，昔日富饶的乐土被不幸和苦痛笼罩着。
在这个国家，仍然生活着许多善良的人们，他们目睹了这些令人痛心的情景，心中十分悲痛。“或许这样会好起来，”他们说，“如果我们像其他国家那样拥有一位国王。他会惩罚罪犯，并制定法律保护所有善良的人。”然而，他们无法在他们之间选举出一位国王。每个人都标榜自己是统治者的最佳人选，如果不能从这些人中选出一个最聪明的人，他们将会无休无止地厮杀。
“既然我们不知道该如何解决，”那个聪明人说道，“我们就请教诸神吧。我们派人去请示阿波罗的神谕，让他知晓我们的困扰。或许他能够告诉我们该如何去做。”
所有人都对这个提议表示赞同，于是，一个使者就被派去请示神谕。
阿波罗的庙宇远在大海的彼岸，许多个星期过后，使者回来了。于是，居住在大山、平原和丘陵的所有显赫人物都聚集在都城附近，恭听使者带回来的神谕。
“神使没有告诉我什么，”信使说道。“他只是重复这两句诗：
在一辆行驶的破旧四轮马车上，你们将会看到国王，他会给你们不幸的国家带来和平。
除此以外，我没有从他那里听到别的话。”
人们听到神的答案，感觉更加困惑了。他们不清楚神谕的意思，然而，他们确信那一定暗示着什么。正当所有的人围在信使周围疑惑地议论纷纷的时候，忽然一阵轮子发出的吱吱喧嚣声传入人们的耳中。他们望过去，看到一辆牛拉四轮车在公路上缓慢地爬行。四轮车上装载着干草，一个谦恭的农民与妻儿坐在干草垛上。人们都非常熟悉这个农民。他就是戈耳狄俄斯，这个国家最忠厚的劳动者。在小山脚下，人们就可以看到半遮半露在树木之间的简陋小屋以及被蔓生植物覆盖的屋顶，那就是他的家。
当四轮车的吱吱声越来越近时，其中一个聪明人突然喊道——
在一辆行驶的破旧四轮马车上，你们将会看到国王！
另一个人接着讲完诗句——
他会给你们不幸的国家带来和平。
人们听到了，恍然大悟。他们大喊着跑向不知所措的农民，向他致敬。他们跑到了他的牛车前。他不得不把车停在了路中央。
当他们在他面前鞠躬行礼时，一些人喊道：“向我们的国王致敬！”
“佛里吉亚的国王万岁！”其他人喊道。
“朋友们，这到底是怎么回事？”戈耳狄俄斯问道，一边坐在干草垛上往下看。“我请求你们不要大声喧闹，以防惊吓到我的牛。”
于是，他们就把神谕告诉了他，并且宣称他必须成为他们的国王。
“好吧，”他终于答道，“如果神谕要我成为你们的国王，我一定会做你们的国王。但是，我们要先拜祭促成此事的伟大的诸神。”
于是，他驾着牛车径直驶向丘庇特的小庙，那座庙宇俯瞰着小镇。他给牛卸下轭，把它们牵进庙中。就像当时人们所做的那样，他拉着牛围着祭坛转圈，把它们的血放进了一个巨大的木碗中。然后，当他开始祈祷的时候，他把血泼了出来，作为对强大的丘庇特神的祭礼。txt电子书分享平台
戈尔迪绳结（2）
“牛车也一样，”他说道，我将要呈献给指定或废除国王的伟大的神。接着，他把牛车拉进了庙宇的里面。然后，他拿来牛轭，把它横放在牛车末端杆子上，并用一根树皮绳绑紧。他绑牛轭时打结的动作是如此熟练，以至于人们都看不到绳子的末端隐藏在哪里，绳子是怎样系的。
然后，他开始履行国王的责任。
“对于一个国王的职责，我知之甚少，”他说道，“但是我会尽自己最大的努力。”
他是一个英明的统治者，从此人们之间再也没有发生纠纷。他制订的法律是如此公正，没有一个人胆敢违反。从山区到平原，都被和平与富饶所护佑。
戈耳狄俄斯国王的牛车放在丘庇特的庙中，让所有来这里的陌生人瞻仰。这些陌生人对于他把牛轭绑在牛车上的技术大加赞赏。
“只有真正的伟人才能把绳结打成那样。”一些人说道。
“你说得不错，”庙宇的神说道，“但是，能够把它解开的人更加伟大。”
“那怎么可能呢？”拜访者说道。
“戈耳狄俄斯只是这个小小的佛里吉亚的国王，”庙宇的神回答道，“但是，解开他出色杰作的人将会成为世界的统治者。”
自那以后，每年都有许许多多的人来这里看戈尔迪绳结。来自四面八方的王子和勇士们试图解开它，但是没有一个人找到过绳头，他们甚至都不知道从何下手。
几百年过去了。戈耳狄俄斯国王已经去世很久了，人们记得他只因为他打的一个神奇的绳结。不过，他的四轮车仍然放在丘庇特的小庙中，牛轭仍旧绑在牛车末端的杆子上。
后来，一位年轻的马其顿国王漂洋过海来到佛里吉亚。这位年轻国王就是亚历山大。他征服了整个希腊。他挑选了一批人，组成一个小军队，带领他们横渡大海来到亚洲，并且在战斗中击败了波斯国王。佛里吉亚不敢不对他伏首称臣。
“那个神奇的戈尔迪绳结在哪里？”他问道。
他们把他领到丘庇特庙，并且给他看那辆装着牛轭、车杆的牛车，它还是戈耳狄俄斯当年留在那里时的模样。
“有关这个绳结的神谕是什么？”他问道。
“神谕说，能够解开这个绳结的人将会称王整个世界。”
亚历山大仔细地看着绳结。他找不到绳头，但是那有什么关系呢?他举起剑，一下就把它砍成很多段，牛轭便掉在地上。
“就是这样，”年轻的国王说道，“我砍开了戈尔迪打的复杂绳结。”
于是，他率领着他的一小支军队征服了亚洲。
“整个世界都是我的国土了。”他说道。
The Gordian Knot
IN the western part of Asia there is a rich and beautiful region which in olden times was called Phrygia.
The people of that country were related to the Greeks, and they were well-to-do and happy. Those who lived in the mountains had mines of gold and quarries of fine marble. Those who dwelt in the valleys had fruitful vineyards and olive orchards. Those whose homes were among the hills kept great flocks of sheep, the wool from which was the best in the world.
For a long time these simple-hearted people had no king. Every man was willing to do what he knew was the best for all, and so there was no need of a ruler. But by and by, as they grew wiser, every man began to do that which he thought was best for himself alone. The gold diggers ate the grapes and olives of their neighbors in the valleys. The vine growers killed the sheep of the dwellers in the hills. The shepherds stole the gold which the mountaineers had dug from their mines. And then a miserable war began, and the land that had been so prosperous and happy was filled with distress and sorrow.
戈尔迪绳结（3）
There were still many wise and good men in the country, and these were much grieved at the sad state of affairs. “It would be better,” said they, “if we had a king as other people hāve. He would punish the doers of wrong, and would make laws for the good of all.” But they could not choose a king among themselves. Each man claimed that he himself was the best fitted to be the ruler of the rest; and, had it not been for one of the wisest among them, they would hāve ended by fighting one another.
“Since we do not know what to do,” said this wise man, “let us ask the gods. Let us send to the oracle of Apollo and make our troubles known. Perhaps it will tell us what to do.”
All were pleased with this plan, and a messenger was sent to consult the oracle.
The temple of Apollo was far across the sea and many weeks passed before the messenger returned. Then all the best people from the mountains, the plains, and the hills met together near the chief town to hear what the oracle had told him.
“The oracle did not tell me very much,” said the messenger. “It merely repeated these two lines of poetry:
In lowly wagon riding, see the king
Who’ll peace to your unhappy country bring.
I could not get another word from it.”
The people were much puzzled by this answer of the oracle. They could not understand it, and yet they felt sure that it meant something. While all were standing around the messenger and wondering and talking, suddenly the loud creaking sound of wheels was heard. They looked and saw a slow-moving ox wagon creeping along the road. The wagon was loaded with hay, and on the hay sat a humble peasant with his wife and child. Everybody knew the peasant well. It was Gordius, the faithfulest workingman in all that country. His poor little hut, with its vine covered roof, could be seen half hidden among trees at the foot of the hill.
Suddenly, as the creaking wagon drew near, one of the wise men cried out—
In lowly wagon riding, see the king!
And another completed the rhyme,—
Who’ll peace to our unhappy country bring.
The people heard and understood. With a great shout they ran forward and greeted the bewildered peasant. They ran in front of his wagon. He was obliged to stop in the middle of the road.
“Hail to our king!” said some，as they bowed down before him.
“Long live the king of the Phrygians!” shouted others.
“My friends, what does all this uproar mean?” asked Gordius, looking down from his high seat on the hay. “I pray you not to frighten my oxen with your noise.”
Then they told him what the oracle had said, and declared that he must be their king.
“Well,” he finally answered, “if the oracle has said that I am your king, your king I must be. But first, let us do our duty to the great beings that hāve brought all this about.”
戈尔迪绳结（4）
Then he drove straight on to the little temple of Jupiter that overlooked the town. He unyoked the oxen and led them into the temple. Just as people did in those days, he slew them before the altar, and caught their blood in a great wooden bowl. Then, while he prayed, he poured the blood out as a thank offering to mighty Jupiter.
“The wagon, too,” said he, “will I give to the great Being by whom kings are made and unmade;” and he drew it into the inner part of the temple. Then he took the ox yoke and laid it across the end of the wagon pole and fastened it there with a rope of bark. And so deftly did he tie the knot about the yoke that the ends of the rope were hidden and no man could see how to undo it.
Then he went about his duties as king.
“I don’t know much about this business,” he said, “but I’ll do my best.”
He ruled so wisely that there was no more trouble among the people. The laws which he made were so just that no man dared to disobey them. The land was blessed with peace and plenty from the mountains to the plains.
All strangers who came to the temple of Jupiter were shown King Gordius’s wagon; and they admired the skill with which he had fastened the yoke to the wagon pole.
Only a very great man could hāve tied such a knot as that,” said some.
“You hāve spoken truly,” said the oracle of the temple;“but the man who shall untie it will be much greater.”
“How can that be?” asked the visitors.
“Gordius is king only of the small country of Phrygia,” was the answer. “But the man who undoes this wo-nderful work of his shall hāve the world for his kingdom.”
After that a great many men came every year to see the Gordian knot. Princes and wa-rriors from every land tried to untie it； but the ends of the rope remained hidden, and they could not even make a beginning of the task.
Hundreds of years passed. King Gordius had been dead so long that people remembered him only as the man who tied the wonderful knot. And yet his wagon stood in the little temple of Jupiter, and the ox yoke was still fastened to the end of the pole.
Then there came into Phrygia a young king from Macedonia, far across the sea. The name of this young king was Alexander. He had conquered all Greece. He had crossed over into Asia with a small army of chosen men, and had beaten the king of Persia in battle. The people of Phrygia had not the courage to oppose him.
“Where is that wonderful Gordian knot?” he asked.
They led him into the temple of Jupiter and showed him the little wagon, with the yoke and wagon pole just as Gordius had left it.
“What was it that the oracle said about this knot?” he asked.
“It said that the man who should undo it would hāve the world for his kingdom.”
Alexander looked at the knot carefully. He could not find the ends of the rope; but what did that matter? He raised his sword and, with one stroke, cut it into so many pieces that the yoke fell to the ground.
“It is thus,” said the young king, “that I cut all Gordian knots.”
And then he went on with his little army to conquer Asia.
“The world is my kingdom.” he said.
亚历山大为什么哭泣
亚历山大率领着自己的一小支军队占领了亚洲的西部地区。
“整个世界都是我的国土。”他说道。
他征服了波斯——当时世界上最强大、最富有的国家。他烧毁了强大的城市提尔。他成了埃及的主人，并在尼罗河的河口附近建造了一座辉煌的新城市，并根据自己的名字命名为亚历山大。
“埃及的西边是什么？”他问道。
“只是广阔无边的沙漠，”部下回答道,“世界最远的地方只有沙子、沙子、炙热的沙子，除此以外什么都没有。”
于是，亚历山大带领着军队回到了亚洲。他占领了伟大的幼发拉底河上的国家。他越过里海沿岸的草原，爬过似乎俯瞰世界的雪山，在一片荒凉的土地向北方凝望。
“这里的那面是什么？”他问道。
“只有冰冻的沼泽，”部下回答道,“一英里又一英里，一英里又一英里，世界的最远方除了冰雪覆盖的荒野和大片的冰之外，什么也没有。”
于是，亚历山大带领军队回到了南方。他攻占了印度的大部分土地。他让一个又一个富有的国家向他臣服。最后，他来到恒河前。他想要跨越河流，然而他的士兵不愿意跟随他。
“我们不想再往远处去了。”他们说道。
“这条神奇河流的东方是什么？”亚历山大问道。
“只是蔓藤缠绕的森林，”部下回答道，“一英里又一英里，一英里又一英里，一直延伸到世界的最远方，其他什么也没有。”
于是，亚历山大下令造船。他让这些船在一条称作印度河的河流下水启航，船载着他的军队顺流驶向大海。
“更远的地方是什么呢？”他问道。
“只是没有人迹的水域，”部下回答道。“一英里又一英里，一英里又一英里，一直延伸到世界的最远方，除了深深的大海，其他什么也没有。”
“真的，”亚历山大说道，“世界上有人居住的地方都是我的王土。西方、北方、东方、南方，再没有可以征服的地方了。但是，这个王国毕竟太小了！”
然后，他坐下哭泣起来，因为没有其他地方可以让他征服了。
Why Alexander Wept
ALEXANDER with his little army overran all the western part of Asia.
“The world is my kingdom,” he said.
He conquered Persia, which was then the greatest and richest country known. He burned the mighty city of Tyre. He made himself the master of Egypt. He built, near the mouth of the Nile River, a splendid new city which he called, after his own name, Alexandria.
“What lies west of Egypt?” he asked.
“Only the great desert,” was the answer.“To the farthest bounds of the earth there is nothing but sand, sand, burning sand.”
So Alexander led his army back into Asia. He overran the country beyond the great river Euphrates. He crossed the grassy plains that lie along the shores of the Caspian Sea. He climbed the snowy mountains that seem to overlook the world. He gazed northward upon a desolate land.
“What lies beyond?” he asked.
“Only frozen marshes,” was the answer. “Mile after mile, mile after mile, to the farthest bounds of the earth there is nothing but fields of snow and seas of ice.”
So Alexander led his army back toward the south. He overran a large part of India. He subdued one rich city after another. At last he came to a mighty river called the Ganges. He would hāve crossed the river, but his soldiers would not follow him.
“We go no farther,” they said.
“What lies to the east of this wonderful stream?” asked Alexander.
“Only tangled forests,” was the answer. “Mile after mile, mile after mile, to the farthest bounds of the earth there is nothing else.”
So Alexander caused ships to be built. He launched them on another river called the Indus, and with his army floated down to the sea.
“What lies farther on?” he asked.
“Only trackless waters,” was the answer. “Mile after mile, mile after mile, to the farthest bounds of the earth there is nothing but the deep sea.”
“Truly, then,” said Alexander, “all the inhabited world is mine. West, north, east, south, there is nothing more for me to conquer. But, after all, how small a kingdom it is!”
Then he sat down and wept because there were not other worlds for him to conquer.
理查德国王和布隆代尔（1）
英国人民已经有一年的时间没有国王的消息了。他们知道，理查德从圣地出发返回故乡。他们还得知他的船失事了，并谣传他被关在遥远地方的一个监狱中。但是，没有人知道那个地方在哪儿。
理查德在故乡过着快乐生活的时候，培养了一个年轻的诗人，或者称为吟游诗人，这个诗人叫布隆代尔?德内莱。在去圣地之前，理查德在布隆代尔的陪伴下，听着他美妙的歌声度过了许多快乐的时光。由于这个年轻人有一副罕见的华丽嗓音，能唱出最为动听的旋律。在英国或法国，没有一个人能够与他相媲美。有时，理查德自己谱一些小曲，然后和布隆代尔一起唱。因此，吟游诗人与国王之间产生了一种兄弟般的深挚的情感。
在理查德毫无音讯的时候，布隆代尔陷入了深深的忧愁。他在国王冷清的宫殿里走来走去，不愿意为任何人开口唱歌。最后，他说：“我知道主人在一个陌生的地方被囚禁了。我要去找他，我会找到他的，我会把他救出来的。”
他手拿竖琴，踏上了找寻之路。他穿越了欧洲许多最有可能找到主人的地方。他一路结交了许多朋友。因为，在那个年代，吟游诗人在每个建有宫殿和木屋的地方都是受欢迎的，布隆代尔美妙的声音让听到他歌声的人都非常高兴。
一天，他走到森林边缘的一座旅馆前，便停了下来。这里距离那座坚实的城堡非常近，那座城堡围着用粗糙的灰色石头修建的城墙。
“那座城堡是谁的？”他问旅馆的主人。
“那属于奥地利公爵，”旅馆的主人回答道。“不过，公爵还有其他更好的地方，这是他在这里的最后一年了。他一走，特利巴布斯伯爵就会成为城堡的主人。”
于是，布隆代尔就问城堡里是否囚禁着犯人，因为他在每个地方都问这个问题。
“只有一个，”旅馆主人答道。“他被关押在城堡底部的地牢中。我不知道他是什么人。公爵派人严密看守，并且供他好吃好喝，因此，我想那一定是个重要人物。”
当晚，布隆代尔在灰色的城堡中，为特利巴布斯伯爵和他的家人演唱。所有听到他歌声的人都赞赏他美妙的嗓音，并且大家都非常欣赏他文雅的举止。他们请求他停留一段时间，因为他使得这个沉闷古老的地方比以往任何一天都快乐。
第二天早晨，布隆代尔围着高塔徘徊。他看到墙壁上有一道裂缝，猜想这是下面的地牢唯一能够射进阳光的地方。他在一块大石头上坐了下来，为他的竖琴调音。然后，他就唱起了一首歌，那是在十字军东征之前的昔日快乐时光中，他与国王一起唱过的歌。
仙女小姐，你是如此的美丽
所有见过你的人都是如此欣喜；
然而你却那么冰冷，
没有人能够爱上你，
然而我对此却很高兴，
你比任何人都爱我。
这是这首歌的前半部分。当他唱完这段之后，他停了下来。然后，他听到从阴暗地牢的深处，理查德国王用清晰而又悲凉的声音唱起了余下的部分：
我的心伤痛不已，
如果你的爱也是如此不专一，
向周围所有的人绽放微笑，
虽然不是出于真心。
我宁愿忍受憎恨，
也不愿与他人分享爱。
布隆代尔跳了起来，他内心充满了喜悦。“哦，理查德！哦，我的国王！”他忘情地喊道。然后，他急忙跑开，开始想办法让主人获得自由。
他去求助德国君主和法国国王，最后回到英国，告诉人们理查德被奥地利公爵残忍地关押在监狱中。
法国国王很乐意理查德被关押在监狱中，因为他是自己最憎恨的敌人。德国君主显得稍微友好一些。然而，他的许多骑士和勇士都说，英国国王受到如此卑贱地对待，是一件耻辱的事情。
于是，法国国王控告理查德曾经在两国征讨圣地时，试图毒死他。由于这个原因，法国国王要求理查德应该被带出地牢，接受德国最高法院对他此举的审判。他希望通过这种方式摆脱这个棘手的囚犯。
理查德国王和布隆代尔（2）
理查德的辩护非常感人，许多人听后都流下了眼泪。由于长期的关押，他变得脸色苍白、身体虚弱，他讲述了奥地利公爵是如何虐待他的。他向人们揭发法国国王如何阴谋置他于死地。然后，他评论了自己在圣地的战斗，并大叫战争中的喊的那句“上帝助我！上帝助我！”
高等法院找不到任何宣判他有罪的证据。因此，判决他只要向国王和公爵支付赎金，就可以将其释放。
赎金是布隆代尔和理查德的母亲——埃莉诺王后设法筹集的。布隆代尔凭借他的竖琴和美妙的嗓音，激起了英国人的同情心，结果他们付出了比要求的数目更多的钱。他们拿出了自己所有活动资产的四分之一，我们也许怀疑有哪个国王值这么多的钱。埃莉诺王后亲自带着钱前往法国，把钱交到国王和公爵的手中。当异常勇猛的理查德重新成为自由的人时，迎接他回归祖国的第一个人就是布隆代尔。
King Richard and Blondel
FOR more than a year the English people heard no tidings of their king. They knew that Richard had started home from the Holy Land. They had heard, too, of his shipwreck, and it was rumored that he was held as a prisoner in some distant land. But nobody knew where that land was.
Now Richard in his happier days at home had trained up a young rhymer, or minstrel, whose name was Blondel de Nesle. Before going to the Holy Land, he had spent many a pleasant hour in Blondel’s company, listening to his beautiful songs. For the young minstrel had a rare, rich voice, full of the most charming melody; and no other singer in England or France could excel him. Sometimes Richard himself had composed little songs which he and Blondel sang together; and a strong love, like that of two brothers, had sprung up between the minstrel and the king.
Very sad was Blondel when no news could be heard of Richard. He wandered hither and thither about the king’s lonely palace, and would not open his mouth to sing for anybody. At last he said, “I know that my master is a prisoner in a strange land. I will seek him; I will find him; I will sāve him.”
With his harp in his hand he set out on his quest. He trāveled through many lands in that part of Europe where he would be most likely to find his master. He made friends wherever he went. For in those days minstrels were welcome in every palace and in every hut, and Blondel’s wonderful voice delighted all who heard it.
One day he stopped at a little inn by the edge of a great forest. It was quite near to a strong castle which was surrounded by high walls of rough, gray stones.
“Whose castle is that?” he asked of the innkeeper.
“It belongs to the Duke of Austria,” was the answer. “But the duke has other and finer places, and it is now a year since he was last here. While he is away the Count Tribables is master of the castle.”
Then Blondel inquired if there were any prisoners in the castle; for he asked that question in every place he visited.
“Only one,” answered the innkeeper. “He is kept in the dungeon at the bottom of the tower. I know not who he is. The duke keeps a close watch upon him and feeds him well, and so I think he must be somebody.”
理查德国王和布隆代尔（3）
That evening Blondel sang before the Count Tribables and his family in the gray castle. All who heard him praised his fine voice and loved him for his gentle manners. They begged him to stay a while; for he had made the dreary old place merrier than it had been for many a day.
The next morning Blondel wandered around to the great tower. He saw a slit in the wall which he knew was the only means by which light was let into the dungeon below. He sat down on a block of stone and tuned his harp. Then he began to sing a song which he and King Richard had sung together in the old happy days before his master had gone crusading:
Your beauty, lady fair,
All view with strange delight;
But you’ve so cold an air,
None love you as they might.
Yet this I’m pleased to see,
You love none more than me.
This was the first half of the song; and when he had sung it he paused. Then, far down in the dismal dungeon, he heard the clear but mournful voice of King Richard singing the rest—
My heart you’ll sorely wound
If fāvor you divide
And smile on all around,
Unwilling to decide.
I’d rather hatred bear
Than love with others share.
Blondel sprang to his feet, his heart filled with delight. “O Richard!O my king!” he cried in ecstasy. Then he hurried away, to do what he could to secure his master’s liberty. He went to the emperor of Germany and to the king of France, and finally back to England, telling how Richard was cruelly kept in prison by the Duke of Austria.
The king of France would hāve been glad to leāve Richard in prison; for he was one of his bitterest foes. The emperor of Germany was but little more friendly; yet many of his knights and warriors said that it was a shame to treat the king of England so meanly. Then the French king accused Richard of hāving tried to poison him when both were crusading in the Holy Land. Upon this, the emperor ordered that Richard should be brought out of his dungeon and made to plead his case before the high court of Germany. He hoped in this way to get rid of the troublesome prisoner.
Richard pleaded his case so well that many who heard him wept. Pale and weak from his long imprisonment, he told how the Duke of Austria had abused him. He showed how the French king had plotted to hāve him put to death. Then he spoke of the battles he had won in the Holy Land, shouting the war cry of “God help us! God help us!”
The high court had nothing to gain by declaring him guilty. And so it was decided that he should be set free on the payment of a large ransom to the emperor and the duke.
It was Blondel and Queen Eleanor, Richard’s mother, who helped to raise the ransom. With his harp and his fine voice, Blondel so wrought upon the feelings of the English people that they paid more willingly the price that was required of them. They gāve the value of one fourth of all the movable property that they owned, and we may well doubt whether any king was worth so much. Then Queen Eleanor herself carried the money to Germany and put it in the hands of the emperor and the duke. And when Richard the Lion-hearted was at last a free man again, in his own country, it was Blondel who first welcomed him back.
约翰国王和亚瑟王子（1）
一
从前，英国有一个叫约翰的国王。他是一个无足轻重、无所作为的家伙，他比以往任何一个统治者都要卑鄙。
他不是英国的合法国王。因为根据英国法律，王位应该传给他的侄子——亚瑟王子。但是王子只是一个小孩子，在那个残酷粗蛮的年代，年小势弱是无法与邪恶和强大相抗衡的。约翰轻而易举就把年轻人推到一旁，将他的城堡和财产据为己有，并宣布自己为国王。
他准许亚瑟去往法国的布列塔尼。在那里，小王子在母亲的城堡中度过了一段时间。约翰也常常去法国，因为在那个年代，那个国家的大部分土地都在英国的统治之下。
法国国王菲利普非常嫉妒约翰，他最大的愿望就是把约翰赶出去，将他的全部财产据为己有。但是，他是一个怯懦的人，尽管常常说要对约翰发动战争，却没有足够的勇气做出任何举动。一天，当他正在思考这件事情的时候，他忽然想到说服亚瑟王子帮助自己也许是一个绝妙的办法。于是，菲利普就邀请这个男孩来巴黎与他见面。
“亲爱的小王子，”他说道，“你想不想成为英国的国王？”
“这是我最想做的事情，”男孩答道，“因为事实上这是我的权利。如果不是我的叔叔夺走了属于我的东西，我现在应该是英国的国王。”
“如果发动战争，你认为你能够召集到多少人呢？”这是菲利普国王问的第二个问题。
“我或许可以从我的城堡中召集到500人。”亚瑟说道。
“那么好吧，”菲利普说道，“对于你来说，赢回你的英王国是一件容易的事情。照我说的去做，一切都会顺利的。”
然后，他告诉王子如何武装他的士兵，如何带领他们与约翰国王的士兵进行战斗。
“当这个国家的人民看到你真的行动起来，他们会及时帮助你的，”他说道，“不久，你就会拥有一支强大的军队，而且你叔叔在法国的所有城堡都将归你所有。与此同时，我将会带领法国军队穿过英吉利海峡，在英国的土地上攻击约翰国王。他是抵挡不住我们两个的，他将会放弃从你那里抢夺的一切。然后，你将会成为英国的国王。”
对于这个计划，亚瑟王子非常满意，并且他向菲利普承诺将会尽自己所能。毋庸置疑，王子肯定会按照这个邪恶的人的吩咐去做，而菲利普却是想利用王子达到自己自私的目的。
二
对亚瑟王子来说，那天是他最快乐的一天。他带领着自己的一小支军队前进，为了那被不正当剥夺的王位进行战斗。这是一个愚蠢的计划，一开始就毫无希望。跟随着小王子的人本应该告诉他这个事实。然而毫无疑问的是，他们各自有着自己自私的目的，并且很乐意他上当受骗。
那天早上，当他穿越草地的时候，从没有如此开心过。阳光从他闪亮的盔甲上一闪而过，小鸟在路旁鸣叫着。唉，他永远也不会像当时那样开心了。
人们并没有像他期待的那样在路上加入他们，菲利普国王似乎不急于援助他。然而，勇敢的小王子却满怀信心，他带领着自己的军队一直横越这块国土，来到了约翰母亲居住的小镇上。
“如果您能够抓到国王的母亲，”他的一些参谋说道，“国王将会为了她放弃一切。”然而，他本应该知道，约翰是一个对任何人都没有爱心的人。
小王子的追随者们轻而易举就占领了这座小镇。然而，镇上所有重要的人物都将自己关在近在咫尺的城堡之中，谅敌人也不敢靠近。
当亚瑟王子和他的骑士包围城堡并试图寻找进去的路时，约翰国王亲自带领几倍于自己的军队前来援助。
这位王子能做什么呢？他的一些追随者背叛了他，转而投向国王的军队。王子带领着剩下的追随者将自己关在小镇中。几天以来，他就像一个年轻的英雄进行着防卫战。一天晚上，当一声巨响爆发后，国王的大批士兵爬上城墙，进入了城镇。警报还没有来得及拉响，那些士兵就占领了这座城镇。小王子在睡梦中就被抓住了。一些骑士在试图保护他时被杀死。其他的人被俘，然后被关到黑暗的地牢中，并将在那里死去。
约翰国王和亚瑟王子（2）
“到我的怀抱里来，亲爱的侄子，”约翰国王说道，当亚瑟被带到他面前时。“再一次握住你的手，我感到很高兴。你与自己亲爱的叔叔玩了一个有趣的游戏，叔叔将会给予你应得的奖赏。”就这样，国王把小王子送到了法赖斯城堡，在得到吩咐之前一直被关在那里。
“我应该对你说什么，休伯特，”他对他的头领说道，“这个男孩是我生命中的一个祸害。我什么也做不了，什么也想不了，他一直挡我的路。你明白我的意思吗，休伯特？他将由你来看管。”
“是的，”休伯特说道，“我会好好看着他，他再也不会给您惹麻烦了。”
然而，休伯特是一个心地温和的骑士，他无意做任何伤害这个孩子的事情。他把法赖斯城堡中最好的一个房间给了他，就像对待自己的儿子一样温和地对待他。然而，王子却非常不开心。大部分时间，他都从自己牢房的狭窄窗户向外望去，并且希望能够再一次看到自己心爱的老家布列塔尼。
0 0