Tales From The Thousand And One Nights

词汇提示

1.sharpers 骗子

2.jeweler 珠宝商

3.genealogist 谱系学家

4.smashed 打碎

5.lineage 血缘

6.bushy 浓密

7.immunity 豁免

8.adulterer 奸夫

9.swindle骗子

原文

Story 10: The Story of the Three Sharpers

Along time ago there were three sharpers.

Everyday they searched through the garbage piles to find some coins or pieces of silver.

Every night they spent everything they found on food, drugs and a candle.

Three days passed and they found nothing.

They were very hungry.

They decided to beat each other up outside of the palace to get attention.

The guards saw them and brought them in.

The King questioned them.

They said they were masters of special skills.

One said he was a jeweler, one said he was a genealogist of horses, and one said he was a genealogist of humans.

The King decided to test them.

He gave them apartments and food.

When the time came for them to prove their skills, he called for them, one by one. 

The jeweler was asked to examine a precious stone.

He told the King there was a worm, or defect in the stone.

The King ordered the stone to be smashed and they discovered there was really a defect.

The King asked how he knew this and the jeweler said, "The sharpness of my sight."

Next,the King was given a black horse.

He asked the horse specialist if the horse was a pure breed.

He said no, the mother was a buffalo cow.

The King asked how he knew this and he said, "The horse's hoof is round and the hooves of bison are long and shaped like a duck."

The King asked the third sharper about the genealogy of his wife, the Queen.

He told the King that the Queen's mother was a gypsy.

The King asked how could he have known this and he answered that he noticed her lineage from the shape of her eyes and her bushy eyebrows.

The King asked to know about his own lineage.

The third Sharper made the King promise him immunity if he told him.

The King agreed.

The King was told he was not true King; he was the son of a cook.

The King's mother confessed it was true, saying she could not get pregnant from her husband the King, so she took the cook as a lover to get pregnant.

The King, her husband, never knew.

The King said, "I am not fit to be a king, I am the son of an adulterer."

He gave his kingship, his crown and robe to the third swindler.

The new"King" called for his friends and they did not recognize him.

He ruled as a generous king for the rest of his days.

翻译

故事十:三个骗子的故事

很久以前，有三个骗子。
每天他们都在垃圾堆里寻找一些硬币或银币。
每天晚上，他们把所有的钱都花在食物、药物和蜡烛上。
三天过去了，他们什么也没找到。
他们非常饿。
他们决定在宫殿外互相殴打以引起注意。
警卫看到了他们，把他们带了进来。
国王问他们。
他们说他们是特殊技能的大师。
一个说他是珠宝商，一个说他是马的谱系学家，还有一个说他是人类的谱系学家。
国王决定考验一下他们。
他给他们住处和食物。
当要他们证明自己的技能时，他一个接一个地叫他们。

珠宝商被要求检查一块宝石。
他告诉国王石头里有虫，或者说是有缺陷。
国王下令把石头砸碎，他们发现确实有一个缺陷。
国王问他是怎么知道的，珠宝商说:“我的视力太敏锐了。”
接着，国王得到了一匹黑马。
他问马专家这匹马是否是纯种马。
他说不是，妈妈是一头野牛。
国王问他是怎么知道的，他说:“马的蹄子是圆的，野牛的蹄子是长的，形状像鸭子。”
国王问第三个专家关于他妻子——王后的家谱。
他告诉国王王后的母亲是吉普赛人。
国王问他是怎么知道的，他回答说，他从她眼睛的形状和浓密的眉毛上看出了她的血统。
国王要求了解他自己的血统。
第三个骗子让国王答应，如果他告诉他，就赦免他。
国王同意了。
国王被告知他不是真正的国王;他是厨师的儿子。
国王的母亲承认这是真的，说她不能从她的丈夫国王那里怀孕，所以她带着厨师作为情人怀孕。
她的丈夫，老国王，从来不知道。
国王说:“我不配做国王，我是奸夫的儿子。”
他把王位、王冠和袍子给了第三个骗子。
新"国王"叫来了他的朋友，他们都不认识他。
他作为一个慷慨的国王度过了他的余生。