尼诺和忠狗——菲诺拉公主与侏儒1

Once upon a time, there lived an old woman and a young girl in a little hut in the middle of a lonely moor. The old woman was thin and dumb. Finola, the young girl, was as sweet as a rose. Her voice was as musical as the whisper of a stream in the woods in the hot days of summer.

　　The little hut was made of branches and was shaped like a beehive. In the center of the hut a fire burned night and day from the beginning to the end of the year. It was never touched by human hands. In the cold days and nights of winter the fire gave out light and heat. It made the hut comfortable and warm, but in the summer it gave out only light.

　　Outside the hut, the lonely moor stretched for miles on every side, but there wasn't a sign of life anywhere. When a storm came, the great waves were heard on the shore beyond the mountains and the wind blew in the narrow valley, but when it passed across the moor, it lost its roar and passed as silently as the dead. At first the silence frightened Princess Finola, but she became used to it after a time. She often broke the silence by talking and singing to herself.

　　Besides the old woman, Finola saw only a dumb dwarf. The dwarf rode on a frail horse and came once a month to the hut. He brought a sack of corn for the old woman and Finola. Although the dwarf couldn't speak to her, Finola was always glad to see him and his old horse, and she used to give him cakes which she made herself. As the dwarf loved the little princess, his heart was heavy when he thought of her losing her health on the lonely moor.

　　One day he came to the hut, but Finola did not come out to greet him as usual. He made signs to the old woman, but she took up a stick, and struck his horse and drove them away.

　　When he was leaving, he saw Finola at the door of the hut, and saw that she was crying. This sight made him so miserable that he could think of nothing but her sad face. He rode the old horse, not knowing where he was going. Suddenly he heard a voice say, "It is time for you to come."

　　The dwarf looked down at a little man not half as big as himself, dressed in a green jacket with brass buttons, and a red cap with a tassel.

　　"It is time for you to come," he said once again. "Get off your horse and come in with me. I will touch your lips with the wand of speech, so we may talk with each other."

　　The dwarf got off his horse and followed the little man through a hole in the side of a green hill. The hole was so small that he had to crawl on hands and knees to pass through it. When he was able to stand, he was only the same height as the little elf.

　　After they had walked three or four steps, they were in a wide room which was as bright as day. The roof  rested on golden pillars and between the pillars were silver lamps. In the middle of the room there was a table, on which there were two golden plates and two silver knives and forks, next to a brass bell as big as a hazelnut. Beside the table were two chairs.

　　"Take a chair," said the elf, "and I will ring for the wand of speech."

　　The dwarf sat down and the elf rang the little brass bell. In came a tiny fairy who was only as big as your hand.

　　"Bring me the wand of speech," said the elf, and the tiny fairy bowed three times and walked out backward. In a minute he returned carrying a little black wand with a red berry on the top of it. He gave it to the elf.

　　The little man waved the stick three times over the dwarf and struck him once on the right shoulder and once on the left shoulder. Then he touched the dwarf's lips with the red berry and said, "Speak!"

　　The dwarf spoke, and as he was given back his voice, he danced in the room for joy.

　　"Who are you?" he asked the elf.

　　"And who are you?" asked the elf. "But let's have something to eat before we talk, for I am sure you are hungry."

　　They sat at the table and ate a lot.

　　"You asked me who I am," said the elf.

　　"I did," said the dwarf.

　　"And who are you, then?"

　　"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know," answered the dwarf, and he blushed like a rose.

　　"Tell me what you know about yourself," said the elf.

　　"Really, I don't remember anything before the day when I found myself going along with a crowd of people to the big fair. We had to pass by the king's palace on our way, and while we were passing the king, a group of jugglers showed their tricks to him. I followed the jugglers and I stood by idly. When the play was over, the king called me to him and asked me who I was and where I came from. I was dumb, so I couldn't answer; but even if I could have spoken, I couldn't have told him what he wanted to know, because I didn't remember anything of myself before that day. Then the king asked the jugglers and the others, but no one knew anything about me. Then the king said that he would take me into his service. The only work he gave me was to go once a month with a bag of corn to the hut on the moor."

　　"And there you fell in love with the little princess," said the elf. The poor dwarf blushed to hear that.

　　"You don't have to blush," said the elf. "Love is the sign of a good man. And now tell me, truly, do you love the princess, and what would you give in order to free her from the spell?"

　　"I would give my life," said the dwarf.

　　"Well, then listen to me," said the elf. "Princess Finola was sent to the lonely moor by the king, your master. He killed her father, who was the rightful king.The king wanted to kill Finola, but an old sorceress told him if he killed the girl, he himself would die on the same day. She advised him to send her to the lonely moor. Finola can't leave the moor till the spell is broken. And she told the king he should select a messenger to take food to the hut. He was also told to look for someone who had never seen or heard of the princess, a man he could trust never to tell anyone anything about her. That is the reason he selected you."

　　"How do you know so much?" asked the dwarf. "Can you tell me who I am and where I came from?"

　　"You will know soon," said the elf. "But, are you really willing to try to break the spell and free the princess?"

　　"Yes, I am willing to," said the dwarf.

　　"At whatever cost?"

　　"Yes, even if it costs me my life," said the dwarf. "Will you please tell me how the spell can be broken?"

　　"Oh, it is easy to break the spell if you have the right weapons," said the elf.

　　"And what and where are they?" asked the dwarf.

　　"The spear of the shining shaft and the silver shield," said the elf.  are on the bank of the Mystic Lake on the Island of the Western Sea. If you bring them back to the lonely moor, you have to hit the shield three times with the shaft of the spear and then the silence of the moor will be broken forever. The spell of enchantment will be removed and the princess will be free."

　　"I will set out at once," said the dwarf, jumping from his chair.

　　"Will you pay the price?" asked the elf.

　　"Yes, I will. But what is the price?" asked the dwarf.

　　"You will know soon. Now go. May you have good luck!"

　　从前，有一位老妇人和少女住在一处荒野中的小茅屋里。这位老妇人长得很瘦弱，而且是个哑巴。这位少女叫做菲诺拉，她就像玫瑰般地甜美和清新。她的声音就像炎夏林中小溪流低语一般地甜美。

　　小茅屋是用树枝搭成的，形状像个蜂巢。在小茅屋的中间终年不分昼夜地燃烧着炉火。这炉火从未被人类的手碰过。在冬天寒冷的昼夜里炉火发出光和热，使得小屋非常舒适暖和；但在夏天它只发出光而已。

　　小屋外，荒野绵延数英里长，但到处没有一点生命的迹象。当暴风雨来时，可以听见山的那边惊涛拍岸的声音，以及在狭谷里呼啸而过的风声，但当暴风雨通过这片荒野时，它便失去怒号而死寂般地过去。起初这种寂静吓到菲诺拉公主，但经过一段时间后，她渐渐习惯了。她经常对自己说话和唱歌，藉以打破这片寂静。

　　除了那老妇人外，还有一个哑巴侏儒是菲诺拉唯一可看到的人了。这侏儒每个月骑着一匹衰弱的马来茅屋一次。他每次都为老妇和菲诺拉带来一袋玉米。虽然侏儒不能说话，但是菲诺拉每次总是很高兴见到他和他的老马，而且还会送他亲手做的蛋糕。因为侏儒很喜欢这位小公主，因此只要想到她在这偏僻的荒野中健康每下愈况，他的心情便会很沉重。

　　有一天他来到茅屋，但菲诺拉并没有像平常一样出来迎接他。他向老妇人打手势，但老妇人却拿出一根棍子来打他的马，并把他们赶走。

　　离去时，他看到菲诺拉站在茅屋的门口哭泣。这景象使他非常伤心，以致于他心里想的都是她悲伤的脸孔。他骑着马不知道往哪里去。忽然他听到一个声音说：『该是你来的时候了。』

　　侏儒往下看到一个身材远不及他自己一半高的小矮人，他穿著一件有铜扣的绿色外套，并戴着一顶垂着流苏的红帽。

　　他又说了一次：『该是你来的时候了。下马跟我进来。我来用语言魔杖点一下你的嘴唇，这样我们就可以交谈了。』

　　侏儒下马跟着小矮人穿过绿色山丘旁的洞。这个洞非常窄小，因此他必须用手脚爬过去。当他能够站起来时，他变得和那小仙人一样高。

　　他们走了三、四步后，来到一间明亮得像白昼般宽敞的房间。屋顶是用金黄色的梁柱撑着，梁柱间挂着银色的灯。房间中央有一张桌子，上面摆着两个金色盘子和两副银色刀叉，就靠在一只榛果般大的铜铃旁边。桌旁还有两把椅子。

　　小仙人说：『坐下来吧，让我摇铃唤来语言魔杖。』

　　侏儒坐下来，而小仙人摇了那小铜铃。然后一个手掌般大的小侏儒进来了。

　　小仙人说：『把语言魔杖拿来给我。』小精灵鞠躬三次后向后退了出去。过了一会，他带着一根顶端有红莓的黑色小魔杖进来。他把魔杖交给小仙人。

　　小仙人举杖在侏儒上方挥了三下，在他的右肩点了一下，然后在左肩上也点了一下。最后他用红莓点在侏儒的嘴唇上并说道：『说话！』

　　侏儒开口说话了，由于他恢复说话的能力，他高兴地在房间里跳舞。

　　他问小仙人：『你是谁？』

　　小仙人也问：『你是谁？不过我们先吃点东西再说话吧，因为我想你一定饿了。』

　　他们坐在桌前吃了不少东西。

　　小仙人说：『你刚才问我是谁。』

　　侏儒说：『是的。』

　　『但你又是谁呢？』

　　侏儒回答说：『老实说，我不知道。』然后他脸红得像朵玫瑰一样。

　　小仙人说：『那幺你知道自己多少就都告诉我吧。』

　　『真的，我只记得有一天我跟着一大群人前往市集，在那以前我什幺都不记得。在往市集途中我们必须经过国王的皇宫，当我们路过时，有一群杂耍师正在变戏法给国王看。我跟着这些杂耍师并呆呆地站着。当表演结束时，国王把我叫到他面前去，问我是谁，从那里来。我那时就已经哑了，所以无法回答他；但就算我那时能说话，我也无法告诉他他想知道的，因为我根本记不得那天以前有关我自己的任何事。接着国王就问那些杂耍师和其它人，但没有人知道任何有关我的事。于是国王说他将雇用我。他派给我的唯一工作是每个月一次带一袋玉米到那荒野中的小屋去。』

　　小仙人说：『于是你在那里爱上那小公主。』可怜的侏儒听到这里脸都红了。

　　小仙人又说：『你不必脸红。爱是好人的特征。现在告诉我，你是不是真的爱公主，还有，你愿意付出什幺代价来解除她身上的咒语？』

　　侏儒说：『我愿意付出我的生命。』

　　小仙人说：『那幺，听我说。菲诺拉公主是被你的主人，也就是那位国王，送到那偏僻的荒野。他杀了她父亲，她父亲才是真正的国王。国王原本也想杀了菲诺拉，但一位老巫婆告诉他说如果他杀了那个女孩，他自己也会在同一天死去。她建议把她送到偏远的荒野去。除非咒语解除，要不然菲诺拉无法离开那里。她告诉国王要选派一个使者送食物到茅屋去。她也要国王找个从未见过或听说过公主的人，这个人能让国王信任绝不会告诉任何人有关于她的事。那就是为什幺他选中了你。』

　　侏儒问道：『你怎会知道这幺多呢？你能告诉我我是谁，是那里人吗？』

　　小仙人说：『不久你就会知道。但是，你真的愿意设法破除咒语，解救公主吗？』

　　侏儒说：『是的，我愿意。』

　　『不管任何代价？』

　　侏儒说：『是的，甚至是牺牲我的性命也在所不惜。你能告诉我如何才能破除咒语吗？』

　　小仙人说：『噢，只要拥有正确的武器，就很容易破除咒语。』

　　侏儒问：『是什幺武器，去哪里找呢？』

　　小仙人说：『有着闪亮长柄的矛和银色的盾。它们是在西海之岛上的神秘湖畔上。如果你把这矛和盾带回到偏僻的荒野来，你必须要用矛的柄击银盾三下，这样荒野的寂静就能永远被打破。魔咒便可解除，公主就自由了。』

　　侏儒从椅子上跳起来说：『我马上出发。』

　　小仙人问：『你愿意付出代价吗？』

　　侏儒说：『是的，我愿意。但代价是什幺呢？』

　　『不久你就会知道了。你现在就去吧。祝你好运！』