The History of Tom Thumb

In the days of the great Prince Arthur, there lived a mighty magician, called Merlin, the most learned and skilful enchanter the world has ever seen.

Nos dias do grande Príncipe Artur, viveu um poderoso mago, chamado Merlin, o mais sábio e habilidoso encantador que o mundo já viu.

This famous magician, who could take any form he pleased, was travelling about as a poor beggar, and being very tired, he stopped at the cottage of a ploughman to rest himself, and asked for some food.

Esse famoso mago, que podia tomar qualquer forma que quisesse, viajava disfarçado de pobre mendigo, e, estando muito cansado, parou na cabana de um lavrador para descansar, e pediu um pouco de comida.

The countryman bade him welcome, and his wife, who was a very good-hearted woman, soon brought him some milk in a wooden bowl, and some coarse brown bread on a platter.

O camponês o recebeu bem, e sua esposa, que era uma mulher de bom coração, logo lhe trouxe um pouco de leite numa tigela de madeira, e um pão escuro e grosseiro num prato.

Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the ploughman and his wife; but he could not help noticing that though everything was neat and comfortable in the cottage, they seemed both to be very unhappy. He therefore asked them why they were so melancholy, and learned that they were miserable because they had no children.

Merlin ficou muito satisfeito com a bondade do lavrador e de sua esposa; mas não pôde deixar de notar que, embora tudo na cabana fosse limpo e confortável, ambos pareciam muito infelizes. Perguntou-lhes, então, por que estavam tão melancólicos, e soube que eram infelizes porque não tinham filhos.

The poor woman said, with tears in her eyes: “I should be the happiest creature in the world if I had a son; although he was no bigger than my husband's thumb, I would be satisfied.”

A pobre mulher disse, com lágrimas nos olhos: "Eu seria a criatura mais feliz do mundo se tivesse um filho; mesmo que ele não fosse maior que o polegar de meu marido, eu ficaria satisfeita."

Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a boy no bigger than a man's thumb, that he determined to grant the poor woman's wish. Accordingly, in a short time after, the ploughman's wife had a son, who, wonderful to relate! was not a bit bigger than his father's thumb.

Merlin ficou tão divertido com a ideia de um menino não maior que o polegar de um homem, que decidiu conceder o desejo da pobre mulher. Assim, pouco tempo depois, a esposa do lavrador teve um filho que, coisa maravilhosa de se contar, não era nem um pouco maior que o polegar de seu pai.

The queen of the fairies, wishing to see the little fellow, came in at the window while the mother was sitting up in the bed admiring him. The queen kissed the child, and, giving it the name of Tom Thumb, sent for some of the fairies, who dressed her little godson according to her orders:

A rainha das fadas, desejando ver o pequeno rapaz, entrou pela janela enquanto a mãe estava sentada na cama, admirando-o. A rainha beijou a criança e, dando-lhe o nome de Tom Polegar, mandou chamar algumas fadas, que vestiram seu pequeno afilhado segundo suas ordens:

“An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown; His shirt of web by spiders spun; With jacket wove of thistle's down; His trowsers were of feathers done. His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie With eyelash from his mother's eye His shoes were made of mouse's skin, Tann'd with the downy hair within.”

Um chapéu de folha de carvalho tinha por coroa; Sua camisa, de teia por aranhas fiada; Com um casaco tecido de penugem de cardo; Suas calças, de penas eram feitas. Suas meias, de casca de maçã, atadas Com um cílio dos olhos de sua mãe; Seus sapatos, feitos de pele de rato, Curtidos com o pelo macio por dentro.

Tom never grew any larger than his father's thumb, which was only of ordinary size; but as he got older he became very cunning and full of tricks. When he was old enough to play with the boys, and had lost all his own cherry-stones, he used to creep into the bags of his playfellows, fill his pockets, and, getting out without their noticing him, would again join in the game.

Tom nunca cresceu mais do que o polegar de seu pai, que era de tamanho apenas comum; mas, à medida que envelhecia, tornava-se muito astuto e cheio de artimanhas. Quando já tinha idade para brincar com os outros meninos, e havia perdido todos os seus próprios caroços de cereja, costumava se esgueirar para dentro dos sacos de seus companheiros de brincadeira, encher os bolsos e, saindo sem que percebessem, voltava a juntar-se ao jogo.

One day, however, as he was coming out of a bag of cherry-stones, where he had been stealing as usual, the boy to whom it belonged chanced to see him. “Ah, ah! my little Tommy,” said the boy, “so I have caught you stealing my cherry-stones at last, and you shall be rewarded for your thievish tricks.” On saying this, he drew the string tight round his neck, and gave the bag such a hearty shake, that poor little Tom's legs, thighs, and body were sadly bruised. He roared out with pain, and begged to be let out, promising never to steal again.

Certo dia, porém, ao sair de um saco de caroços de cereja, de onde estivera roubando como de costume, o menino a quem pertencia o saco chegou a vê-lo. "Ah, ah! meu Tommyzinho", disse o menino, "então finalmente o peguei roubando meus caroços de cereja, e você será recompensado por suas artimanhas de ladrão." Dizendo isso, apertou bem o cordão em torno do pescoço de Tom, e sacudiu o saco com tanta força que as pernas, as coxas e o corpo do pobre Tom ficaram muito machucados. Ele gritou de dor e implorou para ser solto, prometendo nunca mais roubar.

A short time afterwards his mother was making a batter-pudding, and Tom, being very anxious to see how it was made, climbed up to the edge of the bowl; but his foot slipped, and he plumped over head and ears into the batter, without his mother noticing him, who stirred him into the pudding-bag, and put him in the pot to boil.

Pouco tempo depois, sua mãe estava fazendo um pudim de massa mole, e Tom, muito ansioso para ver como era feito, subiu até a borda da tigela; mas seu pé escorregou, e ele caiu de cabeça na massa, sem que sua mãe percebesse, e ela o misturou dentro do saco de pudim, e o colocou na panela para ferver.

The batter filled Tom's mouth, and prevented him from crying; but, on feeling the hot water, he kicked and struggled so much in the pot, that his mother thought that the pudding was bewitched, and, pulling it out of the pot, she threw it outside the door. A poor tinker, who was passing by, lifted up the pudding, and, putting it into his budget, he then walked off. As Tom had now got his mouth cleared of the batter, he then began to cry aloud, which so frightened the tinker that he flung down the pudding and ran away.

A massa encheu a boca de Tom, e o impediu de chorar; mas, ao sentir a água quente, ele chutou e se debateu tanto dentro da panela, que sua mãe pensou que o pudim estava enfeitiçado, e, tirando-o da panela, jogou-o para fora da porta. Um pobre funileiro, que passava por ali, apanhou o pudim, e, colocando-o em sua sacola, seguiu seu caminho. Como Tom já tinha a boca livre da massa, começou a chorar bem alto, o que assustou tanto o funileiro que ele jogou o pudim no chão e saiu correndo.

The pudding being broke to pieces by the fall, Tom crept out covered all over with the batter, and walked home. His mother, who was very sorry to see her darling in such a woeful state, put him into a teacup, and soon washed off the batter; after which she kissed him, and laid him in bed.

O pudim, tendo se despedaçado com a queda, Tom saiu se arrastando, coberto de massa da cabeça aos pés, e caminhou para casa. Sua mãe, muito triste ao ver seu querido filho naquele estado lastimável, colocou-o numa xícara de chá e logo lavou a massa; depois disso, beijou-o e o deitou na cama.

Soon after the adventure of the pudding, Tom's mother went to milk her cow in the meadow, and she took him along with her. As the wind was very high, for fear of being blown away, she tied him to a thistle with a piece of fine thread. The cow soon observed Tom's oak-leaf hat, and liking the appearance of it, took poor Tom and the thistle at one mouthful. While the cow was chewing the thistle Tom was afraid of her great teeth, which threatened to crush him in pieces, and he roared out as loud as he could: “Mother, mother!”

Pouco depois da aventura do pudim, a mãe de Tom foi ordenhar sua vaca no prado, e o levou consigo. Como o vento estava muito forte, e temendo que ele fosse levado pelo ar, ela o amarrou a um cardo com um fio fino. A vaca logo notou o chapéu de folha de carvalho de Tom e, gostando de sua aparência, engoliu o pobre Tom e o cardo de uma só vez. Enquanto a vaca mastigava o cardo, Tom tinha medo dos grandes dentes dela, que ameaçavam esmagá-lo em pedaços, e gritou o mais alto que pôde: "Mãe, mãe!"

“Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?” said his mother.

"Onde você está, Tommy, meu querido Tommy?", disse sua mãe.

“Here, mother,” replied he, “in the red cow's mouth.”

"Aqui, mãe", respondeu ele, "na boca da vaca vermelha."

His mother began to cry and wring her hands; but the cow, surprised at the odd noise in her throat, opened her mouth and let Tom drop out. Fortunately his mother caught him in her apron as he was falling to the ground, or he would have been dreadfully hurt. She then put Tom in her bosom and ran home with him.

Sua mãe começou a chorar e torcer as mãos; mas a vaca, surpresa com o ruído estranho em sua garganta, abriu a boca e deixou Tom cair. Felizmente, sua mãe o apanhou em seu avental quando ele estava caindo ao chão, ou ele teria se machucado terrivelmente. Ela então colocou Tom em seu peito e correu para casa com ele.

Tom's father made him a whip of a barley straw to drive the cattle with, and having one day gone into the fields, he slipped a foot and rolled into the furrow. A raven, which was flying over, picked him up, and flew with him over the sea, and there dropped him.

O pai de Tom fez para ele um chicote de palha de cevada para conduzir o gado, e, tendo ido um dia ao campo, Tom escorregou o pé e rolou para dentro do sulco. Um corvo, que voava por ali, apanhou-o e voou com ele sobre o mar, onde o deixou cair.

A large fish swallowed Tom the moment he fell into the sea, which was soon after caught, and bought for the table of King Arthur. When they opened the fish in order to cook it, every one was astonished at finding such a little boy, and Tom was quite delighted at being free again. They carried him to the king, who made Tom his dwarf, and he soon grew a great favourite at court; for by his tricks and gambols he not only amused the king and queen, but also all the Knights of the Round Table.

Um grande peixe engoliu Tom no instante em que ele caiu no mar, e esse peixe foi logo depois capturado e comprado para a mesa do Rei Artur. Quando abriram o peixe para cozinhá-lo, todos ficaram espantados ao encontrar um menino tão pequeno, e Tom ficou muito contente por estar livre novamente. Levaram-no ao rei, que fez de Tom seu anão, e ele logo se tornou um grande favorito da corte; pois, com suas artimanhas e cabriolas, divertia não só o rei e a rainha, mas também todos os Cavaleiros da Távola Redonda.

It is said that when the king rode out on horseback, he often took Tom along with him, and if a shower came on, he used to creep into his majesty's waistcoat-pocket, where he slept till the rain was over.

Diz-se que, quando o rei saía a cavalo, muitas vezes levava Tom consigo, e se caía uma chuva, ele costumava se esconder no bolso do colete de Sua Majestade, onde dormia até a chuva passar.

King Arthur one day asked Tom about his parents, wishing to know if they were as small as he was, and whether they were well off. Tom told the king that his father and mother were as tall as anybody about the court, but in rather poor circumstances. On hearing this, the king carried Tom to his treasury, the place where he kept all his money, and told him to take as much money as he could carry home to his parents, which made the poor little fellow caper with joy. Tom went immediately to procure a purse, which was made of a water-bubble, and then returned to the treasury, where he received a silver threepenny-piece to put into it.

Certo dia, o Rei Artur perguntou a Tom sobre seus pais, desejando saber se eram tão pequenos quanto ele, e se viviam bem. Tom disse ao rei que seu pai e sua mãe eram tão altos quanto qualquer pessoa da corte, mas viviam em circunstâncias bastante pobres. Ao ouvir isso, o rei levou Tom ao seu tesouro, o lugar onde guardava todo o seu dinheiro, e disse-lhe para levar consigo tanto dinheiro quanto pudesse carregar para seus pais, o que fez o pobrezinho pular de alegria. Tom foi imediatamente providenciar uma bolsa, feita de uma bolha d'água, e então retornou ao tesouro, onde recebeu uma moeda de prata de três pence para colocar nela.

Our little hero had some difficulty in lifting the burden upon his back; but he at last succeeded in getting it placed to his mind, and set forward on his journey. However, without meeting with any accident, and after resting himself more than a hundred times by the way, in two days and two nights he reached his father's house in safety.

Nosso pequeno herói teve certa dificuldade em erguer o fardo sobre as costas; mas, por fim, conseguiu colocá-lo do jeito que queria, e partiu em sua jornada. Contudo, sem sofrer nenhum acidente, e depois de descansar mais de cem vezes pelo caminho, em dois dias e duas noites chegou em segurança à casa de seu pai.

Tom had travelled forty-eight hours with a huge silver-piece on his back, and was almost tired to death, when his mother ran out to meet him, and carried him into the house. But he soon returned to Court.

Tom havia viajado quarenta e oito horas com uma enorme peça de prata nas costas, e estava quase morto de cansaço, quando sua mãe correu ao seu encontro e o carregou para dentro de casa. Mas ele logo retornou à corte.

As Tom's clothes had suffered much in the batter-pudding, and the inside of the fish, his majesty ordered him a new suit of clothes, and to be mounted as a knight on a mouse.

Como as roupas de Tom haviam sofrido muito com o pudim de massa e o interior do peixe, Sua Majestade mandou fazer para ele um novo traje, e que fosse armado cavaleiro, montado num rato.

Of Butterfly's wings his shirt was made, His boots of chicken's hide; And by a nimble fairy blade, Well learned in the tailoring trade, His clothing was supplied. A needle dangled by his side; A dapper mouse he used to ride, Thus strutted Tom in stately pride!

De asas de borboleta era feita sua camisa, Suas botas, de pele de galinha; E, por uma hábil lâmina fada, Bem versada no ofício de alfaiate, Suas roupas foram providenciadas. Uma agulha pendia a seu lado; Um rato elegante costumava montar, Assim desfilava Tom com majestosa pompa!

It was certainly very diverting to see Tom in this dress and mounted on the mouse, as he rode out a-hunting with the king and nobility, who were all ready to expire with laughter at Tom and his fine prancing charger.

Era, sem dúvida, muito divertido ver Tom com essa vestimenta, montado no rato, cavalgando na caçada com o rei e a nobreza, todos prontos para morrer de rir de Tom e seu belo corcel empinado.

The king was so charmed with his address that he ordered a little chair to be made, in order that Tom might sit upon his table, and also a palace of gold, a span high, with a door an inch wide, to live in. He also gave him a coach, drawn by six small mice.

O rei ficou tão encantado com seu porte que mandou fazer uma pequena cadeira, para que Tom pudesse sentar-se em sua mesa, e também um palácio de ouro, de um palmo de altura, com uma porta de uma polegada de largura, para nele viver. Também lhe deu uma carruagem, puxada por seis pequenos ratos.

The queen was so enraged at the honours conferred on Sir Thomas that she resolved to ruin him, and told the king that the little knight had been saucy to her.

A rainha ficou tão enfurecida com as honras conferidas a Sir Thomas que resolveu arruiná-lo, e disse ao rei que o pequeno cavaleiro havia sido insolente com ela.

The king sent for Tom in great haste, but being fully aware of the danger of royal anger, he crept into an empty snail-shell, where he lay for a long time until he was almost starved with hunger; but at last he ventured to peep out, and seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground, near the place of his concealment, he got close to it and jumping astride on it, was carried up into the air.

O rei mandou chamar Tom com grande urgência, mas, plenamente ciente do perigo da ira real, ele se escondeu numa casca de caramujo vazia, onde ficou por muito tempo, quase morrendo de fome; mas, por fim, ousou espiar para fora e, vendo uma bela e grande borboleta no chão, perto do lugar onde se escondia, aproximou-se dela e, saltando sobre suas costas, foi levado pelos ares.

The butterfly flew with him from tree to tree and from field to field, and at last returned to the court, where the king and nobility all strove to catch him; but at last poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering-pot, in which he was almost drowned.

A borboleta voou com ele de árvore em árvore e de campo em campo, e por fim retornou à corte, onde o rei e a nobreza tentaram, todos, capturá-lo; mas, por fim, o pobre Tom caiu de seu assento dentro de um regador, onde quase se afogou.

When the queen saw him she was in a rage, and said he should be beheaded; and he was again put into a mouse trap until the time of his execution.

Quando a rainha o viu, ficou furiosa, e disse que ele deveria ser decapitado; e ele foi novamente colocado numa ratoeira até a hora de sua execução.

However a cat, observing something alive in the trap, patted it about till the wires broke, and set Thomas at liberty.

Contudo, um gato, notando algo vivo na ratoeira, deu-lhe tantas patadas que os arames se romperam, e Thomas foi posto em liberdade.

The king received Tom again into favour, which he did not live to enjoy, for a large spider one day attacked him; and although he drew his sword and fought well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at last overcame him.

O rei o acolheu novamente em seu favor, o que Tom não viveu para desfrutar, pois uma grande aranha o atacou certo dia; e, embora tenha sacado sua espada e lutado bem, o hálito venenoso da aranha por fim o venceu.

He fell dead on the ground where he stood, And the spider suck'd every drop of his blood.

Caiu morto no chão onde estava, E a aranha sugou cada gota de seu sangue.

King Arthur and his whole court were so sorry at the loss of their little favourite that they went into mourning and raised a fine white marble monument over his grave with the following epitaph:

O Rei Artur e toda a sua corte lamentaram tanto a perda de seu pequeno favorito que entraram em luto e ergueram um belo monumento de mármore branco sobre seu túmulo, com o seguinte epitáfio:

Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight, Who died by a spider's cruel bite. He was well known in Arthur's court, Where he afforded gallant sport; He rode at tilt and tournament, And on a mouse a-hunting went. Alive he filled the court with mirth; His death to sorrow soon gave birth. Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head And cry,—Alas! Tom Thumb is dead!

Aqui jaz Tom Polegar, cavaleiro do Rei Artur, Que morreu pela cruel mordida de uma aranha. Era bem conhecido na corte de Artur, Onde proporcionava galante diversão; Cavalgava em justas e torneios, E numa caçada, montado em seu rato, seguia. Vivo, encheu a corte de alegria; Sua morte logo trouxe a tristeza. Enxuguem, enxuguem os olhos, e balancem a cabeça, E clamem: Ai! Tom Polegar está morto!