Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'Neary

There was once upon a time two farmers, and their names were Hudden and Dudden. They had poultry in their yards, sheep on the uplands, and scores of cattle in the meadow-land alongside the river. But for all that they weren't happy. For just between their two farms there lived a poor man by the name of Donald O'Neary. He had a hovel over his head and a strip of grass that was barely enough to keep his one cow, Daisy, from starving, and, though she did her best, it was but seldom that Donald got a drink of milk or a roll of butter from Daisy.

从前有两个农夫，一个叫哈登，一个叫达登。他们的院子里养着家禽，山坡上有羊群，河边的草地上还有成群的牛。可即便如此，他们并不快活。因为就在他们两家田地之间，住着一个穷人，名叫唐纳德·奥尼里。他头顶一间破茅屋，还有一小片草地，勉强够养活他唯一的一头母牛黛西，不至于饿死；可即使黛西已经竭尽全力，唐纳德也难得能喝上一口牛奶，或吃上一块黄油。

You would think there was little here to make Hudden and Dudden jealous, but so it is, the more one has the more one wants, and Donald's neighbours lay awake of nights scheming how they might get hold of his little strip of grass-land. Daisy, poor thing, they never thought of; she was just a bag of bones.

你也许会想，这实在没什么好让哈登和达登嫉妒的，可事情就是这样，一个人拥有得越多，想要的也就越多，唐纳德的这两位邻居夜里躺在床上翻来覆去，盘算着怎样才能弄到他那一小片草地。至于黛西，可怜的畜生，他们从未放在心上；她不过是一副皮包骨罢了。

One day Hudden met Dudden, and they were soon grumbling as usual, and all to the tune of "If only we could get that vagabond Donald O'Neary out of the country."

一天，哈登遇见了达登，两人像往常一样发起牢骚来，翻来覆去总是那一句：“要是能把那个流浪汉唐纳德·奥尼里赶出这地方就好了。”

"Let's kill Daisy," said Hudden at last; "if that doesn't make him clear out, nothing will."

“咱们把黛西杀了吧，”哈登终于说道，“要是这样还赶不走他，那就没办法了。”

No sooner said than agreed, and it wasn't dark before Hudden and Dudden crept up to the little shed where lay poor Daisy trying her best to chew the cud, though she hadn't had as much grass in the day as would cover your hand. And when Donald came to see if Daisy was all snug for the night, the poor beast had only time to lick his hand once before she died.

说做就做，两人一拍即合，天还没黑，哈登和达登便悄悄摸到那间小棚屋，可怜的黛西正在里面竭力反刍，尽管她一天吃的草还不够盖住你一只手掌。等唐纳德来查看黛西是否已经安顿好过夜时，那可怜的畜生只来得及舔了他一下手，便断了气。

Well, Donald was a shrewd fellow, and downhearted though he was, began to think if he could get any good out of Daisy's death. He thought and he thought, and the next day you could have seen him trudging off early to the fair, Daisy's hide over his shoulder, every penny he had jingling in his pockets. Just before he got to the fair, he made several slits in the hide, put a penny in each slit, walked into the best inn of the town as bold as if it belonged to him, and, hanging the hide up to a nail in the wall, sat down.

唐纳德是个精明的家伙，尽管心里十分难过，他还是开始琢磨，能否从黛西的死里得到些好处。他想了又想，第二天你就能看见他一大早往集市走去，肩上扛着黛西的皮，口袋里叮叮当当地装着他所有的钱。快到集市时，他在皮上划了好几道口子，每道口子里塞进一枚便士，然后大摇大摆地走进城里最好的旅店，仿佛那地方就是他自己的，把皮挂在墙上的钉子上，坐了下来。

"Some of your best whisky," says he to the landlord.

“给我来点你们最好的威士忌。”他对店主说。

But the landlord didn't like his looks. "Is it fearing I won't pay you, you are?" says Donald; "why I have a hide here that gives me all the money I want." And with that he hit it a whack with his stick and out hopped a penny. The landlord opened his eyes, as you may fancy.

可店主不喜欢他的样子。“你是怕我付不起钱吧？”唐纳德说，“哼，我这儿有一张皮，要多少钱它就能给我多少钱。”说着他用手杖朝皮上敲了一下，果然蹦出一枚便士。店主瞪大了眼睛，你可以想见那副样子。

"What'll you take for that hide?"

“这张皮你打算卖多少钱？”

"It's not for sale, my good man."

“这可不卖，好心的先生。”

"Will you take a gold piece?"

“你肯要一块金币吗？”

"It's not for sale, I tell you. Hasn't it kept me and mine for years?" and with that Donald hit the hide another whack and out jumped a second penny.

“告诉你了，这不卖。它不是养活我们全家这么多年了吗？”说着唐纳德又朝皮上敲了一下，蹦出了第二枚便士。

Well, the long and the short of it was that Donald let the hide go, and, that very evening, who but he should walk up to Hudden's door?

总而言之，唐纳德最终还是把那张皮卖了出去，而就在当天晚上，他竟走到了哈登的门前。

"Good-evening, Hudden. Will you lend me your best pair of scales?"

“晚上好，哈登。能借我你最好的那副秤吗？”

Hudden stared and Hudden scratched his head, but he lent the scales.

哈登瞪大了眼睛，挠了挠头，但还是把秤借给了他。

When Donald was safe at home, he pulled out his pocketful of bright gold and began to weigh each piece in the scales. But Hudden had put a lump of butter at the bottom, and so the last piece of gold stuck fast to the scales when he took them back to Hudden.

唐纳德安全到家后，掏出满满一口袋亮闪闪的金子，开始一枚一枚地称重。可哈登早在秤底下放了一块黄油，于是最后一枚金币便牢牢粘在了秤上，等他把秤还给哈登时才被发现。

If Hudden had stared before, he stared ten times more now, and no sooner was Donald's back turned, than he was of as hard as he could pelt to Dudden's.

如果说哈登先前就已经瞪大了眼睛，这一次他更是瞪得足足大了十倍，唐纳德才一转身离开，他便拼命朝达登家跑去。

"Good-evening, Dudden. That vagabond, bad luck to him—"

“晚上好，达登。那个流浪汉，真该他倒霉——”

"You mean Donald O'Neary?"

“你说的是唐纳德·奥尼里？”

"And who else should I mean? He's back here weighing out sackfuls of gold."

“不说他还能说谁？他正在家里称一袋一袋的金子呢。”

"How do you know that?"

“你怎么知道的？”

"Here are my scales that he borrowed, and here's a gold piece still sticking to them."

“这是我借给他的秤，上面还粘着一枚金币呢。”

Off they went together, and they came to Donald's door. Donald had finished making the last pile of ten gold pieces. And he couldn't finish because a piece had stuck to the scales.

两人一同出发，来到了唐纳德家门口。唐纳德刚刚数完最后一堆十枚金币。可他没能数完，因为有一枚粘在了秤上。

In they walked without an "If you please" or "By your leave."

两人径直闯了进去，也不说一声“劳驾”或“借过”。

"Well, I never!" that was all they could say.

“我从没见过这种事！”两人只说得出这一句话。

"Good-evening, Hudden; good-evening, Dudden. Ah! you thought you had played me a fine trick, but you never did me a better turn in all your lives. When I found poor Daisy dead, I thought to myself, 'Well, her hide may fetch something;' and it did. Hides are worth their weight in gold in the market just now."

“晚上好，哈登；晚上好，达登。哈！你们以为你们对我耍了个漂亮的把戏，可你们这辈子从没帮过我这么大的忙。我发现可怜的黛西死了的时候，心想：‘唉，她的皮说不定还能卖点钱；’果然如此。如今市面上，皮子可值不少金子呢。”

Hudden nudged Dudden, and Dudden winked at Hudden.

哈登用胳膊肘捅了捅达登，达登也朝哈登眨了眨眼。

"Good-evening, Donald O'Neary."

“晚上好，唐纳德·奥尼里。”

"Good-evening, kind friends."

“晚上好，两位好心的朋友。”

The next day there wasn't a cow or a calf that belonged to Hudden or Dudden but her hide was going to the fair in Hudden's biggest cart drawn by Dudden's strongest pair of horses.

第二天，凡是哈登或达登名下的牛，不论大小，皮全都被装上了哈登那辆最大的车，由达登那对最壮的马拉着，送去了集市。

When they came to the fair, each one took a hide over his arm, and there they were walking through the fair, bawling out at the top of their voices: "Hides to sell! hides to sell!"

到了集市，两人各自臂上挎着一张皮，走在人群中，扯着嗓子大喊：“卖皮啦！卖皮啦！”

Out came the tanner:

制革匠走了出来：

"How much for your hides, my good men?"

“你们的皮要卖多少钱，两位好汉？”

"Their weight in gold."

“跟金子一样重的价钱。”

"It's early in the day to come out of the tavern."

“这时候就从酒馆里出来，未免太早了点吧。”

That was all the tanner said, and back he went to his yard.

制革匠只说了这么一句，便转身回自己的作坊去了。

"Hides to sell! Fine fresh hides to sell!"

“卖皮啦！新鲜的好皮，卖啦！”

Out came the cobbler.

鞋匠走了出来。

"How much for your hides, my men?"

“你们的皮要卖多少钱，两位？”

"Their weight in gold."

“跟金子一样重的价钱。”

"Is it making game of me you are! Take that for your pains," and the cobbler dealt Hudden a blow that made him stagger.

“你们是在耍我吗！这就是你们自找的。”鞋匠说着，一拳打得哈登踉跄了一下。

Up the people came running from one end of the fair to the other. "What's the matter? What's the matter?" cried they.

人们从集市的这头跑到那头，纷纷围了过来。“怎么回事？出什么事了？”大家喊道。

"Here are a couple of vagabonds selling hides at their weight in gold," said the cobbler.

“这儿有两个流浪汉，想按金子的重量卖皮子呢，”鞋匠说。

"Hold 'em fast; hold 'em fast!" bawled the innkeeper, who was the last to come up, he was so fat. "I'll wager it's one of the rogues who tricked me out of thirty gold pieces yesterday for a wretched hide."

“抓住他们，抓住他们！”客栈老板嚷道，他是最后一个赶过来的，因为太胖了跑不快。“我敢打赌，这就是昨天用一张破皮骗了我三十枚金币的那个无赖之一。”

It was more kicks than halfpence that Hudden and Dudden got before they were well on their way home again, and they didn't run the slower because all the dogs of the town were at their heels.

哈登和达登挨的拳打脚踢远比拿到的便士多，他们一路狂奔回家，一点也不敢放慢脚步，因为全城的狗都在追着他们的脚后跟。

Well, as you may fancy, if they loved Donald little before, they loved him less now.

你可以想见，他们以前就不怎么喜欢唐纳德，如今就更恨他了。

"What's the matter, friends?" said he, as he saw them tearing along, their hats knocked in, and their coats torn off, and their faces black and blue. "Is it fighting you've been? or mayhap you met the police, ill luck to them?"

“怎么回事，两位朋友？”唐纳德看见他们连滚带爬地跑来，帽子被打瘪，外套也被撕破，脸上青一块紫一块，便问道，“你们是打架了？还是碰上了警察，倒霉的家伙？”

"We'll police you, you vagabond. It's mighty smart you thought yourself, deluding us with your lying tales."

“我们才要好好收拾你呢，你这个流浪汉。你自以为聪明得很，竟拿谎话来骗我们。”

"Who deluded you? Didn't you see the gold with your own two eyes?"

“谁骗你们了？你们不是亲眼看见那些金子了吗？”

But it was no use talking. Pay for it he must, and should. There was a meal-sack handy, and into it Hudden and Dudden popped Donald O'Neary, tied him up tight, ran a pole through the knot, and off they started for the Brown Lake of the Bog, each with a pole-end on his shoulder, and Donald O'Neary between.

可说什么都没用了。他必须为此付出代价，也理应付出代价。旁边正好有个装粮食的口袋，哈登和达登便把唐纳德·奥尼里塞了进去，捆得结结实实，又在绳结上穿了根杆子，两人各扛一头，朝着沼泽里的棕湖出发，唐纳德·奥尼里就夹在两人中间。

But the Brown Lake was far, the road was dusty, Hudden and Dudden were sore and weary, and parched with thirst. There was an inn by the roadside.

可棕湖远得很，路上尘土飞扬，哈登和达登又累又渴，浑身酸痛。路边正好有一家客栈。

"Let's go in," said Hudden; "I'm dead beat. It's heavy he is for the little he had to eat."

“咱们进去坐坐吧，”哈登说，“我实在累坏了。他没吃多少东西，怎么却这么沉。”

If Hudden was willing, so was Dudden. As for Donald, you may be sure his leave wasn't asked, but he was lumped down at the inn door for all the world as if he had been a sack of potatoes.

哈登既然愿意，达登自然也没意见。至于唐纳德，你尽可以想见，没人问过他的意思，他就这么被扔在客栈门口，活像一袋土豆。

"Sit still, you vagabond," said Dudden; "if we don't mind waiting, you needn't."

“老实待着，你这个流浪汉，”达登说，“我们都不介意等一等，你还有什么好急的。”

Donald held his peace, but after a while he heard the glasses clink, and Hudden singing away at the top of his voice.

唐纳德没吭声，可过了一会儿，他听见了杯子碰撞的声音，还有哈登扯开嗓子唱歌的声音。

"I won't have her, I tell you; I won't have her!" said Donald. But nobody heeded what he said.

“我才不要她呢，告诉你们，我才不要她呢！”唐纳德说。可没人理会他说的话。

"I won't have her, I tell you; I won't have her!" said Donald, and this time he said it louder; but nobody heeded what he said.

“我才不要她呢，告诉你们，我才不要她呢！”唐纳德又说了一遍，这回声音更响了；可还是没人理会他说的话。

"I won't have her, I tell you; I won't have her!" said Donald; and this time he said it as loud as he could.

“我才不要她呢，告诉你们，我才不要她呢！”唐纳德说；这一次他用尽全身力气喊了出来。

"And who won't you have, may I be so bold as to ask?" said a farmer, who had just come up with a drove of cattle, and was turning in for a glass.

“那你到底不要谁呀，我能不能斗胆问一句？”一个农夫说道，他刚赶着一群牛过来，正打算进去喝上一杯。

"It's the king's daughter. They are bothering the life out of me to marry her."

“是国王的女儿。他们非要逼我娶她不可，简直烦死人了。”

"You're the lucky fellow. I'd give something to be in your shoes."

“你可真是走运的家伙。我倒愿意拿点什么换来当你这样呢。”

"Do you see that now! Wouldn't it be a fine thing for a farmer to be marrying a princess, all dressed in gold and jewels?"

“你瞧瞧，一个农夫娶个公主，浑身穿金戴玉，那该多风光啊，你说是不是？”

"Jewels, do you say? Ah, now, couldn't you take me with you?"

“宝石，你说的是宝石吗？哎呀，那你能不能带我一起去？”

"Well, you're an honest fellow, and as I don't care for the king's daughter, though she's as beautiful as the day, and is covered with jewels from top to toe, you shall have her. Just undo the cord, and let me out; they tied me up tight, as they knew I'd run away from her."

“好吧，你是个老实人，既然我看不上国王的女儿——虽说她美得像白昼一样，浑身上下都镶满了宝石——那她就归你了。快把绳子解开，放我出去；他们把我捆得死死的，就是怕我从她那儿逃走。”

Out crawled Donald; in crept the farmer.

唐纳德爬了出来；农夫钻了进去。

"Now lie still, and don't mind the shaking; it's only rumbling over the palace steps you'll be. And maybe they'll abuse you for a vagabond, who won't have the king's daughter; but you needn't mind that. Ah! it's a deal I'm giving up for you, sure as it is that I don't care for the princess."

“现在你就老老实实躺着，别在意颠簸，那不过是隆隆地滚过宫殿的台阶罢了。他们也许会骂你是个不肯要国王女儿的流浪汉，可你不用理会。哎！我这可是为你放弃了一大笔好处呢，谁让我确实看不上那位公主。”

"Take my cattle in exchange," said the farmer; and you may guess it wasn't long before Donald was at their tails driving them homewards.

“那就拿我的牛跟你换吧，”农夫说；你可以想见，没过多久，唐纳德便跟在牛群后面，把它们赶回了家。

Out came Hudden and Dudden, and the one took one end of the pole, and the other the other.

哈登和达登走了出来，一个扛起杆子的一头，另一个扛起另一头。

"I'm thinking he's heavier," said Hudden.

“我看他好像更重了，”哈登说。

"Ah, never mind," said Dudden; "it's only a step now to the Brown Lake."

“唉，别管那些了，”达登说，“离棕湖只剩一小段路了。”

"I'll have her now! I'll have her now!" bawled the farmer, from inside the sack.

“我现在就要她！我现在就要她！”农夫在口袋里嚷道。

"By my faith, and you shall though," said Hudden, and he laid his stick across the sack.

“说实话，你确实会要到她的，”哈登说着，用手杖朝口袋上打了一下。

"I'll have her! I'll have her!" bawled the farmer, louder than ever.

“我要她！我要她！”农夫嚷得比先前更响了。

"Well, here you are," said Dudden, for they were now come to the Brown Lake, and, unslinging the sack, they pitched it plump into the lake.

“好了，到地方了，”达登说，因为他们已经来到了棕湖边，说着便解开口袋，把它一下子扔进了湖里。

"You'll not be playing your tricks on us any longer," said Hudden.

“看你以后还怎么耍我们的把戏，”哈登说。

"True for you," said Dudden. "Ah, Donald, my boy, it was an ill day when you borrowed my scales."

“说得对，”达登说。“唉，唐纳德，老弟啊，你借我那副秤的那天，真是倒霉的一天。”

Off they went, with a light step and an easy heart, but when they were near home, who should they see but Donald O'Neary, and all around him the cows were grazing, and the calves were kicking up their heels and butting their heads together.

两人脚步轻快、心情松快地往回走，可快到家时，他们竟看见了唐纳德·奥尼里，他周围一群牛正在吃草，小牛犊蹦蹦跳跳，互相顶着头玩耍。

"Is it you, Donald?" said Dudden. "Faith, you've been quicker than we have."

“是你吗，唐纳德？”达登说。“真没想到，你倒比我们回来得快。”

"True for you, Dudden, and let me thank you kindly; the turn was good, if the will was ill. You'll have heard, like me, that the Brown Lake leads to the Land of Promise. I always put it down as lies, but it is just as true as my word. Look at the cattle."

“说得对，达登，让我好好谢谢你；这一趟虽说本意不良，结果倒是不错。你大概也和我一样听说过，棕湖通往应许之地。我一直当它是瞎话，可如今看来，跟我说的一样千真万确。瞧瞧这些牛吧。”

Hudden stared, and Dudden gaped; but they couldn't get over the cattle; fine fat cattle they were too.

哈登瞪大了眼睛，达登也张大了嘴巴；可他们怎么也解释不了眼前这群牛；而且个个都是又肥又壮的好牛。

"It's only the worst I could bring up with me," said Donald O'Neary; "the others were so fat, there was no driving them. Faith, too, it's little wonder they didn't care to leave, with grass as far as you could see, and as sweet and juicy as fresh butter."

“这不过是我能带上来的最差的几头罢了，”唐纳德·奥尼里说，“其余的都太肥了，根本赶不动。说实话，也难怪它们不愿意离开，那儿的草一望无际，又鲜又嫩，像新鲜黄油一样可口。”

"Ah, now, Donald, we haven't always been friends," said Dudden, "but, as I was just saying, you were ever a decent lad, and you'll show us the way, won't you?"

“哎呀，唐纳德，咱们过去可算不上一直是朋友，”达登说，“不过，正如我刚才说的，你一向是个厚道的小伙子，你会带我们一起去的，是吧？”

"I don't see that I'm called upon to do that; there is a power more cattle down there. Why shouldn't I have them all to myself?"

“我看我可没这个义务；下面还有大把的牛呢。我干嘛不把它们全留给自己？”

"Faith, they may well say, the richer you get, the harder the heart. You always were a neighbourly lad, Donald. You wouldn't wish to keep the luck all to yourself?"

“说实话，人们常说，越富有的人心肠越硬。你一向是个和睦的邻居啊，唐纳德。你总不会想把这份运气一个人独吞吧？”

"True for you, Hudden, though 'tis a bad example you set me. But I'll not be thinking of old times. There is plenty for all there, so come along with me."

“说得对，哈登，虽说你给我立的可不是个好榜样。不过我不会再计较从前的事了。那儿有的是牛，尽够大家分的，那就跟我一起来吧。”

Off they trudged, with a light heart and an eager step. When they came to the Brown Lake, the sky was full of little white clouds, and, if the sky was full, the lake was as full.

三人动身出发，脚步轻快，心情急切。等他们来到棕湖边时，天空中飘满了一朵朵白云，天上有多满，湖里的倒影就有多满。

"Ah! now, look, there they are," cried Donald, as he pointed to the clouds in the lake.

“啊！瞧，它们都在那儿呢，”唐纳德喊道，指着湖中云朵的倒影。

"Where? where?" cried Hudden, and "Don't be greedy!" cried Dudden, as he jumped his hardest to be up first with the fat cattle. But if he jumped first, Hudden wasn't long behind.

“哪儿？哪儿？”哈登喊道；“别这么贪心！”达登喊道，一边使出全身力气想要第一个跳下去抢那些肥牛。可即便他先跳了下去，哈登也没落后多久。

They never came back. Maybe they got too fat, like the cattle. As for Donald O'Neary, he had cattle and sheep all his days to his heart's content.

他们再也没有回来。也许他们像那些牛一样，长得太肥了。至于唐纳德·奥尼里，他此后一生都拥有牛羊成群，心满意足地过着日子。