評論
打印
5. The Tale of the Three Brothers
5. 三兄弟的傳說
There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight.
從前，在一個黎明時分，有三兄弟在一條僻靜的羊腸小道上趕路。
In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across.
后來，他們來到了一條河邊，水太深了無法蹚過，游過去也太危險。
However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water.
然而，三兄弟精通魔法，因此他們只是一揮魔杖，危險莫測的水上就出現了一座橋。
They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.
當他們走到橋中央時，一個戴兜帽的身影擋住了他們的去路。
And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river.
死神對他們說話了。他生氣去了三個新的祭品——因為旅行者通常都會淹死在這條河里。
But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
但是死神很狡猾。他假裝恭賀兄弟三人的魔法，說他們憑借著聰明而躲過了死神，每人可以獲得一樣東西作為獎勵。
So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!
老大是一位好戰的男子漢，因此他要了一根世間最強大的魔杖：一根在決斗中永遠能幫主人獲勝的魔杖，一根征服了死神的巫師值得擁有的魔杖！
So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.
于是死神就走到岸邊一棵接骨木樹前，用懸垂的樹枝做了一根魔杖，送給了老大。
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death.
老二是一位傲慢的男子漢，他決定繼續侮辱死神，想要的是能夠讓死人復活的能力。
So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
于是死神就從河堤上撿起一塊石頭給了老二，告訴他這塊石頭有起死回生的能力。
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like.
然后死神問最年輕的老三要什么。
The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death.
老三是最謙虛也是最聰明的一個，而且他不相信死神。
So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death.
因此他要一件東西，可以讓他離開那里而不被死神跟隨。
And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
于是死神極不情愿地把自己的隱形衣給了他。
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts.
然后死神站在一邊讓兄弟三人繼續趕路，他們就談論著剛才的奇遇，贊賞著死神的禮物，往前走去。
In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
后來兄弟三人分了手，朝著各自的目的地前進。
The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, he sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel.
老大走了一個多星期，來到一個遙遠的小山村，跟一位巫師爭吵起來。
Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed.
自然，他用那根接骨木做成的“老魔杖”做武器，無疑任何決斗都會勝出。
Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
對手倒地而亡后，老大繼續前行，走進了一個旅館，大聲夸耀自己從死神手上得來的強大魔杖如何戰無不勝。
