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Chapter 9. The Queen of the Field Mice
第9章田鼠皇后
"We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now," remarked the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl,
稻草人站在女孩子旁邊說：“現在我們離那黃磚路已經很近了，
"for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us away."
因為我們差不多已經走到了被流水帶走時的地方了。”
The Tin Woodman was about to reply when he heard a low growl,
鐵皮人正要回答，不遠處傳來的一種低低的吼聲，
and turning his head (which worked beautifully on hinges) he saw a strange beast come bounding over the grass toward them.
使他轉過頭去(他那些鉸鏈做得很精致的)，看見一只奇異的野獸，跳過草地朝他奔來。
It was, indeed, a great yellow Wildcat, and the Woodman thought it must be chasing something,
的確，是一只黃色的大野貓，鐵皮人想道，它想必在追捕什么東西；
for its ears were lying close to its head and its mouth was wide open,
因為它的一雙耳朵，靠緊在頭旁邊，嘴大大地張開，
showing two rows of ugly teeth, while its red eyes glowed like balls of fire.
露出兩排可怕的牙齒，一雙通紅的眼睛，像火球樣地發出熠熠的光來。
As it came nearer the Tin Woodman saw that running before the beast was a little gray field mouse,
當它跑近來時，鐵皮人發現它在追趕一只灰色的小田鼠，
and although he had no heart he knew it was wrong for the Wildcat to try to kill such a pretty, harmless creature.
雖然他沒有心，但是他也知道，野貓想要殺死這樣一只無害的小動物，這是不仁慈的。
So the Woodman raised his axe, and as the Wildcat ran by he gave it a quick blow that cut the beast's head clean off from its body,
鐵皮人舉起斧頭，朝那狂奔的野貓很快地一劈，那只野獸的頭迅速地離開了它的身體，
and it rolled over at his feet in two pieces.
四腳亂踢開去，分成了兩塊。
The field mouse, now that it was freed from its enemy, stopped short;
現在，田鼠逃脫了追捕，停止了奔跑；
and coming slowly up to the Woodman it said, in a squeaky little voice:
緩緩地走到鐵皮人的身邊，用一種近乎耳語的聲音啼著說：
"Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much for saving my life."
“啊，謝謝你！多謝你救了我的性命。”
"Don't speak of it, I beg of you," replied the Woodman.
“請不要這么說，”鐵皮人回答說。
"I have no heart, you know, so I am careful to help all those who may need a friend, even if it happens to be only a mouse."
“你不知道我是沒有心的，因此我竭盡全力幫助那些遇到災難的朋友，哪怕是幫助一只小老鼠。”
"Only a mouse!" cried the little animal, indignantly. "Why, I am a Queen-the Queen of all the Field Mice!"
“僅僅是一只小老鼠！”小動物憤憤地叫喊著；“你要知道！我是一個皇后—是一切田鼠們的皇后！”
"Oh, indeed." said the Woodman, making a bow.
“失敬了！”鐵皮人說著向它鞠了一個躬。
"Therefore you have done a great deed, as well as a brave one, in saving my life." added the Queen.
“你救了我的性命，不但是一件大事情，而且是非常勇敢的事情。”田鼠皇后接著說。
