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The Fairy Shoemaker
鞋匠精靈
Tom Looks for the Pot of Gold
湯姆尋找一罐金子
Many, many years ago, a boy said to his mother, "I am going to catch the Fairy Shoemaker, so that we will be rich. People say that he knows where there is a pot of gold in the woods. He will tell where it is if you catch him."
很多很多年以前，一個男孩對他媽媽說：“我要抓到鞋匠精靈，這樣我們就發財了。人們說它知道樹林里的那罐金子在哪兒。如果你抓住了它，它就會告訴你。”
"I have heard of the Fairy Shoemaker, Tom," said his mother. "People often try to catch him. But they can't keep their eyes on him, and he always gets away."
“湯姆，我聽說過鞋匠精靈，”他的媽媽說，“人們總想抓住它，但做不到一直盯著它，所以它總能逃脫。”
Tom said, "If I find him, he will tell me where the gold is. Then we shall be rich."
湯姆說：“如果我找到它，它會告訴我金子在哪兒。這樣我們就富了。”
"I hope you can catch him," said Tom's mother. "But I think you will get rich sooner if you work for your gold."
“我希望你能抓住它，”他媽媽說，“但我想，你工作賺錢會富得更快。”
Every day Tom went to look for the Fairy Shoemaker. He looked in the woods and meadows, but he did not see the elf anywhere.
湯姆每天都去找鞋匠精靈。他在樹林和草地里找，但在哪兒都沒看到它。
One day when he was walking in the woods, Tom heard a strange little noise.
一天，湯姆在樹林里走時，聽到了奇怪的小聲音。
"That must be the Fairy Shoemaker's hammer," he said to himself. He ran as quickly as he could toward the noise, but he did not see anyone.
“這一定是鞋匠精靈錘子的聲音，”他自言自語地說。他朝著聲音盡快跑去，但沒看到任何人。
Another day when Tom was walking in the woods, he grew very tired and lay down to rest. All at once he heard, "Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-tack, tick-tack."
又一天，湯姆在樹林里走著，他很累，躺下來休息。突然，他聽到“叮當叮當，叮當叮當，叮當叮當”的聲音。
It was the little hammer of the Fairy Shoemaker!
它是鞋匠精靈小錘子的聲音！
Tom listened and heard a tiny voice singing very softly, "This way, that way, so we make a shoe. Tack a toe, tack a heel, Tick-a-tack-too."
湯姆聽了聽，聽到一個聲音小聲唱著“這樣縫，那樣縫，我們做成了鞋子。釘一個鞋頭，釘一個鞋跟，再釘一顆釘子。”
Tom went creeping toward the tiny voice, taking care not to make a sound. All at once he saw a wee man sitting beneath a tree, just a few steps away.
湯姆躡手躡腳地向那小聲音的源處走去，小心翼翼地不發出聲音。忽然，他看見一個小男人坐在樹下，只有幾步遠。
The strange little fellow was hard at work, making a tiny shoe. "Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-a-tack-too," went the little hammer. Yes, it was the Fairy Shoemaker!
這個奇怪的小家伙正在努力工作，做一只小鞋子。“叮當叮當，叮當叮當”隨著小錘子發出來。是的，它就是鞋匠精靈。
How glad Tom was. He would keep his eyes on the sly little elf every minute until he found the pot of gold.
湯姆好高興！他會每分每秒都盯著那個狡猾的小精靈，直到他找到那罐金子。
"Good morning," said Tom. The Fairy Shoemaker didn't say a word.
“早上好，”湯姆說。鞋匠精靈沒說話。
Tom went very close to him and asked, "Aren't you the Fairy Shoemaker?"
湯姆走近它問道：”你是鞋匠精靈嗎？”
The elf did not answer him.
精靈沒回答他。
Tom went closer still. "Where is the pot of gold?" he cried. "Show it to me!"
湯姆仍在靠近。“那罐金子在哪兒？”他喊道，“給我交出來！”
"Wait a minute," said the tiny elf. "I just dropped a tack on the ground. Help me find my tack, and then I will see what I can do for you."
“等一下，”小精靈說道，“我剛在地上掉了一顆釘子。幫我找到釘子，我就幫你。”
"He is trying to make me look away," thought Tom. "But I will keep my eyes on this sly fellow."
“它在試圖轉移我的視線，”湯姆想，“但我會一直盯著這個狡猾的家伙。”
He got down on the ground with the Fairy Shoemaker as if to help him look for the tack. Puff! The sly elf blew dust into Tom's eyes, nose, and mouth.
他和鞋匠精靈站在地上，好像要幫他找釘子。呼！狡猾的小精靈把灰塵吹進湯姆的眼睛、鼻子和嘴巴里。
"Ker-choo!" went Tom. "KER-CHOO!"
“阿嚏，阿——嚏！”湯姆打著噴嚏。
He had to shut his eyes, and when he opened them, the elf was gone.
他不得不閉上眼睛，當他睜開時，精靈離開了。
When Tom got home, his mother said, "What did I tell you? See how red your eyes are! The Fairy Shoemaker knows many sly tricks. You had better work for your money instead of hunting for a pot of gold."
湯姆回到家，他的媽媽說：“我說過什么？看看你的眼睛多紅！鞋匠精靈知道很多狡猾的把戲。你最好自己工作賺錢，別去找那罐金子了。”
Tom Tries Again
湯姆再試
But Tom would not give up. He went on hunting for the Fairy Shoemaker. He still hoped to find the pot of gold.
但湯姆不會放棄。他又去找鞋匠精靈了。他仍希望找到那罐金子。
"I found the Fairy Shoemaker once," he said, "and I will find him again."
他說：“我發現過一次鞋匠精靈，就能再次找到它。”
So every day Tom looked for him on the hill, in the meadow, and in the woods. And one day he heard the elf again, near the pond in the meadow. "Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-a-tack-too."
所以湯姆每天都去山上、草地和樹林里找它。一天，他在草地的池塘旁邊又聽到了精靈的聲音。“叮當叮當，叮當叮當。”
The boy listened. Yes! It was the Fairy Shoemaker's hammer.
男孩聽著。對了！這是鞋匠精靈錘子的聲音。
As Tom listened, he could hear a little voice singing, "This way, that way, so we make a shoe. Tack a toe, tack a heel, tick-a-tack-too."
湯姆聽到一個聲音小聲唱著“這樣縫，那樣縫，我們做成了鞋子。釘一個鞋頭，釘一個鞋跟，再釘一顆釘子。”
Tom walked quietly to the pond. The wee elf was sitting on a stone. He was holding a little shoe and hammering tacks into it. His tiny hammer went "Tick-tack, tick-tack, tick-a-tack-too."
他悄悄地走向池塘。那個小精靈正坐在一塊石頭上。它拿著一只小鞋，正往上面釘釘子。它的小錘子發出“叮當叮當，叮當叮當，叮當叮當”的聲音。
Tom crept up softly. He was very, very close before the Fairy Shoemaker saw him.
湯姆躡手躡腳地走過去。小精靈看到他時已近在咫尺。
"That's a fine shoe," said the boy. The strange little fellow looked up in surprise.
“鞋子很漂亮，”男孩說。這個奇怪的小家伙驚奇地抬起頭來。
"Thank you, sir," he answered.
它說：“先生，謝謝夸獎。”
"How very small it is!" said Tom. "It's for a fairy, isn't it?"
“它好小啊！”湯姆說，“這是為仙女準備的，是嗎？”
"That's a secret," said the elf.
“這是秘密，”小精靈說。
Tom crept closer and closer, keeping his eyes on the elf. "Why do you work so hard?"
湯姆眼睛盯著它，悄悄靠近。“你為什么這么努力地工作？”
"We should all work," answered the elf. "You should do a little work yourself. Look, look! The cows have broken down the fence. They are in the cornfield!"
“我們都應該工作。”小精靈回答，“你應該自己干點兒活。快看，快看！牛弄壞了籬笆。它們在稻田里！”
Tom had not seen any cows, and was so surprised that he almost turned to look. Then he thought, "That's another trick to make me look away!" So he kept his eyes on the wee man.
湯姆沒看牛，他驚訝得幾乎要轉身去看了。隨后他想，“這是讓我看別處的另一個詭計！”
He went closer, and then, JUMP! Tom caught the tiny elf in his hand.
他靠近，然后跳了起來！湯姆把小精靈抓在手里。
Another Trick
另一個詭計
"Now I have you," said Tom. "Where is the pot of gold? I won't let you go until you show me where it is."
“現在我抓到你了，”湯姆說，“那罐金子在哪兒？你告訴我在哪兒，我才會放了你。”
"Come on, then," said the elf. "It is in the woods. I will show you."
“那么來吧，”小精靈說，“它在樹林里。我會告訴你。”
Tom started for the woods, holding the elf in his hand. After they had gone a short way among the trees, the wee man cried, "Stop! Do you see that large tree?"
湯姆動身去森林，手里抓著小精靈。他們在樹林里沒走多遠，小精靈就喊道：“停下！你看到那棵大樹了嗎？”
"Yes," answered Tom. "But where is the pot of gold?"
“看到了，”湯姆回答，“但那罐金子在哪兒？”
"It is under that tree," said the Fairy Shoemaker, "You must dig for it."
“在樹下，”鞋匠精靈說，“你必須挖它。”
"Well," said Tom, "I shall have to run home for a spade. But first I'll put my tie around this tree. Then I'll remember where to dig when I come back."
湯姆說：“好吧，我會跑回家拿鏟子。但我先在這棵樹上系上帶子。這樣回來時就記得在哪兒了。”
He held the elf under his arm while he put his yellow tie around the tree.
他在系黃帶子時用胳膊夾著小精靈。
"Now aren't you going to let me go?" asked the Fairy Shoemaker.
“現在可以讓我走了嗎？”鞋匠精靈問。
"I will let you go," said Tom. "But you must promise not to take my tie off the tree while I am gone for the spade."
“我會放你離開，”湯姆說，“但你要承諾在我離開拿鏟子時，不能拿走我樹上的帶子。”
"I promise," said the Fairy Shoemaker. "I will not touch it while you are away. Now put me down."
“我保證，”鞋匠精靈說，“我在你離開時不會碰它。現在放我下來。”
Tom put the elf down. "All right," he said. "Thank you for the pot of gold."
湯姆放下小精靈。他說：“好了。感謝你的那罐金子。”
"Good-by!" said the Fairy Shoemaker. "Much good may the pot of gold do you when you get it." And suddenly he was gone.
“再見！”小精靈說，“希望你能得到那罐金子。”然后它就突然消失了。
Tom hurried home as fast as he could run. He found the spade and carried it back into the woods where he had left his tie.
湯姆急急忙忙地跑回家。他找到鏟子，帶著它回到樹林系帶子的地方。
When he got there, what do you think he saw?
當他到這里時，你猜他看到了什么？
Every tree in the woods had a yellow tie around it!
樹林里的每棵樹上都系著黃帶子！
The elf had kept his promise. He had not touched the boy's tie! But where was the pot of gold?
小精靈履行了諾言。它沒有碰男孩的帶子！但那罐金子在哪兒？
There were so many, many trees in the woods that Tom could not dig under every one of them.
樹林里的樹這么多，湯姆不可能每棵樹都挖。
He was so surprised that he dropped his spade. He rubbed his eyes. For a long time he stood looking at the trees with their yellow ties. Then he picked up his spade and walked slowly home.
他驚訝地扔掉了鏟子，揉著眼睛。他很長一段時間都站著，看那系著黃帶子的樹。隨后，他撿起鏟子，緩緩地回家了。
The fairy Shoemaker had been too sly for him a second time.
鞋匠精靈又耍了他一次。
"Mother is right," thought Tom."The Fairy Shoemaker knows too many tricks. I shall get rich sooner if I work for my gold instead of trying to get it from that sly old elf."
“媽媽是對的，”湯姆想，“鞋匠精靈知道太多詭計。我工作賺錢都會比從那個狡猾的老精靈手里得到金子快得多。”
