The Marvelous Land of Oz

      by L. Frank Baum 

              

             Chapter 2

            The Marvelous Powder of Life

            第二章  南瓜木头人有了生命

        After considering the matter carefully, Tip decided that the best place 

        to locate Jack would be at the bend in the road, a little way from the 

        house. So he started to carry his man there, but found him heavy and 

        rather awkward to handle. After dragging the creature a short distance 

        Tip stood him on his feet, and by first bending the joints of one leg, 

        and then those of the other, at the same time pushing from behind, the 

        boy managed to induce Jack to walk to the bend in the road. It was not 

        accomplished without a few tumbles, and Tip really worked harder than he 

        ever had in the fields or forest; but a love of mischief urged him on, 

        and it pleased him to test the cleverness of his workmanship.

    仔细考虑之后，迪普认为，最好是把杰克放在回家必经的那条路的拐弯处，那儿离家也很近。于是他就去搬动木头人，这才发现木头人很重很重，抓也抓不稳，只好用力拖。拖了一小段路以后，干脆停下来，把木头人站立好，把他的两条腿交替弯曲，同时在后面推着前进；摔倒了好几次以后，终于使杰克走到了那个拐弯处。这一回，迪普可是比在田地里和森林里都更加卖力，因为他爱好这样的恶作剧，而检验一下自己的手艺也给了他极大的乐趣。 

        "Jack's all right, and works fine!" he said to himself, panting with the 

        unusual exertion. But just then he discovered the man's left arm had 

        fallen off in the journey so he went back to find it, and afterward, by 

        whittling a new and stouter pin for the shoulder-joint, he repaired the 

        injury so successfully that the arm was stronger than before. Tip also 

        noticed that Jack's pumpkin head had twisted around until it faced his 

        back; but this was easily remedied. When, at last, the man was set up 

        facing the turn in the path where old Mombi was to appear, he looked 

        natural enough to be a fair imitation of a Gillikin farmer, -- and 

        unnatural enough to startle anyone that came on him unawares.

   “杰克还不错，我的手艺真棒！”他自言自语地说，大口大口地喘着粗气。但就在这时，他发现杰克的左臂掉在路上了，就去把它找回来；然后又重新为肩关节做了一个更加结实的木栓。这次修复极为成功，这只手臂比以前更加牢靠。同时，迪普注意到杰克的南瓜头像是被扭动了，脸孔朝向了背后，但这很容易修复。终于，迪普把杰克的脸转了过来，朝向小路——莫比将会在这里出现。他看起来既很自然，就是一个普普通通的吉利金农民；但又很不自然，可以把任何人猛然见到他的人都吓一大跳。 

        As it was yet too early in the day to expect the old woman to return 

        home, Tip went down into the valley below the farm-house and began to 

        gather nuts from the trees that grew there. 

        However, old Mombi returned earlier than usual. She had met a crooked 

        wizard who resided in a lonely cave in the mountains, and had traded 

        several important secrets of magic with him. Having in this way secured 

        three new recipes, four magical powders and a selection of herbs of 

        wonderful power and potency, she hobbled home as fast as she could, in 

        order to test her new sorceries.

    估计老莫比还要一阵才会回家，迪普就到农舍下面的山谷里去采集坚果。

    但是，老莫比今天却比往常回来得早。她去见了一个狡诈的巫师，那巫师住在山中一个偏僻山洞里；她与巫师交易了几种秘密的法术；她得到了三个秘方，四种有魔法的粉末，还有一些具有神奇功效的草药。为了早点儿试验这些新的魔法，哪怕走路一腐一拐的，她也要尽快赶回家。 

        So intent was Mombi on the treasures she had gained that when she turned 

        the bend in the road and caught a glimpse of the man, she merely nodded 

        and said: 

        "Good evening, sir." 

        But, a moment after, noting that the person did not move or reply, she 

        cast a shrewd glance into his face and discovered his pumpkin head 

        elaborately carved by Tip's jack-knife. 

        "Heh!" ejaculated Mombi, giving a sort of grunt; "that rascally boy has 

        been playing tricks again! Very good! ve -- ry good! I'll beat him 

        black- and-blue for trying to scare me in this fashion!" 

        Angrily she raised her stick to smash in the grinning pumpkin head of 

        the dummy; but a sudden thought made her pause, the uplifted stick left 

        motionless in the air.

   莫比赶路时，因为一心想着新得到的魔法，所以一转弯瞥见一个人时，她只是点了下头，说：

   “晚上好，先生。”

   但片刻以后，她注意到那人不动也不吭声，就机警地扫了一眼那人的面部，发现原来是个南瓜脑袋，就是用迪普的折刀雕刻出来的。

   “哼！”莫比的喉咙里突然响了一声；“这个小混蛋又在玩什么花招！很好！很——好！居然想用这种方式来惊吓我，我定要把他打得鼻青脸肿！”

   她愤怒地举起手杖，正想砸烂这个咧着嘴笑的南瓜脑袋；突然又冒出了一个主意，就停了下来，举起的手杖停在空中一动不动。 

        "Why, here is a good chance to try my new powder!" said she, eagerly. 

        "And then I can tell whether that crooked wizard has fairly traded 

        secrets, or whether he has fooled me as wickedly as I fooled him." 

        So she set down her basket and began fumbling in it for one of the 

        precious powders she had obtained.

    “嘿嘿，这正是一个绝妙的机会，来试试我刚买来的魔粉！”她热切地说。“然后，我才知道那个奸诈的巫师给我的秘方是不是假货；要么就是他卑劣地欺骗了我，就像我捉弄了他一样。”于是，她放下篮子，伸手去摸出一种刚买到的宝贵的粉末。 

        While Mombi was thus occupied Tip strolled back, with his pockets full 

        of nuts, and discovered the old woman standing beside his man and 

        apparently not the least bit frightened by it.