牛津书虫系列 格列佛游记 5 A voyage to Brobdingnag

5 A voyage to Brobdingnag

5 到布罗卜丁奈格

I left Bristol on June 20th，1702，in a ship which was sailing to India.We had good sailing weather until we reached the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa， where we landed to get fresh water.We had to stay there for the winter，however，because the ship needed repairs and the captain was ill.In the spring we left Africa and sailed round the island of Madagascar into the Indian Ocean.But on 19th April the wind began to blow very violently from the west，and we were driv-en to the east of the Molucca Islands.On 2nd May the wind stopped blowing and the sea was calm.But our captain，who knew that part of the world very well，warned us that there would be a storm the next day.So we prepared the ship as well as we could，and waited.

我于1702年6月20日离开布里斯托尔，搭乘一艘驶往印度的船。直到我们到达南非好望角，天气一直有利于航行。在好望角，我们登陆取了淡水，不过我们不得不留在那儿过冬，因为船需要维修，船长也生病了。春天里我们离开了非洲绕着马达加斯加岛进入印度洋。4月19日起从西边来的风开始猛烈地刮起来了，我们被刮到了摩鹿加群岛以东。5月2日风停了，海面又恢复了平静。可是我们的船长警告我们，第二天还会有风暴，他对这一部分世界了解得很清楚，所以我们尽可能把船检修好，准备迎战。

The captain was right.On 3rd May the wind began to get stronger.It was a wild，dangerous wind，blowing from the south this time.We had to take down our sails as the storm hit our ship.Huge waves crashed down on to us，and the wind drove our helpless ship eastwards into.the Pacific Ocean.

船长说对了。5月3日风势渐猛，这是非常狂乱、危险的风，这次从南面刮来。风暴袭来时，我们不得不取下风帆。巨大的海浪向我们砸来，风把我们无助的船向东刮进了太平洋。

For several days we struggled with the wind and waves，but at last the storm died away and the sea was calm again.Luckily，our ship was not badly damaged，but we had been driven over two thousand kilometres to the east. None of us knew exactly where we were，so the captain decided to contin-ue sailing eastwards，where we had never been before.We sailed on for another two weeks.

我们与风浪搏斗了好几天，最后冈暴平息，海面再次恢复平静。幸运的是，我们的船损坏得并不严重，不过我们被风刮得向东走了2000多公里，谁也说不清我们的具体位置，船长决定继续向东行驶，那是我们从来没有到过的。我们向前又行驶了两周。

Finally，on 16th June，1703，we saw a large island with a small piece of land joined to it.I later discovered that this country was called Brobdingnag.The captain sent some of his sailors in a boat to land there and bring back some fresh water.I went with them because I was interested in seeing a new country.We were delighted to be on land again，and while the men looked for a river or a lake，I walked for about a kilometre away from the beach.

最后，在1703年6月16日我们看见了一个大岛，还有一小片陆地与它相连。我后来得知这个国度叫布罗卜丁奈格。船长派几个水手乘一只小船登陆取些淡水，我和他们一起去，因为我对看看一个新国家很有兴趣。再次登上陆地，大家都很兴奋，在他们找河流或湖泊时，我离开岸边向里走了大约1公里。

When I returned，to my astonishment I saw that the sailors were already in the boat.They were rowing as fast as they could towards the ship!I was going to shout to tell them they had forgotten me，when suddenly I saw a huge creature walk-ing after them into the sea.I realizea he could not catch them，because they had nearly got to the ship，but I did not wait to see the end of that adventure.I ran away from him as fast as possible，and did not stop until I found myself in some fields.The grass was about seven metres high，and the corn about thirteen metres high.It took me an hour to cross just one field，which had a hedge at least forty metres high.The trees were much taller than that.Just as I was trying to find a hole in the hedge，so that I could get into the next field，I saw an-other giant coming towards me.He seemed as tall as a moun-tain，and every one of his steps measured about ten metres.

当我回来时，我惊讶地看见水手们已经在船上，他们正拼命地划向轮船!我正要大喊一声他们落下了我，却发现一个庞然大物朝他们追去。我看得出他已经追不上他们了，因为他们已经快到轮船，不过我并没有等着看最后的结果。我尽快地跑开他，直到进入某种田野才停下来。田里草有7米左右高，玉米有大约13米高。我费了一个小时才走过一块田地，周围的树篱有至少40米高，树远比这高。正当我要在树篱中找个洞，以便我能进入下一块田地时，却看见另一个巨人向我走来。他看起来像一座山那么高，每跨一步都有10米左右。

In fear and astonishment I hid in the corn，and hoped he would not notice me.He shouted in a voice like thunder，and seven other giants appeared.They seemed to be his servants.When he gave the order，they began to cut the corn in the field where I was hiding. As they moved towards me，I moved away，but at last I came to a part of the field where rain had knocked down the corn.There was no longer anywhere for me to hide，and I knew I would be cut to pieces by the giants'sharp knives.I lay down and prepared to die.I could not stop myself thinking of Lilliput.There， I myself had been a giant，an important person who had become famous for helping the people of that small country.Here，it was the opposite.I was like a Lilliputian in Europe，and I began to understand how a very small creature feels.

我又惊又怕，躲在玉米地里，希望他不会注意到我。他像打雷似地喊了一声，另外7个巨人出现了，他们似乎是他的仆人。他发出命令后，他们就开始砍我躲的这块地的玉米。他们向我移近，我就移开，最后我退到了雨水把玉米弄倒了的地方，再也没处可藏，我知道我会被巨人的利刃割成碎片，我躺下等死。我不禁想起利力浦特，在那儿我自己是个巨人，举足轻重，因为帮小国家人的忙而闻名。这里正好相反，我像是利力浦特人到了欧洲，我开始理解一个小生命的感受。

Suddenly I noticed that one of the giants was very close to me.As his huge foot rose over my head，I screamed as loudly as I could.He looked around on the ground，and finally saw me.He stared at me for a moment，then very carefully， he picked me up with finger and thumb and looked at me.I was now twenty metres up in the air，and I desperately hoped he would not decide to throw me to the ground.I did not struggle，and spoke politely to him，although I knew he did not understand any of my languages.He took me to the farmer，who soon realized that I was not an animal，but an in-telligent being.He carefully put me in his pocket and took me home to show to his wife. When she saw me，she screamed and jumped back in fear， perhaps thinking I was an insect.But in a little while she became used to me，and was very kind to me.

突然我发现其中一个巨人离我很近。当他的大脚提到我的头上时，我竭力尖叫起来。他向地上四处看，终于看见我了。他盯了我一会儿，然后非常小心地用指头和拇指拈起我来看。我现在离地20米，我急切地希望他不会把我往地上摔。我没有挣扎，而是礼貌地对他说话，虽然我知道他不会听懂我的任何语言。他把我拿到了农场主面前，后者很快就明白了我不是动物，而是一个智慧生命。他小心地把我放在衣袋里，把我拿回家给他妻子看。她看见我时尖叫了起来，害怕得躲了回去，也许她以为我是个昆虫，不过一会儿后她就习惯了我，并且对我很仁慈。