C S 刘易斯(Clive Staples Lewis,1898-1963),出生于北爱尔兰首府贝尔法斯特的一个新教家庭,但长年居住于英格兰,是威尔士裔英国知名作家及护教士。他以儿童文学经典《纳尼亚传奇》系列闻名于世,此外他还写作了其他神学著作、中世纪文学研究等诸多作品。
刘易斯小时候因讨厌学校,只接受家庭教师授课。1916 年他获奖学金进入牛津大学就读,期间曾应征入伍参与第一次世界大战。1925 年起,他在牛津大学莫德林学院担任研究员,任教期间,他参加名为“吉光片羽(The Inklings)”读书会,并结识牛津大学英国文学教授N 柯格希尔,以及著名的《魔戒》作者J R R 托尔金,这场相遇改变了他整个人生。
1954 年,他当选为剑桥大学中世纪与文艺复兴期英国文学讲座教授,所写文学批评论文已成传世之作。他是一位甚受学生爱戴的老师。而他写作的神学和具神学深度的文学作品早已脍炙人口。其重要作品有:《纳尼亚传奇系列》、《太空三部曲》、《痛苦的奥秘》、《返璞归真》、《四种爱》等。
目錄:
Chapter 1 By Caldron Pool 在卡尔德龙池塘边
Chapter 2 The Rashness Of The King 国王的轻率
Chapter 3 The Ape In Its Glory 不可一世的猿猴
Chapter 4 What Happened That Night 那天夜里发生的事情
Chapter 5 How Help Came To The King 救助国王
Chapter 6 A Good Night’s Work 连夜奔袭
Chapter 7 Mainly About Dwarfs 至于矮人……
Chapter 8 What News The Eagle Brought 鹰带来的消息
Chapter 9 The Great Meeting On Stable Hill 马棚山上的大会
Chapter 10 Who Will Go Into The Stable? 谁敢进马棚
Chapter 11 The Pace Quickens 波澜再起
Chapter 12 Through The Stable Door 进入马棚的门
Chapter 13 How The Dwarfs Refused To Be Taken In 矮人们固执己见
Chapter 14 Night Falls On Narnia 夜幕笼罩纳尼亚
Chapter 15 Further Up And Further In 进深与攀登
Chapter 16 Farewell To Shadowlands 告别虚幻世界
內容試閱:
经过两年多不懈的努力,“纳尼亚”系列经典的译文终于杀青了!这时,我既感到完成任务的轻松与喜悦,又隐隐感到一丝不舍。以前,也曾经读过“纳尼亚”系列,但那时是一目十行,不求甚解。翻译则不同,不仅要对作者的思想和时代背景有较深入的了解,而且要尽量将其语言风格表达出来。这大概就是翻译所谓的“神似”与“形似”吧。
C?S?刘易斯可以称得上是一代宗师,被誉为“最伟大的牛津人”。他博学多才,著述颇丰。有人说,“纳尼亚”系列是“儿童的圣经”。要想读懂这套传奇故事,我们就必须对作者的信仰历程有所了解。
刘易斯的父母都是虔诚的新教徒。刘易斯出生后不久,就在爱尔兰的教会受洗。由于青少年时期的叛逆,他曾一度远离了自己的信仰。后来,在《魔戒》的作者、好友托尔金和其他朋友的影响下, 32岁时他又回到了上帝的怀抱。回归信仰之后,刘易斯创作出了许多不朽的传世之作。
在“纳尼亚”的奇幻世界中,那位无所不在的狮子阿斯兰正是耶稣的化身。狮子是百兽之王,而圣经启示录则称耶稣为“犹大支派中的狮子”、“万王之王”。刘易斯藉着一系列的故事,轻松地阐释了上帝创造宇宙、魔鬼诱使人类犯罪、耶稣为罪人赎罪舍命、然后从死里复活等基督教教义。
刘易斯曾广泛涉猎欧洲的神话,因此“纳尼亚”系列经典中也出现了小矮人、半人马、潘恩、树精和狼人等形象。大师的想象力异常丰富,不受时空的限制,可谓天马行空,驰骛八极。套用刘勰的话来说,就是“思接千载,视通万里”。加上他的词汇量丰富,时常用诗一般的语言来描绘高山、峡谷、密林、瀑布和清泉等自然景观。因此,尽管译者自诩中英文功底都比较深厚,但不时也会感到“词穷”。有时,为了一句话、一个词,我会多方求教于英、美的朋友,真正体会到了译事之难。
在第一本《魔法师的外甥》中,作者展开想象的翅膀,带领我们“上天”,亲眼目睹了纳尼亚被创造的过程:随着狮子跌宕起伏的歌声,从土壤中接连冒出了树木、花草、动物和飞鸟。狮子赐给一部分动物和飞鸟说话的能力,使他们成为自己的“选民”。
除了“上天”,刘易斯还带着我们“入地”。在《银椅子》中,我们跟随作者来到了黑暗的地下王国,经历了一场惊心动魄的属灵争战。
“七”在《圣经》中是一个完全的数字,因为上帝在七天中创造了宇宙万物。故此,“纳尼亚”系列经典一共有七册书。这个系列中人物众多,场景变幻莫测。在《“黎明”号的远航》中,卡斯宾王等在海上的历险和奇遇扣人心弦;在《马儿与少年》中,我们又体验到了异国情调和大漠风光。而《最后的决战》栩栩如生地描绘了善与恶两个阵营,恶神塔西和白女巫、绿女巫一样,都象征着魔鬼撒旦,它们都逃脱不了失败与灭亡的命运。
何光沪老师在《从岁首到年终》的序言中说过,同刘易斯交上一年的朋友,会使你变得更好。两年多来,与刘大师朝夕相处,虽然不敢说自己变得更好了,但在这个过程中的确获益匪浅,虽苦也甜。
向和平
2013年12月
文摘
By Caldron Pool
在卡尔德龙池塘边
In the last days of Narnia, far up to the west beyond Lantern Waste and close beside the great waterfall, there lived an Ape. He was so old that no one could remember when he had first come to live in those parts, and he was the cleverest, ugliest, most wrinkled Ape you can imagine. He had a little house, built of wood and thatched with leaves, up in the fork of a great tree, and his name was Shift. There were very few Talking Beasts or Men or Dwarfs, or people of any sort, in that part of the wood, but Shift had one friend and neighbour who was a donkey called Puzzle. At least they both said they were friends, but from the way things went on you might have thought Puzzle was more like Shift’s servant than his friend. He did all the work. When they went together to the river, Shift filled the big skin bottles with water but it was Puzzle who carried them back. When they wanted anything from the towns further down the river it was Puzzle who went down with empty panniers on his back and came back with the panniers full and heavy. And all the nicest things that Puzzle brought back were eaten by Shift; for as Shift said, “You see, Puzzle, I can’t eat grass and thistles like you, so it’s only fair I should make it up in other ways.” And Puzzle always said, “Of course, Shift, of course. I see that.”
Puzzle never complained, because he knew that Shift was far cleverer than himself and he thought it was very kind of Shift to be friends with him at all. And if ever Puzzle did try to argue about anything, Shift would always say, “Now, Puzzle, I understand what needs to be done better than you. You know you’re not clever, Puzzle.” And Puzzle always said, “No, Shift. It’s quite true. I’m not clever.” Then he would sigh and do whatever Shift had said.
One morning early in the year the pair of them were out walking along the shore of Caldron Pool. Caldron Pool is the big pool right under the cliffs at the western end of Narnia. The great waterfall pours down into it with a noise like everlasting thunder, and the River of Narnia flows out on the other side. The waterfall keeps the Pool always dancing and bubbling and churning round and round as if it were on the boil, and that of course is how it got its name of Caldron Pool. It is liveliest in the early spring when the waterfall is swollen with all the snow that has melted off the mountains from up beyond Narnia in the Western Wild from which the river comes. And as they looked at Caldron Pool, Shift suddenly pointed with his dark, skinny finger and said,
“Look! What’s that?”
“What’s what?” said Puzzle.
“That yellow thing that’s just come down the waterfall. Look! There it is again, it’s floating. We must find out what it is.”
“Must we?” said Puzzle.
“Of course we must,” said Shift. “It may be something useful. Just hop into the Pool like a good fellow and fish it out. Then we can have a proper look at it.”
“Hop into the Pool?” said Puzzle, twitching his long ears.
“Well how are we to get it if you don’t?” said the Ape.
“But—but,” said Puzzle, “wouldn’t it be better if you went in? Because, you see, it’s you who wants to know what it is, and I don’t much. And you’ve got hands, you see. You’re as good as a Man or a Dwarf when it comes to catching hold of things. I’ve only got hoofs.”
“Really, Puzzle,” said Shift, “I didn’t think you’d ever say a thing like that. I didn’t think it of you, really.
“Why, what have I said wrong?” said the Ass, speaking in rather a humble voice, for he saw that Shift was very deeply offended. “All I meant was—”
“Wanting me to go into the water,” said the Ape. “As if you didn’t know perfectly well what weak chests Apes always have and how easily they catch cold! Very well. I will go in. I’m feeling cold enough already in this cruel wind. But I’ll go in. I shall probably die. Then you’ll be sorry.” And Shift’s voice sounded as if he was just going to burst into tears.
“Please don’t, please don’t, please don’t,” said Puzzle, half braying and half talking. “I never meant anything of the sort, Shift, really I didn’t. You know how stupid I am and how I can’t think of more than one thing at a time. I’d forgotten about your weak chest. Of course I’ll go in. You mustn’t think of doing it yourself. Promise me you won’t, Shift.”
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到了纳尼亚的最后阶段,在灯柱旷野外遥远的西部,紧挨着大瀑布,住着一只猿猴。它年事已高,没有人记得,它是在什么时候来到这些区域的。它是你所能想象到的最聪明、最丑陋、皱纹最多的猿猴。它有一座小小的房屋,搭建在一棵大树的枝杈上。房子是用木头造的,房顶上铺着树叶子。它的名字叫席福特。在那一片树林中,会说话的动物、人类、矮人,或其他种类的居民,都寥寥无几。席福特有个邻居兼朋友,那是一头名叫帕叟的驴子。至少它们俩都以朋友相称,但根据故事的进展,你也许会认为,帕叟更像是席福特的奴仆,而不是它的朋友。所有的活儿都是由驴子来干。它们一起来到河边,席福特将大皮囊灌满水,总是由帕叟把水驮回来。当需要到河下游的城镇采购时,又是帕叟驮着空空的筐子前去。它回来的时候,驮筐里总是沉甸甸的,装满了东西。帕叟驮回来的好吃的食物,都被席福特吃掉了,它说:“你看,帕叟,我不能像你一样吃青草和植物,只好用其他的方法加以弥补,这才公平合理。”帕叟总是说:“当然,席福特,当然了。这个我懂。”
帕叟从不抱怨,因为它知道,席福特比自己聪明得多。它觉得,席福特跟它交朋友,实在是屈尊俯就自己。假如帕叟试着想要为什么事情争辩时,席福特总是说:“喂,帕叟,我比你更清楚,什么事情应该怎样去做。你知道自己不够聪明,帕叟。”驴子总是回答:“是的,席福特。一点不错。我不够聪明。”于是,驴子叹口气,便按着席福特的吩咐去做了。
年初的一个早晨,它们俩出去,沿着卡尔德龙池塘的岸边行走。卡尔德龙是一个很大的池塘,正好位于纳尼亚西边的悬崖之下。巨大的瀑布飞流直下,发出隆隆的声响,不绝于耳,纳尼亚河从池塘的另一边奔流而出。瀑布倾泻到池塘里,飞珠溅玉,激流旋转,就像是水在一个劲儿地沸腾,这就是它被称为卡尔德龙a池塘的原因。人们相信,初春时节,当纳尼亚西部旷野群山的积雪融化之际,瀑布的水量极其充沛,由此成为纳尼亚河的发源地。它们俩看着卡尔德龙池塘,席福特突然伸出它那瘦骨嶙峋的黑手指,说道,
“看!那是什么?”
“什么是什么呀?”帕叟说。
“刚才被瀑布冲下来的那个黄颜色的东西。看!又露出来了,在那儿飘流。我们必须搞清楚那是个什么东西。”
“有必要吗?”帕叟说。
“当然,我们必须要弄清楚,”席福特说,“没准儿那是件有用的东西。你是个好哥们儿,快跳进池塘里,把它给捞出来。咱们好好地看一下。”
“跳进池塘?”帕叟一边说着,一边抽动着两只长耳朵。
“嗯,你若不跳进去,我们怎么拿到它呢?”猿猴反问道。
“但——但是,”帕叟说,“你下去是不是更好一些?因为,你瞧,是你想知道那是个什么,我可不感兴趣。再说,你还有手。论到抓握东西,你做的跟人类或者矮人一样棒。我有的只不过是蹄子。”
“说真的,帕叟,”席福特说,“我没想到你会说出这种话来。我没想到你会是这个样子,真的。”
“哎呀,我哪里说错了吗?”驴子说,它的语调非常谦卑,因为它看得出来,自己深深地冒犯了席福特,“我的意思只不过是——”
“想要我跳进水里,”猿猴说,“好像你不知道猿猴的胸肺十分虚弱、非常容易感冒!很好,我要跳下去。在这凛冽的寒风中,我已经冻得死去活来了。但我还是要跳下去。说不定我会因此送命。那时,你就难过去吧。”席福特的声音听上去好像立刻就要哭出声了。
“请不要这样,请不要这样,请不要这样,”帕叟说道,它的话语中夹杂着刺耳的驴叫,“我根本不是那个意思,席福特,真的,我不是那个意思。你知道我有多蠢,我一次只能思考一件事情。我忘记了你虚弱的肺部。当然我要下到水里面去。你一定要放弃亲自下水的念头。答应我,你决不这样做,席福特。”
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