译林絮谈

沙枫

“龟兔赛跑”的译文

“龟兔赛跑”的寓言，凡是学童大概都听过的。故事出自《伊索寓言》。伊索为古希腊时人。这部寓言，有中译本多种，英译本也有多种。先介绍一种英译本如下：

A hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow space of the Tortoise. The latter, laughing, said: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, deeming her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course, and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race they started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the courses. The Hare, trusting to his native swiftness, cared little about the race, and lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.

中译之一（英语出版社 S. T. Chin 译）：

有一天，一只兔子嘲笑乌龟的脚短而走路迟慢。龟笑着道：“虽然你走路很快，假使我和你赛跑一次，我会赢你呢。”兔子当它在夸口胡说，便依了它的的提议；议定请狐狸选择跑道，指定终点。到了赛跑的那天，它们一同出发。龟一步也不停地，总是用慢而稳的步子，值向那跑道的终点前进。兔子自信它跑得快，一点也不将赛跑的事放在心上，在中途躺了下去，瞌睡起来。等到后来醒了，尽力向前跑去，龟却早到终点，辛苦以后，正安适地在那里休息。

“At last”译作“等到后来”，“等到”两字是不必要的。

中译之二（启明书局出版，林华译）：

有一天，一只兔子嘲笑乌龟脚短，步慢。乌龟笑着说：“虽然你走路很快像风一样，假如我和你赛跑一次，我会赢你呢。”兔子认为它的主张是不可能的，便依了它的提议；议定请狐狸选择跑道，指定终点。到了赛跑的那一天，它们一同出发。乌龟一步也不停地，总是用慢而稳的步伐，至向那跑道的终点前进。兔子自信天生跑得快，一点也不将赛跑的事放在心上，在中途躺了下去，酣睡起来。后来醒了，尽力向前跑去，乌龟却早已到了终点，辛苦之后，正安适地在那里微睡。

“Deeming her assertion to be simply impossible”译作“认为他的主张是不可能的”，译得太直。然“trusting to his native swiftness”译作“自信天生跑得快”，则译得很生动。