0556翻译与象共舞赵丽宏

0556翻译：与象共舞（赵丽宏）

Translation: Dancing with Elephants (Zhao Lihong)

(translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

在泰国，如果你在公路边或者树林里遇到大象，那是一件很自然的事。

In Thailand, running into an elephant beside the highway or in the forest is nothing unusual.

不必惊奇，也不必惊慌，

There is no need to be alarmed or frightened.

大象对人群已经熟视无睹，

Elephants are so accustomed to seeing humans that they are indifferent to their presence.

它会对着你摇一摇它那对蒲扇般的大耳朵，不慌不忙地继续走它自己的路，一副悠闲沉着的样子。 They would wave their big-Chinese-fan-like, palm-leaf-sized ears at you once and unhurriedly go on its wayin a leisurely and composed manner.

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象是泰国的国宝。

Elephants are Thailand‟s national treasure.

这个国家最初的发展和兴盛，和象有着密切的关系。

Early developments and prosperity of this country were closely tied to elephants.

大象曾经驮着武士冲锋陷阵，

There were times elephants carrying warriors on their backs charged enemy lines in battlefields.

攻城守垒；

They also took part in attacking castles and defending fortresses.

曾经以一当十、以一抵百地为泰国人做工服役。

Their strength in serving Thais in laboring or battlingwas the equivalent of ten or a hundred men. 被驯服的大象走出丛林的那一天，也许就是当地生产、生活发生较大变化的日子。

The day when tamed elephants walked out of the forest could be the day on which fairly major changes to local productivity and livelihood started.

泰国人对大象存有亲切的感情，一点儿不奇怪。

It is no surprise that Thais feel intimate towards elephants.

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在国内看大象，都是在动物园里远观，人和象离得很远。

In our own country we always watch elephants in zoos from afar where humans and elephants are kept far apart from one another.

在泰国，人和象之间没有距离。

In Thailand, there is no distance between men and elephants.

很多次，我和象站在一起，象的耳朵拍到了我的肩膀，象的鼻息喷到了我的身上。

Many times I stood alongside an elephant at such proximity that its ear flapped on my shoulder and its nose snorted on me.

起初我有些紧张，

At first I was a bit nervous.

但看到周围那些平静坦然的泰国人，神经也就松弛了。

But at seeing Thais around me were so at ease that my nerves began to relax.

在很近的距离看大象，我发现，象的表情非常平静。

In looking at an elephant at such a close range, I found its demeanor was very calm.

那对眼睛相对它的大脑袋，显得极小，

Compared to its huge head, its pair of eyes were relatively small (1).

目光却晶莹温和。和这样的目光相对，你紧张的心情自然就会松弛下来。

Its affable disposition showed through its crystal-clear eyes which, in looking at them, would loosen up your tense state of mind.

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据说象是一种聪明而有灵气的动物。

Allegedlyelephants are intelligent with some human smarts.

在泰国，大象用它们的行动证实了这种说法。

In Thailand, elephants use their actions to prove these claims.

在城市里看到的大象，多半是一些会表演节目的动物演员。

Most elephants we see in cities are animal performers in programmed shows.

在人的训练下，它们会踢球，会倒立，会用可笑的姿态行礼谢幕。

Under human training, they can kick balls, do handstands, or act funny in curtain calls.

最有意思的是大象为人做按摩。

The most intriguing is the act in which an elephant massages humans.

成排的人躺在地上，大象慢慢地从人丛里走过去，它们小心翼翼地在人与人之间寻找落脚点， An elephant could walk slowly over a row of people lying on the floor, and it would carefully find footholds between them in walking across.

每经过一个人，都会伸出粗壮的脚，在他们的身上轻轻地抚弄一番，有时也会用鼻子给人按摩。 It would use its thick strong foot or trunk to gently caress the body of every person that it passes. 有趣的是，它偶尔也会和人开开玩笑。

The most interesting is at times it would play a prank on someone (2).

有一次，我看到一头象用鼻子把一位女士的皮鞋脱下来，

Once I saw an elephant take off (3) a lady‟s leather shoe with its trunk.

然后卷着皮鞋悠然而去，

It then carried the shoe and walked away slowly.

把那位躺在地上的女士急得哇哇乱叫。

The lady on the floor was so worried she was screaming her head off.

脱皮鞋的大象一点儿也不理会女士的喊叫，用鼻子挥舞着皮鞋，绕着围观的人群转了一圈，才不慌不忙地回到那位女士身边，把皮鞋还给了她。

The elephant ignored the lady‟s clamoring completely, swung the shoe around with its trunk, walked in a full circle in front of the audience, came back to the lady‟s side calmly and returned the shoe to her (4). 那位女士又惊奇又尴尬，

The lady was surprised and embarrassed.

只见大象面对着她，行了一个屈膝礼，好像是在道歉。

Then the elephant faced her and curtsied to her as if it was apologizing.

那庞大的身躯，屈膝点头时竟然优雅得像一个彬彬有礼的绅士。

Inkneeling and bowing, the gigantic body surprisingly was as graceful as a courteous gentleman. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

最使我难以忘怀的，是看大象跳舞。

The most unforgettable for me was watching elephant dance.

那是在芭堤雅的东巴乐园，一群大象为人们表演。

That happened in Nongnooch Tropical Garden, Ban Phatthaya, where a pack of elephants performed for people.

表演的尾声，也是最高潮，

The show reached its climax at its tail end.

在欢乐的音乐声中，象群翩翩起舞，

In the midst of cheerful music beats, the elephants danced elegantly.

观众都拥到了宽阔的场地上，人群和象群混杂在一起舞之蹈之，

The audience poured into the capacious field and danced with the elephants together.

热烈的气氛感染了在场的每一个人。

Everyone on the scene was fully absorbed in the fervent atmosphere.

舞蹈的大象，没有一点儿笨重的感觉，

There was not a tiny bit of clumsiness with the dancing elephants.

它们随着音乐的节奏摇头晃脑，踮脚抬腿，前后左右颤动着身子，长长的鼻子在空中挥舞。 Following the music, they swayed their heads, moved their feet up and down, wiggled their bodies, and swung their trunks.

毫无疑问，它们和人一样，陶醉在音乐之中了。

Undoubtedly they were as mesmerized by the music as the humans.

这时，它们的表情仿佛也是快乐的。

From their expressions,they seemed to be jovial.

我想，如果大象会笑，此刻所展示的便是它们独特的笑颜。

I believed if elephants could smile, what they were expressing then would be their one-of-a-kind beaming. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

附注：

(1) “Pair” is a collective noun which can be a singular or plural noun depending on the context.

If its individual members are referred to, then it is a plural noun (i.e., the “two eyes” in this case). If its unit is referred to, then it is a singular noun.

Examples of other collective noun are: family, police, group, jury, army, herd, class, audience.

(2)

“Play a prank” is a common idiom meaning to play a practical joke on someone.

(3)

A very common mistake in grammar is saying “Once I saw an elephant took off a lady‟s leather shoe…” instead of “Once I saw an elephant take off a lady‟s leather shoe…”

Verbs of perception such as “feel, hear,listen,notice, observe, see,smell, watch” where the verb following is an infinitive without the marker “to” (i.e., “I heard him sing” is “I heard him „to‟ sing” with the marker “to” dropped).

Other common bare infinitives are “have, get, let, make” that follows this grammatical formula of: subject + (have/get/let/make) + object + bar infinitive (e.g., He let his wife blabber on for hours.)

(4) Originally the phrases “came backto the lady‟s side calmly and returned the shoe to her”was written as “returned to the lady‟s side calmly and returned the shoe to her”.

In the latter case, the word “returned” was used twice in the same sentence which gets to be a bit boring, and so I changed the first “returned” to “came back”.

It‟s a good habit trying to avoid repeating the same word in the same or adjacent sentences/phrases.