中國寓言故事雙語版 第93期:定伯賣鬼

Song Dingbo of Nanyang came across a ghost when he was walking at night. Dingbo asked who he was.

南陽人宋定伯，夜裏走路時碰見了鬼。定伯發問。

"I am a ghost," replied the ghost. "And who are you?"

對方回答說:“我是鬼。”然後，對方反問道:“你是誰?”

"I am a ghost too," Dingbo lied.

“我也是鬼，”定伯謊報。

"Where are you going?" the ghost asked.

鬼問:“你到哪裏去呀?”

"To the City of Wan," Dingbo replied.

“我到宛市去。”定伯答道。

"I am going to the City of Wan, too," said the ghost. "We happen to go the same way."

鬼說:“我也要去宛市，剛好同路。”

Thereupon, they walked together. After walking for a few li, the ghost suggested:

於是，他們結伴而行。走了幾裏，鬼提議說:

"It is too tiring to walk. Let us carry each other on the back by turns."

“步行太累了，咱們輪流揹着走吧!”

"Excellent," Dingbo agreed.

定伯說:“太好了。”

Thereupon the ghost carried Dingbo on its back. After walking for a few li, it found Dingbo rather heavy.

鬼先背定伯走了幾裏，感到沉重。

It became suspicious and asked:

不免生疑說:

"You are too heavy. Are you not a ghost?"

“你太重了，莫非不是鬼?”

"I died not long ago, so I am heavy," Dingbo gave a clever reply.

定伯機靈地說:“我剛死不久，所以沉重。”

It was now Dingbo's turn to carry the ghost. As expected, the ghost really had no weight.

輪到定伯背鬼，果然沒有什麼重量。

Thus they carried each other by turns and went on their journey.

就這樣，他們輪流揹着趕路。

At this moment, Dingbo asked again: "I am a new ghost. I don't know what ghosts are afraid of."

這時候，定伯又開口問道: “我是新鬼，不知鬼害怕些什麼?”

The ghost whispered: "It is man's spittle that ghosts fear most."

鬼小聲回答說:“最怕人唾。”

As they walked along, they came to a small creek.

走着走着，前面遇到了一條小河。

Dingbo let the ghost cross first.

定伯讓鬼先走。

The ghost crossed the creek as if it were walking on land in shoes, without making the slightest noise.

鬼像穿着鞋子在平地上走一樣，沒有一點響聲。

But when Dingbo crossed the creek, he splashed the water in all directions with a lot of noise.

定伯自己過河的時候，卻是水花四濺，響聲很大。

The ghost became suspicious again and asked:"Why was there such noise when you crossed the creek?"

鬼又起了疑心，問:“你過河爲啥有響聲?”

Dingbo explained:"I'm a new ghost and not used to crossing the water yet."

定伯說:“我剛死，還不習慣渡水。”

At that, the ghost was convinced.

聽了定伯的解釋，鬼也就深信不疑了。

As they were approaching the City of Wan, Dingbo carried the ghost on his shoulder, held it tightly and started to run very fast with vigorous strides.

快到宛市的時候，定伯把鬼架在肩上，緊緊捉住，大步流星地猛跑起來。

The ghost shouted loudly and demanded that it be put down, but Dingbo turned a deaf ear to its demand.

鬼大聲呼叫，要求放下。定伯不再答話。

He reached the city of Wan in one breath and threw the ghost to the ground.

一口氣跑到了宛市，把鬼摔在地下。

Then and there the ghost revealed its original shape of a sheep.

鬼現了羊的原形。

Dingbo sold it and, fearing it might turn back into a ghost, spit on it several times.

定伯把它賣掉，怕它變化，連唾了它幾口。

With a payment of 1，500 coins from the sale, he left happily.

賣得一千五百錢，高興地走了。