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好奇与轻信的代价

(2017-06-16 01:51:06) 下一个
查尔斯·路德维哥·道奇森 Charles Lutwidge Dodgson,19世纪英国作家,笔名路易斯·卡罗 Lewis Carroll,以《爱丽丝漫游仙境》、《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》两本童话诗歌而名扬四海。爱丽丝的故事不断被翻拍成电影,吸引了无数成人和儿童。然而,如同许多童话故事一样,这些故事的内涵其实一点都不天真,而是充满了恐怖。
 
而卡罗本人和爱丽丝的原型人物爱丽丝·利黛尔 Alice Liddell 之间的友谊,要是放在今天的西方世界里,恐怕就不仅仅是招人眼球了。他给爱丽丝和她的两个姐姐拍的那些照片,要是在今天登在网上,国家儿童保护局的人恐怕会在第一时间去敲他的门。

Liddell三姐妹,右一为爱丽丝
 
《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》里的一首寓言诗《海象与木匠》 The Walrus and the Carpenter,貌似天真,但仔细揣摩一下其中内容,小牡蛎们的好奇和轻信,对比海象和木匠的猥琐和贪婪,每次读都让我不寒而凓。联想到100年之后的今天,还是不断地读到一些有关家暴和童恋癖的“文学创作”,混淆概念,不分黑白,仍然没有超越卡罗所在那个年代的思维,难免让我有点喘不过气来。人类有很多美好的品德,但邪恶总是潜伏在离美好不远的地方伺机,有时候真的怀疑人类的 integrity是不是还可以被完整地再拾起来。
 
至于这首寓言诗给我带来的思索,很简单,其一:不要轻信任何人,特别是那些道貌岸然的伪君子,就像这首寓言里的海象;木匠虽然可憎,但他至少懒得去装好人。其二:不可以太好奇,因为太好奇了容易惹祸上身甚至送命。
 
再有就是,做父母的要灌输自己的孩子,不要让他们像小牡蛎这样好奇和轻信。
 
The Walrus and the Carpenter《海象与木匠》
by Lewis Carroll【英】路易·卡罗
 
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
太阳照在海面上,
用尽全力放光芒;
他这么卖力地照耀着,
光亮的海面起波澜 --
这话说来也真奇怪,
因为现在是午夜好时光。
 
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"
闪亮的月亮绷着脸,
她认为太阳有点不识相,
因为他已经照了一整天。 月亮说:
“太阳真是太无理,
早该落山去睡大觉,
为啥还在晚上来捣乱!“
 
The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.
大海湿得不能再湿,
沙滩干得不能再干。
一片云彩也不见,
只因天上空荡荡;
也不见鸟儿来飞翔,
因为鸟儿全都进梦乡。
 
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"
海象木匠手拉手
一起来把沙滩逛;

看到沙子堆成山
两人哭得泪汪汪。
“如果能把沙子来铲掉”
他们说, “那样应该有多妙!”
 
"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
海象开口把话讲:
“如果找来七个女佣,
拿上七把扫帚扫半年,
你觉得,能不能把沙子来扫光?”
木匠说:“我看你是在说梦话。”
一滴眼泪出眼眶。
 
"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech. "
A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."
“哦,牡蛎们,和我们一起散步吧!”
海象假装诚恳样。
“沿着湿湿的沙滩,
愉快地散步和交谈。
我们两人四只手,
一手一个也只能带俩。”
 
The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
最老的那只老牡蛎,
沉默不言把他俩望,
眨巴眨巴一双眼,
摇摇脑袋不说话。
可他的意思很清楚:
要我离开你休想。
 
But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed,
their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
但有四只小牡蛎,
急急忙忙往前赶;
衣着光鲜脸儿亮,
鞋帽整齐洗刷刷。
这话说来也真奇怪,
因为牡蛎没脚丫。
 
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.
又有四只跟上来,
四只四只一连串;
一群一群往上走,
争先恐后一大帮;
跳出海浪和泡沫,
你争我抢把岸上。
 
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
海象和木匠心痒痒,
一口气走了一里地,
来到一块岩石旁。
岩石的高度有点低,
好像餐桌一个样,
小牡蛎们排排站。
 
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
海象说到:“时候不早啦,
我们好好聊聊吧。
说说鞋子、船、和封蜡;
白菜、国王,嗯,还有
为何大海滚热浪,
猪儿是否长翅膀。”
 
"But wait a bit," the Oysterscried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
小牡蛎们回答说:
“让我们先歇口气你再讲,
我们走得好累啊,
因为我们都超胖!”
“不急不急!”木匠说,
小牡蛎们感谢他。
 
"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."
“一个面包”,海象说:
“是我们现在的需要,
胡椒香醋有更好,
这样一来味更妙。
小牡蛎们亲爱哒,你们准备好了吗?
准备好了的话,我们就可以开吃啦。”
 
"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?
小牡蛎们哭喊着:“别吃我们啊”
吓得脸色发青心儿跳。
“你们对我们这么好,
现在又要吃我们为什么!”
海象回答说:“夜色如此之美妙,
你们觉不觉得风景很美好?”
 
"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"
“多谢你们跟着来,
你们的味道这么好!”
木匠没心情多啰嗦, 只说:
“再切一块面包好不好?
别假装自己听不到,
害我连续说两遭!”
 
"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"
海象说:“我觉得有点小惭愧,
这么欺骗这帮小家伙,
跟我们跑了这么远,
结果还被我们来吃掉!”
木匠没好气地说了声:
“你把黄油涂得太厚了!”
 
"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
海象说: “我为你们哭泣,
也为你们难过。”

一把鼻涕一把泪,
他把牡蛎壳从大到小排排好。
接着拿出手绢来,
猫哭耗子泪涟涟。
 
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
“哦,牡蛎啊,” 木匠说,
“你们今天玩得很不错!
现在是不是也该回家了?

但是小牡蛎们已经无声响;
这话说来也不奇怪,
因为它们全被吃光光!
******

You will agree with me, this is indeed a horrifying story!

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桉桠 回复 悄悄话 刚才跟我14岁女儿聊,一提到卡罗和爱丽丝,女儿马上说“哦我知道,卡罗其实是个paedophile..." 孩子们其实也明白一些。。。 :)
桉桠 回复 悄悄话 "邪恶总是潜伏在离美好不远的地方伺机" - 说得太好了。仅仅是因为出了一部伟大的著作,并不能遮挡卡罗作为一个恋童癖的猥琐和丑陋。那时候真是大胆啊,连亲吻小孩的那种暧昧照片都可以公然拍出来。
jun100 回复 悄悄话 难怪那些电影总是拍的那么可怕像恐怖片,根本不像童话。我还是觉得像迪斯尼动画片那样美好虚幻的才是童话,把那些可怕的东西完全滤掉了
jun100 回复 悄悄话 回复 '茵茵梦湖' 的评论 : 格林童话真相是我们老二讲给我的,我惊呆了{{{(>_
茵茵梦湖 回复 悄悄话 我曾经看过一本讲述格林童话的真相,也有点吓人,没敢看完,喜爱如果过界,就是侵蚀和占有了。
可恋童者有才,竟然创作出一本传世之作。确实是好奇害死猫,一点一点着道了。。
jun100 回复 悄悄话 回复 '南涧采萍' 的评论 : 从我看一头牛肯定不等于几个豆,可Jack相信就换(价值观);豆真的是魔的(因祸得福)能长上天能爬上去(勇敢冒险)偸抢杀(。。。)终于发财致富(成功)
这就是我严肃思考出来的,(。。。)是还没想出解来的;)
南涧采萍 回复 悄悄话 回复 'jun100' 的评论 : 这个问题对我来说一直是enigma,西欧文学从古希腊神话开始就充满了暴力、嫉妒和恐怖,可它却是人性自由的摇篮。我也百思不得其解。
jun100 回复 悄悄话 同意(^o^)/,恐怖!
孩子小的时候买些英文童话图书,我先看了总是很难受,尽是偷抢杀各种阴暗暴力血腥肮脏,像bean stalk,Jack简直就是一蠢孩子,把他妈的牛换了几个豆。。又什么爬上天偷金鹅蛋槌杀巨人。。。怎么给小孩读这些呢?
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