美国语文第五册 第266期:盲人摸象

 　　It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined, 从前，有六个印度人，他们想了解外面世界，

　　Who went to see the elephant, 于是，相约一起去看大象，

　　(Though all of them were blind,) （虽然，他们都是盲人，）

　　That each by observation might satisfy his mind. 每人都想通过自己的触觉，满足抑制不住的好奇心。

　　The first approached the elephant, 第一个盲人，走上前，

　　And, happening to fall against his broad and sturdy side, 碰巧摸到，大象宽厚的腹部，

　　At once began to bawl¹: 他立刻，朗声叫道：

　　God bless me! but the elephant is very like a wall! 我的天呀！这大象，它，确实像是一堵墙！

　　The second, feeling of the tusk², cried: Ha! what have we here, so very round, and smooth, and sharp? 第二个盲人，抱住象牙，他也随即高喊：哈！原来这又圆、又滑、尖尖的，

　　To me 't is very clear, this wonder of an elephant is very like a spear! 今天，我终于明白，这只大象，不过是支长矛。

　　The third approached the animal, 第三个盲人走上前，没想到，

　　And, happening to take the squirming trunk within his hands, 竟然抓到，大象扭动的长鼻，

　　Thus boldly up he spake: 于是，兴奋异常地叫唤，

　　“I see,” quoth he, the elephant is very like a snake! 我看呀，这，这大象好像，一条粗长的蟒蛇！

　　The fourth reached out his eager hand, and fell about the knee: 第四位盲人，性子忒急，急不可耐中，他伸出双手，

　　What most this wondrous³ beast is like, is very plain, quoth he; 猛然间，摸到大象的粗腿，忙不迭地高声反驳，所有这些，

　　'T is clear enough the elephant is very like a tree! 再清楚不过，这只大象，想必，你们应该明白，与大树，肯定分毫不差。

　　The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, said: E'en the blindest man can tell what this resembles most: 接下来，第五人凑巧拽住大象的耳朵，哪怕最瞎的人，也能知道，大象的明显特征，

　　Deny the fact who can, 你们怎能，罔顾事实说话，

　　This marvel⁴ of an elephant is very like a fan! 至于，这头大象的样子，它压根嘛，就像一把蒲扇。

　　The sixth no sooner had begun about the beast to grope, 第六个盲人，迈步过来，伸手一把，突然抓到

　　Than, seizing on the swinging tail that fell within his scope, 空中晃悠的，大象尾巴，他仔细摸索一番，开口叫喊，

　　“I see,” quoth he, the elephant is very like a rope! 我清楚了，大象呀，太像是，一条细长的绳子。

　　And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long, 可怜，那六位印度盲人，针尖麦芒，长时间争吵不停，

　　Each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong, 他们愚蠢固执，坚信不疑，谁都认为，自己完全正确，

　　Though each was partly in the right, 尽管， 每人描述的细节不错，

　　And all were in the wrong! 但那狭隘眼光，徒留世人笑话！

1 bawl   

v.大喊大叫，大声地喊，咆哮

参考例句：

• You don't have to bawl out like that. Eeverybody can hear you.你不必这样大声喊叫，大家都能听见你。
• Your mother will bawl you out when she sees this mess.当你母亲看到这混乱的局面时她会责骂你的。

2 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。

3 wondrous   

adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地

参考例句：

• The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
• We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

4 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。