O Príncipe e o Mendigo

在古老的倫敦城，

In the ancient city of London,

十六世紀第二個二十五年間的某個秋日，

on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century,

一戶姓康第的窮人家生了個男孩，

a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty,

這家人並不想要他。

who did not want him.

同一天，另一個英國孩子降生在一戶姓都鐸的富貴人家，

On the same day another English child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor,

這家人可是真心想要他。

who did want him.

全英國也都想要他。

All England wanted him too.

英國盼他盼了那麼久，

England had so longed for him,

對他寄予了那麼多希望，

and hoped for him,

又為他向上帝祈求了那麼多回，

and prayed God for him,

以至於

that,

如今他真的來了，

now that he was really come,

人們簡直歡喜得發了狂。

the people went nearly mad for joy.

連僅有一面之交的人也互相擁抱、親吻，喜極而泣。

Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried.

人人都放下了活計，

Everybody took a holiday,

無論貴賤，

and high and low,

不分貧富，

rich and poor,

都在宴飲、跳舞、唱歌，

feasted and danced and sang,

喝得醉意醺醺；

and got very mellow;

如此一連鬧了好幾天好幾夜。

and they kept this up for days and nights together.

白天，

By day,

倫敦的景象十分壯觀，

London was a sight to see,

每一座陽臺、每一個屋頂上都飄揚著鮮豔的旗幟，

with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop,

華麗的遊行隊伍在街上行進。

and splendid pageants marching along.

夜裡，

By night,

又是一番壯觀的景象，

it was again a sight to see,

每個街角都燃著熊熊的篝火，

with its great bonfires at every corner,

成群的狂歡者圍著篝火盡情作樂。

and its troops of revellers making merry around them.

全英國談論的只有這個新生的嬰兒——

There was no talk in all England but of the new baby,

愛德華·都鐸，

Edward Tudor,

威爾斯親王，

Prince of Wales,

他躺在綾羅綢緞之中，

who lay lapped in silks and satins,

對這一切喧鬧渾然不覺，

unconscious of all this fuss,

也不知道有那麼多王公貴婦在照料他、守護他——

and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him —

而且他也並不在乎

and not caring,

這些。

either.

可是另一個嬰兒卻無人談起，

But there was no talk about the other baby,

那就是湯姆·康第，

Tom Canty,

他裹在自己那堆破布裡，

lapped in his poor rags,

只有那一家窮苦人才談起他，而他剛一降生，就以自己的存在給他們添了麻煩。

except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his presence.