在市集上(At The Fair)
一个十分秀丽的姑娘从农村来赶集。她的脸上是百合花和玫瑰花的颜色。她的头发好比夕照,而曙光在她的朱唇上微笑。
这美貌的陌生人出现在年轻男子眼前不久,他们便都来追求她包围她了。这一个要同她跳舞,那一个要切一块蛋糕招待她。而他们大家都想吻她的面颊。因为说到底,难道这不是市集吗?然而这姑娘吃惊而又害怕,认为这些年轻男子都不是好人。她斥责他们,她甚至打了一两个人的脸。接着她就从他们身边逃跑了。
那天黄昏时分,在回家的路上,她心里说道:"真叫人厌恶。这些男人多么没有礼貌、没有教养。简直叫人忍无可忍。"
一年过去了,在这一年里,这个十分秀丽的姑娘念念不忘市集和年轻的男子们。于是她再来赶集了,带着她脸上的百合花和玫瑰花,带着她头发里的夕照以及她嘴唇上的曙光似的微笑。
然而,如今年轻的男子们一看见她都转过身去了。整整一天她都是孤零零的,没有人来追求她。
黄昏时分,在走回家去的路上,她心里在嚷道:"真叫人厌恶。这些青年多么没有礼貌、没有教养。简直叫人忍无可忍。"
At The Fair
There came to the Fair a girl from the country-side, most comely. There was a lily and a rose in her face. There was a sunset in her hair, and dawn smiled upon her lips.
No sooner did the lovely stranger appear in their sight than the young men sought her and surrounded her. One would dance with her, and another would cut a cake in her honour. And they all desired to kiss her cheek. For after all, was it not the Fair?
But the girl was shocked and started, and she thought ill of the young men. She rebuked them, and she even struck one or two of them in the face. Then she ran away from them.
And on her way home that evening she was saying in her heart, "I am disgusted. How unmannerly and ill bred are these men. It is beyond all patience."
A year passed during which that very comely girl thought much of Fairs and men. Then she came again to the Fair with the lily and the rose in her face, the sunset in her hair and the smile of dawn upon her lips.
But now the young men, seeing her, turned from her. And all the day long she was unsought and alone.
And at eventide as she walked the road toward her home she cried in her heart, "I am disgusted. How unmannerly and ill bred are these youths. It is beyond all patience."