“It is a wonderful thing to leave your own little corner at home，to hide yourself in a ship where there are sure to be some nice snug corners for shelter，then suddenly to find yourself thousands of miles away in a foreign land.I saw large pathless forests of pine and birch trees，which smelt so strong that I sneezed and thought of sausage.There were great lakes also which looked as black as ink at a distance，but were quite clear when I came close to them.Large swans were floating upon them，and I thought at first they were only foam，they lay so still，but when I saw them walk and fly，I knew what they were directly.They belong to the goose species，one can see that by their walk.No one can attempt to disguise(disguise v.假装，伪装，掩饰n.伪装)family descent.I kept with my own kind，and associated with the forest and field mice，who，however，knew very little，especially about what I wanted to know，and which had actually made me travel abroad.The idea that soup could be made from a sausage skewer was to them such an outoftheway，unlikely thought，that it was repeated from one to another through the whole forest.They declared that the problem would never be solved，that the thing was an impossibility.How little I thought that in this place，on the very first night，I should be initiated into the manner of its preparation.
“离开自己家这个小角落远行，真是一件快事。坐在船上，这当然也算是一种角落。接着忽然间你却来到数百里以外的异域。那里有许多原始森林，长满了赤杨。它们发出的香气是太强烈了！这个我不太喜欢！这些原始植物发出辛辣的气味，弄得我打起喷嚏来，同时也想起香肠来。那儿还有许多湖。我走近一看，水是非常清亮的，不过在远处看来，湖水都是像墨一般地黑。白色的天鹅浮在湖面上，起初我以为天鹅是泡沫。它们一动也不动。不过当我看到它们飞和走动的时候，我就认出它们了。它们属于鹅这个家族，从它们走路的样子就可以看得出来。谁也隐藏不住自己的家族的外貌！我总是跟我的族人在一起。我总是跟松鼠和田鼠来往。它们无知得可怕，特别是关于烹调的事情——我出国去旅行也是为了这个问题。我们认为香肠栓可以做汤的这种想法，在他们看来，简直是惊人的思想。所以这件事立刻就传遍了整个的森林。不过他们认为这件事是无论如何也做不到的。我也没有想到，就在这儿，在这天晚上，我居然探求到做这汤的秘法。
“It was the height of summer，which the mice told me was the reason that the forest smelt so strong，and that the herbs were so fragrant，and the lakes with the white swimming swans so dark，and yet so clear.On the margin of the wood，near to three or four houses，a pole，as large as the mainmast of a ship，had been erected，and from the summit hung wreaths(wreath n.花圈，花冠，圈状物)of flowers and fluttering ribbons，it was the Maypole.Lads and lasses danced round the pole，and tried to outdo the violins of the musicians with their singing.They were as merry as ever at sunset and in the moonlight，but I took no part in the merrymaking.What has a little mouse to do with a Maypole dance？I sat in the soft moss，and held my sausage skewer tight.The moon threw its beams particularly on one spot where stood a tree covered with exceedingly fine moss.I may almost venture to say that it was as fine and soft as the fur of the mouseking，but it was green，which is a color very agreeable to the eye.
“这时正是炎热的夏天，树林因此发出这样强烈的气味，草才是那么香，湖水才是那么黑而亮，上面还浮着白色的天鹅。在树林的边缘上，在四五座房屋之间，竖着一根竿子。它和船的主桅差不多一般高，顶上悬着花环和缎带。这就是大家所谓的五月柱。年轻女子和男子围着它跳舞，配合着提琴手所奏出的提琴调子，高声唱歌。太阳下山以后，他们还在月光中尽情地欢乐了一番，不过一个小耗子跟一个森林舞会有什么关系呢？我坐在柔软的青苔上，紧紧地捏着我的香肠栓。月亮特别照着一块地方。这儿有一株树，这儿的青苔长得真嫩——的确，我相信比得上耗子王的皮肤。不过它的颜色是绿的，这对于眼睛来说，是非常舒服的。
“All at once I saw the most charming little people marching towards me.They did not reach higher than my knee；they looked like human beings，but were better proportioned，and they called themselves elves.Their clothes were very delicate and fine，for they were made of the leaves of flowers，trimmed with the wings of flies and gnats(gnat n.小昆虫，小烦扰)，which had not a bad effect.By their manner，it appeared as if they were seeking for something.I knew not what，till at last one of them espied me and came towards me，and the foremost pointed to my sausage skewer，and said，‘There，that is just what we want，see，it is pointed at the top，is it not capital？’and the longer he looked at my pilgrims staff，the more delighted he became.‘I will lend it to you，’said I，‘but not to keep.’
“忽然间，一群最可爱的小人物大步地走出来了。他们的身材只能达到我的膝盖。他们的样子像人，不过他们的身材长得很相称。他们把自己叫做山精；他们穿着用花瓣做的漂亮衣服，边缘上还饰着苍蝇和蚊蚋的翅膀，很好看。他们一出现就好像是要找什么东西——我不知道是什么。不过他们有几位终于向我走来；他们的首领指着我的香肠栓，说：‘这正是我们所要的那件东西！——它是尖的——它再好不过了！’他越看我的旅行杖，就越感到高兴。‘你们可以把它借去，’我说，‘但是不能不还！’
“‘Oh no，we wont keep it！’they all cried，and then they seized the skewer，which I gave up to them，and danced with it to the spot where the delicate moss grew，and set it up in the middle of the green.They wanted a maypole，and the one they now had seemed cut out on purpose for them.Then they decorated it so beautifully that it was quite dazzling to look at.
“‘当然，我们会还的！’他们重复着说。于是他们就把香肠栓拿去了。我也只好让他们拿去。他们拿着它跳舞，一直跳到长满了嫩青苔的那块地方。他们把木栓插在这儿的绿地上，他们也想有他们自己的五月柱，而他们现在所得到的一根似乎正合他们的心意。他们把它装饰了一番。看起来美得让人眩目！
“Little spiders spun golden threads around it，and then it was hung with fluttering veils and flags so delicately white that they glitteredglitter vi.闪闪发光，闪烁，闪光n.闪光like snow in the moonshine.After that they took colors from the butterflys wing，and sprinkled them over the white drapery which gleamed as if covered with flowers and diamonds，so that I could not recognize my sausage skewer at all.Such a maypole had never been seen in all the world as this.Then came a great company of real elves.Nothing could be finer than their clothes，and they invited me to be present at the feast，but I was to keep at a certain distance，because I was too large for them.
“小蜘蛛们在它上面织出一些金丝，然后在它上面挂起飘扬的面纱和旗帜。它们织得那么细致，在月光里被漂得那么雪白，把我的眼睛都弄花了。他们从蝴蝶翅膀上摄取颜色，把这些颜色撒在白纱上，而白纱上又闪着花朵和钻石，弄得我再也认不出我的香肠栓了。像这样的五月柱，世界上再也找不出第二根。现在那一大队的山精先到场。他们衣着漂亮极了。他们请我也去参加这个盛会，但是我得保持相当的距离，因为对他们说来，我的体积是太大了。
