The myth of Gawain and the Green Knight - Dan Kwartler

譯者: Camila Lin 審譯者: Helen Chang

It was Christmas time in Camelot and King Arthur was throwing a party.

卡美洛迎來聖誕節， 亞瑟王正在舉辦派對。

The entire court was invited— save the wicked sorceress Morgan le Fay—

除了邪惡的女巫摩根‧勒菲， 所有宮廷人士都受邀出席，

and food and drink flowed freely.

僕人不停地端上食物和飲料。

But in the midst of the revelry, the castle doors split open.

但狂歡到一半的時候， 城堡的大門突然被打開。

A towering knight riding an emerald steed burst into the room,

一個騎著綠色駿馬的 魁梧騎士闖了進來。

stunning the court into silence.

所有人都目瞪口呆。

Then, in a deep bellowing voice, he proposed a game.

接著，他以低沉轟隆的聲音 要求玩一個遊戲。

The Green Knight declared he would allow

綠騎士說，他會讓在場最勇敢的戰士

the bravest warrior present to attack him with his own axe.

拿著他自己的斧頭攻擊他。

If they could strike him down, they would win his powerful weapon.

如果戰士能重創他， 就能贏得這把優秀的武器。

However, the knight would be allowed to return that blow

但是，在一年又一天後，

綠騎士擁有還給那個戰士 同樣一擊的權利。

in one year and one day.

Arthur and his knights were baffled.

亞瑟王和他的騎士都非常困惑。

No man could survive such a strike.

沒有人能在那種攻擊下存活。

The Green Knight began to mock their leader’s hesitance,

綠騎士開始嘲諷國王的優柔寡斷，

and Arthur stood to defend his honor.

亞瑟王便站起身，維護自己的名譽。

But as soon as he gripped the axe, another leapt to take his place.

但在他拿起斧頭時， 另一個人跳了出來。

Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain, took the weapon instead.

他的外甥高文爵士拿起了斧頭，

And with one swift strike, he beheaded the grinning knight.

快速一揮，笑著的綠騎士就被砍頭了。

But the moment his skull met the ground, it began to laugh.

但在綠騎士的頭掉到地面時， 頭顱大笑起來。

The Green Knight collected his head and mounted his horse.

綠騎士拿起自己的頭，上了馬，

As he rode off, his severed head reminded Gawain of their contract

離去時，他的斷頭提醒高文記得約定，

and told him to seek the Green Chapel one year hence.

要他在一年之後到綠教堂找他。

In the months that followed, Gawain tried to forget this bizarre vision.

之後的幾個月，高文一直試著忘記 這個光怪陸離的情景。

But despite the strangeness of the knight’s game,

但不管綠騎士那個遊戲有多奇怪，

he was determined to act honorably.

他仍然決定本著榮譽行事。

When the following winter approached, he set out—

在第二個冬天降臨時，高文出發了，

enduring foul weather and beastly encounters

在惡劣的天氣和埋伏的猛獸下前進，

in his quest to find the mysterious Green Chapel.

尋找那座詭異的綠教堂。

Finally, on Christmas Eve, he saw a shimmering castle on the horizon.

終於，在平安夜，他發現遠方 有一座微微亮著光的城堡。

The castle’s lord and lady were thrilled to help such an honorable guest,

城堡的主人和女主人都很高興 能幫上這種榮耀的騎士。

and informed him that the Green Chapel was only a short ride away.

他們也告訴高文綠教堂就在不遠處。

They implored Gawain to rest at their home until his meeting with the Green Knight.

他們懇求高文留在城堡休息， 直到他和綠騎士約定的那天。

Thrilled at this news, Gawain happily accepted their offer.

聽見這個消息的高文興奮不已， 開心地接受了他們的好意。

However, in exchange for their hospitality,

但是，作為他們招待的交換條件，

the lord made a strange request.

城堡主人提出一個奇怪的要求。

Over the next three days, he would go hunting and share his spoils every night.

之後一連三天，他白天都會出外打獵， 晚上和他分享獵物。

In return, Gawain must give him whatever he’d gained during his day at the castle.

高文則要拿他白天在城堡裡 得到的所有東西來交換。

At first, Gawain was perplexed by these strange terms.

一開始，高文完全不明白 這奇怪條件的目的。

But the lord’s meaning became quite clear the next day,

但第二天，主人的意思就非常清楚了，

when his wife tried to seduce Gawain.

因為他的妻子前來誘惑他。

To rebuff the lady’s advances without offending her honor,

為了以維護她名譽的方式 斷然拒絕她的勾引，

Gawain allowed one kiss—

高文允許了一個吻，

which he then passed on to her husband in exchange for a slain dear.

晚上他便以一個吻和她丈夫 交換他的獵物：一隻死鹿。

The next day, Gawain allowed two kisses, which he gave to the lord for a dead boar.

第二天，高文接受了女主人的兩個吻， 以此和主人換得一隻死熊。

But on the third day, the lady offered more than just three kisses.

但第三天，女主人除了三個吻， 還給了他一個禮物。

She presented a magical sash that would protect Gawain

她給了他一條魔法腰帶，

能保護他不被綠騎士的一擊所傷。

from the Green Knight’s blade.

Gawain accepted immediately, but that evening, when the lord returned,

高文立刻接受了禮物， 但在主人於傍晚回來時，

the knight offered only three kisses with no mention of his enchanted gift.

他只給了主人三個親吻， 完全沒提到他得到的魔法禮物。

The next morning, Gawain rode out to the Green Chapel—

第二天早上，高文往綠教堂騎去，

a simple mound of earth

發現那不過是個土堆，

where the Green Knight ominously sharpened an axe.

而綠騎士就在那兒陰森森地磨著斧頭。

With the sash’s protection, Gawain approached stoically—

在腰帶的保護下， 高文堅忍不拔地走過去，

determined to honor his agreement.

決心遵守諾言。

He bowed his head for the deadly blow, and with a massive swing,

他低下頭，準備承受致命一擊，

綠騎士以重重一擊砍在他脖子上，

the Green Knight cut Gawain’s neck—

inflicting nothing more than a flesh wound.

留下一個小傷口。

Once more, Gawain was bewildered.

高文又被弄糊塗了。

Why hadn’t the sash protected him?

為什麼那條腰帶沒有保護他？

And why hadn’t the knight killed him?

為什麼綠騎士沒有殺了他？

Bursting into laughter, the Green Knight revealed himself to be the castle’s lord,

綠騎士在大笑中揭露自己的真實身分，

原來他就是城堡主人， 也是摩根‧勒菲的同夥，

and he’d been working with Morgan Le Fay

to test the honor and bravery of Arthur’s knights.

和她一起測試亞瑟王 騎士的榮譽和勇猛。

He was impressed with Gawain’s behavior,

他很欽佩高文的行為，

and he’d planned to spare his neck entirely—

也決定要赦免高文，

until Gawain concealed the sash.

直到他偷走那條腰帶。

Filled with shame, Gawain returned to Camelot.

高文在羞愧之中回到卡美洛。

But to his surprise, his companions absolved him of blame

但出乎他意料的， 他的同伴都沒有責備他，

and celebrated his valor.

反而慶祝他的英勇行為。

Struggling to understand this strange journey,

高文試著找出這場奇妙旅程的意義，

it seemed to Gawain that perhaps the whole world was playing a game—

而他認為，或許整個世界 都在玩一場遊戲：

with rules more wild and bewildering than any man could understand.

一場規則更加古怪瘋狂， 沒有人能理解的遊戲。