The Ballad of the White Horse — Page 2

English → Chinese Preface Level 7/10

For the second case, there is a popular tale that Alfred played the harp and sang in the Danish camp; I select it because it is a popular tale, at whatever time it arose.

对于第二个案例，有一个流传甚广的故事，说阿尔弗雷德在丹麦军营中弹琴歌唱；我选择它，是因为它是一个民间传说，无论它起源于何时。

For the third case, there is a popular tale that Alfred came in contact with a woman and cakes; I select it because it is a popular tale, because it is a vulgar one.

对于第三个案例，有一个流传甚广的故事，说阿尔弗雷德与一个女人和烤饼发生了关联；我选择它，是因为它是一个民间传说，也因为它是一个粗俗的故事。

It has been disputed by grave historians, who were, I think, a little too grave to be good judges of it.

这个故事曾遭到严肃的历史学家们的质疑，而我认为，他们严肃得有些过头，未必是评判此事的好人选。

The two chief charges against the story are that it was first recorded long after Alfred's death, and that (as Mr. Oman urges) Alfred never really wandered all alone without any thanes or soldiers.

反对这个故事的两条主要指控是：其一，它最早被记录下来时距阿尔弗雷德去世已久；其二，（如奥曼先生所坚持的）阿尔弗雷德实际上从未真正独自游荡，身边从来都有侍臣或士兵陪伴。

Both these objections might possibly be met.

这两种反驳或许都是可以回应的。

It has taken us nearly as long to learn the whole truth about Byron, and perhaps longer to learn the whole truth about Pepys, than elapsed between Alfred and the first writing of such tales.

我们弄清拜伦全部真相所花的时间，几乎与阿尔弗雷德去世到此类故事首次被记录之间的时间一样长，而弄清佩皮斯的全部真相或许花费了更长的时间。

And as for the other objection, do the historians really think that Alfred after Wilton, or Napoleon after Leipsic, never walked about in a wood by himself for the matter of an hour or two?

至于另一条反驳，历史学家们真的认为，威尔顿战役后的阿尔弗雷德，或莱比锡战役后的拿破仑，从未独自在树林里走动过个把小时吗？

Ten minutes might be made sufficient for the essence of the story.

就故事的核心而言，十分钟或许便已足够。

But I am not concerned to prove the truth of these popular traditions.

但我并不打算去证明这些民间传说的真实性。

Vocabulary

对于: duìyú — regarding; with respect to a topic
第二个: dì èr gè — the second one; second item
案例: ànlì — case; example used for analysis
有: yǒu — to have; there is/are
一个: yī gè — one; a single item or person
流传: liúchuán — to spread; to circulate widely over time
甚广: shèn guǎng — very widely; spread to a great extent
的: de — structural particle linking modifier to noun
故事: gùshi — story; tale; narrative account
说: shuō — to say; to speak; to tell
在: zài — at; in; located at a place
丹麦: Dānmài — Denmark; Scandinavian country in Europe
军营: jūnyíng — military camp; army barracks
中: zhōng — in; inside; within a place or group
弹琴: tán qín — to play a stringed instrument; pluck strings
歌唱: gēchàng — to sing; to perform singing
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun
选择: xuǎnzé — to choose; to select among options
它: tā — it; third-person pronoun for objects
是: shì — to be; is/am/are linking verb
因为: yīnwèi — because; for the reason that
民间: mínjiān — folk; among the common people
传说: chuánshuō — legend; folklore passed down through generations
无论: wúlùn — regardless of; no matter what/when/where
起源于: qǐyuán yú — to originate from; to have its origin in
何时: héshí — when; at what time
第三个: dì sān gè — the third one; third item in sequence
与: yǔ — and; with; together with
女人: nǚrén — woman; female adult person
和: hé — and; together with; connecting nouns
烤饼: kǎobǐng — baked cake; flatbread; toasted pastry
发生了: fāshēng le — occurred; happened; took place
关联: guānlián — connection; association; link between things
也: yě — also; too; as well
粗俗: cūsú — vulgar; crude; coarse in manner
这个: zhège — this; this one; referring to nearby item
曾: céng — once; formerly; at some past time
遭到: zāodào — to suffer; to encounter something negative
严肃: yánsù — serious; solemn; grave in manner
历史学家们: lìshǐ xuéjiāmen — historians; scholars who study history
质疑: zhìyí — to question; to doubt; to challenge validity
而: ér — and yet; but; transitional conjunction
认为: rènwéi — to think; to believe; to consider
他们: tāmen — they; them; third-person plural pronoun
得: de/děi — structural particle indicating degree or result
有些: yǒuxiē — somewhat; a little; rather too much
过头: guòtóu — to go too far; excessive; overboard
未必: wèibì — not necessarily; may not be the case
评判: píngjàn — to judge; to evaluate; to pass judgment
此事: cǐ shì — this matter; this affair; this issue
好: hǎo — good; well; suitable for a purpose
人选: rénxuǎn — candidate; person chosen for a role
反对: fǎnduì — to oppose; to object to; against
两条: liǎng tiáo — two items; two articles or points
主要: zhǔyào — main; primary; most important
指控: zhǐkòng — accusation; charge; allegation against someone
其一: qí yī — first; the first point or reason
最早: zuì zǎo — earliest; the very first in time
被: bèi — passive marker; by (someone/something)
记录: jìlù — to record; to document; written record
下来: xiàlái — down; resultative complement indicating completion
时: shí — at the time of; when; moment
距: jù — away from; separated by a distance or time
去世: qùshì — to pass away; to die (polite term)
已久: yǐ jiǔ — for a long time already; long since
其二: qí èr — second; the second point or reason
如: rú — as; like; such as; for example
先生: xiānsheng — Mr.; sir; gentleman; polite address
所: suǒ — particle used before verbs in passive structures
坚持: jiānchí — to insist; to persist; to maintain firmly
实际上: shíjì shàng — in fact; actually; in reality
从未: cóng wèi — never; at no time in the past
真正: zhēnzhèng — truly; genuinely; really; authentic
独自: dúzì — alone; by oneself; without companions
游荡: yóudàng — to wander; to roam; to drift about
身边: shēnbiān — by one's side; nearby; around someone
从来: cónglái — always; at all times; consistently so
都有: dōu yǒu — all have; there always are; invariably
侍臣: shìchén — attendant; courtier; servant accompanying a lord
或: huò — or; either; alternatively
士兵: shìbīng — soldier; military serviceman; troops
陪伴: péibàn — to accompany; to keep company; companionship
这: zhè — this; referring to something nearby or just mentioned
两种: liǎng zhǒng — two kinds; two types of something
反驳: fǎnbó — to refute; to rebut; counterargument
或许: huòxǔ — perhaps; maybe; possibly
都: dōu — all; both; every; without exception
可以: kěyǐ — can; may; it is possible to
回应: huíyìng — to respond; to reply; to address a point
我们: wǒmen — we; us; first-person plural pronoun
弄清: nòngqīng — to clarify; to find out; to figure out
全部: quánbù — all; entire; the whole of something
真相: zhēnxiàng — truth; the real facts; actual situation
花: huā — to spend (time or money); to use up
时间: shíjiān — time; period; duration of time
几乎: jīhū — almost; nearly; virtually the same
到: dào — to reach; to arrive at; until
此类: cǐ lèi — this type; such kind; of this sort
首次: shǒucì — for the first time; first occurrence
之间: zhījiān — between; among; in the middle of
一样: yīyàng — the same; identical; just like
长: cháng — long; lengthy; of great duration
花费了: huāfèi le — spent; used up time or money
更长: gèng cháng — even longer; more lengthy in duration
至于: zhìyú — as for; regarding; turning to another point
另一条: lìng yī tiáo — another one; the other item or point
真的: zhēn de — really; truly; genuinely so
战役: zhànyì — battle; military campaign; major engagement
后: hòu — after; behind; following in time
树林里: shùlín lǐ — in the woods; inside a forest area
走动: zǒudòng — to walk around; to move about on foot
过: guò — experiential aspect marker; have done something before
个把: gèbǎ — about one; roughly one (informal measure)
小时: xiǎoshí — hour; unit of sixty minutes
吗: ma — question particle indicating yes/no question
就: jiù — then; precisely; exactly; as soon as
核心: héxīn — core; central point; essence of matter
而言: ér yán — in terms of; speaking from a perspective
十分钟: shí fēnzhōng — ten minutes; a period of ten minutes
便已: biàn yǐ — already; then already; by then sufficient
足够: zúgòu — enough; sufficient; adequate amount
但: dàn — but; however; yet; nonetheless
并不: bìng bù — not at all; emphatically not; by no means
打算: dǎsuàn — to plan; to intend; to have in mind
去: qù — to go; directional complement marker
证明: zhèngmíng — to prove; to demonstrate; to verify truth
这些: zhèxiē — these; referring to multiple nearby items
真实性: zhēnshíxìng — authenticity; truthfulness; genuineness of facts

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