The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Lucie, who lived at a farm called Little-town. She was a good little girl—only she was always losing her pocket-handkerchiefs!

从前有一个小女孩，名叫露西，住在一座名叫小镇的农场里。她是个 乖巧的小姑娘——只是老是弄丢自己的手绢！

One day little Lucie came into the farm-yard crying—oh, she did cry so! "I've lost my pocket-handkin! Three handkins and a pinny! Have _you_ seen them, Tabby Kitten?"

一天，小露西哭着跑进农场院子里——哦，她哭得好伤心啊！“我 把手绢弄丢了！三块手绢和一条围裙！你看见了吗，虎斑小猫？”

The Kitten went on washing her white paws; so Lucie asked a speckled hen—

小猫只顾继续舔洗她的白爪子；于是露西又去问一只花斑母鸡——

"Sally Henny-penny, have _you_ found three pocket-handkins?"

“萨莉·亨尼—彭尼，你看见我那三块手绢了吗？”

But the speckled hen ran into a barn, clucking—

可那花斑母鸡跑进了谷仓，咯咯叫道——

"I go barefoot, barefoot, barefoot!"

“我光着脚呢，光着脚，光着脚！”

And then Lucie asked Cock Robin sitting on a twig.

接着露西又去问停在树枝上的知更鸟公公。

Cock Robin looked sideways at Lucie with his bright black eye, and he flew over a stile and away.

知更鸟公公用他那双乌黑发亮的眼睛斜睨了露西一眼，便飞过一道 台阶，飞走了。

Lucie climbed upon the stile and looked up at the hill behind Little-town—a hill that goes up—up—into the clouds as though it had no top!

露西爬上台阶，抬头望向小镇后面那座山——那座山一直向上—— 向上——直插云霄，仿佛没有尽头似的！

And a great way up the hill-side she thought she saw some white things spread upon the grass.

她仿佛看见半山腰上老远的地方，草地上摊晒着一些白色的东西。

Lucie scrambled up the hill as fast as her stout legs would carry her; she ran along a steep path-way—up and up—until Little-town was right away down below—she could have dropped a pebble down the chimney!

露西撒开她那双结实的小腿，尽力往山上爬；她沿着一条陡峭的小 路一路往上跑——爬呀爬呀——直到小镇远远地落在了下面—— 她要是把一颗石子扔下去，说不定能正好落进烟囱里呢！

Presently she came to a spring, bubbling out from the hill-side.

不一会儿，她来到一处泉水边，泉水正从山坡里汩汩涌出。

Some one had stood a tin can upon a stone to catch the water—but the water was already running over, for the can was no bigger than an egg-cup! And where the sand upon the path was wet—there were foot-marks of a _very_ small person.

有人在一块石头上放了个铁皮罐子来接水——可水早已溢了出来， 因为那罐子还没有一个蛋杯大呢！小路上潮湿的沙地上，留着一个 非常非常小的人的脚印。

Lucie ran on, and on.

露西不停地跑呀跑。

The path ended under a big rock. The grass was short and green, and there were clothes—props cut from bracken stems, with lines of plaited rushes, and a heap of tiny clothes pins—but no pocket-handkerchiefs!

小路的尽头是一块大岩石。那里的草短短的、绿油油的，还晾着 衣服——用蕨类茎秆削成的撑衣杆，晾衣绳是用灯芯草编成的， 旁边还堆着一小堆微型晾衣夹——可就是没有手绢！

But there was something else—a door! straight into the hill; and inside it some one was singing—

不过还有别的东西——一扇门！径直通向山里；门里头有人正在 唱歌——

"Lily-white and clean, oh! With little frills between, oh! Smooth and hot—red rusty spot Never here be seen, oh!"

“洁白干净啊， 镶着小小的褶边啊！ 光滑又滚烫——那锈红的斑点 可千万别留在这儿啊！”

Lucie, knocked—once—twice, and interrupted the song. A little frightened voice called out "Who's that?"

露西敲了敲门——一下——两下，打断了那歌声。一个吓了一跳 的小小声音喊道：“是谁呀？”

Lucie opened the door: and what do you think there was inside the hill?—a nice clean kitchen with a flagged floor and wooden beams—just like any other farm kitchen. Only the ceiling was so low that Lucie's head nearly touched it; and the pots and pans were small, and so was everything there.

露西推开门：你猜山里头是什么样子？——一间干净整洁的厨房， 铺着石板地面，架着木头房梁——就跟别的农场厨房一模一样。 只是天花板低得很，露西的脑袋差点就要碰到了；那儿的锅碗瓢盆 都是小号的，什么东西都是小小的。

There was a nice hot singey smell; and at the table, with an iron in her hand stood a very stout short person staring anxiously at Lucie.

屋里飘着一股暖烘烘、带点焦味的好闻气味；桌子旁站着一个矮矮 胖胖的人，手里拿着一把熨斗，正一脸紧张地盯着露西看。

Her print gown was tucked up, and she was wearing a large apron over her striped petticoat. Her little black nose went sniffle, sniffle, snuffle, and her eyes went twinkle, twinkle; and underneath her cap—where Lucie had yellow curls—that little person had PRICKLES!

她那件印花长裙撩了起来，条纹衬裙外面还系着一条大围裙。她那 小小的黑鼻头一个劲儿地吸溜、吸溜、抽动着，眼睛也一闪一闪地 发亮；她帽子底下——露西那儿本该是一头金色卷发的地方—— 那小小的人儿长的却是一身刺！

"Who are you?" said Lucie. "Have you seen my pocket-handkins?"

“你是谁呀？”露西问道，“你看见我的手绢了吗？”

The little person made a bob-curtsey—"Oh, yes, if you please'm; my name is Mrs. Tiggy-winkle; oh, yes if you please'm, I'm an excellent clear-starcher!" And she took something out of a clothes-basket, and spread it on the ironing-blanket.

那小小的人儿行了个屈膝礼——“哦，是的，劳驾了，夫人；我 叫刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔；哦，是的，劳驾了，夫人，我可是个 一流的浆洗高手！”她说着从一个洗衣篮里取出件什么东西，摊 在熨衣毯上。

"What's that thing?" said Lucie—"that's not my pocket-handkin?"

“那是什么呀？”露西问道，“那可不是我的手绢吧？”

"Oh no, if you please'm; that's a little scarlet waist-coat belonging to Cock Robin!"

“哦，不是的，劳驾了，夫人；那是知更鸟公公的一件猩红色小 背心！”

And she ironed it and folded it, and put it on one side.

她把它熨平，叠好，放到了一旁。

Then she took something else off a clothes-horse—

接着她又从晾衣架上取下别的东西——

"That isn't my pinny?" said Lucie.

“那不是我的围裙吧？”露西问道。

"Oh no, if you please'm; that's a damask table-cloth belonging to Jenny Wren; look how it's stained with currant wine! It's very bad to wash!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

“哦，不是的，劳驾了，夫人；那是珍妮鹪鹩的一条锦缎桌布； 你瞧它沾了多少醋栗酒的污渍！这可真难洗！”刺猬太太蒂吉— 温克尔说道。

Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's nose went sniffle, sniffle, snuffle, and her eyes went twinkle, twinkle; and she fetched another hot iron from the fire.

刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔的鼻头吸溜、吸溜、抽动着，眼睛也一闪 一闪地发亮；她又从火上取来了一把热熨斗。

"There's one of my pocket-handkins!" cried Lucie—"and there's my pinny!"

“这是我的一块手绢！”露西喊道，“那是我的围裙！”

Mrs. Tiggy-winkle ironed it, and goffered it, and shook out the frills.

刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔把它熨平，打上褶皱，抖开了那些褶边。

"Oh that _is_ lovely!" said Lucie.

“哦，这真漂亮！”露西说道。

"And what are those long yellow things with fingers like gloves?"

“那些黄色的长条东西，长着像手套一样的指头，又是什么呀？”

"Oh, that's a pair of stockings belonging to Sally Henny-penny—look how she's worn the heels out with scratching in the yard! She'll very soon go barefoot!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

“哦，那是萨莉·亨尼—彭尼的一双长袜——你瞧她在院子里刨土 把脚跟都磨破了！她很快就要打赤脚了！”刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔 说道。

"Why, there's another handkersniff—but it isn't mine; it's red?"

“咦，这又是一块手绢——可不是我的呀，是红色的？”

"Oh no, if you please'm; that one belongs to old Mrs. Rabbit; and it _did_ so smell of onions! I've had to wash it separately, I can't get out the smell."

“哦，不是的，劳驾了，夫人；那是老兔子太太的；洗的时候一 股子洋葱味！我得单独把它洗了，怎么也去不掉那股味儿。”

"There's another one of mine," said Lucie.

“这是我的另一块，”露西说道。

"What are those funny little white things?"

“那些好玩的小小白东西又是什么呀？”

"That's a pair of mittens belonging to Tabby Kitten; I only have to iron them; she washes them herself."

“那是虎斑小猫的一双手套；我只需要熨一熨就行，洗她都是自 己洗的。”

"There's my last pocket-handkin!" said Lucie.

“这是我最后一块手绢啦！”露西说道。

"And what are you dipping into the basin of starch?"

“那你正往浆糊盆里蘸的又是什么？”

"They're little dicky shirt-fronts belonging to Tom Titmouse—most terrible particular!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle. "Now I've finished my ironing; I'm going to air some clothes."

“那是汤姆·山雀的几件小衬衫前片——他这人最讲究了！”刺猬 太太蒂吉—温克尔说道，“好了，我的熨烫活儿都干完了，我该 去晾晾衣服了。”

"What are these dear soft fluffy things?" said Lucie.

“这些又软又蓬松的可爱东西是什么呀？”露西问道。

"Oh those are woolly coats belonging to the little lambs at Skelghyl."

“哦，那是斯凯尔吉尔那边小羊羔们的羊毛外套。”

"Will their jackets take off?" asked Lucie.

“它们的外套能脱下来吗？”露西问道。

"Oh yes, if you please'm; look at the sheep-mark on the shoulder. And here's one marked for Gatesgarth, and three that come from Little-town. They're _always_ marked at washing!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

“哦，能的，劳驾了，夫人；你瞧肩膀上的羊印记。这一件是盖 茨加斯的记号，这三件是从小镇那边来的。洗的时候都得打上记 号才行！”刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔说道。

And she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes—small brown coats of mice; and one velvety black moleskin waist-coat; and a red tailcoat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin; and a very much shrunk blue jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit; and a petticoat, not marked, that had gone lost in the washing—and at last the basket was empty!

她挂起了各式各样、大大小小的衣物——小老鼠们的棕色小外套； 一件天鹅绒般的黑色鼹鼠皮背心；一件没有尾巴的红色燕尾服，是 松鼠纳特金的；一件缩水缩得厉害的蓝色小外套，是彼得兔的；还 有一条没打记号、洗衣时弄丢了主人的衬裙——终于，篮子空了！

"Then Mrs. Tiggy-winkle made tea—a cup for herself and a cup for Lucie. They sat before the fire on a bench and looked sideways at one another. Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's hand, holding the tea-cup, was very very brown, and very very wrinkly with the soap-suds; and all through her gown and her cap, there were _hair-pins_ sticking wrong end out; so that Lucie didn't like to sit too near her.

刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔于是沏了茶——一杯给自己，一杯给露西。 她们坐在炉火前的一条长凳上，侧着脸互相看着对方。刺猬太太 蒂吉—温克尔那只端着茶杯的手，颜色深棕深棕的，被肥皂水泡 得皱巴巴的；她的长裙和帽子上，到处都插着尖头朝外的发夹； 弄得露西都不太敢坐得太靠近她。

When they had finished tea, they tied up the clothes in bundles; and Lucie's pocket-handkerchiefs were folded up inside her clean pinny, and fastened with a silver safety-pin.

喝完茶后，她们把衣物一捆捆地打包起来；露西的手绢被叠好放 进她那条干净的围裙里，还用一枚银色安全别针别了起来。

And then they made up the fire with turf, and came out and locked the door, and hid the key under the door-sill.

接着她们用泥炭把炉火封好，走出屋子锁上门，把钥匙藏在了门 槛底下。

Then away down the hill trotted Lucie and Mrs. Tiggy-winkle with the bundles of clothes!

于是露西和刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔便抱着一捆捆衣物，一路小跑 下山去了！

All the way down the path little animals came out of the fern to meet them; the very first that they met were Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny!

一路下山，沿途的小路上不断有小动物从蕨丛里钻出来迎接她们； 她们最先遇见的便是彼得兔和本杰明兔！

And she gave them their nice clean clothes; and all the little animals and birds were so very much obliged to dear Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

她把干干净净的衣物分给它们；所有这些小动物和小鸟儿，都对 亲爱的刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔感激不尽。

So that at the bottom of the hill when they came to the stile, there was nothing left to carry except Lucie's one little bundle.

于是等她们走到山脚下那道台阶时，除了露西自己那一小捆衣物， 再也没有别的东西要拿了。

Lucie scrambled up the stile with the bundle in her hand; and then she turned to say "Good-night," and to thank the washer-woman—But what a _very_ odd thing! Mrs. Tiggy-winkle had not waited either for thanks or for the washing bill!

露西抱着那捆衣物爬上台阶；接着她转过身，想说声“晚安”， 谢谢这位洗衣妇——可真是奇怪极了！刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔既 没有等着听道谢，也没有等着收洗衣费！

She was running running running up the hill—and where was her white frilled cap? and her shawl? and her gown—and her petticoat?

她正跑呀跑呀跑地往山上跑去——她那顶白色的褶边帽子哪儿去 了？还有她的披肩呢？她的长裙呢——还有她的衬裙呢？

And _how_ small she had grown—and _how_ brown—and covered with PRICKLES!

而她的个头怎么变得那么小——那么棕——浑身还长满了刺！

Why! Mrs. Tiggy-winkle was nothing but a HEDGEHOG.

哎呀！原来刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔不过是一只刺猬罢了。

(Now some people say that little Lucie had been asleep upon the stile—but then how could she have found three clean pocket-handkins and a pinny, pinned with a silver safety-pin?

（如今有些人说，小露西不过是在台阶上睡着了，做了个梦 ——可要不是这样，她又怎么会找到三块干净的手绢和一条 围裙，还用一枚银色安全别针别着呢？

And besides—_I_ have seen that door into the back of the hill called Cat Bells—and besides _I_ am very well acquainted with dear Mrs. Tiggy-winkle!)

再说——我可是亲眼见过那扇通往山背后的门，那地方名叫 猫铃山——而且我还跟亲爱的刺猬太太蒂吉—温克尔十分相 熟呢！）