006 小人国危在旦夕

旁白 neutral

" There are two political groups in Lilliput," began Reldresal," the High-Heels and the Low-Heels

“利力浦特有两个政治团体，”瑞尔德里沙开始说道，“高跟党人和低跟党人。”

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The groups are named after the style of shoes their members wear

这些团体的名称源于其成员所穿鞋子的样式。

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" Once, the High-Heels were the most popular group," Reldresal went on

“曾经，高跟党人是最受欢迎的团体，”瑞尔德里沙继续说道。

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" Our king and his officials, however, are Low-Heels."

“然而，我们的国王和他的官员们是低跟党人。”

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" Do the two groups get along?" I asked

“这两个团体相处得和睦吗？”我问道。

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" Oh no! The two groups hate each other," said Reldresal

“哦，不！这两个团体互相憎恨，”瑞尔德里沙说。

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" The king is afraid that the High-Heels may try to take his power."

“国王担心高跟党人会试图夺取他的权力。”

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" And could they?"

“那他们能做到吗？”

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" Perhaps. We think that there are more High-Heels than Low-Heels in Lilliput," said Reldresal

“或许吧。我们认为在利力浦特，高跟党人比低跟党人多，”瑞尔德里沙说。

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" What's worse, the king is very upset with his son, the prince of Lilliput

“更糟的是，国王对他的儿子，利力浦特的王子，感到非常不快。”

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The prince wears one shoe with a high heel

王子一只脚穿着高跟鞋。

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His other shoe has a low heel

他另一只脚穿着低跟鞋。

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That's why the prince moves up and down as he walks

所以王子走路时一高一低的。

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The king also has enemies in other places," Reldresal continued

国王在别的地方也有敌人。”瑞尔德里沙继续说道。

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" Lilliput and a nearby island, Blefuscu, have been at war for three years."

“利力浦特和附近一个叫不来夫斯库的岛国，已经打了三年的仗了。”

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" That island to the east?"

“是东边那个岛吗？”

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Reldresal nodded

瑞尔德里沙点了点头。

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" How did this war start?" I asked

“这场战争是怎么开始的？”我问道。

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" The war began over how people cut open boiled eggs," Reldresal explained

“战争是因为人们剥煮鸡蛋的方式而起的。”瑞尔德里沙解释道。

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" I beg your pardon?"

“你说什么？”

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I thought that I had misunderstood his words

我以为我听错了他的话。

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I was still learning Lilliputian

我的利立浦特语还在学。

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" Boiled eggs," he repeated

“煮鸡蛋，”他重复道。

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" People in Lilliput like to eat boiled eggs

“利立浦特人喜欢吃煮鸡蛋。

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An egg has a big end and a small, pointed end

鸡蛋有大的一端和小而尖的一端。

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Almost everyone in Lilliput used to cut open their boiled eggs at the big end

利立浦特几乎人人过去都是从大端剥开煮鸡蛋。

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The problem started when our king's grandfather was a little boy

问题始于我们国王的祖父小时候。

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He was then the prince of Lilliput, and his father was the king

他那时是利立浦特的王子，他父亲是国王。

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One day, the prince cut open his egg at the big end

一天，王子从鸡蛋的大端剥开。

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He got careless and cut his finger

他一个不小心，割破了手指。

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The king got very angry because the prince was hurt

国王因为王子受伤非常生气。

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That day, the king made a new law

那天，国王颁布了一条新法令。

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From then on, everyone in Lilliput had to cut open their boiled eggs at the small end

从那时起，利力浦特的所有人都必须从小端剥开煮鸡蛋。

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Small-Enders are people who obey the law

小端派是遵守法令的人。

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Big-Enders refuse to obey the law."

大端派拒绝遵守法令。”

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" I suppose," I said," that these two groups also hate each other?"

“我猜想，”我说，“这两个团体也互相憎恨吧？”

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" Correct. Over the years, they have had many fights," said Reldresal

“没错。这些年来，他们发生过很多次冲突。”瑞尔德里沙说。

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" Our current king is a Small-Ender

“现任国王是小端派。

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Some Big-Enders have gone to live in Blefuscu

一些大端派已经去了不来夫斯库居住。

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The king of Blefuscu would like to take over Lilliput, and the Big-Enders support him

不来夫斯库的国王想占领利力浦特，大端派支持他。

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We have heard rumors that the Blefuscan king plans to attack Lilliput with many ships

我们听到传闻，不来夫斯库国王计划用许多船只攻击利力浦特。

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Can you find a way to help us?"

你能设法帮助我们吗？”

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" Reldresal," I said," I'm sure I can."

“瑞尔德里沙，”我说，“我肯定能。”

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He told me that more than fifty ships were in the harbor at Blefuscu

他告诉我，不来夫斯库的港口里有五十多艘船。

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Only about a kilometer of sea separates the two islands

两座岛屿之间只隔着大约一公里的海面。

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The water between them is quite shallow

中间的水很浅。

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For the next few days, I kept away from the shore of Lilliput that is opposite Blefescu

接下来的几天，我远离了利力浦特正对不来夫斯库的海岸。

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I did not want the Blefuscans to see me

我不想让不来夫斯库人看见我。

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I had figured out a plan for helping the king of Lilliput

我想出了一个帮助利力浦特国王的计划。

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But if the Blefuscans knew about me, my plan would fail

但是如果不了夫斯库人知道我的存在，我的计划就会失败。

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A few days later, I spoke to the king

几天后，我对国王说了。

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" I have a secret plan," I said," to steal many of the Blefuscan ships

“我有个秘密计划，”我说，“去偷很多不来夫斯库的船只。

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Then your enemies will not be able to invade Lilliput."

那么你的敌人就无法入侵利力浦特了。”

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" I would appreciate your help, Enormous One," replied the king

“我将感激你的帮助，巨人。”国王回答。

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After I explained my plan, he said

我解释完计划后，他说，

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" Tell me what you need to make your plan work."

“告诉我你需要什么来实现你的计划。”

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" Have your workmen make fifty very large metal hooks," I told him

“让你的工匠制作五十个非常大的金属钩，”我告诉他。

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" I need lots of strong rope as well."

“我还需要许多结实的绳索。”

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" Those things will be ready in two days," promised the king

“那些东西两天内就能备好。”国王承诺道。

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The look on his face was very serious

他脸上的表情非常严肃。