048 不可能的任务

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Long ago, in a faraway village in Africa, there lived a famous blacksmith

很久以前，在非洲一个遥远的村庄里，住着一位著名的铁匠。

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His name was Kintae

他的名字叫金泰。

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Every morning, people would come to watch him work, and he liked having the people nearby

每天早晨，人们都会来看他干活，他也喜欢人们围在身边。

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He would hammer the red-hot iron, and the people would sing to his steady beat

他捶打着烧红的铁块，人们就合着他稳定的节奏唱歌。

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One morning a messenger from the king's court ran to Kintae's home and said," The king wants to see you immediately

一天早上，国王宫廷的使者跑到金泰家说：“国王要立刻见你。

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He has a job for you to do."

他有一项工作要交给你做。”

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Kintae was very happy. He quickly got dressed and hurried to the palace

金泰非常高兴。他迅速穿好衣服，赶往王宫。

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He passed many of his friends as he walked to the palace

在去王宫的路上，他遇到了许多朋友。

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To each of them he said proudly: " The king has sent for me!

他对每个人都骄傲地说：“国王派人来召我了！

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He has a job for me!"

他有一项工作要交给我做！”

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When Kintae reached the palace, he had to wait

当金泰到达宫殿时，他得等着。

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While he waited, he wondered why the king had sent for him

他一边等，一边琢磨国王为什么召他来。

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Kintae often made things for the palace, but usually one of the king's servants told Kintae what to make

金泰常为宫殿打造东西，但通常都是由国王的仆从告诉他需要做什么。

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When Kintae saw the king, he bowed very low

看到国王时，金泰深深地鞠了一躬。

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" You may stand," said the king, and Kintae stood

“平身吧，”国王说，金泰便站了起来。

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" I have sent for you," continued the king," because I have a special task for you."

“我召你来，”国王继续说，“是有一项特殊的任务要交给你。”

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The king clapped his hands, and servants carried in baskets full of iron

国王拍了拍手，仆从们抬进来装满铁块的篮子。

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They placed the baskets in front of Kintae

他们把篮子放在金泰面前。

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" You are to take this metal and make it into a man," said the king

“你要用这些金属打造出一个人来，”国王说。

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" A real, living man who can walk, talk, think, and has blood in his veins."

“一个真正的、活生生的人，能走路、说话、思考，血管里还流着血。”

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Kintae lowered his eyes because what the king asked was impossible

金泰低下了眼睛，因为国王的要求是不可能做到的。

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Kintae was also afraid because to say no to the king was the same as asking for death

金泰也很害怕，因为对国王说“不”就等于找死。

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Kintae did not want to die, so he again bowed very low and said," Yes, Your Majesty."

金泰不想死，于是他再次深深鞠躬，说：“是，陛下。”

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The king's servants carried the iron back to Kintae's shop, but as he followed, he kept his eyes lowered

国王的仆人把铁块搬回了金泰的店铺，但金泰跟在后头，一直低着眼睛。

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Kintae knew his days were numbered

金泰知道自己的日子不多了。

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He spent his days and nights looking for a solution to his problem

他日夜思索解决问题的办法。

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His friends made many suggestions

他的朋友们提出了很多建议。

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" Couldn't you make an iron shell, so a man could get inside it?" suggested one friend

“你不能做个铁壳，让人钻进去吗？”一位朋友建议道。

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Another friend said," I think you should run away to a faraway country and start life all over again where no one knows you."

另一个朋友说：“我觉得你应该逃到一个遥远的国家，在没人认识你的地方重新开始生活。”

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His friends meant well, but they couldn't help Kintae

朋友们都是好意，但他们帮不了金泰。

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He was so worried he became sick

他担心得病倒了。

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He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, and he couldn't work because he couldn't think about anything except the king's task

他吃不下，睡不着，也没法干活，因为他脑子里除了国王的任务，什么也顾不上想。

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One evening, as he walked through a lonely area of the fields, he heard something strange

一天傍晚，他走过田野里一片荒凉的地方时，听到一阵奇怪的声音。

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He went closer to find out what it was

他走近些想弄清楚是什么声音。

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As he got closer, he saw his boyhood friend singing to himself

走近后，他看见自己童年时的朋友正在一个人唱歌。

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Sadly, his old friend had gone mad a long time ago

可惜的是，这位老朋友很久以前就疯了。

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He lived alone in the bush far from town

他独自住在远离城镇的灌木丛里。

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" Hi, Kintae," said his crazy boyhood friend." Thank you for visiting me

“嗨，金泰，”疯了的童年朋友说，“谢谢你来看我。

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I knew you were coming so I prepared this feast for us. Come, sit down."

我早料到你会来，所以为咱们准备了一顿大餐。过来坐下吧。”

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The meal wasn't really a feast, but it was delicious

那顿饭算不上大餐，但很好吃。

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They ate berries and some honey. Suddenly Kintae realized how hungry he was

他们吃了些浆果和蜂蜜。金泰突然意识到自己有多饿。

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This was the first food he had eaten in several days

这是他几天来吃的第一顿饭。

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The food made him feel better, and he began to tell his old friend about the king's task

食物让他感觉好些了，他开始向老朋友讲起国王的任务。

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" Well," finished Kintae," that is my story."

“唉，”金泰说完，“这就是我的故事了。”

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" I know what you must do," said his old friend immediately

“我知道你必须怎么做，”他的老朋友立刻说。

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" Go and tell the king that you need special ingredients for this task

“去告诉国王，你完成这项任务需要特殊的材料。

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Tell him you need one thousand carts of charcoal made from human hair, and one hundred buckets full of human tears."

告诉他，你需要一千车用人的头发烧制的木炭，还要一百桶满满的人类的眼泪。”

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After his old friend said this, he laughed like a madman

他的老朋友说完，便像个疯子一样大笑起来。

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Kintae thanked his friend for such good advice and then returned to the city

金泰谢过朋友出的好主意，然后回城里去了。

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At first light, he hurried to the king's palace

天刚一亮，他就急忙赶往王宫。

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When Kintae saw the king, he bowed low." You may stand," said the king

金泰见到国王时，深深地鞠了一躬。“平身吧，”国王说。

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" Why have you come? Is the man finished?" asked the king

“你来做什么？那个人造好了吗？”国王问道。

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Kintae said," No, Your Majesty

金泰说：“没有，陛下。

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I need special ingredients to complete your task."

我需要特殊的材料才能完成您的任务。”

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Kintae told the king what he needed, and the king ordered all his subjects to cut their hair and to cry into buckets

金泰告诉国王他需要什么。于是，国王命令所有臣民剪下头发，并往桶里哭泣。

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The people did their best

人们都尽了全力。

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They shaved their heads and cried into their buckets, but it wasn't enough

他们剃光了头，对着桶哭泣，但还是不够。

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Only two pots of tears and one load of charcoal were collected

只收集到了两罐眼泪和一车木炭。

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When the king learned of these results, he sent for Kintae

国王得知这个结果后，便召见了金泰。

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Kintae was very afraid when he went back to the king

金泰再次去见国王时，心里非常害怕。

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" Kintae," said the king," you have asked me for something that is impossible

“金泰，”国王说，“你向我要求的东西是不可能得到的。

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My people can never grow enough hair, nor cry enough tears to give you the ingredients you need

我的臣民永远长不出足够的头发，也流不出足够的眼泪，来给你需要的材料。

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I therefore free you from your task."

因此，我免除你的这项任务。”

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" Yes, Your Majesty," replied Kintae

“是，陛下，”金泰回答道。

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As he walked away from the king, he took a breath

当他从国王那里走开时，他松了一口气。

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It felt like he hadn't breathed for weeks

感觉像是好几个星期都没喘过气来一样。

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He was happy again, and he smiled all the way home

他又高兴起来了，一路笑着回了家。

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As time went on, the king and his people forgot about Kintae's impossible task

随着时间流逝，国王和臣民都忘记了金泰那项不可能完成的任务。

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But Kintae never forgot who had saved him

但金泰从未忘记是谁救了他。

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Kintae made sure that his old friend never felt hungry or thirsty again

金泰确保他的老朋友再也不必忍饥挨饿。