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下面是原版小说（未完），有兴趣的看看吧~
Janghwa and Hongnyun
During the Chosun, about five hundred years ago, there was a country gentleman by name, Bae Moo Yong. He lived in a childless bleak house in Chulsan(not far from the Yalu River)
One night Jang Si, his wife, dreamed a wonderful dream, for she saw in her dream a fairy dancing on a rainbow that bridged the distance from heaven to her house, and the fairy presented her with a red flower. But when she stretched out her hands with thanks, the flower changed into another fairy and entered her bosom. In wild joy Jang Si embraced the flower-fairy and awoke by her own cry. Then she called in her husband and told him all about her dream. Bae Moo Yong laughed and said that it was a good omen for childbirth in the family. And sure enough, in that very month Jang Si became big with child, and in ten months she brought forth a daughter whom she called Janghwa or Rose, and in three years she brought forth another daughter whom she called Hongnyun or Red Lotus, but with regret that it was not a son.
The two daughters grew up like twin blossoms and were so good to their parents that both father and mother tenderly loved them and did everything to make them happy. But soon a great misfortune visited this sweet home, for Jang Si lay on her sickbed and medical care did her no good. At last she touched the admonition to bring up her young daughters properly and marry them into good families.
The sorrow of the bereaved family was beyond description, and many months passed with tears in the eyes of Janghwa and Hongnyun. Bae Moon Yong married a second wife, Hu Si, in the hope of getting a son and heir for his family estate, for breaking the family line without a male issue seemed to him one of the gravest sins to his ancestors. His second wife was as ugly in face as she was wicked in heart. Yet she bore three sons to Bae Moo Yong. By this time Janghwa and Hongnyun grew up to be blooming maidens full ripe for marriage. The father loved them more than ever and sought suitable husbands for them, which fanned the flames of jealousy in the heart of the step -mother, who now hatched a horrible conspiracy to bring ruin to the poor girls. So one day she secured a large dead rat swollen in water and, after having besmeared it with blood so it looked like a still-born baby, she quietly put it under Janghwa's bedcovers while she was fast asleep. Then she told her husband in an embarrassed voice what she had
"discovered" in the bed of her step-daughter, adding that she was already privy to a secret love-affair of Janghwa, but dared not to speak about it lest it would develop into a family scandal.
Bae Moo Yong was astonished and followed his wife to the scene where she pointed to the rat, saying that Janghwa had prematurely dropped her unwelcome baby and had fallen into a swoon. Then she whispered in his ear:
"See the unmarried mother and her unwelcome baby. Shame on the family."
Foolish as he was, Bae Moo Yong believed her, and he almost roared, "That wench, she undid me and my family!" But the cunning woman frowned and said, "Hush!" Coming out of Janghwa's bedroom, Bae Moo Yong breathed a long sigh and asked his wife what should be done. After a short silence, the old fox replied, "O I am so sorry, but we must get rid of the girl right away. Maybe Jangsoe, my son, will take her to the lotus pond on the hill and push her into the water." The old fool was finally persuaded to approve of this plan and gave orders to the boy.
In the meantime, the two girls were in a deep slumber after sobbing a long time, thinking of their own mother who now was dead and gone. All at once, Janghwa was awakened from sleep by the harsh voice of her father (Who now cleared the rat-baby from her bedroom), " Janghwa! Arise and go to your uncle's breakfast tomorrow morning. A full - grown girl like you had better travel at night unsee. Jangsoe will go with you as your guide and shield." Janghwa was surprised, and in a trembling voice she spoke, "My father, you will be obeyed. But I am frightened of traveling at night. Permit me to start early tomorrow morning."
Hu Si stamped her feet on the floor and shouted in a shrill voice of redhot anger, "What! Is that the way you obey your father? A dutiful child does not put off the order of its parents. Go, go!" Janghwa burst into tears. She knew something was wrong, but could not gainsay her parents. She bade farewell to Hongnyun and hurried into her sister's dress- a blue jacket and pink skirt- saying , " Maybe I shall come back soon or never. When I'm gone, put on my dress and think of me, and be good to father and mother lest you also provoke them to anger and follow in my unlucky footsteps. Hongyun clung to the sleeve of her elder sister, bitterly sobbing - "Sister, sister! Where are you going? Take me with you. How can I live in this bleak world alone?"
Janghwa was lifted on horseback, and Jangsoe, her half-brother, walked on before, holding the rein in his hand. She made a low bow to her father and started on her journey with a heavy heart. Jingling, jingling, tramp, tramp went the pony up the hill, down the valley, along the winding mountain path shrouded in darkness. In the woods the nightingales warbled heartrending songs for the homesick, and in the distance howled and roared the wild beasts. Janghwa was seized with fear. Her bones were chilled and her hair stood on end, and her knees knocked against each other on her saddle. At last the jingling bells on the neck of her pony abruptly stopped their sound as it halted on the bank of a large pond. She looked on the dark fathomless water, and, through the starlight, she saw the white and red lotus flowers tossing their heads above the water with their golden hearts closed as if to call her to come and sleep with them. Janghwa nodded in sad silence.
All at once Jangsoe growled to her to come down from the pony. The frightened girl instinctively protested. But the cruel boy pulled his half-sister off her saddle, and brought her down to the ground without ceremony, then he growled again: " Too soon you forget your love-affair and your baby? Father and mother knew all about it, but in order to keep peache they just told you to go to your uncle's . Now this is your journey's end. Jump! I mean you jump into the water. Perhaps you'll meet your lover at the bottom of the lotus pond." Janghwa became furious at these undeserved insulting words. But she controlled her passion and begged the boy in a plaintive voice- "Jangsoe! Don't be harsh on me. Though of different mothers, you and I are born to one and the same father, as brother and sister. I am a stranger to this mad story-love and baby, but I am fairly caught, for if I prove my maiden honor my step-mother will surely find another way to harm me, and if I don't my father would still believe me to be an unclean girl. The only way for me is to embrace death and return to the bosom of my mother in the other world. But, please allow me to visit my uncle at his home and my mother in her grave to take a formal leave before I die. . . . " Growled Jangsoe, " That cannot be. Jump into the water now, or I'll make you . . . for I am under orders."
Janghwa cried and cried till the trembling mountain echoed with her sad voice. Then in desperate resignation she held up the train of her skirt and took off her slippers. Covering her face with her skirt, and stamping her feet on the ground (as she would do on a seesaw board), in she jumped head foremost. A spray of water shot up high into the sky and the cleaved waves again clasped each other, swallowing this blooming maiden of sweet sixteen. Just then, a mad hurricane, mightier than a typhoon, swept over the pond and knocked Jangsoe off the embankment, and a large tiger flew upon him, tearing off two ears and two limbs -one arm and one leg, while the startled pony galloped off towards home. By and by the riderless pony neighed aloud and stood in the yard of his master's house to the great surprise of Hu Si, who had been waiting for the return of her son in triumph. Now she thought that an unusual accident had befallen Jangsoe. So she awoke her servants and dispatched them with lighted torches in hand to find out what it was all about.
The servants traced back through the woods from whence the pony ran home, and at last they arrived on the bank of the lotus pond. Here they found the mutilated boy lying on his face, swimming in his own blood, and they saw an unusually large lotus rising in the middle of the pond and filling the air with the sweetest perfume.
Jangsoe was brought home immediately, and it was not until his mother dressed his wounds with bandages and poured medicine prepared with musk and ginseng into his mouth that the boy awoke from his swoon and told about the death of Janghwa and his tragic adventure with the tiger. Hearing this story she cursed Janghwa as if she were the author of the misfortune that had befallen her son and swore to avenge him by killing Hongnyun too.
The suspicious attitude of Hu Si and the singular wounds of Jangsoe led Bae Moo Yong to believe that Janghwa had suffered a wrong and resentful death, and he sorely repented his act. At the same time, Hongnyun was hard hit by the mishap to her sister and her heart was sore troubled. She asked her step-mother what had happened. But the wicked woman replied in an angry voice, "Jangsoe had a tiger-bite while conducting your sister Janghwa through the woods. That's all."
Hongnyun sobbed long and bitterly, thinking of her sister, and soon fell into a swoon. In a trance she saw Janghwa riding a yellow dragon that was traveling towards the North Sea. Hongnyun cried, "Sister! Sister! Where are you and whither must you wander?" Then Janghwa answered- "I'm in The Dragon Palace, and under order of the Dragon King I'm taking a journey to the Three Gods' Mountain to pick some herbs of eternal youth. You and I are in two separate worlds, so do not complain of my want of feeling toward you. Some day I'll come and fetch you to the better world where I am." Just then the dragon she rode bellowed aloud and waked Hongnyun from her dream.
Hongnyun cried before her father as she told him about her dream and concluded by saying - "Janghwa has certainly met a violent death. Now that my sister is gone, to come back no more, how can I live in this bleak world alone?" Tears stood in the eyes of the old man, but no word came from his mouth.
"Shut up, your little wench, and no more of your whining speech," shouted Hu Si, glaring at Hongnyun with a curled fist. The poor girl fell to the floor and sobbed wrackingly. When Hu Si had gone out with a threatening yell, Hongnyun rose up and went to Jangsoe and entreated him to tell her what had become of Janghwa. The tiger-bitten boy felt his consience sting and confessed his crime, telling how he led Janghwa to the pond and pressed her to jump into the water, which she did.
Hongnyun understood that Hu Si was the author of Janghwa's death, and she told herself- "Who knows! But she will surely kill me too. I must kiss death myself, and the sooner the better."
One day a strange bluebird flew about in the garden behind Hongnyun's bower and warbled a sad song as if stopped on a branch of crepe-myrtle, all red and white blossoms, and the lonely girl felt that it was Janghwa that was calling her to come. "Ah, me! That bluebird sings of happiness in death. So before the crepe-myrtle becomes bare and its blossoms drop and decay let my blossoms of youth and beauty scatter in the four winds." Thus speaking she made up her mind to follow her sister.
On the following midnight the bluebird returned and warbled a song again at her window as if to say, "Come away, come away. I'll be your guide." So she wrote a will addressed to her father, bidding him farewell with good wishes for his long life and happiness, and, after having posted it in one corner of her bower, she walked to the bank of the lotus pond where Janghwa had ended her life. It was mid-autumn, and the harvest moon cast its brightest rays on the lotus flowers in the pond and the red and golden leaves on the mountain were trembling before a chilly wind- all appeared to be a painting of tragic beauty. Hongnyun trembled ; then she heard a voice from the middle of the pond, wailing- "Hongnyun ! My sister Hongnyun ! Why do you lost cannot be regained. Go home and be good to our parents. Pretty soon you'll get married and make a sweet home with happy children. That is the way to be dutiful to your dead mother."
But Hongnyun, sorrowful and lonely, replied, "Oh, Janghwa, my sister! I'd have more happiness in your company. I'm coming. Receive me into your arms." Then, covering her face with the pink skirt that had been given to her by Janghwa, she plunged into the water and sank to the bottom.
After this sad event the pond was overcast with clouds of five colors which hung there day and night for many months. Passers-by and villagers near the pond would often hear the sad cries of the two girls appealing to be avenged for their tragic deaths.
The sister-ghosts in the shape of two lotus flowers, red and white, appeared before the local Magistrate at mid-night to speak about their complaint, but the tragic sight frightened the Magistrate who died in a swoon, outright. Several new Magistrates arrived in succession, but all of them died in the same fashion. Then for a long time the seat of the Magistrate was vacant, and, what was worse, famine visited the county of Chulsan, obliging the townspeople as well as the farmers to desert their homes.
The King's court in Seoul was informed of this pathetic situation in Chulsan. The King stroked his long beard and shook his head, saying, "This will not do. Who will go and straighten this matter out once and for all?"
The Prime Minister and the secretaries of His Majesty's six Ministries hung their heads in silence, for they were at their wits' end. Just then, a lion-hearted young nobleman called Jung Dong Ho volunteered to go. The King was greatly pleased and appointed him the new Magistrate of Chulsan and sent him to the troubled country with a special instruction. The nobleman took leave of the King by prostrating himself before the throne and striking his head three times on the floor, and soon he arrived in his official post in Chulsan. Here he immediately called the head of the local functionaries and heard about the grotesque deaths of his predecessors. He learned that these mandarins met certain ghosts in their dreams at midnight and were found dead on the following morning, but the real picture was still a riddle to the local functionaries themselves.
That night the new Magistrate ordered the local functionaries and the office servants to be vigilant and carry lighted lanterns, while he sat straight on a cushion of tigerskin at the reception hall in his office, reading "Yiking" (the book of Changes) under the light of two large wax candles. When the night was far advanced, suddenly a chilly wind rose in the hall, and two young ladies in blue jackets and red skirts, shrouded in misty veils, entered and bowed before him . Lion-hearted though he was, fear seized him at first, but taking courage he bellowed; "Who are you and why this call at this late hour?"
Then the girl nearer to the mandarin hung her head and bowed again saying, "I am Hongnyun, sad daughter of Bae Moo Yong, a country gentleman in Chulsan, and this is my elder sister Janghwa. When we were small children our good mother died, and father married a second wife who bore him three sons. Mother was rich, and she left us a large dowry in land and jewelry. Our step-mother, being a wicked woman, looked with jealousy on our future happy marriages, and she wanted to keep the valuable treasure for herself and her own children. So she put a boiled rat under the bedcloths where Janghwa was sleeping as a make-believe of a still-born baby, and she told after, that Janghwa had a secret love affair. Then she made my sister mount a pony and forced her to drown in a lotus pond. The murderer was no other than Jangsoe, her own son. I drowned myself in the same pond for fear of becoming a victim myself and for love of my sister. I have appealed to the former Magistrates for revenge, but they all died. Now I see you are strong and wise. You must avenge with the wicked woman according to law. Moreover, your good judgment will restore prosperity in this county and end the famine . . . " Just then the cock crowed three times, and the two girls bowed and vanished like mist.
Early the next morning, the Magistrate entered his office and called Ibang (who was his subordinate in charge of local internal affairs) before him ,and conducted the following interrogation;
Magistrate-Do you know Bae Moo Yong, a country gentleman living in Chulsan?
Ibang- Yes, Sir. He is better known as Bae Jwasoo after his title.
M - How many children has he?
I - Two daughters by his first wife and three sons by his second wife, but the daughters are dead, Sir.
M -Hum, daughters are dead. How did they die, do you know?
I - Rumor says that the elder sister stooped to folly and drowned herself in a lotus pond, and the younger one, after weeping days and nights in thinking of her elder sister, drowned herself in the same pond. But these two girls have become resentful ghosts, and now cry at nights on the bank of the pond, complaining of the wrongs done by their step-mother and praying for revenge. All passers-by shed tears of pity . . .
The Magistrate nodded his head, and ordered his servants to go and arrest Bae Moo Yong and Hu Si. Soon they were made to kneel down on the ground facing the Magistrate, who now was holding a public trial in the capacity of a judge.
Judge (to Bae) - You have two daughters by your former wife and three sons by your second wife, isn't that right?
Bae - Yes, Sir.
Judge - Are they all living?
B - The daughters died of diseases, and only the sons are living.
J - Hum, died of diseases! What diseases? If you tell me the truth, you will live, but if you don't you will be whipped to death, understand?
Bae Moo Yong turned pale as death. He trembled from head to foot, and hung his head, speechless. At this time. Hu Si opened her mouth and spoke for him.
Hu Si- O, wise Judge! Since you know everything about it how can I tell a lie. To speak the truth, Janghwa had conceived a love-child and she was obliged to suffer a criminal operation by drinking a strong medicine for fear that it might develop into a family scandal. I gently chided her for her misconduct and gave her plenty of warning. But, perhaps deeply ashamed, she drowned herself in a lotus pond, and her younger sister Hongnyun, ran away from home one night, hand in hand with her lover. Years pass and months go by but her whereabouts are still mystery.
Judge - If so, bring the aborted child to the court. I will check it.
Hu Si - I expected this scene and had it carefully preserved these long years, and today I have carried it on my person to show it to you. (She produced a small bundle from her bosom.) Here you are please.
(A servant of the court unwrapped the bundle and showed the contents to the Judge.)
Judge(looking on the dark shriveled lump) - Your words sound like truth, but I can prove no point now, since if this came out from the womb of the girl as you say, it was long ago and one can hardly tell what it really is. I will dispose of the matter after further examination. So you go home and wait till you are ordered again to appear at court.
In this was Hu Si was set free. But that night Hongnyun and Janghwa reappeared before the Magistrate and made a low bow. Then Hongnyun spoke in a plaintive voice:
" Wise Judge! The wicked woman, like an old fox, has tricked you. Cut the belly of the object she gave you - cut it open . Then you will see. As for father, he is a good natured man - too simple to tell black from white as long as the foxy woman is fooling him. So please pardon him and spare his life."
Finishing these words, the two girls bowed again and up they flew to heaven on the back of a blue crane.
The Magistrate was very angry with Hu Si for tricking him and , after the break of day on the morrow, he had Hu Si and her husband arrested and brought to the court again. He glared at the bad woman and roared out that she must produce the stillborn baby, which she did. Then he gave a jack knife to Bae Moo Yong and commanded him to cut its belly open. The old man obeyed. His hands trembled and his heart almost fainted when he saw the dried black drops of a rat roll down from the open belly of the so-called baby. Seeing this the Magistrate thundered- "O, you cunning fox! How dare you to make a fool of the King's Judge. I know everything . Confess under penalty of death."
Now Hu Si was caught and she confessed all. "You have killed your step-daughters, so die you shall!" pronounced the Judge and Magistrate. Then she was immediately thrown into jail under stock and pillory and, after receiving formal approval of the King via the Governor of Pyungyang, the Magistrate put her to death by tearing off her four limbs and hung each limb on the top of tall poles at the four corners of Chulsan to show all people, especially to step-mothers by way of information and education. Then he hanged Jangsoe, the tiger-bitten boy for his part in the murder. But he gave liberty to Hongnyun's father with a strong reprimand.
On the same day the Magistrate, followed by a long retinue of his functionaries and servants, went down to the lotus pond in question, and after having drained the water through the floodgates and by pumps, he found the bodies of Janghwa and Hongnyun at the bottom of the pond, lying on lotus beds, still fresh like two sleeping beauties. So he put them into two caskets loaded with lotus flowers, and buried them with due ceremony on a sunny hill surrounded by two mountain ridges - Blue Dragon on the left and White Tiger on the right. Then he had a white granite monument erected before the grave in memory of the death of the two maidens. These are the lines he engraved on the monument:
"Here lie Janghwa and Hongnyun, Two daughters of Bae Moo Yong of Chulsan. Sad they lived and sadly died for a cruel step-mother."
from:http://my.netian.com/~wun113/folk_tale/index.htm
[ Last edited by 阿韩 on 2004-4-13 at 11:08 PM ] |
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发表于 2003-10-7 00:43
发表于 2003-11-8 01:30
~辛苦了！非常非常感谢你的帮忙！我已经把你的翻译加进去了。