武松打虎

王敬涛

王敬涛外语

Having trekked several days, Wu Song arrived in Yanggu County, but the town was still a long way. It was nearly noon. Thirsty and hungry, Wu Song saw an inn ahead with a shop sign read, 'Don't Cross the Ridge after Drinking Three Bowls of Wine.'

Wu Song entered the inn, seated himself at a table, putting his wooden stick aside and calling out to the landlord for wine. The landlord brought a bowl of wine, a pair of chopsticks and a hot dish. Wu Song drank up the wine at one go and said loudly, “So strong! Is there any entree, mate?'

'Beef only,' answered the landlord.

'One kilo, then, to go with the wine,' said Wu Song.

The beef was brought in, Wu Song drank up the second bowl of wine. Three bowls drunk up, the landlord did not bring in any more. ' Where is the wine?' shouted Wu Song, surprised, tapping his fingers on the table.

'Beef will be offered as much as you want,' said the landlord. 'But the wine can't be.'

'How come?' grumbled Wu Song.

'Because the wine is so strong that no one can cross the hill after drinking three bowls.'

'Nonsense,' said Wu Song. 'I have enough money to pay you. Three bowls more.'

The landlord saw Wu Song look very clear, so brought in another three bowls of wine. Wu Song drank it all and asked for more. The landlord got worried.

'You are tall and heavy. How can we support you if you are drunk?'

'I will not be a hero if I need supporting,' chortled Wu Song.

Eighteen bowls drunk up, Wu Song strode out of the inn. Taking his bearings for a few moments, he headed toward the Ridge.

'Where are you going, sir?' the landlord asked nervously.

'How come you're shouting at me?' Wu Song shouted over his shoulder. 'I've paid you already.'

'I'm telling you this for your own good. Haven't you read the public notice in my inn?'

'What notice?' Wu Song asked him.

'The hill in front of us is called Jingyang Ridge, where in the forest there is an enormous tiger, often eating passers-by. There have been over twenty people killed. You can stay the night here and cross the Ridge in groups tomorrow. It has been suggested in the notice.'

Hearing this, Wu Song grinned from ear to ear. 'Don't fighten me. I live not far from here. This Ridge I've crossed at least ten times. Never heard of such things,' he said.

'If you don't believe me,' cried the landlord, 'come in and read the notice yourself.'

'I don't feel like it. I wonder...' Wu Song grinned , joking, 'if you prefer me to stay here and rob me at midnight.'

'What did you say?' roared the landlord angrily, 'I'm for your own good but you are so mean and not worth it. Forward, as you please.'

Wu Song left with vigorous strides, stick in hand, up the road into the forest. Doing about three miles, he saw a big tree from which a large piece of bark was peeled. There was writing all over the white trunk.

DANGER: TIGER AHEAD! CROSS THE RIDGE IN GROUPS AT NOON! DO NOT BE RUINED BY YOUR OWN CLEVERNESS.

'This is what the landlord said, to frighten passers-by into staying in his inn,' Wu Song chuckled. 'But nothing can frighten me.'

He walked on with his stick. The sun was low in the west. Several minutes later, a battered temple came into view. On the wall was a public notice issued by the county government. There was a big tiger near the ridge, indeed.

For a moment, Wu Song thought about turning back to the inn. But if he did, the landlord would laugh at him without doubt. So he gave up the idea.

'Go on with you! Let me see what will happen.'

The wine began to show its effect. He felt hot, took off his hat, put the stick under his armpit, stamped onto the ridge, from which he looked in the west. The sun had disappeared completely. Night had fallen.

‘Where is the ruddy tiger? Passers-by are cowards. They don't dare to pass the Ridge alone!' he thought.

There was a huge rock by the roadside. He felt sleepy, put the stick aside, lay back on the rock, stretched himself and was about to go to sleep when a violent gust of wind howled. Not until the wind ceased did he realise what had happened—

Jumping out of the forest was an enormous tiger!

Screaming out in terror, Wu Song quickly slid down,  reached for his stick, dodged beside the rock.

The hungry and thirsty tiger crouched on its two front paws and jumped high into the air, springing on him.

Astonished by the scene, Wu Song was sweating as if all the wine had seeped from his body.

He dodged, avoiding it by an inch, and hid behind the tiger. The tiger couldn't see him, so it stood on its two front legs, kicked him with his hind ones.

Wu Song dodged again. The tiger roared and the forest seemed to be trembling. It swished him with its thick tail. Wu Song dodged aside yet again.

All the tiger could do was spring, kick and swish when it attacked people. It became a bit dejected when these three maneuvers didn't prove effective. It began to repeat them one by one.

When it whirled around, Wu Song swung at the tiger with his stick, exerting all his strength.

A bang came from overhead. It turned out that he hit a branch instead of the tiger. The stick broke in two, leaves falling down like a shower.

The tiger sprang on him again. Wu Song chucked down the remains of the stick, jumped ten paces backwards and the tiger threw itself just in front of him. Wu Song caught hold of its scalp and pushed its head down. The tiger struggled to free itself but Wu Song didn't let it go. He kicked it fiercely in the face and eyes. The tiger roared and pawed the ground so that it dug a pit. Wu Song put its head into the pit and, pressing its head with his left hand, punched it desperately with his right fist about fifty to seventy times.

Blood was trickling down the tiger's mouth, nose and ears. It lay flat and puffed loudly. He picked up the half of his stick and swung at the tiger lots of times in case it didn't die. The tiger lay motionless. It didn't move any more.

Wu Song thought he should carry the tiger down the ridge. But when he tried to lift it, he found he couldn't. He was tired out.

（原创作品，保护版权）

克罗夫特

大海的小海

看不懂翻译一下呗，我中国话都没学好，洋文更看不懂

王敬涛

一条搁浅的鱼 发表于 2020-5-29 10:53
看不懂翻译一下呗，我中国话都没学好，洋文更看不懂

翻译请见施耐庵《水浒传》。

漫无目的321

要是现在，武松被老虎吃了活该，把老虎打死了直接判刑

漫无目的321

要是现在，武松被老虎吃了活该，把老虎打死了直接判刑