《红鞋》，1845 年
the Red Shoes, 1845
---
《红鞋》是儿童文学经典中最令人不安的故事之一，人们从多种角度解读过这个故事，但总是会关注到被砍下来还在独自跳舞的双脚的恐怖之处。
\"the Red shoes\" is one of the most disturbing tales in the literary canon of childhood, and it has been read in multiple ways, but always with attention to the horrors of the chopped - off feet that dance on their own.
如今，安徒生故事中的卡伦的舞蹈，与其被解读为一种傲慢无礼的行为，不如说是一种创造力的表现。
today, Karen’s dance in Andersen’s tale is read less as an act of insolent arrogance than as an expression of creativity.
对许多女权主义作家和评论家来说，这个故事已成为一种寓言，寓意着那些更倾向于创造性实现而非遵循传统社会角色的人所面临的暴力威胁。
the tale has bee for many feminist writers and critics an allegory of the violence threatening those who prefer creative fulfillment to pliance with conventional social roles.
安妮?塞克斯顿的诗作《红鞋》表达了对穿红鞋的舞者因违抗社会规范、表示不顺从而走向自杀的担忧：
Anne Sexton’s poem \"the Red Shoes\" expresses anxiety about how dancers in red shoes turn suicidal because they defy social norms and signal insubordination:
“她们的所作所为会毁了她们自己。”
\"what they did would do them in\".
玛格丽特?阿特伍德小说《女占卜者》中的作家捕捉到了将艺术成就与个人满足相结合的不可能性，并借助安徒生的故事来呈现女性所面临的困境：
the writer in margaret Atwood’s novel Lady oracle captures the impossibility of bining artistic acplishment with personal fulfillment and relies on Andersen’s tale to capture the dilemma facing women:
真正的红鞋，双脚因跳舞而受罚。
the real red shoes, the feet punished for dancing.
你可以跳舞，或者你可以拥有一个好男人的爱。
You could dance, or you could have the love of a good man.
但你害怕跳舞，因为你有一种莫名的恐惧，如果你跳舞，他们就会砍掉你的双脚，这样你就不能跳舞了……
but you were afraid to dance, because you had this unnatural fear that if you danced they’d cut your feet off so you wouldn’t be able to dance...
最后你克服了恐惧开始跳舞，然后他们砍掉了你的双脚。
Finally you overcame your fear and danced, and they cut your feet off.
那个好男人也离开了，因为你想要跳舞。
the good man went away too, because you wanted to dance.
红鞋的故事在欧洲口头叙事文化中广为人知，在那里它也被称为 “魔鬼的舞鞋” 和 “魔鬼的炽热之鞋”。
the tale of the red shoes is known to European oral storytelling cultures, where it also goes by the names “the devil’s dancing Shoes” and “the Red - hot Shoes of the devil.”
克拉丽莎?平可拉?埃斯蒂斯（clarissa pinkola Estés）在《与狼共舞的女人》（women who Run with the wolves）中收录了她所谓的 “匈牙利 - 日耳曼” 版本。
clarissa pinkola Estés includes what she calls a “magyar - Germanic” version in women who Run with the wolves.
在那个版本里，红鞋在森林中跳舞，消失不见，而女孩成了跛子，“再也不想拥有红鞋了”。
there, the red shoes dance through the forest out of sight, and the girl remains a cripple, who “never, ever again wished for red shoes.”
---
从前有一个小女孩，长得非常漂亮、娇弱，但夏天她不得不光着脚跑来跑去，因为她太穷了；冬天她穿着很大的木鞋，这让她的小脚背变得通红，看起来很危险！
there was once a little girl who was very pretty and delicate, but in summer she was forced to run about with bare feet, she was so poor, and in winter wear very large wooden shoes, which made her little insteps quite red, and that looked so dangerous!
村子中间住着一位老鞋匠娘子；她坐在那里，尽她所能用旧的红布条缝出了一双小鞋；这双鞋很笨拙，但这是一番好意。
In the middle of the village lived old dame Shoemaker; she sat and sewed together, as well as she could, a little pair of shoes out of old red strips of cloth; they were very clumsy, but it was a kind thought.
这双鞋是给小女孩的。
they were meant for the little girl.
小女孩名叫卡伦。
the little girl was called Karen.
就在她母亲下葬的那天，卡伦收到了红鞋，并第一次穿上了它们。
on the very day her mother was buried, Karen received the red shoes, and wore them for the first time.
这双鞋肯定不是用于丧服搭配的，但她没有别的鞋子了，于是她光着脚穿着这双鞋跟在简陋的草编棺材后面。
they were certainly not intended for mourning, but she had no others, and with stockingless feet she followed the poor straw coffin in them.
突然，一辆又大又旧的马车驶过来，里面坐着一位又大又老的女士：她看着小女孩，对她产生了怜悯之情，然后对牧师说：
Suddenly a large old carriage drove up, and a large old lady sat in it:she looked at the little girl, felt passion for her, and then said to the clergyman:
“来，把这个小女孩给我。我要收养她！”
“here, give me the little girl. I will adopt her!”
卡伦认为这一切都是因为红鞋，但老妇人觉得这双鞋很可怕，就把它们烧掉了。
And Karen believed all this happened on account of the red shoes, but the old lady thought they were horrible, and they were burnt.
但卡伦自己穿得干净又漂亮；她必须学习读书和缝纫；人们都说她是个可爱的小东西，但镜子却说：“你可不只是可爱，你是美丽！”
but Karen herself was cleanly and nicely dressed; she must learn to read and sew; and people said she was a nice little thing, but the looking - glass said: “thou art more than nice, thou art beautiful!”
有一次女王在全国巡游，带着她的小女儿同行。
Now the queen once travelled through the land, and she had her little daughter with her.
这个小女儿是一位公主，人们涌向城堡，卡伦也在那里，小公主穿着漂亮的白色连衣裙站在窗前，任由人们注视；
And this little daughter was a princess, and people streamed to the castle, and Karen was there also, and the little princess stood in her fine white dress, in a window, and let herself be stared at;
她既没有拖尾长裙也没有金王冠，但有一双华丽的红色摩洛哥皮鞋。
she had neither a train nor a golden crown, but splendid red morocco shoes.
这双鞋肯定比鞋匠娘子为小卡伦做的鞋漂亮得多。
they were certainly far handsomer than those dame Shoemaker had made for little Karen.
世上没有什么能与红鞋相比。
Nothing in the world can be pared with red shoes.
现在卡伦到了受坚信礼的年龄；她有了新衣服，也将有新鞋子。
Now Karen was old enough to be confirmed; she had new clothes and was to have new shoes also.
城里的富鞋匠量了她的小脚。
the rich shoemaker in the city took the measure of her little foot.
这是在他家里，他的房间里进行的；房间里立着大玻璃柜，里面摆满了精美的鞋子和漂亮的靴子。
this took place at his house, in his room; where stood large glass - cases, filled with elegant shoes and brilliant boots.
这一切看起来很迷人，但老妇人视力不好，所以对这些不感兴趣。
All this looked charming, but the old lady could not see well, and so had no pleasure in them.
在这些鞋子中间有一双红鞋，就跟公主穿的那双一样。
In the midst of the shoes stood a pair of red ones, just like those the princess had worn.
它们多么漂亮啊！鞋匠还说这双鞋是为一位伯爵的孩子做的，但不合脚。
how beautiful they were! the shoemaker said also they had been made for the child of a count, but had not fitted.
“那一定是漆皮的！” 老妇人说。
“that must be patent leather!” said the old lady.
“它们好亮啊！”
“they shine so!”
“是的，它们很亮！” 卡伦说，鞋子很合脚，于是就买下来了，但老妇人不知道鞋子是红色的，否则她绝不会让卡伦穿着红鞋去参加坚信礼的。
“Yes, they shine!” said Karen, and they fitted, and were bought, but the old lady knew nothing about their being red, else she would never have allowed Karen to have gone in red shoes to be confirmed.
然而事实就是如此。
Yet such was the case.
每个人都看着她的脚；当她穿过教堂圣坛的门，走在教堂的石板地上时，在她看来，墓碑上那些古老的雕像，那些戴着硬领、穿着黑色长袍的老牧师和牧师夫人的画像，都在盯着她的红鞋看。
Everybody looked at her feet; and when she stepped through the chancel door on the church pavement, it seemed to her as if the old figures on the tombs, those portraits of old preachers and preachers’ wives, with stiff ruffs, and long black dresses, fixed their eyes on her red shoes.
当牧师把手放在她头上，谈到神圣的洗礼、与上帝的契约以及她现在应该成为一名成熟的基督徒时，她心里只想着那双红鞋；
And she thought only of them as the clergyman laid his hand upon her head, and spoke of the holy baptism, of the covenant with God, and how she should be now a matured christian;
风琴庄严地奏响；甜美的孩子们在唱歌，老音乐指挥们也在唱歌，但卡伦只想着她的红鞋。
and the organ pealed so solemnly; the sweet children’s voices sang, and the old music - directors sang, but Karen only thought of her red shoes.
下午，老妇人从每个人那里听说鞋子是红色的，她说卡伦这样做非常错误，这一点也不合适，以后即使卡伦长大了，去教堂也只能穿黑鞋。
In the afternoon, the old lady heard from everyone that the shoes had been red, and she said that it was very wrong of Karen, that it was not at all being, and that in future Karen should only go in black shoes to church, even when she should be older.
下一个星期天要举行圣餐仪式，卡伦看了看黑鞋，又看了看红鞋 —— 又看了看红鞋，然后穿上了红鞋。
the next Sunday there was the sacrament, and Karen looked at the black shoes, looked at the red ones — looked at them again, and put on the red shoes.
阳光灿烂地照耀着；卡伦和老妇人沿着小路穿过麦田；那里灰尘很大。
the sun shone gloriously; Karen and the old lady walked along the path through the corn; it was rather dusty there.
教堂门口站着一个拄着拐杖的老士兵，他留着长长的胡子，红的比白的多，他向地面鞠躬，问老妇人他是否可以给她擦擦鞋。
At the church door stood an old soldier with a crutch, and with a wonderfully long beard, which was more red than white, and he bowed to the ground, and asked the old lady whether he might dust her shoes.
卡伦伸出了她的小脚。
And Karen stretched out her little foot.
“看，多漂亮的舞鞋啊！” 士兵说。
“See, what beautiful dancing shoes!” said the soldier.
“跳舞的时候坐稳点”；他把手伸向鞋底。
“Sit firm when you dance”; and he put his hand out towards the soles.
老妇人给了老士兵一些施舍，然后和卡伦一起走进教堂。
And the old lady gave the old soldier alms, and went into the church with Karen.
教堂里所有的人都看着卡伦的红鞋，还有所有的画像，当卡伦跪在圣坛前，把圣杯举到唇边时，她只想着红鞋，红鞋似乎在圣杯里游动；
And all the people in the church looked at Karen’s red shoes, and all the pictures, and as Karen knelt before the altar, and raised the cup to her lips, she only thought of the red shoes, and they seemed to swim in it;
她忘了唱赞美诗，也忘了祈祷 “我们在天上的父！”
and she forgot to sing her psalm, and she forgot to pray, “our Father in heaven!”
现在所有人都走出了教堂，老妇人上了她的马车。
Now all the people went out of church, and the old lady got into her carriage.
卡伦抬起脚要上车，这时老士兵说：“看，多漂亮的舞鞋啊！”
Karen raised her foot to get in after her, when the old soldier said, “Look, what beautiful dancing shoes!”
卡伦忍不住跳了一两步，而当她开始跳起来后，她的脚就不停地跳；就好像鞋子控制了她的脚一样。
And Karen could not help dancing a step or two, and when she began her feet continued to dance; it was just as though the shoes had power over them.
她绕着教堂的墙角跳舞，停不下来；车夫不得不追上去抓住她，然后把她抱进马车，但她的脚还在不停地跳，以至于她狠狠地踩在了老妇人身上。
She danced round the church corner, she could not leave off; the coachman was obliged to run after and catch hold of her, and he lifted her in the carriage, but her feet continued to dance so that she trod on the old lady dreadfully.
最后她把鞋子脱了下来，然后她的腿才安静下来。
At length she took the shoes off, and then her legs had peace.
鞋子被放在家里的一个壁橱里，但卡伦忍不住要看它们。
the shoes were placed in a closet at home, but Karen could not avoid looking at them.
现在老妇人病了，据说她无法康复了。
Now the old lady was sick, and it was said she could not recover.
必须有人照顾她、伺候她，而没有人比卡伦更有责任这样做了。
She must be nursed and waited upon, and there was no one whose duty it was so much as Karen’s.
但城里有一个盛大的舞会，卡伦受到了邀请。
but there was a great ball in the city, to which Karen was invited.
她看着无法康复的老妇人，又看了看红鞋，她觉得这样做没什么罪过；
She looked at the old lady, who could not recover, she looked at the red shoes, and she thought there could be no sin in it;
她穿上了红鞋，她觉得自己也可以这么做。
she put on the red shoes, she might do that also, she thought.
但随后她去参加了舞会并开始跳舞。
but then she went to the ball and began to dance.
当她想向右跳时，鞋子却向左跳，当她想在房间里向上跳时，鞋子却又向后跳，跳下台阶，来到街上，出了城门。
when she wanted to dance to the right, the shoes would dance to the left, and when she wanted to dance up the room, the shoes danced back again, down the steps, into the street, and out of the city gate.
她跳着舞，被迫径直跳进了阴暗的树林里。
She danced, and was forced to dance straight out into the gloomy wood.
这时树林里突然亮了起来，她以为一定是月亮，因为有一张脸；但那是长着红胡子的老士兵；他坐在那里，点着头说：“看，多漂亮的舞鞋啊！”
then it was suddenly light up among the trees, and she fancied it must be the moon, for there was a face; but it was the old soldier with the red beard; he sat there, nodded his head, and said, “Look, what beautiful dancing shoes!”
然后她害怕了，想甩掉红鞋，但它们紧紧地粘在脚上；她拉下袜子，但鞋子似乎已经长在她的脚上了。
then she was terrified, and wanted to fling off the red shoes, but they clung fast; and she pulled down her stockings, but the shoes seemed to have grown to her feet.
她跳着舞，而且必须跳，穿过田野和草地，无论晴雨，无论日夜；但在夜晚是最可怕的。
And she danced, and must dance, over fields and meadows, in rain and sunshine, by night and day; but at night it was the most fearful.
她在教堂墓地上跳舞，但死人不跳舞 —— 他们有比跳舞更好的事情要做。
She danced over the churchyard, but the dead did not dance — they had something better to do than to dance.
她想坐在一个穷人的坟墓上，那里长着苦涩的艾菊；但对她来说，既没有安宁也没有休息；当她朝着敞开的教堂大门跳舞时，她看到一个天使站在那里。
She wished to seat herself on a poor man’s grave, where the bitter tansy grew grew; but for her there was neither peace nor rest; and when she danced towards the open church door, she saw an angel standing there.
他穿着长长的白色长袍；他的翅膀从肩膀一直垂到地面；他面容严肃庄重；他手里拿着一把宽阔而闪亮的剑。
he wore long, white garments; he had wings which reached from his shoulders to the earth; his countenance was severe and grave; and in his hand he held a sword, broad and glittering.
“你得跳舞！” 他说。
“dance shalt thou!” said he.
“穿着你的红鞋跳舞，直到你变得苍白冰冷！直到你的皮肤皱缩，变成一具骷髅！你要挨家挨户地跳舞，在那些骄傲、虚荣的孩子居住的地方，你要敲门，好让他们听到你的声音而颤抖！你得跳舞 ——！”
“dance in thy red shoes till thou art pale and cold! till thy skin shrivels up and thou art a skeleton! dance shalt thou from door to door, and where proud, vain children dwell, thou shalt knock, that they may hear thee and tremble! dance shalt thou —!”
“怜悯我吧！” 卡伦喊道。
“mercy!” cried Karen.
但她没有听到天使的回答，因为鞋子带着她穿过大门，来到田野里，跨过道路和桥梁，她必须不停地跳舞。
but she did not hear the angel’s reply, for the shoes carried her through the gate into the fields, across roads and bridges, and she must keep ever dancing.
一天早晨，她跳舞经过一扇她非常熟悉的门。
one morning she danced past a door which she well knew.
里面传来赞美诗的歌声；一口装饰着鲜花的棺材被抬了出来。
within sounded a psalm; a coffin, decked with flowers, was borne forth.
这时她知道老妇人已经去世了，她感到自己被所有人抛弃了，被上帝的天使谴责了。
then she knew that the old lady was dead, and felt that she was abandoned by all, and condemned by the angel of God.
她跳着舞，被迫在阴暗的夜晚跳舞。
She danced, and she was forced to dance through the gloomy night.
鞋子带着她越过草堆和石头；她被划破直到流血；她在荒野上跳舞，直到来到一座小房子前。
the shoes carried her over stack and stone; she was torn till she bled; she danced over the heath till she came to a little house.
她知道，这里住着刽子手；她用手指轻敲窗户，说道：“出来！出来！我进不去，因为我被迫跳舞！”
here, she knew, dwelt the executioner; and she tapped with her fingers at the window, and said, “e out! e out! I cannot e in, for I am forced to dance!”
刽子手说：“我想，你不知道我是谁吧？”
And the executioner said, “thou dost not know who I am, I fancy?
我砍掉坏人的脑袋；而且我听说我的斧头会发出响声！”
I strike bad people’s heads off; and I hear that my axe rings!”
“别砍掉我的脑袋！” 卡伦说。
“don’t strike my head off!” said Karen.
“那样我就不能忏悔我的罪过了！但是砍掉我穿着红鞋的双脚吧！”
“then I can’t repent of my sins! but strike off my feet in the red shoes!”
然后她坦白了自己所有的罪过，刽子手砍掉了她穿着红鞋的双脚，但鞋子带着双脚跳过田野，跳进了树林深处。
And then she confessed her entire sin, and the executioner struck off her feet with the red shoes, but the shoes danced away with the little feet across the field into the deep wood.
他给她做了一双小木头脚，还有拐杖，教她罪犯们常唱的赞美诗；她亲吻了那只挥斧的手，然后走过荒野。
And he carved out little wooden feet for her, and crutches, taught her the psalm criminals always sing; and she kissed the hand which had wielded the axe, and went over the heath.
“现在我为红鞋受的苦已经够多了！” 她说。
“Now I have suffered enough for the red shoes!” said she.
“现在我要去教堂，这样人们就能看到我了！” 她急忙朝教堂门口走去：但当她走近时，红鞋在她面前跳舞，她吓坏了，转身就走。
“Now I will go into the church that people may see me!” And she hastened towards the church door: but when she was near it, the red shoes danced before her, and she was terrified, and turned round.
整个星期她都很不开心，流下了许多苦涩的泪水；但当星期天到来时，她说：“好了，现在我已经受够了苦，挣扎够了！我真的相信我和许多坐在教堂里、高高昂着头的人一样好！”
the whole week she was unhappy, and wept many bitter tears; but when Sunday returned, she said, “well, now I have suffered and struggled enough! I really believe I am as good as many a one who sits in the church, and holds her head so high!”
然后她大胆地走了出去；但她还没走到教堂墓地的大门，就看到红鞋在她面前跳舞；她吓坏了，转身往回走，从心底忏悔自己的罪过。
And away she went boldly; but she had not got farther than the churchyard gate before she saw the red shoes dancing before her; and she was frightened, and turned back, and repented of her sin from her heart.
她去了牧师住宅，请求他们收留她做佣人；她说，她会非常勤劳，会尽自己所能做任何事；她不在乎工钱，只希望有个家，和善良的人在一起。
And she went to the parsonage, and begged that they would take her into service; she would be very industrious, she said, and would do everything she could; she did not care about the wages, only she wished to have a home, and be with good people.
牧师的妻子很同情她，就收留她做佣人；她很勤劳，也很体贴人。
And the clergyman’s wife was sorry for her and took her into service; and she was industrious and thoughtful.
晚上牧师读《圣经》的时候，她静静地坐着听。
She sat still and listened when the clergyman read the bible in the evenings.
所有的孩子都很敬重她；但当他们谈到服饰、华丽和美丽时，她摇了摇头。
All the children thought a great deal of her; but when they spoke of dress, and grandeur, and beauty, she shook her head.
接下来的那个星期天，全家人要去教堂的时候，他们问她是否愿意和他们一起去；
the following Sunday, when the family was going to church, they asked her whether she would not go with them;
但她悲伤地瞥了一眼自己的拐杖，眼里含着泪水。
but she glanced sorrowfully, with tears in her eyes, at her crutches.
家人去听上帝的教诲了；但她独自走进自己的小房间；房间里只够放一张床和一把椅子；她拿着祈祷书坐了下来；当她怀着虔诚的心阅读时，风把风琴的旋律吹向她，她抬起满是泪水的脸，说道：“哦，上帝，帮帮我！”
the family went to hear the word of God; but she went alone into her little chamber; there was only room for a bed and chair to stand in it; and here she sat down with her prayer - book; and whilst she read with a pious mind, the wind bore the strains of the organ towards her, and she raised her tearful countenance, and said, “o God, help me!”
阳光明媚地照耀着，上帝的天使穿着白色长袍笔直地站在她面前，就是她那晚在教堂门口见到的那个天使；但他不再拿着锋利的剑，取而代之的是一根华丽的绿枝，上面开满了玫瑰。
And the sun shone so clearly, and straight before her stood the angel of God in white garments, the same she had seen that night at the church door; but he no longer carried the sharp sword, but in its stead a splendid green spray, full of roses.
他用绿枝触碰天花板，天花板升得很高，他触碰过的地方闪烁着一颗金色的星星。
And he touched the ceiling with the spray, and the ceiling rose so high, and where he had touched it there gleamed a golden star.
他触碰墙壁，墙壁向外扩宽，她看到了正在演奏的风琴；她看到了牧师和牧师夫人的旧画像。
And he touched the walls, and they widened out, and she saw the organ which was playing; she saw the old pictures of the preachers and the preachers’ wives.
会众坐在有坐垫的座位上，照着祈祷书唱歌。
the congregation sat in cushioned seats, and sang out of their prayer - books.
因为教堂自己来到了这个可怜女孩狭窄的房间里，或者说她来到了教堂里。
For the church itself had e to the poor girl in her narrow chamber, or else she had e into the church.
她和牧师一家坐在长椅上，当他们唱完赞美诗抬起头时，他们点头说道：“你来是对的！”
She sat in the pew with the clergyman’s family, and when they had ended the psalm and looked up, they nodded and said, “It is right that thou art e!”
“这是出于慈悲！” 她说。
“It was through mercy!” she said.
风琴奏响，唱诗班孩子们的声音听起来是如此甜美柔和！明亮的阳光如此温暖地透过窗户照在卡伦所坐的长椅上！她的心中充满了阳光、安宁和喜悦，以至于心都要碎了。
And the organ pealed, and the children’s voices in the choir sounded so sweet and soft! the clear sunshine streamed so warmly through the window into the pew where Karen sat! her heart was so full of sunshine, peace, and joy, that it broke.
她的灵魂乘着阳光飞向上帝，在那里没有人再问起那双红鞋。
her soul flew on the sunshine to God, and there no one asked after the REd ShoES.