你的名字是我的骄傲~
——Y.I.X.I.N.G.
【蛋白】EL DORADO · 黄金国英译
👏👏👏👏👏小小宝宝全世界最最厉害！😉😊
和 @茶蛋之盐 一起搞大事！这两天把《黄金国》翻译成英文啦~
几处备注说一下：
1. 英文版里老张没有名字，只是一个有酒窝的「旅行者」（the dimpled Traveller）
2. 鹅老板变成了天鹅老板（The Swan Master, 因为天鹅更酷），中文版中他养的一只鹅变成了一群鹅
3. 倩倩猫的角色名叫 Flovios，拉丁文，意思是河水河流，象征水元素
4. 小奶包世勋的角色名叫 Ciel，法文，意思是天空（也是我个人最喜欢的名字之一_(:з」∠)_），象征空气元素
5. 泪河的译名为 Dolorosa，拉丁文中痛苦 Dolor 一词的现在进行时，泪河/Dolorosa Water 在这里也有「悲痛的河水」的意思。泪河孪生子则是 Filia Dolorosa, Dolorosa 的儿子
6. 译文中还有一些不影响情节的小改动
7. 所有的拼写语法结构都是英式英语
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El Dorado
Sal Planetarum
Translated by Sommar Cellach
I.
According to ancient tales, when sun set behind the dunes, and the endless desert tinted in gold, behold it was the city of gold, the celestial kingdom of El Dorado.
El Dorado was home to the Creator. One would find all the desired in there.
The summit of the city was a volcanic lake. The crystal clear and diamond bright water was home to a titanic fish. At sundown the fish returned, rest its weary head on the rock, and sung itself an ancient lullaby. The deep and low voices were all woven in golden aurora by passing winds, all across the vast sky. According to the tale, the mountain and the fish each held half the soul of the Creator, which split upon the creation of the miraculous El Dorado.
Arabae was a little deity, the guardian of El Dorado. In spring he helped in the vineyard, and took shade on the bank of Dolorosa Water from the hot summer shines. In autumn he made the most of the harvest season, and cuddled himself to a long slumber away from the wintry bleak. He roamed the roads and meadows, gaily singing the fish’s lullaby, and when tired, he climbed up the fort, and watched the twilit sky.
The embroidery on his garment marked his divine deal with the Creator: he was to guard El Dorado for eternity.
II.
One day, a Traveller arrived in El Dorado.
Covered in dust and sand, his cloak hid his weary face, only showing a pair of dark eyes.
The long journey from the Far East had washed away his identity and his name.
The residents of El Dorado welcomed him warmly and offered him shelters, especially Arabae, who was overjoyed by an outlander’s very occasional presence. Traveller politely appreciated the kindness and generosity of many and settled in Arabae’s chamber. But never once, did he promised to stay.
Arabae tirelessly told him everything of his Kingdom, from the splendid golden capes woven by Flovios the Cat, the deity who dwelled on the foreshore of Dolorosa Water; to Theo’s swan flock, herded by the Master in the meadows. The Traveller smiled upon every word. Amidst his fine, dimpled features, his dark eyes curved.
The Traveller undid his hood, showing Arabae his pale face. He said, he left the distant eastern land, from the sunrise, to search for the Utopia.
‘What is Utopia?’ Arabae asked, holding his face and blinking his eyes.
It is a place where every dream would come true, answered the Traveller.
Arabae saw the most beautiful expression that could ever be on a human face, as it was radiated by uttering this very word - finding the Utopia must be the traveller’s most fervent passion, he thought.
Arabae solemnly told the Traveller: in El Dorado, everything a heart desired could be found. Then he grinned at the Traveller and opened his mouth. Within that mouth there was an endless space, stretching, deep and far. The Traveller watched the green laden land and the starry sky rotating in his mouth with astonishment.
‘What did you see?’ Asked a beaming Arabae.
‘I saw the entire universe,’ the Traveller smiled.
III.
One day the Traveller encountered Theo the Swan Master while roaming the streets.
Theo was an thoughtful and introvert young man with wide eyes. He guarded the knowledge and wisdom in the domed library, meanwhile he herded a flock of swans, thus was also known as the Swan Master. He lived on his own, took pleasure with his swans and in his books.
When the Traveller encountered the Swan Master, he was busy feeding one of his newborn cygnets. The Traveller approached and asked whether the little fella had a name.
The Swan Master stopped and responded with a profound gaze.
‘You are the first person asking about naming a cygnet.’
The Traveller did not respond. Theo gave him another long gaze, and returned to his business. ‘Swans are swans, a name is one too many,’ he murmured.
As the Traveller was about to leave after this rather awkward encounter, the Swan Master stood up.
‘I am intrigued by your curiosity,’ he said, ‘thus I must reward you with something.’
He followed the Master into the library. Pressing down the urge to sneeze, he realised the library was literally a temple. A spiral staircase, loaded with books, winded and whirled towards the dome, far above the ground. Sun rays penetrated the still and dusty atmosphere, as if it was a mist of gold.
The Swan Master gently wiped the dust off a leather bound book with his sleeve, as the Traveller looked up keenly along the staircase, but struggled to see the end.
The Swan Master pointed at the dome: ‘Please walk up the staircase as far as you wish, whichever book you pick from the shelf, all the books underneath you, as to say, all the knowledge and wisdom within them, will be my humble gift.’
The Traveller nodded and set off to the staircase.
IV.
Arabae lost the Traveller. He left home for very long and never came back.
The Swan Master stood at the entrance of the library and told Arabae that he knew where the Traveller was, but could only let him in if Arabae solved his riddle.
So the Master asked: what did the Creator love?
Arabae answered spontaneously: the Creator loved Light, without thinking twice.
The Swan Master shrugged: ‘I cannot see that wrong,’ and let Arabae into the library.
Arabae found the Traveller lying unconscious on the stairs, still facing up. Bruises, due to the fall, stained his pale skin.
He did not take any book off the shelf, in spite of the enormous height he had reached, and beneath him the amount of books are countless.
Arabae nursed him for days, gently anointed every unhealed wound with aromatic ointment.
As he undressed the Traveller, Arabae startled before his body, which was covered in countless bruises and scars, big and small, old and new. Sadly he caressed the slumbering Traveller, struggled imagine how perilous the journey had been, for the Traveller had taken to reach El Dorado.
When the Traveller woke, Arabae gazed him fondly and asked, why would you not stop? Theo the Swan Master was the guardian of knowledge and wisdom, thus there was no end of that library, and no one could reach the last step and touch the dome vaulting, no one.
The Traveller responded with a melancholic look and lowered his head.
For Arabae could never know, what Theo’s gift truly meant to an earthly being like the Traveller.
The Traveller remembered firmly the sweet joy of enlightenment, however it was tightly followed by chilling fear, as the vast unknown unfolded before him.
The fear urged him to walk higher, higher, and even higher. He never thought of stopping at any point on that spiral staircase, as he was determined to reach the highest and the furthest step.
He craved wisdom.
V.
At the beginning of time, between sky and earth the Creator stood alone. In solitude He created His lover, using the most beautiful, most sublime part of His very soul. However then His lover drifted away, no longer belonged to him, causing so much grief, that His soul split in halves - one became the fervent but motionless volcano, the other became the gentle but forever roaming fish.
All the grief and sorrow of the Creator concentrated in the Dolorosa Water. At the foot of the volcano the river took form of a ring. Thus the silent current was forever trapped in that everlasting circle.
Whatever touched the grieving billow of Dolorosa, even stars, would sink. As the eventide fell, countless stars shimmered like tears - indeed according to the tales, it was the Creator’s silent lamentation.
Flovios the Cat was a guardian on Dolorosa. Bound to the shore, he tirelessly seamedwith golden aurora threads, picked from the volcano top, on his weaving wheel. He had been there forever, and his beautiful capes formed and dissembled twilights after twilights.
Arabae and the Traveller arrived Dolorosa at sundown. Under the twilit sky the water was already shimmering with starlights. Above their heads the titanic fish drifted across the lush canopies, singing the deep and low lullaby.
Flovios rose his tail as greetings. His slanted brows and up-curving lips formed a gentle yet apologetic smile. His paws elegantly swept upon the weaving wheel, the golden aurora threads gradually took forms of a cape.
Arabae and the Traveller stood aside and observed with great interest. When there were only a few finishing stitches to be done, Flovios stopped suddenly. His brows rose as he gazed at the wheel and sighed.
‘The thread has run out. What a shame.’
VI.
Arabae tilted his head - the thread had run out?
Flovios lifted the delicate garment carefully with his paws - it was a splendid golden cape, upon which golden thread embroidered intricate ornaments. The Traveller could see the bottom of the cape was loose, needing a few stitches to close.
‘We just need one more thread,’ Flovios meowed, scratching his ears.
The night had fallen. The sun sunk completely under the horizon, taking away the final glimmer upon Dolorosa. The stars were shining as brightly as ever.
‘It looks as good as finished,’ asked Arabae, fiddling the tassel on his headdress, ‘do you absolutely need that final thread?’
‘I am so sorry,’ answered Flovios, ‘I am afraid I do. Without the final thread, the cape would be no use.
‘Look, every sundown the fish, who possessed half the Creator’s soul, sings that evensong. His song has been woven into golden threads by passing winds. If one ever puts on the cape woven by those threads, one could reach wherever the evensong is heard.’
‘Where would you go in your golden cape then?’ Arabae could barely contain his curiosity.
Flovios smiled as his thin pupils widened. He touched the water by the tail, the bells, which were fastened to his tail, brightly jingled. The soft billow hardened as if it froze. Stars twinkled to the bell music, then the projection of a young boy’s fair face appeared.
He rested peacefully, like a slumbering angel, long lashes laid under his crescent eyes. Gently Flovios approached that dainty face with his tail, but it could only touch the water surface, as if some unseen but firm obstacle stopped him.
Curiously Arabae touched the water but the chilly liquid made him shiver. Also the boy’s projection shattered and disappeared with creased ripples.
The Traveller pulled him towards the dry land: ‘That is merely a shadow from the riverbed, you won’t be able to touch it.’
Flovios sighed, his tail still swept upon the river surface: ‘This is Ciel, my little brother. I love him to bits - his fair face, his soft voice. One day he fell into Dolorosa and never came up. My Ciel must have been cold and lonely, I wish to bring him home.
‘But I am to guard the water by the Creator’s order, so I have to seam this cape, once it is finished I will travel with it, to reach him and find him.’
Arabae bent to observe the boy, whose projection reformed as the water calmed. The water lovingly caressed his blonde hair, and countless stars illuminated his beautiful sleeping features.
‘Perhaps he is not that lonely,’ said Arabae to Flovios, ‘see, he has so many stars for company.’
The Traveller ruffled Arabae’s hair.
The night darkened, starlight from underwater glazed the world with shimmering silver, every face seemed to be gleaming. The Traveller looked across Dolorosa, at the volcano, which stood in solitude against the nocturnal sky, with its distance imperceivable and its silhouette unclear.
‘If you really want a golden thread, I should be able to pick you one,’ said the Traveller suddenly to Flovios, ‘however, once you finish with the cape, you would give it to me.’
‘That is a delightful deal,’ Flovios’ somber features broke into a smile, his whiskers shook with glee, ‘I accept your condition.’
‘Alright then,’ said the Traveller, ‘please take me over the water, so I could provide you with the golden thread you need.’
‘So you wish to cross the Dolorosa water, that is unfortunate,’ said Flovios, his smile became apologetic, ‘I have solemnly sworn to the Creator, that every passenger had to submit a golden thread as the fare.’
Arabae startled. ‘But the golden thread can only be found at the volcano, how can we get you one without crossing the water?’
Flovios’s smile was not disturbed: ‘Give me a thread, thus could I take you over the water.’
Frustrated, Arabae tried to debate with him. But whatever he said, Flovios’ response was always the same.
Give me a thread, thus could I take you over the water.
From the volcano, the golden aurora threads drifted freely into the further sky. The fish leaned his weary head on the rock. The sky overhead was pitch black, and stars blazed underneath their feet. The argument between Arabae and Flovios was still unresolved.
Silently the Traveller fastened his hood, the broad brim casted a large shadow upon his face, only showing his chin. His pupils darkened, they were darker than the night. All of a sudden a tide of exhaustion washed him, just like how he felt when he fainted on the Swan Master’s library staircase.
VII.
Dazzling sunlight. Exhausted limbs. Crossed pathways. Throbbing pain.
The wind rose, the bells chimed. A match was ignited, and sweats dropped from his lashes.
And a distant, yet gaily laughter.
Bubbles came out of murky hot-spring water, as the Traveller suddenly lifted his head and breathed heavily. Water dripped from his dark hair, streaming down his damp skin.
He closed his eyes wearily and leaned towards the shore. His pale face seemed somehow semi-transparent among clusters of steam.
He had already stayed for some whiles in El Dorado, but still having flashback about the perilous journey which led him here.
He exhaled and tried to calm himself.
He had traveled far, far to come here, as himself could barely believe. Every step he had taken was carved into his very soul, so painful that he dared not to recall.
Then he arrived in El Dorado, met Arabae, for one moment he thought he would stay.
On the way back from Dolorosa, Arabae tried to comfort him: ‘Don’t be too disappointed about that cape. Although once in that garment you will immediately be lifted in the air, but flying for too long will exhaust you anyways.’
At that moment, a gentle kiss fell on his cheek. The Arabae was still standing tip-toe, gazed at him with his flawless eyes.
As Arabae confessed how he pitied him for the journey he had taken, his tears fell before he could cover his eyes. All the pain he had endured rushed towards him. Meanwhile Arabae just undid his hood and embraced him with blissful innocence. The sweet scent on Arabae, which reminded him of warmth of sun ray, comforted him greatly.
Arabae kissed him again on his eyelid. ‘I truly adore you,’ he said, ‘I don’t want you to leave, I wish you could stay.’
Long after that, the Traveller could still remember how he submitted himself to the deepest contemplation, while hearing that confession.
He had endured all the pain and hardship through this journey for his dream. If his dream was to come tangible, what form would it take?
And, what form would pain and hardship take?
Still, if love was to take form, would it look like dream, or pain and hardship?
VIII.
The Traveller had a big question. He needed to speak to the wisest of El Dorado.
He went to Theo the Swan Master, who failed to provide him with any answer. Theo thus sent him to the Dolorosa Twins.
The twins dwelled under the canopy of one tree on Dolorosa shore. They knew about everything in this world.
The Traveller stood before them. Their youthful faces were shaded by the lush canopy, but their eyes, gazing down upon the Traveller, were filled with profound wisdom.
‘What would you like to know?’ Asked them in unison.
The Traveller undid his hood and bowed, then he asked:
‘I would like to know whether I have reached the Utopia.’
The twins eyed each other.
‘Are you not here to search for the Utopia?’
‘This is El Dorado, the city of gold, and it belongs to Arabae, but after this city there are countless miraculous cities to come.’
‘Indeed, there are so many, one could never number them.’
‘Indeed! Countless!’
The twins’ conversation hastily flowed on, not leaving a moment for the Traveller to comprehend.
‘Why it is Arabae’s El Dorado?’ The Traveller asked.
‘The Creator created El Dorado for Arabae, for His lover.’
‘Everything here is dear to Arabae.’
‘Even the Creator’s soul bides here as his guardian.’
‘And you love him.’
‘You’ve fallen in love with the Creator’s beloved.’
The twins were deeply engaged in their argument, as if the Traveller was there.
‘You are wrong - he did not fall in love with Arabae,’ the younger twin protested.
‘If you truly love Arabae,’ said the elder twin as he eyed the Traveller, ‘you would love everything of him, thus El Dorado would be your Utopia.’
‘But still, I don’t think you love him that much,’ added the younger twin.
The Traveller lowered his head.
IX.
On his way back, he saw the fish leaving the volcanic lake, embarking on another day roaming the sky. The Traveller looked up to it and heard its low humming, as his mind was filled with melancholy.
Everything in El Dorado was granted to Arabae, by the Creator. The Creator loved him dearly, even severing His soul in halves, He bided to be Arabae’s guardian.
So, did himself love Arabae? Or it might merely be affection - but even if so, how strong was that?
He could not deny that he once hesitated - he once wished to abandon his pursuit, in order to stay with Arabae in El Dorado.
But it was really just moment of thought. He was the Traveller, the never-stopping Traveller.
‘You have been standing in silence and stillness for long, sir.’
The Travelled raised his head and saw a youth dressed in a glorious priestly gown. He was tall and slender, bending down and smiled at him.
‘I am Kai,’ said the young priest before the Traveller could question him, ‘as far as I am aware you went to Filia Dolorosa - the wise twins.’
The Traveller nodded.
‘They are my seniors. Although extremely knowledgeable, they could only tell you about the past,’ Kai removed his hat and went on, ‘I know much less, but I can see the future.
‘And you can only ask me one thing.’
The Traveller gazed at Kai, patiently yet nervously waited for the answer once he expressed his query. Kai smiled and put his hat back on. He gently murmured to the Traveller’s ear with his soft voice:
‘No, you never will.’
X.
At the end, the Traveller by all means left El Dorado. He did not bid any farewell to anyone, before setting off to the unknown journey. Arabae knew that he went on to search for his Utopia.
Adorned in his large hooded cape, the Traveller entered the endless desert. Arabae stood on the city wall and watched, until the Traveller completed disappeared amongst the golden dunes.
Arabae felt empty and melancholic. He no longer wished to sing, nor to laugh anymore.
On the first day after the Traveller’s departure, Arabae when into Theo’s library. Theo offered him a book: ‘No need to be sad. The Traveller had a noble spirit, only he bound by greed.’
On the second day after the Traveller’s departure, Arabae went to Dolorosa to find Flovios. Flovios offered him a golden aurora thread: ‘No need to be sad. The Traveller was destined for this endless quest, for wisdom, for freedom and for love. And you are a part of them.’
On the third day after the Traveller’s Departure, Arabae was with the Dolorosa twins. Sharing their canopy with him, they tried to comfort him: ‘No need to be sad. You meant greatly to him, only his quest meant greater.’
On the fourth day after the Traveller’s Departure, Arabae met Kai. Kai offered him a lily stem: ‘The Traveller once asked me, whether he would eventually reach the Utopia.’
‘So how did you answer him?’ Arabae asked keenly.
Kai smiled gently. ‘Of course he will never do. He was so greedy that his dream has no end, how could this place be, this place that contains all he desired?’
Arabae recalled the last word from the Traveller.
‘If I happen to find the Utopia, I am certain I will see you there. However I would not stay here for you.’
He himself was not all the Traveller desired, should he just cheer upon the fact about being a part of his heart’s desired?
On the fifth day after the Traveller’s departure, El Dorado vanished. The city of gold, once the grand gift from the Creator to Arabae, was no longer favoured by its blessed patron, therefore no longer existed.
According to ancient tales, when sun set behind the dunes, and the endless desert tinted in gold, behold it was the city of gold, the celestial kingdom of El Dorado.
Arabae sat in the desert, all alone. The titanic sun slowly set before him, around him the sand dunes glowed in gold.
Behind him the empty desert stretched, it was so empty, as if the miraculous El Dorado had never existed. Arabae was so lonely, as if his was the only living being left on this endless, lifeless earth. Out of the mist, he thought he witness the first ray of light that graced the newborn universe, as well as the never returning Traveller.
Amongst the whistling wind he heard a gentle call. He turned and saw a man standing behind him. Bathed in light, this man smiled and gazed him with love. He reached out his hand, with long dainty finger tips, upon which there was the same marks embroidered on Arabae’s little garment.
The Creator had returned.
El Dorado was gone, alongside with the volcano and the fish. Two halves of the Creator’s soul merged as one again.
Suddenly profound sorrow overwhelmed Arabae, as if he was rushed over by a gigantic wave. Breathless, he tried to respond the Creator with a smile, but a tear rolled down his cheek.
‘I am so tired,’ said Arabae to the Creator, ‘please let me sleep.’
Thus Arabae laid in the Creator’s ring, and slept for eternity.
The Creator witnessed him being born to daylight from the darkness, witnessed falling in love with the earthly Traveller, witnessed his tears, and witnessed him disappearing before His very eyes.
Sadly the Creator’s lips touched his ring. As if they touched Arabae’s slumbering cheek.
Epilogue
At the beginning of time, between sky and earth the Creator stood alone. He said, ‘let there be light,’ then there was light. The Creator created light out of the most beautiful, most sublime part of His very soul, thus He was deeply in love with light. Then light drifted away from darkness, turning into the day, and darkness into the night. The light no longer belonged to the Creator, drenched in sorrow His soul split in half, one turned into the fervent volcano, the other into the gentle fish. Long after, the Creator created Arabae, out of the daylight, and granted him El Dorado, the city of gold.
The Creator waited for His beloved to return. However, once Arabae learnt to love, he graced the never-stopping Traveller with this priceless, sublime jewel.
I heard this story a long, long time ago. I have not the slightest idea what eventually happened to Arabae, nor do I know where the Creator had gone.
But one thing I know for sure, was that the Traveller did not stop for any splendour, which he had witnessed along this unending journey.
Because he was the never-stopping Traveller.
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