双语诗歌翻译|艾子-《有尾者斩》

《有尾者斩》又名《有尾惧诛》或《蛤蟆惧诛》。出自《艾子杂说》，作者、朝代等不明。

《有尾者斩》

艾子浮于海，夜泊岛峙中，夜闻水下有人哭声，复若人言，遂听之。其言曰：“昨日龙王有令：‘应水族有尾者斩。’吾鼍也，故惧诛而哭；汝虾蟆无尾，何哭？”复闻有言曰：“吾今幸无尾，但恐更理会蝌蚪时事也。”

The Frog’s Tail

While at sea, Master Ai anchored for the night in the cove of an island. At night he heard the sound of weeping coming from the water, coupled with humanlike voices. Listening more carefully, he overheard this conversation:

“The Dragon King has issued a decree yesterday to the effect that all aquatic animals that have tails are to be beheaded. As I am an alligator, I weep because I am afraid of death. But thou are a frog, and hast no tail. Why weepest thou then?” Thereafter, he heard the plaintive reply: “I am indeed fortunate to have no tail at present, but the fact that I did once bear a tail as a tadpole might be recalled.”