“可怕的客人！你说！
"Speak! speak! thou fearful guest!
你那空洞的胸窝
Who, with thy hollow breast
还披着粗笨铠甲，
Still in rude armor drest,
你到这儿来吓唬我！
Comest to daunt me!
不曾涂东土香膏，
Wrapt not in Eastern balms,
无肉的手掌伸着，
But with thy fleshless palms
像是在乞求布施，
Stretched, as if asking alms,
为什么你要缠住我？”
Why dost thou haunt me?"
从那凹陷的两眼，
Then, from those cavernous eyes
惨白的微光闪现，
Pale flashes seemed to rise,
好似严冬十二月
As when the Northern skies
北国微亮的苍天；
Gleam in December;
好似十二月河水
And, like the water's flow
潜流在冰雪底层，
Under December's snow,
从心房深处吐出
Came a dull voice of woe
含糊忧郁的语声：
From the heart's chamber.
“我是个古代海盗，
"I was a Viking old!
有多种多样事迹——
My deeds, though manifold,
从没有歌者唱过，
No Skald in song has told,
也不曾载入传奇。
No Saga taught thee!
你要把这些事迹
Take heed, that in thy verse
写在你的诗篇里，
Thou dost the tale rehearse,
要不，当心我诅咒！
Else dread a dead man's curse;
就为了这个，我找你。
For this I sought thee.
“在那遥远的北国，
"Far in the Northern Land,
荒凉的波罗的海滨，
By the wild Baltic's strand,
我用幼时的小手
I, with my childish hand,
驯养北方的大鹰；
Tamed the gerfalcon;
穿着紧缚的冰鞋，
And, with my skates fast-bound,
在海湾冰上滑行，
Skimmed the half-frozen Sound,
那狼狈惊吠的猎犬
That the poor whimpering hound
战兢兢踏上冰凌。
Trembled to walk on.
“我常常追逐恶熊
"Oft to his frozen lair
到它冰封的穴洞，
Tracked I the grisly bear,
野兔从路旁逃窜，
While from my path the hare
影子般转眼无踪；
Fled like a shadow;
常常穿过黑树林，
Oft through the forest dark
尾随巨狼的悲鸣，
Followed the were-wolf's bark,
听到高飞的百灵鸟
Until the soaring lark
在草原唱起歌声。
Sang from the meadow.
“后来我渐渐长大，
"But when I older grew,
加入海盗的一帮，
Joining a corsair's crew,
和这些强徒一起
O'er the dark sea flew
飞越阴沉的海洋。
With the marauders.
我们的生活狂暴，
Wild was the life we led;
我们的号令森严：
Many the souls that sped,
叫多少心脏流血，
Many the hearts that bled,
送多少灵魂上天！
By our stern orders.
“无数次饮宴作乐，
"Many a wassail-bout
消磨漫长的冬季；
Wore the long Winter out;
我们午夜的狂呼
Often our midnight shout
常常使雄鸡惊啼；
Set the cocks crowing,
像熊皮武士记数
As we the Berserk's tale
用杯杯麦酒算计，
Measured in cups of ale,
我们喝干橡木桶，
Draining the oaken pail,
一个个烂醉如泥。
Filled to o'erflowing.
“有一回，我兴高采烈
"Once as I told in glee
讲海上风暴的故事，
Tales of the stormy sea,
一双温柔的蓝眼
Soft eyes did gaze on me,
热情地向我凝视；
Burning yet tender;
像点点银星照临
And as the white stars shine
幽暗的挪威松顶，
On the dark Norway pine,
这双星眸的清辉
On that dark heart of mine
照临我幽暗的心灵。
Fell their soft splendor.
“我向这姑娘求爱，
"I wooed the blue-eyed maid,
她顺从，又有些畏怯；
Yielding, yet half afraid,
密林深处，浓荫里，
And in the forest's shade
我们订下了婚约。
Our vows were plighted.
她那娇小的胸脯
Under its loosened vest
颤抖在宽弛衣衫下，
Fluttered her little breast,
好似巢中的鸟儿
Like birds within their nest
受到鹰隼的惊吓。
By the hawk frighted.
“她父王殿堂宽敞，
"Bright in her father's hall
墙头金盾亮光光，
Shields gleamed upon the wall,
乐师们高声合唱，
Loud sang the minstrels all,
赞颂他功业辉煌。
Chanting his glory;
我请求老希德布兰
When of old Hildebrand
答应他女儿的亲事，
I asked his daughter's hand,
乐师们静下来，站着
Mute did the minstrels stand
听我讲我的身世。
To hear my story.
“傲然畅饮黑麦酒，
"While the brown ale he quaffed,
王爷高声笑呵呵；
Loud then the champion laughed,
好像一阵风刮来，
And as the wind-gusts waft
海上便涌起白沫：
The sea-foam brightly,
他那留须的唇边
So the loud laugh of scorn,
发出轻蔑的大笑，
Out of those lips unshorn,
这时，深深角杯里
From the deep drinking-horn
便轻轻泛起水泡。
Blew the foam lightly.
“她是王爷的娇女，
"She was a Prince's child,
我却是海上强徒；
I but a Viking wild,
她含羞微笑应允了，
And though she blushed and smiled,
我却被他们逐出！
I was discarded!
这样洁白的鸽子
Should not the dove so white
不该随海鸥飞走，
Follow the sea-mew's flight,
为什么她的香巢
Why did they leave that night
那一夜却无人防守？
Her nest unguarded?
“我和这姑娘一起，
"Scarce had I put to sea,
刚上船，离开陆地，
Bearing the maid with me,
（所有北欧人当中，
Fairest of all was she
她的美无人能比！）
Among the Norsemen!
只见老希德布兰
When on the white sea-strand,
带着二十名骑兵，
Waving his armèd hand,
挥动披甲的手臂，
Saw we old Hildebrand,
来到白色的海滨。
With twenty horsemen.
“他们迎着风开船，
"Then launched they to the blast,
桅杆弯得像芦苇；
Bent like a reed each mast,
我们正疾驶如飞，
Yet we were gaining fast,
风却跟我们作对；
When the wind failed us;
一阵急遽的狂飙
And with a sudden flaw
把船吹向斯科角，
Came round the gusty Skaw,
只见追踪的敌人
So that our foe we saw
向我们狂呼狞笑。
Laugh as he hailed us.
“船帆遇到了回风，
"And as to catch the gale
拍动着，旋转不停；
Round veered the flapping sail,
听见舵手的吼声：
'Death!' was the helmsman's hail,
‘死吧！决不饶命！’
'Death without quarter!'
我们用铁铸龙骨
Mid-ships with iron keel
猛撞敌船的钢筋；
Struck we her ribs of steel;
黑色的船身摇晃着，
Down her black hulk did reel
沉入黑色的海心！
Through the black water!
“像一只凶猛鸬鹚，
"As with his wings aslant,
侧斜着翅膀飞翔，
Sails the fierce cormorant,
衔着它的猎获物，
Seeking some rocky haunt,
寻找栖宿的岩冈：
With its prey laden,—
我带着这位少女，
So toward the open main,
面向茫茫的海洋，
Beating to sea again,
再度迎风行驶，
Through the wild hurricane,
穿越狂飙巨浪。
Bore I the maiden.
“西行了三个星期，
"Three weeks we westward bore,
大风暴终于平息，
And when the storm was o'er,
望见下风头展布着
Cloud-like we saw the shore
云霓一般的陆地。
Stretching to leeward;
那儿，我盖起高塔
There for my lady's bower
作我妻子的闺房——
Built I the lofty tower,
这座塔直到此刻
Which, to this very hour,
还在向大海暸望。
Stands looking seaward.
“在那儿一住多年，
"There lived we many years;
岁月揩干了泪痕；
Time dried the maiden's tears;
姑娘早忘掉了恐惧，
She had forgot her fears,
她成了慈爱的母亲。
She was a mother;
死神合上她双眼，
Death closed her mild blue eyes,
她就在塔下安寝；
Under that tower she lies;
太阳底下再没有
Ne'er shall the sun arise
这样可爱的美人！
On such another!
“寂寞在内心生长，
"Still grew my bosom then,
寂寞如死水一汪！
Still as a stagnant fen!
世人都令我厌恶，
Hateful to me were men,
我也厌恶阳光！
The sunlight hateful!
在一望无际的深林，
In the vast forest here,
我周身披着戎装，
Clad in my warlike gear,
倒在我的枪矛上——
Fell I upon my spear,
好呵，快意的死亡！
Oh, death was grateful!
“就这样，弄一身伤痕，
"Thus, seamed with many scars,
撞开监牢的铁门，
Bursting these prison bars,
我的灵魂升了天，
Up to its native stars
攀登故国的星辰！
My soul ascended!
武士的灵魂举盏，
There from the flowing bowl
把盈溢美酒饮干，
Deep drinks the warrior's soul,
你好！北国呵！你好！”
Skoal! to the Northland! skoal! "
——故事到这里讲完。
Thus the tale ended.