Words—so innocent and powerless as they are， as standing in a dictionary； how potent for good and evil they become， in the hands of one who knows how to combine them！

—Nathaniel Hawthorne （納撒尼爾·霍桑，美國著名小說家）

When Colin the storyteller was a young man， people were drawn to him like flies to honey. They would soak up1 his tales， then toss coins into his cap.

But as years passed， some people began to doubt the value of the tales. And， in time， Colin became known as a lazy man who didnt do an honest days work.

“He takes our coins and gives only words in return，” the people complained.

So， instead of continuing to travel and tell tales， Colin settled in a small cottage near the village of Ladira， where he was tolerated but not embraced.

To save the tales， he wrote them down. Each evening hed curl up with the books hed fashioned2 and get nearly as much joy from reading the stories as he used to give telling them. He knew that remembering was important， even if it was he alone who remembered.

Then， one day， the earth trembled. The people of Ladira gasped3 as a giant stepped over the horizon. His voice sent shingles4 slipping from roofs. His footsteps left holes in the fields. He settled on a nearby hillside， eating several sheep as a midmorning snack.

The townsfolk rushed to the mayor， but the mayor knew even less about giants than they did. The giant ate several more sheep and started in on the cattle. The people wailed5 and wept and worried. What could they do？

Colin was writing in his cottage when he felt the ground move. He saw the giant and his heart hammered. Realizing that he alone had the tools for this task， Colin hurried to town. He found the people in the town hall， arguing about what to do.

Colin cleared his throat. “I will speak to the giant，” he offered. “If I succeed， youll be all the better for it. If I dont， youll be none the worse.”

“Whats your price？” the mayor asked.

Colin smiled. “Only a listening ear. Its all a storyteller ever wants.” And so the bargain was struck6. The villagers trembled as Colin hiked the steep hill to where the giant sat， enthroned7 on a boulder8.

Arriving， Colin doffed9 his cap. “WHO ARE YOU？” the giant rumbled. “A storyteller，” replied Colin. “I rushed here， hoping to learn your story.”

Flattered10， the giant decided not to smash11 the storyteller with an uprooted tree just yet.

Colin continued， “Stories about giants are the best. What a pity they always end so… poorly.”

“POORLY？”

Colin nodded. “We rarely know the giants side of the story， because the giant is often killed. So tell me about yourself， before its too late.”

“TOO LATE？” The giants booming voice started a small avalanche12.

“Surely youre not threatened by me，” soothed13 Colin. “You remind me of Bernard the Giant， who was taller than this hill.” Colin shook his head， reflecting. “So unfortunate about Bernard. If only Greta the Giant-Slayer hadnt paid him a visit.”

The giant stood， then sat abruptly. His head did not nearly reach the hilltop.

“Never mind，” consoled14 Colin. “Someday youll reach a good height. Until then， perhaps Greta will leave you alone.”

“YOU KNOW GRETA？” The giant eyed the nearby town nervously.

“Shes one of my favorite people，” Colin replied. Indeed， he loved the tale of Greta the Giant-Slayer and had often told it.

“Then there was Bernards brother， Bloford，” Colin continued. “From across the lake， he skipped15 that rock youre sitting on. It made five good hops before landing here.”

The giant tried and failed to lift the boulder.

“Never mind，”said Colin.“Youll eventually come into your strength.”

“WHAT HAPPENED TO BLOFORD？” the giant roared.

Colin coughed delicately. “He was defeated by Prince Allendo and his magic sword. But enough about my friends. Tell me about yourself.”

“PRINCE ALLENDO IS YOUR FRIEND？” The giants voice was now hoarse16 with fright.

“I just had a pleasant breakfast with him，” replied Colin. This was true， for hed read the story of Allendo while eating his morning meal.

The giant fidgeted17.

“Then theres a man who needs neither sword nor spear to vanquish18 giants，” Colin went on. “He lives down in the valley.”

The giant sprang up. “Sit！” urged Colin. “Its a wonderful tale. Youll never guess what he uses to ensure victory.”

“NO MORE！” the giant thundered. “THIS PLACE IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ME！” He strode off， nervously glancing about. He vowed never to return. Colin smiled. “Colin uses the most powerful weapons of all，”he whispered. “Words.”

Then Colin the storyteller strode down the road to Ladira， where the people would surely be eager to hear his tale.

說書人科林年輕的時候，人們就像蜜蜂逐蜜一樣被他吸引。他們會如癡如醉地聽他講各種故事，然后把錢幣投進他的帽子里。

然而，隨著歲月的流逝，一些人開始懷疑這些故事的價值。而且到了后來，科林成了大家眼中的懶漢，沒有正兒八經(jīng)地干過一天的活兒。

“他拿走了我們的錢，卻只是動了動嘴皮說了說話而已?！比藗儽г拐f。

于是，科林不再繼續(xù)游走各地講故事，而是在拉迪納村附近的一個小屋里住了下來。這個村莊的人能夠容忍他，但卻并不接受他。

為了保全這些故事，科林把它們寫了下來。每天晚上，他都會蜷縮著坐在他自制的那些書旁讀著那些故事，從中獲得的樂趣幾乎和當初他講這些故事時播撒的樂趣一樣多。他知道，記住這些故事非常重要，哪怕只有他一個人記得。 后來有一天，大地震動起來。一個巨人從地平線那邊走來，拉迪納村的人們都驚得倒抽了一口氣。巨人一說話就震得房瓦從屋頂紛紛滑落，一走動就在田野里留下一個個坑洞。他在村子附近的一個山坡上坐下，把好幾只羊當做上午的點心吃掉了。

小鎮(zhèn)的居民都跑去找鎮(zhèn)長，但是鎮(zhèn)長對巨人的了解甚至還不如他們多。

巨人又吃了一些羊，而后開始吃牛。人們又是號叫又是哭泣，心急如焚。但是他們又能怎么辦呢？

科林感覺到地面震動的時候，正在自己的小屋里寫故事。他看到了那個巨人，心臟怦怦地劇烈跳動起來?？屏忠庾R到只有自己才擁有對付巨人的武器，于是匆匆趕到了鎮(zhèn)上。他發(fā)現(xiàn)鎮(zhèn)上的人們都聚在議政大廳里，爭論著該做些什么。

科林清了清嗓子?！拔視ジ奕苏?，”他提議說，“如果我成功了，對你們都有好處；若我失敗了，對你們來說情況也不會變得更糟?！?/p>

“那你有什么條件？”鎮(zhèn)長問。

科林笑著說：“我只想要肯傾聽的耳朵。這是一個說書人永遠想要的唯一的東西。”就這樣，交易達成了?？屏盅刂盖偷纳狡孪蚓奕俗牡胤阶呷r，村民們都嚇得瑟瑟發(fā)抖。那巨人正高坐在一塊巨石上。

到了那里，科林脫下帽子向巨人致意?！澳闶钦l？”巨人問話的聲音隆隆作響?！耙粋€說書人，”科林回答，“我趕來這里，就是希望能聽聽關于你的故事?！?/p>

巨人聽了這話很開心，決定暫時先不拿一棵連根拔起的樹拍死這個說書人。

科林接著說：“巨人們的故事都是最棒的，只是很可惜，他們的結局往往……不太好。”

“不太好？”

科林點了點頭，說：“我們對巨人那邊的故事知之甚少，因為巨人常常被別人殺掉。所以跟我講講你自己吧，否則就來不及了?！?/p>

“來不及了？”巨人轟隆隆的聲音引發(fā)了一場小雪崩。

“當然，我不會對你造成任何威脅。”科林安撫道。“你讓我想起了巨人伯納德，他比這座山還高，”科林搖了搖頭，陷入沉思，“伯納德太不幸了！要是巨人殺手格蕾塔沒有去拜訪他就好了！”

巨人站了起來，又猛地坐下。他的頭距離山頂還差得很遠。

“不用擔心，”科林安慰他說，“總有一天你會長得很高的。在那之前，說不定格蕾塔不會去打擾你。”

“你認識格蕾塔？”巨人緊張地看了看附近的這個小鎮(zhèn)。

“她是我最喜歡的人之一?！笨屏执鸬?。事實上，他非常喜歡巨人殺手格蕾塔的故事，以前還常常給人講這個故事。

“還有伯納德的兄弟布洛福德，”科林接著說，“他從湖的對岸把你現(xiàn)在坐著的這塊石頭打著水漂扔了過來，石頭在湖面漂亮地彈跳了五次之后落到了這里。”

巨人試了一下，但沒能把那塊巨石舉起來。

“沒關系，”柯林說，“你以后會長力氣的?！?/p>

“布洛福德后來怎么了？”巨人咆哮道。

科林輕輕咳了一下，說：“他被艾倫多王子和他的魔劍打敗了。不過不要講我這些朋友的事了，給我講講你自己的故事吧。”

“艾倫多王子是你的朋友？” 巨人現(xiàn)在聲音嘶啞，透著恐懼。

“我剛剛和他一起愉快地共進了早餐?！笨屏只卮?。這是真的，因為他剛剛吃早餐時讀了艾倫多王子的故事。

巨人開始坐立不安。

“還有一個人，他既不需要劍也不需要矛就能戰(zhàn)勝巨人，” 科林繼續(xù)說道，“他就住在那邊的山谷里?！?/p>

巨人一下子跳了起來?！白?！”科林催促道，“這個故事很精彩，你永遠也猜不到他到底用什么來取得勝利?！?/p>

“不要再說了！”巨人怒喝道，“這個地方對我來說太危險了！”他說完便邁著大步匆匆離開，邊走邊緊張地四處張望。他發(fā)誓再也不來這里了?？屏中α耍p聲說道：“科林用的是最強大的武器——語言?！?/p>

然后，說書人科林大步流星地踏上了回拉迪納村的路，那里的人們肯定非常想聽他的故事。

注釋

1. soak up： 花時間去感受）愉快的事情

2. fashion vt. （常指用手工等）制作；使成形

3. gasp vi. 倒抽氣

4. shingle n.【建】木瓦

5. wail vi. 哀號；悲鳴；嚎啕痛哭

6. strike vt. 達成（交易、合同等）

7. enthrone vt. 使居于最高地位

8. boulder n. 巨礫

9. doff vt. 脫（帽）致敬，舉（帽）致意

10. flatter vt. 使?jié)M足，使?jié)M意

11. smash vt. 打破，摧毀

12. avalanche n. 雪崩

13. soothe vt. 安慰，撫慰

14. console vt. 安慰，撫慰；慰問

15. skip vt. 使（石片等）跳躍著擦過水面

16. hoarse adj. （嗓音）嘶啞的

17. fidget vi. 坐立不安，煩躁

18. vanquish vt. 征服；擊敗，戰(zhàn)勝