Mainly the Round Table talk was monologues—narrative accounts of the adventures in which these prisoners were captured and their friends and backers killed and stripped of their steeds and armor. As a general thing—as far as I could make out—these murderous adventures were not forays undertaken to avenge injuries, nor to settle old disputes or sudden fallings out; no, as a rule they were simply duels between strangers—duels between people who had never even been introduced to each other, and between whom existed no cause of offense whatever. Many a time I had seen a couple of boys, strangers, meet by chance, and say simultaneously, “I can lick you,” and go at it on the spot; but I had always imagined until now that that sort of thing belonged to children only, and was a sign and mark of childhood; but here were these big boobies sticking to it and taking pride in it clear up into full age and beyond. Yet there was something very engaging about these great simple-hearted creatures, something attractive and lovable. There did not seem to be brains enough in the entire nursery, so to speak, to bait a fish-hook with; but you didn’t seem to mind that, after a little, because you soon saw that brains were not needed in a society like that, and indeed would have marred it, hindered it, spoiled its symmetry—perhaps rendered its existence impossible.
There was a fine manliness observable in almost every face; and in some a certain loftiness and sweetness that rebuked your belittling criticisms and stilled them. A most noble benignity and purity reposed in the countenance of him they called Sir Galahad, and likewise in the king’s also; and there was majesty and greatness in the giant frame and high bearing of Sir Launcelot of the Lake.
There was presently an incident which centered the general interest upon this Sir Launcelot. At a sign from a sort of master of ceremonies, six or eight of the prisoners rose and came forward in a body and knelt on the floor and lifted up their hands toward the ladies’ gallery and begged the grace of a word with the queen. The most conspicuously situated lady in that massed flower-bed of feminine show and finery inclined her head by way of assent, and then the spokesman of the prisoners delivered himself and his fellows into her hands for free pardon, ransom, captivity, or death, as she in her good pleasure might elect; and this, as he said, he was doing by command of Sir Kay the Seneschal, whose prisoners they were, he having vanquished them by his single might and prowess in sturdy conflict in the field.
Surprise and astonishment flashed from face to face all over the house; the queen’s gratified smile faded out at the name of Sir Kay, and she looked disappointed; and the page whispered in my ear with an accent and manner expressive of extravagant derision—
“Sir Kay , forsooth! Oh, call me pet names, dearest, call me a marine! In twice a thousand years shall the unholy invention of man labor at odds to beget the fellow to this majestic lie!”
Every eye was fastened with severe inquiry upon Sir Kay. But he was equal to the occasion. He got up and played his hand like a major—and took every trick. He said he would state the case exactly according to the facts; he would tell the simple straightforward tale, without comment of his own; “and then,” said he, “if ye find glory and honor due, ye will give it unto him who is the mightiest man of his hands that ever bare shield or strake with sword in the ranks of Christian battle—even him that sitteth there!” and he pointed to Sir Launcelot. Ah, he fetched them; it was a rattling good stroke. Then he went on and told how Sir Launcelot, seeking adventures, some brief time gone by, killed seven giants at one sweep of his sword, and set a hundred and forty-two captive maidens free; and then went further, still seeking adventures, and found him (Sir Kay) fighting a desperate fight against nine foreign knights, and straightway took the battle solely into his own hands, and conquered the nine; and that night Sir Launcelot rose quietly, and dressed him in Sir Kay’s armor and took Sir Kay’s horse and gat him away into distant lands, and vanquished sixteen knights in one pitched battle and thirty-four in another; and all these and the former nine he made to swear that about Whitsuntide they would ride to Arthur’s court and yield them to Queen Guenever’s hands as captives of Sir Kay the Seneschal, spoil of his knightly prowess; and now here were these half dozen, and the rest would be along as soon as they might be healed of their desperate wounds.
Well, it was touching to see the queen blush and smile, and look embarrassed and happy, and fling furtive glances at Sir Launcelot that would have got him shot in Arkansas, to a dead certainty.
Everybody praised the valor and magnanimity of Sir Launcelot; and as for me, I was perfectly amazed, that one man, all by himself, should have been able to beat down and capture such battalions of practiced fighters. I said as much to Clarence; but this mocking featherhead only said:
“An Sir Kay had had time to get another skin of sour wine into him, ye had seen the accompt doubled.”
I looked at the boy in sorrow; and as I looked I saw the cloud of a deep despondency settle upon his countenance. I followed the direction of his eye, and saw that a very old and white-bearded man, clothed in a flowing black gown, had risen and was standing at the table upon unsteady legs, and feebly swaying his ancient head and surveying the company with his watery and wandering eye. The same suffering look that was in the page’s face was observable in all the faces around—the look of dumb creatures who know that they must endure and make no moan.
“Marry, we shall have it again,” sighed the boy; “that same old weary tale that he hath told a thousand times in the same words, and that he will tell till he dieth, every time he hath gotten his barrel full and feeleth his exaggeration-mill a-working. Would God I had died or I saw this day!”
“Who is it?”
“Merlin, the mighty liar and magician, perdition singe him for the weariness he worketh with his one tale! But that men fear him for that he hath the storms and the lightnings and all the devils that be in hell at his beck and call, they would have dug his entrails out these many years ago to get at that tale and squelch it. He telleth it always in the third person, making believe he is too modest to glorify himself—maledictions light upon him, misfortune be his dole! Good friend, prithee call me for evensong.”
The boy nestled himself upon my shoulder and pretended to go to sleep. The old man began his tale; and presently the lad was asleep in reality; so also were the dogs, and the court, the lackeys, and the files of men-at-arms. The droning voice droned on; a soft snoring arose on all sides and supported it like a deep and subdued accompaniment of wind instruments. Some heads were bowed upon folded arms, some lay back with open mouths that issued unconscious music; the flies buzzed and bit, unmolested, the rats swarmed softly out from a hundred holes, and pattered about, and made themselves at home everywhere; and one of them sat up like a squirrel on the king’s head and held a bit of cheese in its hands and nibbled it, and dribbled the crumbs in the king’s face with naive and impudent irreverence. It was a tranquil scene, and restful to the weary eye and the jaded spirit.
This was the old man’s tale. He said:
“Right so the king and Merlin departed, and went until an hermit that was a good man and a great leech. So the hermit searched all his wounds and gave him good salves; so the king was there three days, and then were his wounds well amended that he might ride and go, and so departed. And as they rode, Arthur said, I have no sword. No force,* [*Footnote from M.T.: No matter.] said Merlin, hereby is a sword that shall be yours and I may. So they rode till they came to a lake, the which was a fair water and broad, and in the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held a fair sword in that hand. Lo, said Merlin, yonder is that sword that I spake of. With that they saw a damsel going upon the lake. What damsel is that? said Arthur. That is the Lady of the lake, said Merlin; and within that lake is a rock, and therein is as fair a place as any on earth, and richly beseen, and this damsel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her that she will give you that sword. Anon withal came the damsel unto Arthur and saluted him, and he her again. Damsel, said Arthur, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword. Sir Arthur King, said the damsel, that sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it. By my faith, said Arthur, I will give you what gift ye will ask. Well, said the damsel, go ye into yonder barge and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time. So Sir Arthur and Merlin alight, and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him. And the arm and the hand went under the water; and so they came unto the land and rode forth. And then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion. What signifieth yonder pavilion? It is the knight’s pavilion, said Merlin, that ye fought with last, Sir Pellinore, but he is out, he is not there; he hath ado with a knight of yours, that hight Egglame, and they have fought together, but at the last Egglame fled, and else he had been dead, and he hath chased him even to Carlion, and we shall meet with him anon in the highway. That is well said, said Arthur, now have I a sword, now will I wage battle with him, and be avenged on him. Sir, ye shall not so, said Merlin, for the knight is weary of fighting and chasing, so that ye shall have no worship to have ado with him; also, he will not lightly be matched of one knight living; and therefore it is my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good service in short time, and his sons, after his days. Also ye shall see that day in short space ye shall be right glad to give him your sister to wed. When I see him, I will do as ye advise me, said Arthur. Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well. Whether liketh you better, said Merlin, the sword or the scabbard? Me liketh better the sword, said Arthur. Ye are more unwise, said Merlin, for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, for while ye have the scabbard upon you ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore, keep well the scabbard always with you. So they rode into Carlion, and by the way they met with Sir Pellinore; but Merlin had done such a craft that Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he passed by without any words. I marvel, said Arthur, that the knight would not speak. Sir, said Merlin, he saw you not; for and he had seen you ye had not lightly departed. So they came unto Carlion, whereof his knights were passing glad. And when they heard of his adventures they marveled that he would jeopard his person so alone. But all men of worship said it was merry to be under such a chieftain that would put his person in adventure as other poor knights did.”
背景介绍
你刚刚读到的节选，灵感来源于亚瑟王和他的圆桌骑士的传奇故事，这是中世纪文学和民间传说的核心主题。这些故事被讲述和重述了几个世纪，由不同的作者创作了许多版本。与这些故事相关的最著名的中世纪作家是托马斯·马洛里爵士，他在 15 世纪编写并撰写了《亚瑟之死》。他的作品将各种亚瑟王传奇故事汇集成一个叙事，塑造了现代对亚瑟王的宫廷、他的骑士以及他们的骑士冒险的看法。
这段话反映了在中世纪社会中备受推崇的骑士精神理想，即勇气、荣誉和忠诚。它还介绍了诸如兰斯洛特爵士、凯伊爵士、格温娜维尔王后和梅林等关键人物，他们是亚瑟王传说的主要人物。故事的背景是一个神话般的中世纪世界，骑士们在那里进行任务和战斗，魔法和神秘主义与人类事务交织在一起。
详细解读和意义
这段话突出了几个重要主题：
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骑士精神和荣誉： 骑士们的决斗和战斗不是由个人恩怨驱动，而是由荣誉准则和对荣耀的追求驱动。这反映了中世纪的理想，即骑士应该勇敢而高尚，为正义而战，保护弱者。
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友谊和忠诚： 兰斯洛特爵士的英勇事迹，包括营救囚犯和单枪匹马地与多个敌人作战，表明了他对同伴的忠诚和对国王事业的奉献。
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魔法和神秘的作用： 梅林的存在以及湖中仙女的魔法剑引入了超自然元素，这是亚瑟王故事中反复出现的主题。这增添了一层奇迹，象征着命运和命运指引着英雄。
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人性与成长： 将孩童般的打斗与骑士的决斗进行比较，暗示了对人性的反思——骄傲和冲突如何持续到成年，以及这些品质如何转化为高尚的追求。
给学生的经验教训和见解
阅读关于圆桌骑士的故事为年轻读者提供了宝贵的教训：
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面对逆境的勇气： 兰斯洛特爵士的勇敢鼓励学生勇敢地面对挑战，无论是在学校、运动还是个人生活中。
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正直的重要性： 骑士们遵守行为准则，教导诚实、公平和尊重他人的价值。
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团队合作和支持： 骑士们依靠彼此的力量并互相保护，表明合作如何带来成功。
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尊重差异： 故事展示了骑士们在没有个人仇恨的情况下与陌生人战斗，提醒读者以公平的态度处理冲突，避免不必要的敌意。
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欣赏历史和文化： 了解亚瑟王传奇故事将学生与丰富的文学传统联系起来，这种传统影响了现代的讲故事、电影和流行文化。
在日常生活中应用这些价值观
学生可以通过多种方式应用这些故事的精神：
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在学校： 以决心和诚实的方式学习。帮助同学并在项目中进行协作，就像骑士们互相支持一样。
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在友谊中： 练习忠诚和善良。为朋友挺身而出，和平地解决冲突。
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在个人成长中： 勇敢地面对恐惧和挑战。从错误中学习并努力改进，就像骑士们寻求新的冒险来证明自己一样。
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在社区中： 尊重他人，即使是那些不同或不熟悉的人。在社交互动中提倡公平和善良。
培养受故事启发的积极特质
为了培养骑士们所表现出的高尚品质，学生可以：
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设定个人目标： 像骑士们寻求任务一样，为自己设定挑战，以提高自己的技能和性格。
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练习自律： 遵守规则并尊重他人，了解真正的力量来自自控。
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广泛阅读： 探索更多传奇故事，以深入了解不同的文化和道德教训。
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参与团队活动： 加入俱乐部、运动或小组项目，以培养团队合作和领导能力。
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反思行动： 思考你的选择如何影响他人，并努力以善良和荣誉行事。
结论
亚瑟王和他的骑士的故事不仅仅是激动人心的冒险；它们充满了关于勇气、荣誉、友谊和人类精神的教训。通过阅读和反思这些故事，学生可以找到灵感，以勇气和正直面对自己的挑战，建立牢固的关系，并成长为有思想、高尚的个体。这些永恒的传奇故事继续教导我们如何在复杂的世界中过上有尊严和目标的生活。
