A whipping top and a little ball lay together in a box among other toys,
and the top said to the ball "As we live in the same box, shall we be married?"
一顆陀螺和一顆球以及許多其他玩具一起待在箱子裡。
陀螺對球說：「我們既然一起住在這哩，我們來做一對戀人好嗎?」
But the ball, which wore an dress of morocco laether,
and thought as much of herself as any other young lady,
would not even condescend to reply.
但是，球是用山羊皮革做的，
他就像是一個時髦小姐一樣，驕傲的不可一世，
所以對這件事根本就漠不關心。
The next day came the little boy who owned the playthings;
he painted the top red and yellow, and drove a brass-headed nail into the middle,
so that while the top was spinning round it looked splendid.
隔天，一個小男孩來了，他是玩具的主人。
他把陀螺塗上了一層紅黃相間的色彩，同時在他身上釘了個銅釘。
因此，陀螺旋轉的時候，看起來很漂亮。
"Look at me," said the top to the ball.
"What do you say now? Shell we be engaged to each other?
We should suit so well; you spring, and I dance.
No one could be happier than we should be."
「看看我。」他對球說；
「你現在有什麼話要說呢?我們訂婚好嗎?
我們是很合適的一對。你能跳，我能舞。
誰也不能像我們一樣幸福的！」
"Indeed! Do you think so ?
Perhaps you do not know that my father
and mother were morocco slippers,
and that I have a Spanish cork in my body."
「唷!你竟然有這樣的想法。」球說，
「也許是你還不曉得我的父母曾經是一雙皮革拖鞋吧，
我的體內還有一塊西班牙軟木呢?」
"Yes; but I am made of mahogany," said the top.
" The major himself turned me.
He has a turning lathe ofhis own, and it is a great amusement to him."
「我知道，不過我是桃花心木做的。」陀螺說；
「而且是市長他親手把我車出來的。
他個人有一個車床，他從事這個工作時，感到很愉快。」
"Can I believe it?" asked the ball.
「這種話，我能相信嗎？」球問。
"May I never be whipped again," said the top, "if I am not telling you the truth."
「如果我撒謊了，以後將不會有人來抽我。」陀螺又說。
"You centainly know how to speak for yourself very well," said the ball;
"but I cannotaccept your proposal. I am almost engaged to a swallow.
Every time I fly up in the air, he puts his head out of the nest, and says, "Will you?"
and I have said, "Yes," to myself silently, and that is as ood as being half engaged;
but I will promise never forget you."
「你倒是會抬高自己的身價。」
球說：「但我不能答應你的請求。我也算是再一個燕子訂了一半的婚約了！
每當我跳到空中時，他就把頭從巢中伸出來，同時說；『你答應嗎？你答應嗎？』
我已經在心裡說了一聲『我答應了。』這差不多就是訂一半的婚了。
不過，我答應你，我永遠也不會忘記你的。」
"Much good that will be to me," said the top; and they spoke to each other no more.
「好，那也不錯。」 陀螺說。他們從此就再也沒說過話了。
and the top said to the ball "As we live in the same box, shall we be married?"
一顆陀螺和一顆球以及許多其他玩具一起待在箱子裡。
陀螺對球說：「我們既然一起住在這哩，我們來做一對戀人好嗎?」
But the ball, which wore an dress of morocco laether,
and thought as much of herself as any other young lady,
would not even condescend to reply.
但是，球是用山羊皮革做的，
他就像是一個時髦小姐一樣，驕傲的不可一世，
所以對這件事根本就漠不關心。
The next day came the little boy who owned the playthings;
he painted the top red and yellow, and drove a brass-headed nail into the middle,
so that while the top was spinning round it looked splendid.
隔天，一個小男孩來了，他是玩具的主人。
他把陀螺塗上了一層紅黃相間的色彩，同時在他身上釘了個銅釘。
因此，陀螺旋轉的時候，看起來很漂亮。
"Look at me," said the top to the ball.
"What do you say now? Shell we be engaged to each other?
We should suit so well; you spring, and I dance.
No one could be happier than we should be."
「看看我。」他對球說；
「你現在有什麼話要說呢?我們訂婚好嗎?
我們是很合適的一對。你能跳，我能舞。
誰也不能像我們一樣幸福的！」
"Indeed! Do you think so ?
Perhaps you do not know that my father
and mother were morocco slippers,
and that I have a Spanish cork in my body."
「唷!你竟然有這樣的想法。」球說，
「也許是你還不曉得我的父母曾經是一雙皮革拖鞋吧，
我的體內還有一塊西班牙軟木呢?」
"Yes; but I am made of mahogany," said the top.
" The major himself turned me.
He has a turning lathe ofhis own, and it is a great amusement to him."
「我知道，不過我是桃花心木做的。」陀螺說；
「而且是市長他親手把我車出來的。
他個人有一個車床，他從事這個工作時，感到很愉快。」
"Can I believe it?" asked the ball.
「這種話，我能相信嗎？」球問。
"May I never be whipped again," said the top, "if I am not telling you the truth."
「如果我撒謊了，以後將不會有人來抽我。」陀螺又說。
"You centainly know how to speak for yourself very well," said the ball;
"but I cannotaccept your proposal. I am almost engaged to a swallow.
Every time I fly up in the air, he puts his head out of the nest, and says, "Will you?"
and I have said, "Yes," to myself silently, and that is as ood as being half engaged;
but I will promise never forget you."
「你倒是會抬高自己的身價。」
球說：「但我不能答應你的請求。我也算是再一個燕子訂了一半的婚約了！
每當我跳到空中時，他就把頭從巢中伸出來，同時說；『你答應嗎？你答應嗎？』
我已經在心裡說了一聲『我答應了。』這差不多就是訂一半的婚了。
不過，我答應你，我永遠也不會忘記你的。」
"Much good that will be to me," said the top; and they spoke to each other no more.
「好，那也不錯。」 陀螺說。他們從此就再也沒說過話了。
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