原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
高崖索兒
The Princess Confronted
公主聞言，忙忙走出洞門來，只見行者提著兩個孩子，站在那高崖之上，意欲往下摜。慌得那公主厲聲高叫道：「那漢子，我與你沒甚相干，怎麼把我兒子拿去？他老子利害，有些差錯，決不與你干休。」行者道：「你不認得我？我是那唐僧的大徒弟孫悟空行者。我有個師弟沙和尚在你洞裡，你去放他出來，我把這兩個孩兒還你。似這般兩個換一個，還是你便宜。」公主闻言，忙忙走出洞门来，只见行者提著两个孩子，站在那高崖之上，意欲往下掼。慌得那公主厉声高叫道：「那汉子，我与你没甚相干，怎么把我儿子拿去？他老子利害，有些差错，决不与你干休。」行者道：「你不认得我？我是那唐僧的大徒弟孙悟空行者。我有个师弟沙和尚在你洞里，你去放他出来，我把这两个孩儿还你。似这般两个换一个，还是你便宜。」
逐句解 Line by line
公主聞言，忙忙走出洞門來，只見行者提著兩個孩子，站在那高崖之上，意欲往下摜。
公主闻言，忙忙走出洞门来，只见行者提著两个孩子，站在那高崖之上，意欲往下掼。
The princess, hearing this, came hurrying out at the cave door, and saw Pilgrim holding the two children, standing upon the high crag as if about to hurl them down.
提著 (tí zhe), holding, carrying — durative, the grip maintained; 著 read zhe. 摜 (guàn), to dash or fling down. 那 read nà.
慌得那公主厲聲高叫道：「那漢子，我與你沒甚相干，怎麼把我兒子拿去？
慌得那公主厉声高叫道：「那汉子，我与你没甚相干，怎么把我儿子拿去？
In alarm the princess cried out in a shrill voice, “You fellow — I have nothing whatever to do with you; why have you carried off my sons?
厲聲 (lì shēng), in a sharp, shrill voice. 沒甚相干 (méi shén xiānggān), to have nothing to do with; 甚 read shén, 相 read xiāng, 干 read gān. 兒子 (érzi), sons; 兒 read ér. 那 read nà.
他老子利害，有些差錯，決不與你干休。」
他老子利害，有些差错，决不与你干休。」
Their father is a fearsome one; should any harm befall them, he will by no means let you off.”
利害 (lìhài), formidable, fierce. 差錯 (chācuò), mishap, mischance; 差 read chā. 干休 (gānxiū), to let a matter rest; 干 read gān.
行者道：「你不認得我？
行者道：「你不认得我？
Pilgrim said, “Do you not know me?
認得 (rèn de), to recognize, to know; 得 read de.
我是那唐僧的大徒弟孫悟空行者。
我是那唐僧的大徒弟孙悟空行者。
I am Sun Wukong the Pilgrim, chief disciple of that Tang Monk.
那 read nà; 行者 (Xíngzhě), “the Pilgrim,” Wukong’s religious style.
我有個師弟沙和尚在你洞裡，你去放他出來，我把這兩個孩兒還你。
我有个师弟沙和尚在你洞里，你去放他出来，我把这两个孩儿还你。
I have a junior brother, Sha the Monk, within your cave; go and set him free, and I will give you back these two children.
孩兒 (hái’ér), children; 兒 read ér. 還你 (huán nǐ), to return to you; 還 here read huán, “to give back.”
似這般兩個換一個，還是你便宜。」
似这般两个换一个，还是你便宜。」
Two exchanged for one, in this manner — the bargain is still in your favour.”
似這般 (sì zhè bān), in this manner, thus. 還是 (háishì), still, after all; 還 read hái. 便宜 (piányi), an advantage, the better of a bargain; 便 read pián.
總評 Commentary
The confrontation reframes the hostage-taking as a coldly rational transaction: Wukong, unmoved by the mother’s alarm, at once names his price — two children for one captive monk — and even taunts her that the exchange rate favours her. The princess’s appeal to the father’s fearsome vengeance, meant as a threat, only confirms for the reader the danger from which the whole company must be extricated.
The scene sharpens the moral ambiguity the previous passage introduced. Wukong’s tactic is effective precisely because it is ruthless, and the novel does not soften it; yet the princess herself is drawn with a mother’s genuine fear, so that the exchange is charged with a pathos the Great Sage wholly ignores. His mercantile idiom — the language of bargains and advantage — lends the confrontation its grimly comic edge.