Butterfly Lovers
梁山伯与祝英台

268'

Once upon a time in China, there lived a young girl named Zhu Yingtai, who was from a wealthy family.
在中国古代，有一个女孩名叫祝英台，她家境很优越。

All she ever wanted to do was to go to school. Unfortunately, she lived at time when girls were expected to stay at home and do housework, and when old enough, marry the man their fathers chose for them, and be obedient and quiet.
她唯一想做的事情就是去上学。但不幸的是，在那个年代，女孩子们只能呆在家里操持家务；等到了适婚年龄，就会跟父亲选定的男人结婚，从此三从四德，平静过完一生。

But Yingtai was very determined to be educated. She asked for her father’s permission to go to school. Her father loved her, but he didn’t want to go against tradition either. So he agreed that if any school was willing to take her, she could go.
但是英台一心要上学堂。她恳求父亲的首肯，他虽然爱女儿，但是也无力挑战传统。所以他只好答应她说，但凡有学校愿意接受她，她就可以去。

And he was confident that no school would admit a girl.
哪个学堂也不会接受一个女孩子的，他十分确信。

But Yingtai was smart. She disguised herself as a boy and managed to get admission into a school in the city of Hangzhou, where her aunt lived.
但英台非常机智：正好她的姑姑家住杭州城，她就女扮男装混进了当地的一所学堂。

Every morning she would put on her disguise and go to school.
每天早上上学前，她都会先乔装打扮一下。

While she was there, she met a handsome young man named Liang Shanbo. They became best friends and spent most of their time together. They enjoyed the company of each other. But he never suspected that Yingtai was actually a girl.
在学堂，她认识了一个俊朗的年轻后生，名叫梁山伯。他们很快成为至交，每日朝夕相处，关系非常融洽。但梁山伯做梦也想不到英台会是女孩身。

Time passed, and soon the young people finished their studies and were ready to go home. Yingtai realized that she had fallen in love with her best friend, but she couldn’t let him know.
时光如梭，学子们完成了学业，到了启程回家的日子。此刻祝英台才意识到，她爱上了自己的至友，可这事却无法启齿。

She came up with a clever plan.
她想出了一个绝妙的主意。

She told Shanbo that she had a beautiful younger sister who was 16 years old. She suggested that Shanbo visit the family to meet, and possibly marry her younger sister.
她跟梁山伯说，自己还有一个妹妹，年方十六，貌美如花。她邀请梁山伯到家中一叙，说不定能促成这桩婚事。

He thought that if he married Yingtai’s sister, they could continue to meet. So he agreed.
梁山伯心想，如果能和英台的妹妹成婚，他和英台还可以继续往来。因此他同意了。

Yingtai went back home, but she waited for a long year before Shanbo showed up. They missed each other terribly.
回到家后，英台却整整等待了一年的时间才盼来梁山伯的登门拜访。他们彼此都饱受相思之苦。

And Shanbo was overjoyed to realize that Yingtai was actually a girl and in love with him. Also, he realized why he had felt such a strong love for Yingtai.
梁山伯喜出望外发现祝英台居然是女儿之身，并且对自己心有爱慕。而他，也猛然明白了自己对她那深深的爱恋。

For a brief time, the couple were happy in each other’s love and looked forward to a future together.
他们的爱情短暂而甜美；他们是多么地期待能永生永世在一起。

But their happiness was short-lived. When the young man asked Yingtai’s father for her hand, he shook his head. He told him that she had already been promised to another man, a rich man.
但是，这幸福时光却如昙花一现。当梁山伯向她的父亲提亲时，他却摇了摇头。他说，英台早已被他许配了一个殷实的人家。

Nothing could make her father change his mind.
祝父的意志非常坚定，无法动摇。

Shanbo left, heart-broken and alone. The thought that he would never see her again filled him with pain. Soon, in despair, he grew ill and died.
梁山伯独自离开了，黯然神伤。一想到再也无法相见，他就在痛苦的沼泽中沉沦下去了。很快，他身染沉疴，绝望地离开了人世。

When Yingtai learnt of his death, her heart was broken too. She pretended to agree to the marriage arranged for her on condition that the wedding procession passed by Shanbo’s grave.
当祝英台得知他去世的消息后，伤心欲绝。她假装同意了父亲包办的婚姻，但是条件是—迎亲队伍必须路过梁山伯的坟墓。

As the wedding procession neared his grave, Yingtai started to cry, wishing that she could join her true love rather than marry the rich man.
当迎亲队伍接近坟墓时，她开始痛哭，她多么希望自己不是嫁入豪门，而是能到爱人的身边去。

It seems that her prayers had been answered. Suddenly, the wind began to howl and the sky grew dark. The next moment, a bolt of lightning hit the grave, breaking it open. Yingtai threw herself into the grave so that she could be with him forever.
她的祈祷好像得到了回应，突然，狂风呼啸，乌云密布。接下来，一道闪电击中并劈开了坟墓。祝英台纵身一跃跳进了坟墓，从此可以永远陪伴梁山伯。

The storm disappeared as suddenly as it had struck.
暴风雨骤然而停，像骤降时一样，突如而至。

When people reached the grave and peered into it, all they saw at first was an empty coffin.
当人们走到坟墓前，往里面望去时，他们只看到了里面的一具空棺。

Then out flew two butterflies, dancing together in the sunshine.
随后飞出两只蝴蝶，它们在阳光下你追我赶，翩翩起舞。

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai were finally together, and would never be separated ever again.
梁山伯和祝英台终于到了一起，永远不会再被分开。