《陀螺與球》，1844 年

the top and ball, 1844

一個陀螺和一個小球一起放在一個盒子裡，和其他玩具放在一起，陀螺對球說：“我們住在同一個盒子裡，我們結婚好嗎？”

A whipping top and a little ball lay together in a box, among other toys, and the top said to the ball, “Shall we be married, as we live in the simple box?”

但是這個球，穿著摩洛哥皮革做的外衣，自視甚高，就像其他年輕小姐一樣，甚至都不屑於回答。

but the ball, which wore a dress of morocco leather, and thought as much of herself as any other young lady, would not even condescend to reply.

第二天，這些玩具所屬的小男孩來了，他把陀螺塗成了紅黃相間的顏色，還在中間釘了一顆銅頭釘，這樣當陀螺旋轉起來的時候，看起來非常漂亮。

the next day came the little boy to whom the playthings belonged, and 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.

“看看我。” 陀螺對球說。

“Look at me,” said the top to the ball.

“你現在怎麼說？

我們彼此訂婚好嗎？

我們會很般配的；你能彈起來，我能跳舞。

沒有人會比我們更幸福的。”

“what do you say now?

Shall 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.”

“真的嗎！你這麼認為？

也許你不知道我的父親和母親是摩洛哥拖鞋，而且我的身體裡有一塊西班牙軟木塞。”

“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.”

“是的；但我是用桃花心木做的。” 陀螺說。

“Yes; but I am made of mahogany,” said the top.

“是少校親自車制我的。

他自己有一臺車床，對他來說這是一項很大的消遣。”

“the major himself turned me.

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