23. The Fairy Queen 23. Die Elfenkönigin 23. La Reina de las Hadas 23. La reine des fées 23. La regina delle fate 23.妖精の女王 23. Fėjų karalienė 23. A Rainha das Fadas 23. Королева фей 23. Peri Kraliçesi 23. Королева фей 23. 仙女女王 23. 仙女女王

"O, wonder How many goodly creatures are there here! "О, чудо, как много здесь прекрасных созданий! How beauteous mankind is! Как прекрасен человек! O brave new world That hath such people in't." О храбрый новый мир, в котором есть такие люди". —SHAKSPERE

When Sir Walter Raleigh had done chasing the Spanish Armada from Plymouth to the North Sea, he crossed over to Ireland, where he visited his friend Edmund Spenser. Когда сэр Уолтер Рэли закончил преследование испанской армады от Плимута до Северного моря, он переправился в Ирландию, где навестил своего друга Эдмунда Спенсера. That Spenser was a poet of no mean order Raleigh well knew, but he was hardly prepared for the wonderful new poem that Spenser read to him on this visit, under the name of the "Fairy Queen." Che Spenser fosse un poeta di non poco conto Raleigh lo sapeva bene, ma non era certo preparato al nuovo meraviglioso poema che Spenser gli lesse in questa visita, sotto il nome di "Fairy Queen". То, что Спенсер был поэтом не из лучших, Роли хорошо знал, но он вряд ли был готов к новой замечательной поэме, которую Спенсер прочитал ему в этот приезд под названием "Королева фей". Here indeed was a poet—the first singer of Elizabeth's newly awakened England—the pioneer of that new glory which burst forth in this marvellous sixteenth century. Qui c'era davvero un poeta, il primo cantore dell'Inghilterra appena risvegliata di Elisabetta, il pioniere di quella nuova gloria che esplose in questo meraviglioso XVI secolo. Здесь действительно был поэт - первый певец вновь пробудившейся Англии Елизаветы, пионер той новой славы, которая вспыхнула в этом чудесном шестнадцатом веке. Elizabeth must hear the poem from the poet's own lips. Together the two men made their way to England and stood before their queen. She listened with rapture. In the "Fairy Queen" she recognised herself. But the new poem was not for her alone. It was published in 1590, to be received by a burst of welcome, for did it not express the very life of the times? Она была опубликована в 1590 году и была встречена бурным приветствием, ибо разве она не выражала саму жизнь того времени? It was the truest picture of the world of mystery and wonder, which was opening before the eyes of Englishmen—a mixture of the chivalry of the middle ages and the new learning which had spread from Italy. Here is one of the stories from the "Fairy Queen." In the far-off kingdom of Fairyland stood a splendid city surrounded by a golden wall. Here lived Gloriana the Queen of the Fairies, and to her came all noble knights in search of adventure and all persons in distress.

One day there arrived a royal maiden named Una, who had journeyed from the Euphrates, away in the Far East. She had been driven from home by a huge and cruel dragon, which had laid waste the country, the king and queen had fled for safety to a strong castle, and she had come to the Fairy Queen for help. Она была изгнана из дома огромным и жестоким драконом, который опустошил страну, король и королева бежали в безопасное место в крепкий замок, а она пришла за помощью к королеве фей. Many a knight had tried to slay the monster in vain. Molti cavalieri avevano cercato di uccidere il mostro invano. It was not long before a young noble, known as the Red Cross Knight, at the palace of Gloriana, undertook to go and slay the dragon, if Una would show him the way. Non passò molto tempo prima che un giovane nobile, noto come Cavaliere della Croce Rossa, al palazzo di Gloriana, si impegnasse ad andare a uccidere il drago, se Una gli avesse indicato la strada. Away they started together, the knight on a fiery steed, Una at his side on a snow-white ass. Soon a storm drove them to shelter in a deep wood, where presently they lost their way. Ben presto una tempesta li spinse a ripararsi in un bosco profondo, dove in breve tempo persero la strada. Finding a cave, the young knight dismounted, and in spite of Una's remonstrances he looked into a dark hole. Trovata una grotta, il giovane cavaliere smontò e, nonostante i richiami di Una, guardò in un buco buio. By the light of his glittering armour he saw an ugly monster, named Error, lying in the cave. After a tremendous struggle he killed the monster and returned to Una.

"Fair knight, ye have won glory this day," she said. "May all your adventures succeed as well as this." On they went again. But before long the Red Cross Knight was led astray by a false lady, Duessa. Ma ben presto il Cavaliere della Croce Rossa fu traviato da una falsa dama, Duessa. Left alone and solitary, Una wandered through desert and wilderness to find her lost knight. She was lying at rest on the grass when suddenly a ramping lion rushed out of a wood. Stava riposando sull'erba quando all'improvviso un leone rampante si precipitò fuori da un bosco. With open mouth he rushed at her greedily; but when he saw her nearer he stopped, and, instead of devouring her, he kissed her weary feet and licked her white hands. When she rose to go the lion followed her as her faithful guide.

Still searching for her Red Cross Knight, Una met Prince Arthur, the champion knight of Fairyland. His armour glittered like the rays of the sun, his tunic shone like twinkling stars with precious stones. His helmet was of gold, with a golden dragon. Ever bent on deeds of kindness, Arthur undertook to find for Una her Red Cross Knight, who was even now languishing in a dark dungeon in the castle of a giant, where dwelt the false Duessa. Sempre pronto a compiere atti di bontà, Artù si impegnò a trovare per Una il suo Cavaliere della Croce Rossa, che ora languiva in un'oscura prigione nel castello di un gigante, dove abitava la falsa Duessa. Horrible to behold was the monster giant who came forth to meet Arthur; but it was not long before he lay at Arthur's feet—dead. Il gigante mostruoso che si presentò all'incontro con Artù era orribile da vedere, ma non passò molto tempo prima che giacesse ai piedi di Artù, morto. Then Arthur brought the poor Red Cross Knight, ill and low and weak. Duessa had fled, so they stayed and refreshed themselves at the castle. Then they parted from Arthur, and the knight and his dear Una went on their way. And at last they arrived at Una's home. "This is the city of the great king, where eternal peace and happiness dwell," said an old man, who took the knight to a high mountain from whence he could see the goodly city. "Questa è la città del grande re, dove dimorano la pace e la felicità eterne", disse un vecchio, che portò il cavaliere su un'alta montagna da cui poteva vedere la bella città. "The way to it, after long labour, will bring you to joyous rest and endless bliss. And thou, fair knight, dost well to succour this desolate princess till thou hast rid her of her foe. А ты, прекрасный рыцарь, должен помогать этой покинутой принцессе, пока не избавишь ее от врага. That done, thou mayest travel this path, which shall lead thee to the great city. Fatto ciò, potrai percorrere questo sentiero che ti condurrà alla grande città. Als je dat gedaan hebt, mag je dit pad bewandelen, dat je naar de grote stad zal leiden. And there in after-times shalt thou be a saint and befriend thine own nation. И там, в последующие времена, ты станешь святым и будешь дружить со своим народом. St George of merry England shalt thou be." Святым Георгием веселой Англии станешь ты". His eyes were yet dazzled with the brightness of the distant city when a hideous roaring sound was heard, that seemed to shake the very earth. It came from a dreadful dragon stretched on the sunny side of a hill. He was covered with huge brazen scales, which he clashed together with a dreadful noise; his huge tail was wrapped in a hundred folds; his jaws opened like an abyss, showing long ranges of iron teeth; his eyes blazed like fire. Era ricoperto di enormi scaglie di bronzo, che faceva sbattere insieme con un rumore spaventoso; la sua enorme coda era avvolta in cento pieghe; le sue fauci si aprivano come un abisso, mostrando lunghe serie di denti di ferro; i suoi occhi ardevano come il fuoco.

Putting Una into a place of safety, the Red Cross Knight advanced fearlessly to his great task. For two days and nights he fought the mighty beast, and at the last he slew it. Два дня и ночи боролся он с могучим зверем и в конце концов победил его. It was safe now for the king and queen to appear, for the dragon was slain. And clad in sombre robes they came forth, old and hoary with time, to embrace their daughter Una and to give her in marriage to the conqueror of the dragon, the Red Cross Knight, St George of England.

The "Fairy Queen" was the first ideal poem that England produced, the source of her modern poetry. It lifted its readers at once into a clear, pure air. "No man can read the 'Fairy Queen' and be anything but the better for it," says a great American writer. "Ни один человек не может прочитать "Королеву фей" и не стать от этого лучше", - говорит великий американский писатель. "The land of Spenser is the land of Dreams, but it is also the land of Rest." "Here may thy storm-beat vessel safely ride; This is the port of rest from troublous toil. "Qui può viaggiare in sicurezza il tuo vascello battuto dalla tempesta; questo è il porto del riposo dalle fatiche. "Здесь может безопасно идти твой корабль, избитый штормом; Это порт отдыха от беспокойных трудов. The world's sweet inn from pain and wearisome turmoil."