简单的英文故事:戈黛娃夫人与偷窥者汤姆

【英文原文】

Lady Godiva was an Anglo-Saxon woman who lived in England during the 11th century. She was the wife of Leofric, Lord of Coventry. According to legend, her husband forced his people to pay such heavy taxes that Lady Godiva felt sorry for them. She asked her husband to reduce the heavy taxes. Her husband said he would if she would ride naked through the town. He thought he was safe in making this promise, but to his astonishment, Lady Godiva accepted the challenge. She asked all the people in the town to stay indoors and closed their shutters as she went by. Then she rode through the streets on a white horse, and her long flowing hair was her only clothing. All the people of the town honoured her request except the town tailor, Tom, who peeped through a shutter and was struck blind. To this day, people still call someone who gets sexual pleasure from watching others secretly a "peeping Tom".

戈黛娃夫人是十一世纪的一个英国贵妇，丈夫是考文垂的利奥弗里克伯爵。据说她丈夫在当地横征暴敛，老百姓苦不堪言。戈黛娃夫人很同情老百姓，就请求丈夫减轻赋税。伯爵说可以减税，但有个条件，戈黛娃须赤裸身体骑马在城里走一遭。他心想这下会把妻子难住。不料戈黛娃却一口答应下来。她先通知城里所有的人都待在家里，在她路过时紧闭门窗。然后她骑着一匹白马，以长发蔽体，穿过街市。所有的人都尊重她的请求，除去城里一个叫汤姆的裁缝。汤姆人窗缝偷偷向外张望，登时眼睛就变瞎了。在英语里，窥视他人以获得性快感的人被叫做"peeping Tom".

题外话：19世纪末以前，英国考文垂曾每年举行一次戈黛娃夫人裸体骑马过市的仪式以纪念这位女人的英雄事迹。这个仪式在十七世纪一度受到清教徒的抵制，认为有伤风化。1678年仪式恢复举行，但在1826年，由于清教主义再度兴起，仪式中的戈黛娃夫人开始着装。