雙語故事:戈黛娃夫人與偷窺者湯姆
【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".
【中文譯文】
戈黛娃夫人是十一世紀的一個英國貴婦，丈夫是考文垂的利奧弗裏克伯爵。據說她丈夫在當地橫徵暴斂，老百姓苦不堪言。戈黛娃夫人很同情老百姓，就請求丈夫減輕賦稅。伯爵說可以減稅，但有個條件，戈黛娃須赤裸身體騎馬在城裏走一遭。他心想這下會把妻子難住。不料戈黛娃卻一口答應下來。她先通知城裏所有的人都待在家裏，在她路過時緊閉門窗。然後她騎着一匹白馬，以長髮蔽體，穿過街市。所有的人都尊重她的請求，除去城裏一個叫湯姆的裁縫。湯姆人窗縫偷偷向外張望，登時眼睛就變瞎了。在英語裏，窺視他人以獲得性快感的人被叫做"peeping Tom".
題外話：19世紀末以前，英國考文垂曾每年舉行一次戈黛娃夫人裸體騎馬過市的儀式以紀念這位女人的英雄事蹟。這個儀式在十七世紀一度受到清教徒的抵制，認爲有傷風化。1678年儀式恢復舉行，但在1826年，由於清教主義再度興起，儀式中的戈黛娃夫人開始着裝。
