第1章 與眾不同的花木蘭
第2章 替父出征
第3章 告別家人
第4章 路見不平，撥刀相助
第5章 不打不相識
第6章 萬裡赴戎機
第7章 首站告捷
第8章 獨當一面，以少勝多
第9章 歸來見天子
第10章  木蘭還故鄉

CHAPTER 1 Mulan, Like No Other
CHAPTER 2 Fighting in Her Father’s Stead
CHAPTER 3 Bidding Farewell to the Family 
CHAPTER 4 Marching Forth for Justice
CHAPTER 5 From Fighting Blossoms a Friendship 
CHAPTER 6 The Long Military March 
CHAPTER 7 Victory in the First Battle
CHAPTER 8 Taking Responsibility to Defeat the Enemy
CHAPTER 9 Returning to See the Emperor 
CHAPTER 10 Mulan Returns Home

去年開始，圖書商城的運營者們在網上做了一檔很不錯的欄目，叫作“大咖書單”，我記得是在第四期時，我為這份書單推薦了兩本書，《殺死一隻知更鳥》和《奇風歲月》，到第七期又推薦了兩本，《老師，水缸破了！》和《天虹戰隊小學》。回過頭一想，赫然驚覺，兩次推薦的四本書，居然都是出自譯林出版社。潛意識裡我對這家出版社是有多偏愛啊，我那麼自覺自願地、一往無前地做了譯林社的一名“吹鼓手”。
沒有辦法，喜歡就是喜歡，沒有道理可講。
喜歡譯林出版社的書，其實是因為我喜歡外國文學作品。細究起來，我對外國文學的熱愛，源自童年那個無書可讀的時代。我在揚子江邊一個小小的縣城長大，我父母工作的學校是當地最好的縣中，縣中圖書館多少有一些藏書，“文革”開始的那一年，書籍和老師們一同被揪出來示眾，之後老師們遊街，圖書拉到操場一把火燒毀。圖書館主任“火中搶栗”，偷出一紙箱運回家中。主任的兒子跟我小學同班，因此我沾了他的光，把他父親秘藏的小說書一本一本地搬運出來，在一雙雙黝黑的小手中輾轉一圈之後，再神不知鬼不覺地偷放回去。那位圖書館主任可能比較“崇洋媚外”，弄回家的小說大都是世界名著，我對於外國文學的興趣，便是從那時開始的。
那時年幼，讀書不求甚解，又因為是背著大人們的“偷閱”，讀書過程基本是囫圇吞棗。很多書傳到我手裡的時候缺頭少尾，隻剩下中間三分之二的篇幅，精彩之處戛然而止，急得我抓耳撓腮。頁碼齊全的書，抓到手裡翻開就讀，書名是什麼，作者何人，很奇怪地忽略不計，一點兒不想知道。及至十年之後我上了大學，外國文學開禁，我在北大圖書館發瘋一樣地狂讀名著時，時不時會在心裡驚叫一聲：這本書不是我小時候讀過的嗎？於是，嗅著書中陳年紙張散發的潮濕氣味，心裡湧出一種老朋友失而復得的狂喜。也有一些書，童年時候莫名其妙地讀過了，卻是踏破鐵鞋無覓處。它們就這樣永遠地從我的生活中消失了，像無數消失在我生命旅途的朋友和家人。
高二那年，妹妹的同學借了我一套肖洛霍夫的《靜靜的頓河》。在我的生命中，那是一次飛躍，此後的這麼多年我以文學為生，應該與那一次的閱讀震撼有關。書中的那個哥薩克人格利高裡，很長時間中成為我欣賞男性的標準。書中描寫的頓河風光，至今都在我的腦子裡鮮活和閃亮。
十九歲，我在農場插隊。一個飄雪的鼕夜，農場宣傳隊在場部排練節目時，電突然停了，禮堂裡一片漆黑。一個隻讀了三年小學的農場工人對我們說：“我來講個故事吧。”他講的那個故事叫《茶花女》。一直到今天我都覺得那個晚上的情景像夢。在那個不準讀書的年代，那個沒有文化的鄉村，初小沒有畢業的農民居然講出法國作家小仲馬的名著。那個漆黑淒美的鼕夜，從此也深深刻印到我的記憶之中。那是我第一次領略悲劇作品的魅力。幾年之後，時代劇變，我買到了《茶花女》的小說，聽過了《茶花女》的歌劇，看過了同名電影，我從一切形式的《茶花女》中尋找那個雪夜的感覺，然而再不可能，最好的都是唯一的。
一九七八年初春進入北大，那一年外國文學還沒有開禁，北大圖書館裡闢出很小的一個房間作為“外國文學閱覽室”，每星期三的下午，允許中文繫文學專業的學生，憑學生證進入閱讀。我的印像中，那間閱覽室隻能容納十幾二十幾個學生，每次開放，排在前面的同學纔有機會被老師放進門去。於是那一年的“星期三”成了我們的排隊日，匆忙喫過午飯，碗都來不及洗，撥腳往圖書館飛奔，一行人安靜地在閱覽室門外排隊，等待兩點鐘開門放人。除卻寒暑假、節日、有課的日子、有重要活動的日子，剩下的“星期三”並不是很多，所以每一次的閱讀時間彌足珍貴。一書在手，全身心地撲上去吞食，每每到五點鐘閉館交書，站起身來，頭暈目眩，虛脫的感覺。那種閱讀，耗出去的不僅僅是腦力，還有巨大的體力。
一九七八年，人民文學出版社開始重印外國文學名著。剛開始的時候人多書少，全班同學輪流著到海澱新華書店通宵排隊購書。那時年輕，通宵不眠為了買一本書，絲毫不覺辛苦。慢慢地書越出越多，時常到書店轉悠，冷不丁地就踫上新書上架。排長隊是不必了，痛切的感覺是口袋裡錢太少。那時發下的心願是哪一天發了財，可以把書店裡的新書都擄回來。轉眼三十年過去，談不上發大財，買書是可以不計價錢了，可是看著書店裡鋪天蓋地的圖書，想到書架上還有很多書不及閱讀，解囊的興致少了
許多，挑挑揀揀，帶個一兩本回家，心中並沒有太多欣喜。人生的悲哀真正是無處不在。
還是回到一九七九年。印像之中，《世界文學》《外國文藝》《譯林》這些雜志都是在那時候陸續復刊和創刊的。這些刊物著重介紹外國現當代文學，並且以中短篇幅的為主，對於習慣了閱讀古典長篇的我們，眼前似乎又打開了另外一個世界。我非常清楚地記得，同班同學陳建功有一次讀到格雷阨姆· 格林的短篇《永遠占有》，佩服得五體投地，雙眼發光地跑來跟我們說：“我真想跪在格林面前向他致敬！”
童年的閱讀實在重要，它奠定了一個人終生的閱讀口味。檢點我書架上的書籍，百分之八十是外國文學作品。我曾經訂閱過的刊物，有《世界文學》《外國文藝》《譯林》《譯文》《世界電影》……統統跟外國文學有關。幾十年中，每一個燈光漫溢的夜晚，閱讀這些繽紛華彩的文字，感覺世界離我很近。文字中寫到的每一個角落，都是我心靈去過的地方。我占有了這些作品，我就占有了這個世界。
在我的印像中，譯林社出的每一本書，無論是社科類的，還是人文類的，都值得讀者收藏。而在譯林社所出的文學類圖書中，外國兒童文學作品又屬精品中的精品，比之國內大多數專業少兒社所出的圖書，譯林社的視野更寬，選擇標準更高，口味也更純粹。很敬佩譯林社的眾多編輯們，他們敬業而又專業，總是能從全世界浩如煙海的各類書籍中挑選出最值得國人閱讀的那一部分，延請最好的翻譯家、最好的畫家和設計師，做出一本又一本端莊而精致的圖書，送到讀者的面前。每次徜徉在燈光明亮的書店，或者打開手機上網搜索，譯林社的新書總是我最中意的目標，我信賴譯林社的出品，而且基本上不會失望。
翻開這套“有聲雙語經典”的書目，裡面的作家和作品都是我熟悉的名字。有些書是在童年和少年時代各種僥幸落入我的手中的，有些是讀大學時列入書單需要細讀的，還有一些，比如《小王子》，比如《綠山牆的安妮》，少年和青年時代居然都錯失了它們，是我在人到中年之後纔補讀完成。更有一部分，年輕時讀過，花甲之年又重新捧起，是為了重溫之後可以為我的小外孫女們詳細講解。在此我願意把這些書目推薦給小讀者們，是因為這樣的一套書當之無愧地應該成為你們最好的朋友，會幫助你們更加優雅地長大。

第1章 與眾不同的花木蘭

一千多年前的南北朝時期，古老的中國曾經陷入動蕩和分裂。神州大地上出現了許多政權，各政權之間經常爆發戰爭，政權不斷更迭。後來，北方出現了一個比較強大的政權——北魏。北魏打敗了許多對手，統一了黃河流域，成為統治北方的“大國”。然而，北魏周邊的一些好戰政權為了爭奪利益，仍不斷侵擾中原，北魏的和平和安寧經常受到威脅。
黃河以南，有一個叫“花家峪”的村莊。這裡生活著一戶姓花的人家，男主人名叫花弧，是北魏的一名退伍老兵。花弧年輕時曾經參加過許多場戰爭，一直到北魏統一北方，纔告老還鄉。花弧曾經做過千夫長，還立下過一些戰功，因此，當他離開軍隊時，軍隊的長官獎勵了他一筆錢財。花弧在戰場上征戰了大半生，終於能回到家鄉與妻子兒女團聚，心裡真是高興極了。他拿出一部分錢財修葺了房屋，又置辦了田地，打算在花家峪安享晚年。
花弧和妻子一共有三個子女，其中最特別的要數二女兒花木蘭。這個女孩身材高大，十三四歲時就長得和父親一樣高，而且她聲音洪亮，力氣也大。如果不是木蘭長得面貌清秀，秀發如雲，許多人會以為她是個英俊的少年。木蘭從小就非常勤勞、懂事，父親不在家時，她總是挑最重的力氣活干——砍柴、挑水、種地。母親心疼木蘭，木蘭卻說：“姐姐柔弱，弟弟幼小，咱們家數木蘭個子最高，力氣最大，理應幫媽媽照顧全家。”
木蘭是一個讓全家人感到驕傲的好姑娘。唯一讓母親感到煩惱的是，比起普通的女孩，木蘭的膽量似乎太大了一些。也許是受到父親的影響，木蘭很喜歡武藝和騎射。從小到大，隻要父親從戰場上回到家中，木蘭便央求父親教她拳腳功夫和騎馬射箭。起初，父親以為木蘭隻是貪玩，就隨隨便便教了她一些粗淺功夫，沒想到木蘭天資過人，總是很快便掌握了要領。後來，父親便把成套的拳法、棍法教給木蘭。木蘭樂在其中，勤學苦練，到了十三四歲，竟成了花家峪一帶的武藝高手。農閑時節，木蘭常常叫上村裡的男孩到村口的大槐樹下比武。附近有些功夫的年輕人，都跟木蘭比了個遍，可就連十七八歲的青年，也不是她的對手。
在木蘭的記憶裡，父親每次回到家，最多待上一年半載就得返回軍營。這一次，聽說父親已經退伍，再也不用上戰場打仗，木蘭真是歡喜極了。她一有機會就拉著父親給她指點武藝，對戰場上的事也很感興趣，常常問東問西。
“父親，國與國之間為什麼要打仗呢？”木蘭問。
“人和人之間有了矛盾會打架，國與國之間有了矛盾也會打架呀！”父親說。
“一打仗，您就要離開家。戰場上，有人死去，有人受傷。我看打仗不是一件好事，要是永遠不打仗就好了！”木蘭說。
“打仗啊，確實是不得已的事！”父親嘆了口氣，接著說，“不過有時候，打仗也是為了不再打仗。如果有人侵犯我們，我們不打回去，他們就不知道我們的厲害，隻有打回去，打贏他們，他們纔不敢再來——這樣，國與國之間纔有和平。”
“父親說得對！上次有個蟊賊從後院跳到咱們家裡來偷糧食，我捉住他痛打了一頓——可母親卻將我訓斥了一番，說我太過魯莽，不該隨便打人。看來，母親說錯了！我打這個賊，是為了讓他以後不敢再來，不再挨打。”木蘭說完大笑起來。
“哎！我這個二女兒，什麼都好，就是沒有個女孩的樣子。”母親在一旁聽到父女倆的對話，既憐愛又無奈地說。
“母親，您可別這麼說，女孩們做的事我也樣樣精通！做飯、織布、縫衣裳，您說我哪件做得不好呀？”木蘭對母親眨眨眼睛，乖巧地坐在織布機前干起活來。
母親被木蘭逗笑了，覺得女兒說得倒也在理。木蘭做事專注，心思縝密。她織的布匹，光滑細密。一匹布上，幾乎看不見斷掉的線頭，做出來的衣裳也特別好看，實在是挑不出毛病。
自打花弧回到家中，時間轉眼過去了兩年。這一年，姐姐準備出嫁，弟弟也進了書院。花木蘭長成了十六歲的大姑娘，武藝更是精進了不少。一家人的生活平靜、美滿，誰也沒有想到，戰爭的陰影再一次籠罩了他們。

CHAPTER 1
Mulan, Like No Other

Over one thousand years ago, during the Northern and Southern dynasties period, ancient China had descended into chaos and was divided. Barbarians were invading from outside of China, and inside China there was great disorder. It had split into many small states, with the states constantly warring among each other, and governments often changing. Eventually, a great power emerged in the north —
the Northern Wei dynasty. The Northern Wei defeated many northern states and unified the Yellow River basin region, becoming the ruler of the north. Near the Northern Wei, though, war-loving states would still instigate wars in order to pursue their own interests. The peace and tranquility of the Northern Wei were often threatened.
To the south of the Yellow River was a village called “Huajiayu.” Here lived the Hua family, the father of the family a veteran named Hua Hu. When Hua Hu was young, he fought in many wars, only retiring when the Northern Wei unified the north. Because he was a successful military commander, leading 1,000 soldiers in battles, when he left the military, his commanding officer gave him a financial reward. As Hua Hu fought on the battlefield for much of his life, he was extremely happy to finally have the opportunity to return home and be with his wife and children. He used some of his money to renovate his home, and also bought some farmland, planning to live out the rest of his life in Huajiayu.
Hua Hu had three children with his wife, and the most special among them was his second-oldest daughter, Mulan. She was a tall girl, and by the time she was 13 or 14, she was already as tall as her father. Her voice was rich and resonant, and she was very strong. If it wasn’t for her elegant features and beautiful hair, many would have figured she was a handsome young man. From a young age Mulan was always hard-working and wise beyond her age. When her father was not home, she would choose to do the most difficult work — chopping firewood, carrying water back home, and worked the farmland. Her mother felt bad for Mulan, but Mulan told her, “My older sister is feeble and my little brother is too young. Among our family, I’m the one who is the tallest and strongest, so of course I should help you take care of the family.”
Mulan was a good girl who made her entire family proud of her. The only thing that made her mother feel uneasy was when compared to regular girls, Mulan was a bit too brave. Perhaps she had been influenced by her father, as she greatly enjoyed martial arts, horseback riding, and archery. As she was growing up, whenever her father was back home from the battlefield, she would beg him to teach her Chinese boxing, martial arts, horseback riding, and archery. At first, her father thought it was just going through a phrase, so he only taught her the basics of martial arts. Who would have known that she in fact was naturally talented, and always would quickly grasp the main ideas of what her father taught her? Later on, her father would fully teach her Chinese boxing and cudgel play. Mulan took great joy in learning these things, studying and practicing hard. By the time she was 13 or 14, she had become an expert martial artist in the Huajiayu area. During the farming off-season, Hua Mulan would challenge boys from the village to martial arts fights by the scholar tree near the village entrance. Near the village were some youngsters who practiced martial arts. They sparred with her, but even the 17 and 18-year-olds were no match for her.
For as long as Mulan could remember, her father would only come home for a year or a half maximum before having to return to the barracks. This time, however, upon hearing that her father had retired and no longer had to fight wars, Mulan was absolutely ecstatic. As soon as she had the chance, she had her father teach her about martial arts. She was also quite interested in his battlefield stories often asking him all about what happened.
“Father, why do states fight each other?” Mulan asked.
“When there is a disagreement among people, they’ll fight, so when there are disagreements between states, they’ll fight as well!” Her father said.
“As soon as our state gets into a war, you have to leave home. Some people die and some are injured on the battlefield. I think that wars are not a good thing. It would be great if there were no more wars!” Mulan said.
“War? War is something that really can’t be avoided!” Her father sighed, continuing on, “But sometimes wars are fought in order to avoid more wars in the future. If someone invades our state and we don’t fight back, then they won’t know our strength. Only when we fight back and beat them will they not want to come back. Only in this way will there be peace between different states.”
“You’re right, father! Last time when there was a thief who tried to steal food from our backyard, I caught him and beat him up, but mother scolded me, saying that I was too reckless and shouldn’t go beating people up. It looks like she was wrong! I beat the thief up to make sure that he wouldn’t come back and end up getting beat up again.” Mulan smiled widely after she said this.
“Oh! Mulan, my daughter, everything is fine, and it’s just that you don’t act like a girl,” Mulan’s mother said lovingly but frustratedly, having overheard their conversation.
“Mother, don’t say that! I’m also good at doing the things that girls are supposed to do! Cooking, weaving, sewing — which of these am I not good at?” Mulan stared at her mother, blinking, taking the opportunity to sit at the loom and start weaving.
Mulan’s mother thought this was funny, and that Mulan was not wrong. When working, Mulan would concentrate hard, overlooking nothing. The fabric that she wove was smooth and finely woven. On one of her pieces of fabric, there were virtually no loose threads. The clothing that she made also looked wonderful, with no flaws that could be pointed out.
Two years quickly passed after Hua Hu returned home. Mulan’s older sister was now preparing to leave home and get married, and her little brother had started school. Hua Mulan was now 16 years old, and her martial arts skills had further improved. Her family lived quiet, content lives. Nobody could have guessed that the shadow of war would once again envelop the entire state.