PROLOGUE

OF all the fairy countries in the world none is more wonderful or beautiful than the country where the Fire Fairies live. Into that land no fairies of the earth, or air, or water dare venture. They would be seared, or changed to ash or vapor¹.

Many are the doors that open into the Fire Kingdom—thousands, and hundreds of thousands in number. Wherever you see the firelight flicker², wherever you see flames leaping and dancing, wherever you hear the snap of the burning logs, there you may be sure[2] is an open door. Then if you choose to creep close to it, and peer in, you may perhaps see wonderful things; fairy forms that flit and vanish, and reappear, and vanish again among the leaping flames, and smoldering³ embers. Perhaps, also, you may see the shining domes⁴ and glittering turrets⁵ of the fairy palaces.

But when the fire burns down, and the hearth⁶ grows dark the door is closed—there is no more to be seen of that wonderland.

In the very heart of the Fire Country stands the palace of King Red Flame, the gleaming flame-colored palace, the Palace of Burning Coals. Round it lies a wonderful garden, where paths wind away among great fields of fire lilies, and flame roses lift their heads, and the tall shining trees rustle⁷ in the wind[3] with a sound like the whispering of the fire on the hearth. Here in this glowing country the good and happy fairies work and play, and serve their king as all good fairies should.

But not all fairies in this land are good and happy. Beyond the glow of the roses and the lilies, beyond all sight of the glimmering⁸ trees, there lies another part of the country where live the evil fairies of that land. Here are great Plains of Ash, and huge Caverns⁹ of Soot¹⁰, and stretches of gloom where comes and goes the Shadow Witch. Here Imps¹¹ of Darkness lurk¹², here Dragons crouch¹³, and Wizards dwell. Perhaps sometimes when you have looked into the Fireplace you have seen those dismal¹⁴ plains and darksome valleys. They lie away from the heart of the Fire, at the side of the Hearth,[4] and between the flames and the heaps of ashes.

And now listen, and I will tell you of Prince Radiance, and Princess White Flame who lived in the Fire Country and of many strange and wonderful adventures through which they journeyed on to reach at last a never-ending happiness.

1 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

2 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

3 smoldering   

v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mat was smoldering where the burning log had fallen. 燃烧的木棒落下的地方垫子慢慢燃烧起来。 来自辞典例句
• The wood was smoldering in the fireplace. 木柴在壁炉中闷烧。 来自辞典例句

4 domes   

n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场

参考例句：

• The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
• Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网

5 turrets   

（六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车

参考例句：

• The Northampton's three turrets thundered out white smoke and pale fire. “诺思安普敦号”三座炮塔轰隆隆地冒出白烟和淡淡的火光。
• If I can get to the gun turrets, I'll have a chance. 如果我能走到炮塔那里，我就会赢得脱险的机会。

6 hearth   

n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面

参考例句：

• She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
• She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

7 rustle   

v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声

参考例句：

• She heard a rustle in the bushes.她听到灌木丛中一阵沙沙声。
• He heard a rustle of leaves in the breeze.他听到树叶在微风中发出的沙沙声。

8 glimmering   

n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句
• Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

9 caverns   

大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Within were dark caverns; what was inside them, no one could see. 里面是一个黑洞，这里面有什么东西，谁也望不见。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• UNDERGROUND Under water grottos, caverns Filled with apes That eat figs. 在水帘洞里，挤满了猿争吃无花果。

10 soot   

n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟

参考例句：

• Soot is the product of the imperfect combustion of fuel.煤烟是燃料不完全燃烧的产物。
• The chimney was choked with soot.烟囱被煤灰堵塞了。

11 imps   

n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童

参考例句：

• Those imps are brewing mischief. 那些小淘气们正在打坏主意。 来自辞典例句
• No marvel if the imps follow when the devil goes before. 魔鬼带头，难怪小鬼纷纷跟随。 来自互联网

12 lurk   

n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏

参考例句：

• Dangers lurk in the path of wilderness.在这条荒野的小路上隐伏着危险。
• He thought he saw someone lurking above the chamber during the address.他觉得自己看见有人在演讲时潜藏在会议厅顶上。

13 crouch   

v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏

参考例句：

• I crouched on the ground.我蹲在地上。
• He crouched down beside him.他在他的旁边蹲下来。

14 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。