History of Magic in North America

北美魔法历史

Magic in North America

1920s Wizarding America

1920年代的美国巫师界

By J.K. Rowling

The wizards of America had played their part in the Great War of 1914-1918, even if the overwhelming majority of their No-Maj compatriots were ignorant of their contribution. As there were magical factions on both sides, their efforts were not decisive, but they won many victories in preventing additional loss of life, and in defeating their magical enemies.

即使绝大多数的麻鸡同胞都选择忽视美国巫师的贡献，但他们在1914至1918年的第一次世界大战中占有一定的份量。由于战争双方都有魔法分子，因此他们的付出并没有造成决定性的影响，然而巫师们的确成功减少战争的死亡人数，也多次击败他们的敌对巫师。

This common endeavour led to no softening on MACUSA's stance on No-Maj/wizard fraternisation, and Rappaport's Law remained firmly in place. By the 1920s the US wizarding community had become used to existing under a greater degree of secrecy than their European counterparts and to selecting their mates strictly from within their own ranks.

这种共同努力的行动并没有软化MACUSA反对麻鸡与巫师交往的立场，拉帕波特法律仍坚决执行。1920年代，美国巫师界已经习惯了必须维持比起欧洲同类更为低调的行事风格，而且选择伴侣都仅限于自己的同类。

The memory of Dorcus Twelvetrees' catastrophic breach of the Statute of Secrecy had entered magical language, so that being 'a Dorcus' was slang for an idiot or inept person. MACUSA continued to impose severe penalties on those who flouted the International Statute of Secrecy. MACUSA was also more intolerant of such magical phenomena as ghosts, poltergeists and fantastic creatures than its European equivalents, because of the risk such beasts and spirits posed of alerting No-Majs to the existence of magic.

朵喀斯・十二树严重违反保密协议的事件在魔法界中广为流传，往后人们常用“真是朵喀斯”以形容愚蠢、不称职的行为。对于无视国际保密协议的人，MACUSA始终采取严惩措施；此外，相较于欧洲，MACUSA更加无法容忍魔法的诸多事物如：幽灵、调皮捣蛋鬼、奇兽等。因为奇兽和鬼魂之类的存在都可能会造成麻鸡发现魔法存在的风险。

After the Great Sasquatch Rebellion of 1892 (for full details, see Ortiz O'Flaherty's highly-acclaimed book Big Foot's Last Stand), MACUSA headquarters was relocated for the fifth time in its history, moving from Washington to New York, where it remained throughout the 1920s. President of MACUSA throughout the decade was Madam Seraphina Picquery, a famously gifted witch from Savannah.

1892年的大脚怪之乱之后（完整细节请参考奥尔蒂斯・奥弗莱厄蒂的知名著作《大脚的最后一战》），MACUSA总部进行第五次的迁移，从华盛顿转移到纽约，直到1920年代为止。那十年间，都是由一名来自萨凡纳，著名且天赋异禀的女巫，赛拉菲娜·皮盖瑞女士任职MACUSA首席。

By the 1920s Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been flourishing for more than two centuries and was widely considered to be one of the greatest magical education establishments in the world. In consequence of their common education, all witches and wizards are proficient in the use of a wand.

1920年代时，伊魔法尼巫术与魔法学校经历了两个多世纪的蓬勃发展后，成为世界公认最大的魔法教育机构之一。在他们推广共同教育的努力下，所有巫师与女巫 都已经对魔杖的操控相当熟悉。

Legislation introduced at the end of the nineteenth century meant that every member of the magical community in America was required to carry a 'wand permit', a measure that was intended to keep tabs on all magical activity and identify the perpetrators by their wands. Unlike Britain, where Ollivanders was considered unbeatable, the continent of North America was served by four great wandmakers.

十九世纪末的立法明订，美国魔法界的每一名成员都必须携带“魔杖许可证”，借此追踪所有魔法行动、并通过魔杖辨别肇事者。在英国，奥立凡德是无人可与之竞争的魔杖制造者，而北美洲则有四名伟大的魔杖制造者。

Shikoba Wolfe, who was of Chocktaw descent, was primarily famous for intricately carved wands containing Thunderbird tail feathers (the Thunderbird is a magical American bird closely related to the phoenix). Wolfe wands were generally held to be extremely powerful, though difficult to master. They were particular prized by Transfigurers.

希柯巴・沃尔夫是乔克托族（北美洲原住民部落）的后裔，以魔杖的精细雕工闻名，他制作的魔杖内含雷鸟尾巴的尾羽（雷鸟是美国的魔法鸟类，与凤凰有血缘关系）。沃尔夫的魔杖通常都具有非常强大的力量，虽然很难掌握，对于变形师尤其珍贵。

Johannes Jonker, a Muggle-born wizard whose No-Maj father was an accomplished cabinet maker, turned himself into an accomplished wandmaker. His wands were highly sought after and instantly recognisable, as they were usually inlaid with mother-of-pearl. After experimenting with many cores, Jonker's preferred magical material was hair of the Wampus cat.

希柯巴・沃尔夫是乔克托族（北美洲原住民部落）的后裔，以魔杖的精细雕工闻名，他制作的魔杖内含雷鸟尾巴的尾羽（雷鸟是美国的魔法鸟类，与凤凰有血缘关系）。沃尔夫的魔杖通常都具有非常强大的力量，虽然很难掌握，对于变形师尤其珍贵。

Thiago Quintana caused ripples through the magical world when his sleek and usually lengthy wands began entering the market, each encasing a single translucent spine from the back of the White River Monsters of Arkansas and producing spells of force and elegance. Fears about over-fishing of the monsters were assuaged when it was proven that Quintana alone knew the secret of luring them, a secret he guarded jealously until his death, at which point wands containing White River Monster spines ceased production.

蒂亚戈・奎塔纳的魔杖当时曾在魔法界掀起一阵轰动，光滑且偏长的魔杖开始在市场流动。每支魔杖都内含一根阿肯色州怀特河怪的半透明背脊，所施展的法术强力且优雅。原先有人担忧怀特河怪的数量会因此骤减，但后来证实只有奎塔纳一人知道诱捕怀特河怪的方法。奎塔纳直到过世都未曾向任何人透漏此秘密，用怀特河怪背脊所制作的魔杖也就此停产。

Violetta Beauvais, the famous wandmaker of New Orleans, refused for many years to divulge the secret core of her wands, which were always made of swamp mayhaw wood. Eventually it was discovered that they contained hair of the rougarou, the dangerous dog-headed monster that prowled Louisiana swamps. It was often said of Beauvais wands that they took to Dark magic like vampires to blood, yet many an American wizarding hero of the 1920s went into battle armed only with a Beauvais wand, and President Picquery herself was known to possess one.

维奥莱塔・博韦是来自新奥尔良的知名魔杖制造者。她的魔杖取材自湿地的夏花山楂木，多年来她始终拒绝透露自己魔杖杖芯的秘密。最终被人们发现，里面含有湿地狼人的毛发——湿地狼人是在路易斯安那州的湿地出没，极度危险的狗头怪物。传言道，博韦的魔杖对于黑魔法的渴求，就如鲜血之于吸血鬼一般。然而在1920年代战争时期，有许多美国的伟大巫师都只带着一支博韦魔杖就上了战场，皮奎里总统据说也拥有一支。

Unlike the No-Maj community of the 1920s, MACUSA allowed witches and wizards to drink alcohol. Many critics of this policy pointed out that it made witches and wizards rather conspicuous in cities full of sober No-Majs. However, in one of her rare light-hearted moments, President Picquery was heard to say that being a wizard in America was already hard enough. 'The Gigglewater', as she famously told her Chief of Staff, 'is non-negotiable.'

1920年代巫师界与麻鸡之间的不同点之一是，MACUSA允许女巫及巫师喝酒。有许多人批评此政策使得巫师和女巫在一群清醒的麻鸡中仿若鹤立鸡群般引人注目。然而，在她难得轻松愉快的时刻，皮盖瑞首席表示在美国当巫师已经够辛苦了，她对总参谋长说“忘忧水”绝对不准被禁止。