Scene 2 Liu Dreamer of Mume Flower(Enter Liu Dreamer of Mume Flower.)Liu (Singing to the tune of Pearl Screen):Born in a family nobler by farThan those under a lucky star,Poor now I still remain,After cold wind and rain.’Tis said books will bring wealth, beauty and gold,I’m disappointed to have in vain grown old.What can I beBut a man right and free?(Changing to the tune of Partridges in the Sky):I study hard till frostOn tortoise’s back is lost.Living from hand to mouth,A poor scholar loves the south.Relying on natural gifts better or worse,I can read and write prose and verse.Borrowing light and pricking my thigh,I’ve learned the art of writing from on high.I do not know if my arms can cut the tree down,Till I have won the laurel crown.I am Liu Dreamer of Mume Flower and Lover of Spring, descendent of Liu Zongyuan, poet of the Tang Dynasty, and resident south of the Five Ridges. My father was an official and my mother a county lady. (Sighing) Unfortunately they died early and left me an orphan, living a hard life since my childhood. But fortunately I have grown up to twenty and I am intelligent enough to have passed the three examinations. As I hold no office, I earn a living not free from hunger and cold. My ancestor had an expert gardener Hunchback Guo, whose descendent, also a gardener, keeps me company in Guangzhou. This is not the way for a promising young man, so I feel melancholy all day long. Half a month ago, I dreamed of a fair maiden standing under a mume tree, beautiful just to the point, who told me with a winning smile to win her heart and hand, and also win success in my career, so I changed my name to Dreamer of Mume Flower and Lover of Spring.Dreams long or short are only dreams;Years in and out pass like her gleams.(Singing to the tune of Innermost Feeling):Though I have changed my name,How could the beauty know my flame?I wish to wear the laurel crown,But I cannot boast of my gown.The jealous Moon Goddess may wither the flower,I’ll wait until my eyebrows knitAnd my heart sourAs if drunken I feel unfit.(Changing to the tune of Three Scholars):I bore a hole for the fireflies,For eastern walls allow no peeping eyes.When spring gilds willow trees,And snowflakes make mumetiers freeze,Then through the thoroughfare I’ll ride,And choose the silk whip from my bride.Well, I have here a friend who is descendent of Han Yu, famousscholar of Tang Dynasty, and I would like to profit from his counsel...第二出 言 怀[真珠帘](生上[1])河东旧族[2]、柳氏名门最。论星宿，连张带鬼。几叶到寒儒[3]，受雨打风吹。谩说书中能富贵[4]，颜如玉，和黄金那里。贫薄把人灰，且养就这浩然之气[5]。[鹧鸪天][6]“刮尽鲸鳌背上霜[7]，寒儒偏喜住炎方[8]。凭依造化[9]三分福，绍接诗书一脉香。能凿壁[10]，会悬梁[11]，偷天妙手绣文章[12]。必须砍得蟾宫桂[13]，始信人间玉斧长。”小生姓柳，名梦梅，表字春卿。原系唐朝柳州司马柳宗元之后[14]，留家岭南。父亲朝散之职[15]，母亲县君之封[16]。(叹介)所恨俺自小孤单，生事微渺[17]。喜的是今日成人长大，二十过头，志慧聪明，三场得手[18]。只恨未遭时势[19]，不免饥寒。赖有始祖柳州公，带下郭橐驼，柳州衙舍，栽接花果。橐驼遗下一个驼孙，也跟随俺广州种树，相依过活。虽然如此，不是男儿结果之场。每日情思昏昏，忽然半月之前，做下一梦。梦到一园，梅花树下，立着个美人，不长不短，如送如迎。说道：“柳生，柳生，遇俺方有姻缘之分，发迹之期[20]。”因此改名梦梅，春卿为字。正是：“梦短梦长俱是梦，年来年去是何年！”[九回肠][解三酲]虽则俺改名换字，俏魂儿未卜先知[21]？定佳期盼煞蟾宫桂，柳梦梅不卖查梨。还则怕嫦娥妒色花颓气，等的俺梅子酸心柳皱眉，浑如醉。[三学士]无萤凿遍了邻家壁[22]，甚东墙不许人窥[23]！有一日春光暗度黄金柳，雪意冲开了白玉梅。[急三枪]那时节走马在章台内[24]，丝儿翠、笼定个百花魁[ 2 5 ]。虽然这般说，有个朋友韩子才，是韩昌黎之后[26]，寄居赵佗王台[27]。他虽是香火秀才[28]，却有些谈吐，不免随喜一会[29]。门前梅柳烂春晖，张窈窕梦见君王觉后疑。王昌龄心似百花开未得，曹 松托身须上万年枝。韩 [30]注 释[1]生：传奇中的男主角，相当于元杂剧中的正末。传奇中的男角除生外，还有末、外、净、丑等。[2]河东旧族：柳姓是河东郡的望族、大姓。[3]几叶：几代。[4]谩说：枉说，说什么。[5]浩然之气：刚直博大之气，指儒者的修养。[6]以下是生角的上场诗。上场诗可以引用前人现成的诗词，也可以由剧作家自撰。剧作家引用前人的句子时，常加以改动。[7]刮尽鲸鳌背上霜：喻指刻苦力学，处境却没有改善，贫寒更甚。[8]炎方：南方。[9]造化：造物主，上天。[10]凿壁：汉代匡衡好学，家贫，晚上点不起灯，就在墙壁上凿一个孔，借孔隙里射进的邻居的灯光读书。[11]悬梁：汉代孙敬读书时怕睡着，就用绳子将头髻挂在梁上，一打瞌睡，就会被拉醒。[12]偷天妙手：言文才之高。[13]砍得蟾宫桂：折取月宫的桂枝，古代用作登第的代称。蟾宫，月宫，相传月中有蟾蜍。[14]唐朝柳州司马柳宗元：唐代文学家柳宗元，曾任永州司马、柳州刺史。司马，州郡的属官。[15]朝散：朝散大夫，散职文官。[16]县君：唐制，五品官的妻子封县君。[17]生事微渺：指生活困难。生事，谋生之事，生活。[18]三场得手：指取得举人资格。科举时代，童生经考试及格，成为生员(秀才)，再通过乡试，成为举人。举人还要参加会试、廷试，通过者为进士。乡、会试都分三场，一场考三天。得手，顺利，称心。[19]未遭时势：没有遇到机会，指还没有做官。[20]发迹：飞黄腾达，也指做官。[21]俏魂儿：指梦中的美人。[22]萤：晋代车胤好学，家贫，买不起灯油，夏天以练囊装很多萤火虫照明读书。[23]甚东墙不许人窥：从上句“邻家壁”联想到“东墙”，暗用宋玉“东家之子”的典故。[24]章台：秦汉时代宫殿名，后用来指京城内娱乐场所聚集的繁华之地。[25]丝儿翠，笼定个百花魁：官宦人家要我接受丝鞭，和他们的小姐结亲。丝儿翠，即翠丝儿，丝鞭，这是为了押韵而倒文；接受女方家的丝鞭，是古人订婚的一种仪式。百花魁，指梦中的美人。[26]韩昌黎：指唐代文学家韩愈，他自称郡望为昌黎韩氏，世称昌黎先生。[27]赵佗王台：即越王台，在今广州北面越秀山上，相传为赵佗王所筑。[28]香火秀才：即奉祀生。因其为贤圣之后，可不经科举考试而赐秀才功名，管理先祖祠庙的祭祀。第二本及时出中说“表请敕封小生为昌黎祠香火秀才”，可证。[29]随喜：指游览寺院。[30]本剧每出结尾的下场诗，全部采用唐诗，诗句与原作时有出入。。。