阿尔弗雷德大帝亲自充当自己的间谍，乔装成吟游诗人潜入丹麦营地。
Alfred the Great acted as his own spy, visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel.
在那个年代，流浪的吟游诗人走到哪里都受到欢迎。
In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.
他们不是战斗人员，而他们的竖琴就是他们的通行证。
They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport.
阿尔弗雷德在年轻时学过许多他们的叙事民谣，还能用杂技和简单的魔术来丰富自己的节目。
Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.
就在阿尔弗雷德的小股军队在阿塞尔尼慢慢开始集结的同时，国王本人却动身前去渗入古斯鲁姆——丹麦入侵者统帅——的营地。
While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders.
他们已在奇彭纳姆安营过冬：阿尔弗雷德便去了那里。
These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went.
他立刻注意到纪律十分松弛：丹麦人有着征服者的自信，他们的安保措施也漫不经心。
He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual.
他们生活得很好，靠的是对周边地区掠夺所得的收益。
They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions.
在那里，他们不仅掠夺食物和饮品，还掳获了妇女；而安逸的生活已让他们变得意志软弱。
There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.
阿尔弗雷德在营地里待了整整一周，才返回阿塞尔尼。
Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney.
那里集结的兵力，与丹麦人的大批军队相比，实在微不足道。
The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde.
但阿尔弗雷德已经推断出：丹麦人不再适合打持久战，而且他们的军需供给毫无组织，全靠不规律的突袭来维持。
But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle: and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular raids.
于是，面对丹麦人的进攻，阿尔弗雷德没有冒险与之正面交战，而是不断骚扰敌军。
So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy.
他不断地移动，引诱丹麦人追在他身后。
He was constantly on the move, drawing the Danes after him.
他的巡逻队截断了敌方的突袭队伍：饥饿向丹麦军队发起了猛攻。
His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army.
此后阿尔弗雷德展开了一系列持续的小规模战斗——不到一个月，丹麦人便投降了。
Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes — and within a month the Danes had surrendered.
这段历史完全可以作为一段独一无二的王室间谍史诗！
The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!