Books: Water Margins Novel

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All Men Are Brothers ends with the stirring words of the outlaws' pact: " 'One hundred and eight of us, each face differing from the other, yet each face noble in its way; one hundred and eight of us, each with his separate heart, yet each heart pure as a star; in joy we shall be one, in sorrow-one; our hour of birth was not one. but we will die together.'... On that day did they all mingle blood with wine and drink it and when they had drunk themselves to mighty drunkenness, they parted."

The translation is a simpler and better job of writing than Authoress Buck's other books. It is as literal, says she, as possible; tries to mirror faithfully the vernacular of the original; omits nothing. Readers will be glad to know, however, that Translator Buck has simplified proper names throughout. She carefully checked her translation word for original word with Chinese Scholar M. H. Lung; when it was finished went over it again with "another Chinese friend."

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