By J.K. Rowling Originally published on

on Aug 10th 2015

J.K.罗琳 原载于 2015年8月10日

ln the late twentieth century, the Nimbus Racing Broom Company dominated its competition. The Nimbus Two Thousand and Two Thousand and One models outsold all other top-class brooms combined by a factor of three to one.

在20世纪后期，光轮飞天扫帚公司主导了它的竞争。光轮2000和2000和1模型超过所有其他顶级扫帚的三倍。

Little did the Nimbus designers realise that a racing broom was in development that would knock them from their number one spot within twelve months of its release. This was the Firebolt, a top-secret project developed by Randolph Spudmore (son of Able Spudmore of Ellerby and Spudmore, who produced the Tinderblast in 1940 and the Swiftstick in 1952, both serviceable brooms, but never achieving great popularity).

Nimbus的设计者们并没有意识到，他们正在开发的一款飞天扫帚，将在发布后的12个月内把他们从第一名的位置上踢下来。这就是火弩箭，一个由伦道夫·斯普莫尔开发的绝密项目（埃勒比和斯普穆尔的艾伯·斯普德莫尔之子，1940年生产了“火药”，1952年制造了“快棍”，这两种扫帚都很实用，但从未大受欢迎）。

A skillful and innovative broom designer, Randolph was the first to use goblin-made ironwork (including footrests, stand and twig bands), the secrets of which are not fully understood, but which seem to give the Firebolt additional stability and power in adverse weather conditions and a special non-slip foot grip that is of particular advantage to Quidditch players. The handle is of polished ebony and the twigs of birch or hazel according to personal preference (birch is reputed to give more ‘oomph’ in high ascents, whereas hazel is preferred by those who prefer hair-trigger steering).

兰多夫是一位技艺精湛、富有创新精神的扫帚设计师，他是第一个使用哥布林制造的铁器（包括脚蹬、站立和树枝带）的人，而这些铁器的秘密还不完全清楚，但这似乎给了火弩箭额外的稳定性和动力在不利的天气条件下和一个特殊的防滑脚的抓地力，这是特别的优势魁地奇球员。手柄是抛光的乌木和桦木或榛子根据个人喜好（桦木被认为是给更多的‘魅力’在高海拔，而榛子是那些喜欢一触即发的转向）。

The Firebolt is a costly broom and Harry Potter was among the first to own one. It continues to be made in relatively small quantities, partly because the goblin workers involved in the patented ironwork are prone to strikes and walkouts at the smallest provocation.

火弩箭是一种昂贵的扫帚，哈利·波特是第一批拥有它的人。它仍然是在相对较小的数量，部分原因是参与专利的铁器的地精工人容易罢工和罢工在最小的挑衅。