There was once upon a time an old goat who had seven little kids, and loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day she wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food. So she called all seven to her and said, "Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your guard against the wolf; if he come in, he will devour you all -- skin, hair, and all. The wretch often disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice and his black feet." The kids said, "Dear mother, we will take good care of ourselves; you may go away without any anxiety." Then the old one bleated, and went on her way with an easy mind.
It was not long before some one knocked at the house-door and called, "Open the door, dear children; your mother is here, and has brought something back with her for each of you." But the little kids knew that it was the wolf, by the rough voice; "We will not open the door," cried they, "thou art not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, but thy voice is rough; thou art the wolf!" Then the wolf went away to a shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, ate this and made his voice soft with it. The he came back, knocked at the door of the house, and cried, "Open the door, dear children, your mother is here and has brought something back with her for each of you." But the wolf had laid his black paws against the window, and the children saw them and cried, "We will not open the door, our mother has not black feet like thee; thou art the wolf." Then the wolf ran to a baker and said, "I have hurt my feet, rub some dough over them for me." And when the baker had rubbed his feet over, he ran to the miller and said, "Strew some white meal over my feet for me." The miller thought to himself, "The wolf wants to deceive someone," and refused; but the wolf said, "If thou wilt not do it, I will devour thee." Then the miller was afraid, and made his paws white for him. Truly men are like that.
So now the wretch went for the third time to the house-door, knocked at it and said, "Open the door for me, children, your dear little mother has come home, and has brought every one of you something back from the forest with her." The little kids cried, "First show us thy paws that we may know if thou art our dear little mother." Then he put his paws in through the window, and when the kids saw that they were white, they believed that all he said was true, and opened the door. But who should come in but the wolf! They were terrified and wanted to hide themselves. One sprang under the table, the second into the bed, the third into the stove, the fourth into the kitchen, the fifth into the cupboard, the sixth under the washing-bowl, and the seventh into the clock-case. But the wolf found them all, and used no great ceremony; one after the other he swallowed them down his throat. The youngest, who was in the clock-case, was the only one he did not find. When the wolf had satisfied his appetite he took himself off, laid himself down under a tree in the green meadow outside, and began to sleep. Soon afterwards the old goat came home again from the forest. Ah! What a sight she saw there! The house-door stood wide open. The table, chairs, and benches were thrown down, the washing-bowl lay broken to pieces, and the quilts and pillows were pulled off the bed. She sought her children, but they were nowhere to be found. She called them one after another by name, but no one answered. At last, when she came to the youngest, a soft voice cried, "Dear mother, I am in the clock-case." She took the kid out, and it told her that the wolf had come and had eaten all the others. Then you may imagine how she wept over her poor children.
At length in her grief she went out, and the youngest kid ran with her. When they came to the meadow, there lay the wolf by the tree and snored so loud that the branches shook. She looked at him on every side and saw that something was moving and struggling in his gorged belly. "Ah, heavens," said she, "is it possible that my poor children whom he has swallowed down for his supper, can be still alive?" Then the kid had to run home and fetch scissors, and a needle and thread, and the goat cut open the monster's stomach, and hardly had she make one cut, than one little kid thrust its head out, and when she cut farther, all six sprang out one after another, and were all still alive, and had suffered no injury whatever, for in his greediness the monster had swallowed them down whole. What rejoicing there was! They embraced their dear mother, and jumped like a sailor at his wedding. The mother, however, said, "Now go and look for some big stones, and we will fill the wicked beast's stomach with them while he is still asleep." Then the seven kids dragged the stones thither with all speed, and put as many of them into his stomach as they could get in; and the mother sewed him up again in the greatest haste, so that he was not aware of anything and never once stirred.
When the wolf at length had had his sleep out, he got on his legs, and as the stones in his stomach made him very thirsty, he wanted to go to a well to drink. But when he began to walk and move about, the stones in his stomach knocked against each other and rattled. Then cried he,
"What rumbles and tumbles
Against my poor bones?
I thought 't was six kids,
But it's naught but big stones."
And when he got to the well and stooped over the water and was just about to drink, the heavy stones made him fall in, and there was no help, but he had to drown miserably. When the seven kids saw that, they came running to the spot and cried aloud, "The wolf is dead! The wolf is dead!" and danced for joy round about the well with their mother.
狼和七只小山羊
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从前有只老山羊。它生了七只小山羊，并且像所有母亲爱孩子一样爱它们。一天，它要
到森林里去取食物，便把七个孩子全叫过来，对它们说：“亲爱的孩子们，我要到森林里去
一下，你们一定要提防狼。要是让狼进屋，它会把你们全部吃掉的――连皮带毛通通吃光。
这个坏蛋常常把自己化装成别的样子，但是，你们只要一听到他那粗哑的声音、一看到它那
黑黑的爪子，就能认出它来。”小山羊们说：“好妈妈，我们会当心的。你去吧，不用担
心。”老山羊咩咩地叫了几声，便放心地去了。
没过多久，有人敲门，而且大声说：“开门哪，我的好孩子。你们的妈妈回来了，还给
你们每个人带来了一点东西。”可是，小山羊们听到粗哑的声音，立刻知道是狼来了。“我
们不开门，”它们大声说，“你不是我们的妈妈。我们的妈妈说话时声音又软又好听，而你
的声音非常粗哑，你是狼！”于是，狼跑到杂货商那里，买了一大块白垩土，吃了下去，结
果嗓子变细了。然后它又回来敲山羊家的门，喊道：“开门哪，我的好孩子。你们的妈妈回
来了，给你们每个人都带了点东西。”可是狼把它的黑爪子搭在了窗户上，小山羊们看到黑
爪子便一起叫道：“我们不开门。我们的妈妈没有你这样的黑爪子。你是狼！”于是狼跑到
面包师那里，对他说：“我的脚受了点伤，给我用面团揉一揉。”等面包师用面团给它揉过
之后，狼又跑到磨坊主那里，对他说：“在我的脚上洒点白面粉。”磨坊主想：“狼肯定是
想去骗什么人”，便拒绝了它的要求。可是狼说：“要是你不给我洒面粉，我就把你吃
掉。”磨坊主害怕了，只好洒了点面粉，把狼的爪子弄成了白色。人就是这个德行！
这个坏蛋第三次跑到山羊家，一面敲门一面说：“开门哪，孩子们。你们的好妈妈回来
了，还从森林里给你们每个人带回来一些东西。”小山羊们叫道：“你先把脚给我们看看，
好让我们知道你是不是我们的妈妈。”狼把爪子伸进窗户，小山羊们看到爪子是白的，便相
信它说的是真话，打开了屋门。然而进来的是狼！小山羊们吓坏了，一个个都想躲起来。第
一只小山羊跳到了桌子下，第二只钻进了被子，第三只躲到了炉子里，第四只跑进了厨房，
第五只藏在柜子里，第六只挤在洗脸盆下，第七只爬进了钟盒里。狼把它们一个个都找了出
来，毫不客气地把它们全都吞进了肚子。只有躲在钟盒里的那只最小的山羊没有被狼发现。
狼吃饱了之后，心满意足地离开了山羊家，来到绿草地上的一棵大树下，躺下身子开始呼呼
大睡起来。
没过多久，老山羊从森林里回来了。啊！它都看到了些什么呀！屋门敞开着，桌子、椅
子和凳子倒在地上，洗脸盆摔成了碎片，被子和枕头掉到了地上。它找它的孩子，可哪里也
找不到。它一个个地叫它们的名字，可是没有一个出来答应它。最后，当它叫到最小的山羊
的名字时，一个细细的声音喊叫道：“好妈妈，我在钟盒里。”老山羊把它抱了出来，它告
诉妈妈狼来过了，并且把哥哥姐姐们都吃掉了。大家可以想象出老山羊失去孩子后哭得多么
伤心！
老山羊最后伤心地哭着走了出去，最小的山羊也跟着跑了出去。当它们来到草地上时，
狼还躺在大树下睡觉，呼噜声震得树枝直抖。老山羊从前后左右打量着狼，看到那家伙鼓得
老高的肚子里有什么东西在动个不停。“天哪，”它说，“我的那些被它吞进肚子里当晚餐
的可怜的孩子，难道它们还活着吗？”最小的山羊跑回家，拿来了剪刀和针线。老山羊剪开
那恶魔的肚子，刚剪了第一刀，一只小羊就把头探了出来。它继续剪下去，六只小羊一个个
都跳了出来，全都活着，而且一点也没有受伤，因为那贪婪的坏蛋是把它们整个吞下去的。
这是多么令人开心的事啊！它们拥抱自己的妈妈，像当新娘的裁缝一样高兴得又蹦又跳。可
是羊妈妈说：“你们去找些大石头来。我们趁这坏蛋还没有醒过来，把石头装到它的肚子里
去。”七只小山羊飞快地拖来很多石头，拼命地往狼肚子里塞；然后山羊妈妈飞快地把狼肚
皮缝好，结果狼一点也没有发觉，它根本都没有动弹。
狼终于睡醒了。它站起身，想到井边去喝水，因为肚子里装着的石头使它口渴得要死。
可它刚一迈脚，肚子里的石头便互相碰撞，发出哗啦哗啦的响声。它叫道：
“是什么东西，
在碰撞我的骨头？
我以为是六只小羊，
可怎么感觉像是石头？”
它到了井边，弯腰去喝水，可沉重的石头压得它掉进了井里，淹死了。七只小山羊看到
后，全跑到这里来叫道：“狼死了！狼死了！”它们高兴地和妈妈一起围着水井跳起舞来。
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6 -1/ Faithful John
There was once on a time an old king who was ill, and thought to himself, "I am lying on what must be my death-bed." Then said he, " Tell Faithful John to come to me." Faithful John was his favourite servant, and was so called, because he had for his whole life long been so true to him. When therefore he came beside the bed, the King said to him, "Most faithful John, I feel my end approaching, and have no anxiety except about my son. He is still of tender age, and cannot always know how to guide himself. If thou dost not promise me to teach him everything that he ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I cannot close my eyes in peace." Then answered Faithful John, "I will not forsake him, and will serve him with fidelity, even if it should cost me my life." On this, the old King said, "Now I die in comfort and peace." Then he added, "After my death, thou shalt show him the whole castle: all the chambers, halls, and vaults, and all the treasures which lie therein, but the last chamber in the long gallery, in which is the picture of the princess of the Golden Dwelling, shalt thou not show. If he sees that picture, he will fall violently in love with her, and will drop down in a swoon, and go through great danger for her sake, therefore thou must preserve him from that." And when Faithful John had once more given his promise to the old King about this, the King said no more, but laid his head on his pillow, and died.
When the old King had been carried to his grave, Faithful John told the young King all that he had promised his father on his deathbed, and said, "This will I assuredly perform, and will be faithful to thee as I have been faithful to him, even if it should cost me my life." When the mourning was over, Faithful John said to him, "It is now time that thou shouldst see thine inheritance. I will show thee thy father's palace." Then he took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments, only there was one room which he did not open, that in which hung the dangerous picture. The picture was, however, so placed that when the door was opened you looked straight on it, and it was so admirably painted that it seemed to breathe and live, and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the whole world. The young King, however, plainly remarked that Faithful John always walked past this one door, and said, "Why dost thou never open this one for me?" "There is something within it," he replied, "which would terrify thee." But the King answered, "I have seen all the palace, and I will know what is in this room also," and he went and tried to break open the door by force. Then Faithful John held him back and said, "I promised thy father before his death that thou shouldst not see that which is in this chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on thee and on me." "Ah, no," replied the young King, "if I do not go in, it will be my certain destruction. I should have no rest day or night until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now until thou hast unlocked the door."
Then Faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a heavy heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch. When he had opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing before him he could hide the portrait so that the King should not see it in front of him, but what availed that? The King stood on tip-toe and saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the maiden, which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious stones, he fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up, carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought, "The misfortune has befallen us, Lord God, what will be the end of it?" Then he strengthened him with wine, until he came to himself again. The first words the King said were, "Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?" "That is the princess of the Golden Dwelling," answered Faithful John. Then the King continued, "My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not declare it. I will give my life to win her. Thou art my most Faithful John, thou must help me."
The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of the King's daughter. At length he thought of a way, and said to the King, "Everything which she has about her is of gold -- tables, chairs, dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among thy treasures are five tons of gold; let one of the goldsmiths of the Kingdom work these up into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck."
The King ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, Faithful John put on the dress of a merchant, and the King was forced to do the same in order to make himself quite unrecognizable. Then they sailed across the sea, and sailed on until they came to the town wherein dwelt the princess of the Golden Dwelling.
Faithful John bade the King stay behind on the ship, and wait for him. "Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me," said he, "therefore see that everything is in order; have the golden vessels set out and the whole ship decorated." Then he gathered together in his apron all kinds of gold things, went on shore and walked straight to the royal palace. When he entered the courtyard of the palace, a beautiful girl was standing there by the well with two golden buckets in her hand, drawing water with them. And when she was just turning round to carry away the sparkling water she saw the stranger, and asked who he was. So he answered, "I am a merchant," and opened his apron, and let her look in. Then she cried, "Oh, what beautiful gold things!" and put her pails down and looked at the golden wares one after the other. Then said the girl, "The princess must see these, she has such great pleasure in golden things, that she will buy all you have." She took him by the hand and led him upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid. When the King's daughter saw the wares, she was quite delighted and said, "They are so beautifully worked, that I will buy them all of thee." But Faithful John said, "I am only the servant of a rich merchant. The things I have here are not to be compared with those my master has in his ship. They are the most beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in gold." She wanted to have everything brought to her there, but he said, "There are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do that, and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your house is not big enough." Then her curiosity and longing were still more excited, until at last she said, "Conduct me to the ship, I will go there myself, and behold the treasures of thine master."
On this Faithful John was quite delighted, and led her to the ship, and when the King saw her, he perceived that her beauty was even greater than the picture had represented it to be, and thought no other than that his heart would burst in twain. Then she got into the ship, and the King led her within. Faithful John, however, remained behind with the pilot, and ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying, "Set all sail, till it fly like a bird in air." Within, however, the King showed her the golden vessels, every one of them, also the wild beasts and strange animals. Many hours went by whilst she was seeing everything, and in her delight she did not observe that the ship was sailing away. After she had looked at the last, she thanked the merchant and wanted to go home, but when she came to the side of the ship, she saw that it was on the deep sea far from land, and hurrying onwards with all sail set. "Ah," cried she in her alarm, "I am betrayed! I am carried away and have fallen into the power of a merchant -- I would die rather!" The King, however, seized her hand, and said, "I am not a merchant. I am a king, and of no meaner origin than thou art, and if I have carried thee away with subtlety, that has come to pass because of my exceeding great love for thee. The first time that I looked on thy portrait, I fell fainting to the ground." When the princess of the Golden Dwelling heard that, she was comforted, and her heart was inclined unto him, so that she willingly consented to be his wife.
It so happened, however, while they were sailing onwards over the deep sea, that Faithful John, who was sitting on the fore part of the vessel, making music, saw three ravens in the air, which came flying towards them. On this he stopped playing and listened to what they were saying to each other, for that he well understood. One cried, "Oh, there he is carrying home the princess of the Golden Dwelling." "Yes," replied the second, "but he has not got her yet." Said the third, "But he has got her, she is sitting beside him in the ship." Then the first began again, and cried, "What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut horse will leap forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount it, but if he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the air with him, and he will never see his maiden more." Spake the second, "But is there no escape?"
"Oh, yes, if any one else gets on it swiftly, and takes out the pistol which must be in its holster, and shoots the horse dead with it, the young King is saved. But who knows that? And whosoever does know it, and tells it to him, will be turned to stone from the toe to the knee." Then said the second, "I know more than that; even if the horse be killed, the young King will still not keep his bride. When they go into the castle together, a wrought bridal garment will be lying there in a dish, and looking as if it were woven of gold and silver; it is, however, nothing but sulphur and pitch, and if he put it on, it will burn him to the very bone and marrow." Said the third, "Is there no escape at all?"
"Oh, yes," replied the second, "if any one with gloves on seizes the garment and throws it into the fire and burns it, the young King will be saved. "But what avails that?" Whosoever knows it and tells it to him, half his body will become stone from the knee to the heart."
Then said the third, "I know still more; even if the bridal garment be burnt, the young King will still not have his bride. After the wedding, when the dancing begins and the young queen is dancing, she will suddenly turn pale and fall down as if dead, and if some one does not lift her up and draw three drops of blood from her right breast and spit them out again, she will die. But if any one who knows that were to declare it, he would become stone from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot." When the ravens had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, and Faithful John had well understood everything, but from that time forth he became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from his master, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he discovered it to him, he himself must sacrifice his life. At length, however, he said to himself, "I will save my master, even if it bring destruction on myself."
When therefore they came to shore, all happened as had been foretold by the ravens, and a magnificent chestnut horse sprang forward. "Good," said the King, "he shall carry me to my palace," and was about to mount it when Faithful John got before him, jumped quickly on it, drew the pistol out of the holster, and shot the horse. Then the other attendants of the King, who after all were not very fond of Faithful John, cried, "How shameful to kill the beautiful animal, that was to have carried the King to his palace." But the King said, "Hold your peace and leave him alone, he is my most faithful John, who knows what may be the good of that!" They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish, and therein lay the bridal garment looking no otherwise than as if it were made of gold and silver. The young King went towards it and was about to take hold of it, but Faithful John pushed him away, seized it with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it. The other attendants again began to murmur, and said, "Behold, now he is even burning the King's bridal garment!" But the young King said, "Who knows what good he may have done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John."
And now the wedding was solemnized: the dance began, and the bride also took part in it; then Faithful John was watchful and looked into her face, and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground, as if she were dead. On this he ran hastily to her, lifted her up and bore her into a chamber -- then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out. Immediately she breathed again and recovered herself, but the young King had seen this, and being ignorant why Faithful John had done it, was angry and cried, "Throw him into a dungeon." Next morning Faithful John was condemned, and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was about to be executed, he said, "Every one who has to die is permitted before his end to make one last speech; may I too claim the right?" "Yes," answered the King, "it shall be granted unto thee." Then said Faithful John, "I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to thee," and he related how he had hearkened to the conversation of the ravens when on the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these things in order to save his master. Then cried the King, "Oh, my most Faithful John. Pardon, pardon -- bring him down." But as Faithful John spoke the last word he had fallen down lifeless and become a stone.
Thereupon the King and the Queen suffered great anguish, and the King said, "Ah, how ill I have requited great fidelity!" and ordered the stone figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed. And as often as he looked on it he wept and said, "Ah, if I could bring thee to life again, my most faithful John." Some time passed and the Queen bore twins, two sons who grew fast and were her delight. Once when the Queen was at church and the two children were sitting playing beside their father, the latter full of grief again looked at the stone figure, sighed and said, "Ah, if I could but bring thee to life again, my most faithful John." Then the stone began to speak and said, "Thou canst bring me to life again if thou wilt use for that purpose what is dearest to thee." Then cried the King, "I will give everything I have in the world for thee." The stone continued, "If thou wilt will cut off the heads of thy two children with thine own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be restored to life."
The King was terrified when he heard that he himself must kill his dearest children, but he thought of faithful John's great fidelity, and how he had died for him, drew his sword, and with his own hand cut off the children's heads. And when he had smeared the stone with their blood, life returned to it, and Faithful John stood once more safe and healthy before him. He said to the King, "Thy truth shall not go unrewarded," and took the heads of the children, put them on again, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, on which they became whole again immediately, and jumped about, and went on playing as if nothing had happened. Then the King was full of joy, and when he saw the Queen coming he hid Faithful John and the two children in a great cupboard. When she entered, he said to her, "Hast thou been praying in the church?" "Yes," answered she, "but I have constantly been thinking of Faithful John and what misfortune has befallen him through us." Then said he, "Dear wife, we can give him his life again, but it will cost us our two little sons, whom we must sacrifice." The Queen turned pale, and her heart was full of terror, but she said, "We owe it to him, for his great fidelity." Then the King was rejoiced that she thought as he had thought, and went and opened the cupboard, and brought forth Faithful John and the children, and said, "God be praised, he is delivered, and we have our little sons again also," and told her how everything had occurred. Then they dwelt together in much happiness until their death.
忠实的约翰
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很久以前，有个老国王生了重病，当他意识到自己剩下的时间已经不多时，就对身边的
人说：“传忠实的约翰进来见我。”忠实的约翰是一个仆人，老国王之所以这样称呼他，是
因为他侍候国王很久了，而且非常忠诚可靠，也最受老国王喜爱。当约翰来到床边时，国王
说道：“我忠实的约翰，我知道自己不行了。现在我放不下心的就是我的儿子，他还小，需
要良师益友的辅助，除了你，我没有什么好托付的朋友了。如果你不发誓把他应该懂得的东
西教给他，做他的干爹，我不能安然瞑目。”听到这些话，约翰说道：“我决不会离他而
去，我一定忠实地辅助他，即使献出我的生命也在所不惜。”国王欣然说道：“现在我就放
心了。我死后，你领着他把整座王宫的所有房间和库房，包括房子里的所有财宝看一遍。但
要注意，有一间房子不能让他进去，就是那间挂有金屋公主画像的房间。如果他进去看了，
就会深深地爱上她，并会因此而陷入万劫不复的险境。你千万要负起这个责任来。”当忠实
的约翰再一次问老国王发誓以后，老国王安然地躺在枕头上死去了。
老国王被安葬之后，忠实的约翰把老国王临终前的一切嘱托和自己的誓言都告诉了年青
的国王，并说道：“我一定会忠实地执行自己的诺言，对你就像对你的父亲一样忠诚不二，
即使献出自己的生命也在所不辞。”年青的国王哭泣着说：
“我永远也不会忘记你的忠心。”
丧事办完以后，忠实的约翰对他的小主人说：“现在你应该看看你所继承的财产了，我
带你去你父亲的宫殿里看看吧。”接着他引导小主人在王宫上上下下的各个地方都巡视了一
遍，让他看过了所有的财富和豪华的房厅，唯独挂着图像的那间房子没有打开。因为，那里
面挂着的画像只要门一打开就看得见。那画像画得实在是太美了，让人看了会有种呼之欲出
的感觉，世界上再也没有什么东西比画上的女子更可爱、更美丽了。年青的国王发现忠实的
约翰总是直接走过这间房子，却并不打开房门，就问道：“你为什么不打开这间房子呢？”
他回答说：“里面有会使你感到恐惧的东西。”但国王说：“我已把整个王宫看完了，也想
知道这里面是什么。”说完，他走上去用力要打开那扇房门，可忠实的约翰拉着他的后背
说：“在你父亲临终前我发过誓，无论如何也不能让你走进这间房子，否则你和我都会大难
临头的。”年青的国王固执地说道：“对我来说，最大的不幸就是不能进去看看，只要没有
进去看，我就会日夜不得安宁，所以你不打开它，我就不走。”
忠实的约翰看到他再怎么劝说，年青的国王就是不肯离去，心里有了不祥的预感，沉重
地叹了叹气，从一大串钥匙中找出一片钥匙，打开了这个房子的门。门一打开，约翰便先走
了进去，站在了国王和画像之间，希望能挡着画像不让国王看见，但年青的国王却踮着脚尖
从他的肩头看过去，一下子就看到了公主的肖像。目睹画上穿金戴银的少女如此美丽动人、
娇艳妩媚的容貌，他心情激动极了，竟马上倒在楼板上昏了过去。忠实的约翰赶紧将他扶
起，把他抱到他自己的床上，心里一个劲地想：“唉――！不幸已经降临在我们的头上，上
帝啊！这可怎么办呢？”
经过努力，国王才好不容易被救醒，但他说的第一句话就是：“那美丽画像上的少女是
谁呀？”忠实的约翰回答说：“那是金屋国王女儿的画像。”国王又继续问道：“我太爱她
了，就是树上的叶子全部变成我的舌头也难以诉说我对她的爱恋。我要去找她！哪怕是冒着
生命危险也要去找她！你是我忠实的朋友，你必须帮助我。”
对于如何来帮助年青的国王，满足他的愿望，约翰思考了很久，最后他对国王说：“据
传说，她周围的一切用具都是金子做的：桌子、凳子、杯子、碟子和屋子里的所有东西都是
金质的，并且她还在不停地寻求新的财宝。你现在贮藏了许多金子，找一些工匠把这些金子
做成各种容器和珍禽异兽，然后我们带着这些财宝去碰碰运气吧。”于是，国王下令找来了
所有技艺高超的金匠，他们夜以继日地用金子赶制各种工艺品，终于把金子都做成了最漂亮
的珍玩。忠实的约翰把它们都装上一条大船，他和国王都换上商人的服饰，这样别人也就不
可能认出他们了。
一切准备停当后，他们扬帆出海了。经过昼夜不停的航行，他们终于找到了金屋国王管
辖的领地。船靠岸后，忠实的约翰要国王待在船上等着他回来，他说：“或许我有可能把金
屋公主带来，因此，你们要把船内收拾整齐，将金器珍玩摆设出来，整条船都要用它们装饰
起来。”接着他把每样金制品都拿了一个放进篮子里，上岸向王宫走去。
当他来到城堡的大院时，看见一口井边站着一个漂亮的少女，她正提着两只金桶在井里
打水。就在少女担着金光闪闪的水桶转过身时，她也看到了这个陌生人，她问他是谁。他走
上前去说道：“我是一个商人。”说罢打开篮子，让她来看篮子里的东西。少女一看，惊奇
地叫道：“嗬！多么漂亮的东西呀！”她放下水桶，把一件又一件金器看过之后说道：“国
王的女儿最喜欢这些东西了，应该让她看看，她会把这些全都买下的。”说完，她牵着他的
手，把他带进了王宫，因为她是国王女儿的一名侍女，她向卫兵说明情况之后，他们就放行
了。
公主看过他带的这些货样后，非常兴奋地说道：“太漂亮了，我要把它们全买下。”忠
实的约翰说道：“我只是一位富商的仆人，我带的这些和他放在船上的比根本算不了什么，
他那儿还有你从来没有见过的最精致最昂贵的金制工艺品哩！”公主听了之后，要他把所有
的东西都拿上岸来，但他说道：“要拿的话得要不少天才能卸完，因为太多了，就是把它们
放在这儿最大的房间里也放不下呀。”他这一说，公主的好奇心和欲望越发大了，忍不住说
道：“带我到你们的船上去吧，我要亲自看看你主人的货物。”
忠实的约翰非常高兴，引着她来到岸边。当国王看见她时，他觉得自己的心都要跳出嗓
子眼了，情不自禁地马上迎了上去。公主一上船他就引她进船舱去了。忠实的约翰来到船尾
找着舵手，令他马上起航，“张满风帆！”他喊道，“让船在波涛中像鸟儿在空中飞行一样
地前进。”
国王把船上的金制品一件一件地拿给公主过目，其中有各种各样的碟子、杯子、盆子和
珍禽异兽等等。公主满心欢喜地欣赏着每一件艺术珍品，一点也没有察觉船离岸起航。几个
小时过去了，在看完所有的东西后，她很有礼貌地对这个商人表示了谢意，说她应该回家
了。可当她走出船舱、来到船头时，才发现船早已离岸，此刻船正张满风帆在茫茫大海上飞
速航行。公主吓得尖声叫道：“上帝啊！我被诱骗了，被拐走了，落进了一个流动商贩的掌
握之中，我宁可死去。”但国王却拉着她的手说道：“我不是一个商人，我是一个国王，和
你一样出身于王室。用这种蒙骗你的方法把你带出来，是因为我非常非常地爱你。当第一次
看到你的画像时我就情不自禁地昏倒在地上。”金屋公主听完后，这才放下心来。经过交谈
了解，她很快也倾心于他，愿意嫁给他做妻子了。
但就在他们在茫茫大海上航行之时，却发生了这样一件事情。这天，忠实的约翰正坐在
船头吹奏他的长笛，突然看见三只渡鸦在天空中向他飞过来，嘴里不停地叽叽喳喳。约翰懂
得鸟语，所以，他马上停止吹奏，留心听着渡鸦之间的对话。第一只渡鸦说：“他去了！他
赢得了金屋公主的爱，让他去吧！”第二只渡鸦说：“不！他这一去，仍然得不到公主。”
第三只渡鸦说：“他这一去，一定能娶她，你们看他俩在船上并肩在一起的亲热样子吧！”
接着第一只渡鸦又开口说道：“那对他有什么用？不信你就看吧，当他们登上岸后，会有一
匹红棕色的马向他跑来。看到那匹马，他肯定会骑上去。只要他骑上那匹马，那马就会载着
他跳到空中去，他就再也别想看到他的爱人了。”第二只渡鸦接着说道：“正是这样！正是
这样！但有什么办法吗？”第一只渡鸦说：“有，有！如果有人坐上那匹马，抽出插在马鞍
里的匕首把马刺死，年青的国王才能得救，可有谁知道呢？就是有人知道，谁又会告诉他
呢？因为只要他将此事告诉国王，并因此而救了国王的命，那么，他的腿从脚趾到膝部整个
都会变成石头。”第二只渡鸦说：“正是这样，正是这样！但我还知道别的哩！尽管那马死
了，国王还是娶不到新娘。因为当他们一起走进王宫时，就会看到睡椅上有一套新婚礼服，
那套礼服看起来就像用金子和银子编织而成的，其实那都是一些硫磺和沥膏。只要他穿上那
套礼服，礼服就会把他烧死，一直烧到骨髓里面去。”第三只渡鸦说道：“哎呀呀！难道就
没救了吗？”第二只渡鸦说：“哦！有，有！如果有人抢上前去，抓起礼服把它们扔进火盆
里去，年青的国王就得救了。但那有什么用呢？要是有谁知道，并告诉了这个人，他按这种
办法救了国王，那他的身体从膝盖到胸部都会变成石头，谁又会这样干呢？”第三只渡鸦又
说道：“还有，还有！我知道的还要多一些哩！即使礼服被烧掉了，但国王仍然娶不成新
娘。因为，在结婚典礼之后，当舞会开始时，只要年青的王后上去跳舞，她马上会倒在地
上，脸色苍白得像死人一样。不过，这时要是有人上前扶起她，从她的右乳房中吸出三滴
血，她才不会死去。但要是有谁知道这些，又将这个方法告诉某个人，这个人按这个方法救
了新娘，那他的身体从脚尖到头顶都会变成石头。”接着，渡鸦拍着翅膀飞走了。忠实的约
翰已听懂了一切，他开始犯愁了，可他并没有把他听到的事情告诉他的主人。因为他知道如
果告诉了他，他一定会舍生救自己，最后他自言自语地说：“我一定要忠实地执行我的诺
言，那怕付出自己的生命也要救我的主人。”
在他们上岸后，渡鸦的预言应验了，岸边突然跳出一匹神俊的红棕色马来，国王喊道：
“快看，他一定会把我们送到王宫去的。”说完就要去上马。说时迟，那时快，忠实的约翰
抢在他之前骑上马，抽出匕首把马杀死了。国王的其他仆人原来就对他很嫉妒，这一来，他
们都叫道：“他杀死送国王回宫的骏马，太不像话了！”但国王却说道：“让他去做吧，他
是我忠实的约翰，谁知道他这样做不是为了有好的结果呢？”
当他们来到王宫，看见有间房子的靠椅上放着一套漂亮的礼服，礼服闪烁着金色和银色
的光芒。年青的国王走上前去准备把它们拿起来，但忠实的约翰却把它们一把抓过，扔进火
里烧掉了。其他的仆人又咕哝着说：“看吧，现在他又把结婚礼服给烧掉了。”但国王还是
说道：“谁知道他这么做是为了什么呢？让他做吧！他是我忠实的仆人约翰。”
结婚盛典举行后，舞会开始了，新娘一走进舞场，约翰就全神贯注地盯着她的脸，突然
间，新娘脸色苍白，就像死了一样倒在地上。约翰迅速地弹身向她跃去，将她挟起，抱着她
来到内室一张靠椅上，从她的右乳房中吸出了三滴血。新娘又开始呼吸，并活了过来。但年
青的国王看到了全部过程，他不知道忠实的约翰为什么要这样做，只是对他的胆大妄为非常
气愤，便下令说道：“把他关到牢房里去。”
第二天上午，忠实的约翰被押出牢房，推到了绞刑架前，面对绞刑架，他说道：“在我
死之前，我可以说件事吗？”国王回答说：“准许你的请求。”于是，约翰将在海上听到渡
鸦的对话以及他如何决心救自己主子的全部经过都说了出来，最后他说道：“我现在受到了
错误的判决，但我自始至终都是忠实而真诚的。”
当听完约翰的叙述，国王大声呼喊道：“哎呀！我最忠实的约翰！请原谅我！请原谅
我！快把他放下来！”但就在忠实的约翰说完最后一句话之后，他倒下去变成了一块没有生
命的石头。国王和王后趴在石像上悲痛不已，国王说道：“天哪！我竟然以这种忘恩负义的
方法来对待你的忠诚呀！”他令人将石像扶起，抬到了他的卧室，安放在自己的床边，使自
己能经常看到它、哀悼它。他对石像说：“唉――！我忠实的约翰，但愿我能让你复活！”
过了一年，王后生下了两个双胞胎儿子，看着他们慢慢长大，她心里高兴极了。有一
天，她去了教堂，两个儿子和国王待在王宫里。小家伙到处玩耍，国王对着石像唉声叹气，
哭泣着说道：“唉，我忠实的约翰，但愿我能够让你复活！”这一次，石像竟开始说话了，
它说道：“国王啊！要是你为我能舍弃你最亲爱的人儿，就能让我复活。”国王一听，坚定
地说道：“为了你，我愿付出世界上的任何东西。”“既然这样，”石像说道，“只要你砍
下你两个孩子的头，将他们的血洒在我身上，我就会复活了。”听到这里，国王马上震惊起
来，但他想到忠实的约翰是为他而死去的，想到他对自己忠心耿耿、誓死如归的高尚品行，
便站直身来，拔出佩剑，准备去砍下他两个孩子的头，将他们的血洒在石像上。但就在他拔
出佩剑的一刹那，忠实的约翰复活了，他站在国王的面前，挡住了他的去路，说道：“你的
真心诚意应该得到报答。”两个孩子仍欢蹦活跳、喧闹嘻戏着，就像什么事也没有发生过一
样。
国王满心欢喜。当他看到王后回来了，就想试一试她。他把忠实的约翰和两个儿子藏进
了一个大衣橱里面。当走她进房子后，他对她说：“你去教堂祈祷了吗？”王后回答：“是
的，我总是思念着忠实的约翰，想着他对我们的忠诚。”国王说道：“亲爱的夫人，我们能
够使约翰复活，但必须以我们小儿子的死作代价，要救他就得舍去他们。”王后听了大吃一
惊，脸唰地变得毫无血色，但她仍坚定地说道：“只好这样了，没有他无私的忠心与真诚，
就没有我们的今天，没有我们的小孩。”国王欣喜若狂地欢呼起来，因为妻子和自己的想法
完全一样。他马上跑去打开衣橱，把两个孩子和忠实的约翰放了出来，说道：“上帝也会为
此而感到骄傲！他又和我们在一起了，我们的儿子也安然无恙。”接着他把全部经过告诉了
她，大家高高兴兴欢地欢聚一堂，生活又充满了幸福和快乐。
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There was once a peasant who had driven his cow to the fair, and sold her for seven thalers. On the way home he had to pass a pond, and already from afar he heard the frogs crying, "Aik, aik, aik, aik." "Well," said he to himself, "they are talking without rhyme or reason, it is seven that I have received, not eight." When he got to the water, he cried to them, "Stupid animals that you are! Don't you know better than that? It is seven thalers and not eight." The frogs, however, stood to their, "aik aik, aik, aik." "Come, then, if you won't believe it, I can count it out to you." And he took his money out of his pocket and counted out the seven thalers, always reckoning four and twenty groschen to a thaler. The frogs, however, paid no attention to his reckoning, but still cried, "aik, aik, aik, aik." "What," cried the peasant, quite angry, "since you are determined to know better than I, count it yourselves," and threw all the money into the water to them. He stood still and wanted to wait until they were done and had brought him his own again, but the frogs maintained their opinion and cried continually, "aik, aik, aik, aik," and besides that, did not throw the money out again. He still waited a long while until evening came on and he was forced to go home. Then he abused the frogs and cried, "You water-splashers, you thick-heads, you goggle-eyes, you have great mouths and can screech till you hurt one's ears, but you cannot count seven thalers! Do you think I'm going to stand here till you get done?" And with that he went away, but the frogs still cried, "aik, aik, aik, aik," after him till he went home quite angry.
After a while he bought another cow, which he killed, and he made the calculation that if he sold the meat well he might gain as much as the two cows were worth, and have the skin into the bargain. When therefore he got to the town with the meat, a great troop of dogs were gathered together in front of the gate, with a large greyhound at the head of them, which jumped at the meat, snuffed at it, and barked, "Wow, wow, wow." As there was no stopping him, the peasant said to him, "Yes, yes, I know quite well that thou art saying, 'wow, wow, wow,' because thou wantest some of the meat; but I should fare badly if I were to give it to thee." The dog, however, answered nothing but "wow, wow." "Wilt thou promise not to devour it all then, and wilt thou go bail for thy companions?" "Wow, wow, wow," said the dog. "Well, if thou insistest on it, I will leave it for thee; I know thee well, and know who is thy master; but this I tell thee, I must have my money in three days or else it will go ill with thee; thou must just bring it out to me." Thereupon he unloaded the meat and turned back again, the dogs fell upon it and loudly barked, "wow, wow."
The countryman, who heard them from afar, said to himself, "Hark, now they all want some, but the big one is responsible to me for it."
When three days had passed, the countryman thought, "To-night my money will be in my pocket," and was quite delighted. But no one would come and pay it. "There is no trusting any one now," said he; and at last he lost patience, and went into the town to the butcher and demanded his money. The butcher thought it was a joke, but the peasant said, "Jesting apart, I will have my money! Did not the great dog bring you the whole of the slaughtered cow three days ago?" Then the butcher grew angry, snatched a broomstick and drove him out. "Wait a while," said the peasant, "there is still some justice in the world!" and went to the royal palace and begged for an audience. He was led before the King, who sat there with his daughter, and asked him what injury he had suffered. "Alas!" said he, "the frogs and the dogs have taken from me what is mine, and the butcher has paid me for it with the stick," and he related at full length all that had happened. Thereupon the King's daughter began to laugh heartily, and the King said to him, "I cannot give you justice in this, but you shall have my daughter to wife for it, -- in her whole life she has never yet laughed as she has just done at thee, and I have promised her to him who could make her laugh. Thou mayst thank God for thy good fortune!"
"Oh," answered the peasant, "I will not have her, I have a wife already, and she is one too many for me; when I go home, it is just as bad as if I had a wife standing in every corner." Then the King grew angry, and said, "Thou art a boor." "Ah, Lord King," replied the peasant, "what can you expect from an ox, but beef?" "Stop," answered the King, "thou shalt have another reward. Be off now, but come back in three days, and then thou shalt have five hundred counted out in full."
When the peasant went out by the gate, the sentry said, "Thou hast made the King's daughter laugh, so thou wilt certainly receive something good." "Yes, that is what I think," answered the peasant; "five hundred are to be counted out to me." "Hark thee," said the soldier, "give me some of it. What canst thou do with all that money?" "As it is thou," said the peasant, "thou shalt have two hundred; present thyself in three days' time before the King, and let it be paid to thee." A Jew, who was standing by and had heard the conversation, ran after the peasant, held him by the coat, and said, "Oh, wonder! what a luck-child thou art! I will change it for thee, I will change it for thee into small coins, what dost thou want with the great thalers?" "Jew," said the countryman, "three hundred canst thou still have; give it to me at once in coin, in three days from this, thou wilt be paid for it by the King." The Jew was delighted with the profit, and brought the sum in bad groschen, three of which were worth two good ones. After three days had passed, according to the King's command, the peasant went before the King. "Pull his coat off," said the latter, "and he shall have his five hundred." "Ah!" said the peasant, "they no longer belong to me; I presented two hundred of them to the sentinel, and three hundred the Jew has changed for me, so by right nothing at all belongs to me." In the meantime the soldier and the Jew entered and claimed what they had gained from the peasant, and they received the blows strictly counted out. The soldier bore it patiently and knew already how it tasted, but the Jew said sorrowfully, "Alas, alas, are these the heavy thalers?" The King could not help laughing at the peasant, and as all his anger was gone, he said, "As thou hast already lost thy reward before it fell to thy lot, I will give thee something in the place of it. Go into my treasure chamber and get some money for thyself, as much as thou wilt." The peasant did not need to be told twice, and stuffed into his big pockets whatsoever would go in. Afterwards he went to an inn and counted out his money. The Jew had crept after him and heard how he muttered to himself, "That rogue of a King has cheated me after all, why could he not have given me the money himself, and then I should have known what I had? How can I tell now if what I have had the luck to put in my pockets is right or not?" "Good heavens!" said the Jew to himself, "that man is speaking disrespectfully of our lord the King, I will run and inform, and then I shall get a reward, and he will be punished as well."
When the King heard of the peasant's words he fell into a passion, and commanded the Jew to go and bring the offender to him. The Jew ran to the peasant, "You are to go at once to the lord King in the very clothes you have on." "I know what's right better than that," answered the peasant, "I shall have a new coat made first. Dost thou think that a man with so much money in his pocket is to go there in his ragged old coat?" The Jew, as he saw that the peasant would not stir without another coat, and as he feared that if the King's anger cooled, he himself would lose his reward, and the peasant his punishment, said, "I will out of pure friendship lend thee a coat for the short time. What will people not do for love!" The peasant was contented with this, put the Jew's coat on, and went off with him.
The King reproached the countryman because of the evil speaking of which the Jew had informed him. "Ah," said the peasant, "what a Jew says is always false -- no true word ever comes out of his mouth! That rascal there is capable of maintaining that I have his coat on."
"What is that?" shrieked the Jew. "Is the coat not mine? Have I not lent it to thee out of pure friendship, in order that thou might appear before the lord King?" When the King heard that, he said, "The Jew has assuredly deceived one or the other of us, either myself or the peasant," and again he ordered something to be counted out to him in hard thalers. The peasant, however, went home in the good coat, with the good money in his pocket, and said to himself, "This time I have hit it!"
好交易
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从前有个农夫，赶着一头母牛去集市出售，结果卖了七个银币。在回家的路上，他经过
一个池塘，远远地就听到青蛙们在叫：“呱――呱――呱――呱――。”“嘿，”农夫自言
自语地说，“你们真是在胡说八道。我只卖了七个银币，不是八个。”他走到池塘边，冲着
青蛙喊道：“你们这些愚蠢的东西！难道你们还没有搞清楚吗？是七个银币，不是八个！”
可是青蛙还在那里叫着：“呱，呱，呱，呱。”“我说，要是你们真的不相信，我可以数给
你们看。”农夫说着便从口袋里掏出钱来数，并把二十个小钱算成一个银币，结果数来数去
还是七个银币，然而青蛙们根本不管他数出来的钱是多少，只管一个劲地叫着：“呱，呱，
呱，呱。”“什么？”农夫生气地喊道，“要是你们自以为懂得比我还多，那你们就自己去
数吧。”他说着把钱全部扔进了水里。他站在池塘边，等待着青蛙们把钱数完后还给他，可
是青蛙们却固执己见，仍然叫着：“呱，呱，呱，呱。”它们再也没有把钱还回来。农夫在
那里等了很久，一直等到天黑，才不得不回家。临走的时候，他大声骂青蛙：“你们这些水
鬼，你们这些蠢货，你们这些阔嘴巴、鼓眼睛的家伙！你们整天吵得别人耳朵根不得清静，
而你们居然连七个银币都数不清！你们以为我会一直呆在这里等着你们把钱数清吗？”他说
完这番话就走了，而青蛙们还在喊着：
“呱，呱，呱，呱”，气得他到家时仍然憋着一肚子气。
过了一阵子，农夫又买了一头牛，把它宰了。他一算计，发现自己不仅可以挣回两头牛
的钱，而且还白得一张牛皮。于是，他把肉运到了城里；可是城门口有一大群狗，领头的是
一只大狼犬。大狼犬围着牛肉跳来跳去，一面闻一面“汪，汪，汪”地叫着。农夫看到自己
怎么也制止不了它，便对它说：“是的，是的，我知道你那‘汪，汪，汪’的意思。你是想
吃点肉，可要是我们肉给了你，我自己就倒霉了！”但是狼犬只是回答“汪，汪，汪”。
“那么你愿不愿意答应不把肉全吃完，并且愿意为其他狗作担保呢？”“汪，汪，汪，”狼
犬叫着。“好吧，要是你硬要这么做，我就把肉都留在这里。我认识你，也知道你在谁家当
差。我把话说在头里，你必须在三天内把钱还给我，不然我叫你好看！你可以把钱送到我家
去。”说着，农夫就把肉卸在地上，转身回家去了。那群狗一下子扑到牛肉上，大声叫着：
“汪，汪，汪！”
农夫在远处听到它们的叫声，自言自语地说：“听啊，它们现在都想吃一点，但账得由
那头大狼犬付。”
三天过去了，农夫想：“今晚我的钱就可以装在我的口袋里了。”想到这里，他非常高
兴。然而谁也没有来给他还钱。“这年月谁也不能相信！”他说。到最后他终于不耐烦了，
只好进城找屠夫要钱。屠夫以为他是在开玩笑，可是农夫说：“谁和你开玩笑？我要我的
钱！难道你的那条大狼犬三天前没有把一整头牛的肉给你送来吗？”屠夫这次真的发火了，
一把抓起扫帚把农夫赶了出去。“你等着，”农夫说，“这世界上还有公道呢！”他说着就
跑到王宫去喊冤，结果被带去见国王。国王正和公主坐在一起，他问农夫有什么冤屈。“天
哪！”他说，“青蛙和狗把我的钱拿走了，屠夫不但不认账，还用扫帚打我。”接着，他把
事情从头至尾讲了一遍，逗得公主开心地哈哈大笑。国王对他说：“这件事情我无法为你主
持公道，不过我可以把我女儿嫁给你。她一辈子还从来没有像笑你那样大笑过；我许过愿，
要把她嫁给能使她发笑的人。你能交上这样的好运，真得感谢上帝！”
“哦，”农夫回答，“我才不想娶你女儿呢。我已经有了一个老婆，而这个老婆我都嫌
多。每次我回到家里，总觉得到处都有她似的。”国王一听就生了气，说：“你真是个蠢
货！”“嗨，国王老爷，”农夫说，“除了牛肉，你还能指望从牛身上得到什么呢？”“等
等，”国王说，“我另外给你一样奖赏吧。你现在去吧，过三天再回来。我要给你整整五百
块银元。”
农夫从宫门出来时，卫兵问他：“你把公主逗笑了，肯定得到什么奖赏了吧？”“我想
是吧，”农夫说，“国王要给我整整五百块银元呢。”“你听我说，”卫兵说，“你要那么
多钱干什么？分一点给我吧！”“既然是你嘛，”农夫说，“我就给你两百块吧。你三天后
去见国王，让他把钱付给你好了。”站在旁边的一位犹太人听到了他们的谈话，赶紧追上农
夫，拽着他的外衣说：“我的天哪，你的运气真好啊！你要那些大银元做什么？把它们换给
我吧，我给你换成小钱。”“犹太人，”农夫说，“你还有三百块银元好拿，赶紧把小钱给
我吧。三天后让国王把钱给你好了。”犹太人很高兴自己占到了便宜，给农夫拿来了一些坏
铜钱。这种坏铜钱三枚只能值两枚。三天过去了，农夫按国王的吩咐，来到了国王的面前。
国王突然说道：“脱掉他的外衣，给他五百板子。”“嗨，”农夫说道，“这五百已经不属
于我了。我把其中的两百送给了卫兵，把另外的三百换给了犹太人，所以它们根本不属于
我。”就在这时，卫兵和犹太人进来向国王要钱，结果分别如数挨了板子。卫兵因为尝过板
子的滋味，所以挺了过来；犹太人却伤心地说：“天哪，天哪，这就是那些沉重的银元
吗？”国王忍不住对农夫笑了，怒气也消失了。他说：“既然你在得到给你的奖赏之前就已
经失去了，我愿意给你一些补偿。你到我的宝库去取一些钱吧！愿意拿多少就拿多少。”这
句话农夫一听就懂，把他的大口袋装得满满的，然后他走进一家酒店，数着他的钱。犹太人
悄悄跟在他的后面，听见他在低声嘀咕：“那个混蛋国王到底还是把我给骗了！他干吗不自
己把钱给我呢？这样我就能知道他究竟给了我多少。他现在让我自己把钱装进口袋，我怎么
知道有多少钱呢？”“我的天哪，”犹太人心中想道，“这个家伙居然在说国王大人的坏
话。我要跑去告诉国王，这样我就能得到奖赏，而这家伙就会受到惩罚。”
国王听了农夫说过的话大发雷霆，命令犹太人去把农夫抓来。犹太人跑到农夫那里，对
他说：“国王让你赶紧去见他。”“我知道怎么去更好，”农夫回答，“我要先请裁缝给我
做件新外套。你认为口袋里装着这么多钱的人能穿着这身旧衣服去见国王吗？”犹太人看到
农夫怎么也不愿意穿着旧衣服去见国王，怕时间一长国王的怒火平息了，自己会得不到奖
赏，农夫也会免遭惩罚，便对他说：“纯粹是出于友谊，我暂时把我的外套借给你。为了友
爱，人可是什么事情都肯做的呀！”农夫对这种安排很满意，便穿上犹太人的外套，和他一
起去见国王。
国王责问农夫为什么要说犹太人所告发的那些坏话。
“啊，”农夫说，“犹太人什么时候说过真话呢？狗嘴里吐不出象牙来！这混蛋大概还
要说我身上的外套是他的呢。”
“你说什么？”犹太人嚷道，“难道那外套不是我的吗？难道我没有出于友谊把它借给
你，好让你来见国王吗？”国王听到这里便说：“这个犹太人肯定骗了人，不是骗了我就是
骗了农夫，”然后又命令人再赏给他一些硬板子。农夫穿着漂亮的外套，口袋里装着鼓鼓的
钱，边往家走边想：“这次的交易做成功了！”
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There was once a wonderful musician, who went quite alone through a forest and thought of all manner of things, and when nothing was left for him to think about, he said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass heavily with me here in the forest, I will fetch hither a good companion for myself." Then he took his fiddle from his back, and played so that it echoed through the trees. It was not long before a wolf came trotting through the thicket towards him. "Ah, here is a wolf coming! I have no desire for him!" said the musician; but the wolf came nearer and said to him, "Ah, dear musician, how beautifully thou dost play. I should like to learn that, too." "It is soon learnt," the musician replied, "thou hast only to do all that I bid thee." "Oh, musician," said the wolf, "I will obey thee as a scholar obeys his master." The musician bade him follow, and when they had gone part of the way together, they came to an old oak-tree which was hollow inside, and cleft in the middle. "Look," said the musician, "if thou wilt learn to fiddle, put thy fore paws into this crevice." The wolf obeyed, but the musician quickly picked up a stone and with one blow wedged his two paws so fast that he was forced to stay there like a prisoner. "Stay there until I come back again," said the musician, and went his way.
After a while he again said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass heavily with me here in the forest, I will fetch hither another companion," and took his fiddle and again played in the forest. It was not long before a fox came creeping through the trees towards him. "Ah, there's a fox coming!" said the musician. "I have no desire for him." The fox came up to him and said, "Oh, dear musician, how beautifully thou dost play! I should like to learn that too." "That is soon learnt," said the musician. "Thou hast only to do everything that I bid thee." "Oh, musician," then said the fox, "I will obey thee as a scholar obeys his master." "Follow me," said the musician; and when they had walked a part of the way, they came to a footpath, with high bushes on both sides of it. There the musician stood still, and from one side bent a young hazel-bush down to the ground, and put his foot on the top of it, then he bent down a young tree from the other side as well, and said, "Now little fox, if thou wilt learn something, give me thy left front paw." The fox obeyed, and the musician fastened his paw to the left bough. "Little fox," said he, "now reach me thy right paw" and he tied it to the right bough. When he had examined whether they were firm enough, he let go, and the bushes sprang up again, and jerked up the little fox, so that it hung struggling in the air. "Wait there till I come back again," said the musician, and went his way.
Again he said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass heavily with me here in the forest, I will fetch hither another companion," so he took his fiddle, and the sound echoed through the forest. Then a little hare came springing towards him. "Why, a hare is coming," said the musician, "I do not want him." "Ah, dear musician," said the hare, "how beautifully thou dost fiddle; I too, should like to learn that." "That is soon learnt," said the musician, "thou hast only to do everything that I bid thee."
"Oh, musician," replied the little hare, "I will obey thee as a scholar obeys his master." They went a part of the way together until they came to an open space in the forest, where stood an aspen tree. The musician tied a long string round the little hare's neck, the other end of which he fastened to the tree. "Now briskly, little hare, run twenty times round the tree!" cried the musician, and the little hare obeyed, and when it had run round twenty times, it had twisted the string twenty times round the trunk of the tree, and the little hare was caught, and let it pull and tug as it liked, it only made the string cut into its tender neck. "Wait there till I come back," said the musician, and went onwards.
The wolf, in the meantime, had pushed and pulled and bitten at the stone, and had worked so long that he had set his feet at liberty and had drawn them once more out of the cleft. Full of anger and rage he hurried after the musician and wanted to tear him to pieces. When the fox saw him running, he began to lament, and cried with all his might, "Brother wolf, come to my help, the musician has betrayed me!" The wolf drew down the little tree, bit the cord in two, and freed the fox, who went with him to take revenge on the musician. They found the tied-up hare, whom likewise they delivered, and then they all sought the enemy together.
The musician had once more played his fiddle as he went on his way, and this time he had been more fortunate. The sound reached the ears of a poor wood-cutter, who instantly, whether he would or no, gave up his work and came with his hatchet under his arm to listen to the music. "At last comes the right companion," said the musician, "for I was seeking a human being, and no wild beast." And he began and played so beautifully and delightfully that the poor man stood there as if bewitched, and his heart leaped with gladness. And as he thus stood, the wolf, the fox, and the hare came up, and he saw well that they had some evil design. So he raised his glittering axe and placed himself before the musician, as if to say, "Whoso wishes to touch him let him beware, for he will have to do with me!" Then the beasts were terrified and ran back into the forest. The musician, however, played once more to the man out of gratitude, and then went onwards.
令人叫绝的乐师
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有一个技艺一流的乐师，他的小提琴演奏令人赏心悦耳，激动不已。一次，他怀着愉快
的心情到森林里去漫游，走了一段路，觉得一个人太无聊，就自言自语地说：“一个人太沉
闷了，我得找一个伙伴来。”于是，他拿起小提琴拉了起来。
顷刻间，森林里回荡起了他那美妙的乐声。
一只狼出现了，乐师看到后说道：“哎呀！是一只狼来看我了。”狼走到他面前说：
“您的琴拉得太动听了！但愿您能教教我。”乐师说：“这很容易，只要你按我的吩咐做就
行了。”狼回答说：“好的，我将是一个非常善于用功的学生。”这样，他们一起走上了小
路，最后来到了一棵大树前。这是一棵里面空了的老栎树，树干中间裂了一条大缝。乐师对
狼说：“看这儿，如果你想学拉小提琴，就把你的前脚伸进这条裂缝去。”狼按照他说的做
了，乐师拾起一块大石头把它的两只前脚牢牢地卡在了裂缝里，就像一个被铐着的囚犯。
“现在，你给我乖乖地在这儿等着我回来。”乐师说完，迈着悠闲的步子扬长而去。
过了一会儿，他又自言自语地说：“一个人太沉闷了，我得再找一个伙伴来。”于是，
他又拉起了小提琴，悠扬的提琴声再次在森林里传了开去。接着一只狐狸慢慢地来到了他身
边，他说道：“哎呀！来了一只狐狸。”狐狸上前说道：“您真是一个一流的乐师，提琴拉
的多棒啊！我一定要向您学习拉提琴。”乐师说：“你很快就可以学会，只要你按照我教你
的去做就成。”狐狸马上应声道：“好的，我会按您的吩咐去做的。”他们一起上路了。当
他们来到一条窄窄的小路时，乐师望了望小路两旁高高的树丛，然后将小路一边的一棵矮壮
的榛树干弯下靠近路面，用脚踩住树尖，又弯下小路另一边的一棵榛树对狐狸说：“机灵的
狐狸，如果你想学拉小提琴，就把你的左前爪让我握住。”狐狸马上伸出了左前爪，乐师将
狐狸爪子绑到一棵榛树的树梢。“现在把你的右前爪伸过来给我。”狐狸又按乐师的吩咐做
了，他将这只爪子绑在了另一棵榛树的树梢，随后放开自己的脚，两边的榛树“哗啦”向上
弹了起来，狐狸也跟着被弹起，四脚张开被挂了起来，来回在空中不停地摇晃着。乐师说
道：“现在你好好地呆在这儿，等着我回来。”说完，又迈着悠闲的步子扬长而去。
可是，不久他又自言自语地说：“又沉闷起来了，我得找一个伙伴。”于是，他拉起了
小提琴，琴声飘扬，跑来了一只野兔。乐师说道：“哎呀，是只野兔。”野兔对他说：“您
不愧是一个优秀的琴师。您的琴真是拉绝了。您教我好吗？”乐师回答说：“好吧，如果你
按我的指挥来做，我就教你。”野兔马上说道：“好的，我会是一个好学生。”然后他们一
起走了很长一段时间。当来到森林里一片开阔地带时，乐师用一根绳子在野兔的脖子上系
好，将绳子的另一头拴在一棵树上，说道：“好了，灵巧的野兔，跳起来，迅速地绕树跑二
十圈。”愚蠢的野兔按乐师的吩咐跑了起来。当兔子围着树跑完二十圈后，它也将系着它的
绳子在树干上绕了二十圈，像一个被套在树上的囚犯。跑完后，野兔兴致勃勃地又拉又扯，
但只要一拉，绳子将它的脖子勒得更紧。这时乐师说道：“现在等在这儿，直到我回来。”
说完就走了。
再说狼被卡住后，又是拉自己的脚，又是咬树干，还跳起来用后脚抓石头。花了好些时
间，费了好大的劲，最后才将脚抽出来。它愤恨到了极点，说道：“我一定要赶上那卑鄙的
乐师，把他撕成碎片。”说完追了上去。狐狸看见狼从身边跑过，叫道：“哎！狼兄，请把
我放下来，那乐师用诡计把我弄成了这个样子。”于是狼在榛树下面忙乎起来，咬断了两棵
树后，它俩又一起去找那位乐师。当它们来到野兔旁边时，野兔也叫喊要它们帮忙。它们把
它解脱后，一起向它们的仇人追去。
此时，乐师为了再找一个伙伴，他又拉起了小提琴，一个贫穷的樵夫听到他这欢快的琴
声，兴奋不已，禁不住将斧头夹在胳膊下寻声而来。这回，乐师看见是一个人来了，非常高
兴，对这位樵夫非常有礼貌，没有用诡计作弄他，而且拉起了他最善长的曲调，直听得那樵
夫如醉如痴，心中洋溢着欢喜。就在樵夫站在旁边凝神静听时，他看到狼、狐狸和野兔走上
前来。从它们面部狂怒的表情，樵夫知道它们来这儿是不怀好意的，所以他站在乐师的前
面，端起斧子，就像是在说：“有我这把斧子在，谁也别想伤害乐师！”这些野兽看到这情
形，吓得急忙跑回了森林。乐师此刻又为樵夫拉起他最拿手的曲子，以答谢他为自己鼎力相
助，赶走了野兽。拉完后他与樵夫话别，继续他的漫游。
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There were once on a time a king and a queen who lived happily together and had twelve children, but they were all boys. Then said the King to his wife, "If the thirteenth child which thou art about to bring into the world, is a girl, the twelve boys shall die, in order that her possessions may be great, and that the kingdom may fall to her alone." He caused likewise twelve coffins to be made, which were already filled with shavings, and in each lay the little pillow for the dead, and he had them taken into a locked-up room, and then he gave the Queen the key of it, and bade her not to speak of this to any one.
The mother, however, now sat and lamented all day long, until the youngest son, who was always with her, and whom she had named Benjamin, from the Bible, said to her, "Dear mother, why art thou so sad?"
"Dearest child," she answered, "I may not tell thee." But he let her have no rest until she went and unlocked the room, and showed him the twelve coffins ready filled with shavings. Then she said, my dearest Benjamin, thy father has had these coffins made for thee and for thy eleven brothers, for if I bring a little girl into the world, you are all to be killed and buried in them." And as she wept while she was saying this, the son comforted her and said, "Weep not, dear mother, we will save ourselves, and go hence." But she said, "Go forth into the forest with thy eleven brothers, and let one sit constantly on the highest tree which can be found, and keep watch, looking towards the tower here in the castle. If I give birth to a little son, I will put up a white flag, and then you may venture to come back, but if I bear a daughter, I will hoist a red flag, and then fly hence as quickly as you are able, and may the good God protect you. And every night I will rise up and pray for you -- in winter that you may be able to warm yourself at a fire, and in summer that you may not faint away in the heat."
After she had blessed her sons therefore, they went forth into the forest. They each kept watch in turn, and sat on the highest oak and looked towards the tower. When eleven days had passed and the turn came to Benjamin, he saw that a flag was being raised. It was, however, not the white, but the blood-red flag which announced that they were all to die. When the brothers heard that, they were very angry and said, "Are we all to suffer death for the sake of a girl? We swear that we will avenge ourselves !-- wheresoever we find a girl, her red blood shall flow."
Thereupon they went deeper into the forest, and in the midst of it, where it was the darkest, they found a little bewitched hut, which was standing empty. Then said they, "Here we will dwell, and thou Benjamin, who art the youngest and weakest, thou shalt stay at home and keep house, we others will go out and get food." Then they went into the forest and shot hares, wild deer, birds and pigeons, and whatsoever there was to eat; this they took to Benjamin, who had to dress it for them in order that they might appease their hunger. They lived together ten years in the little hut, and the time did not appear long to them.
The little daughter which their mother the Queen had given birth to, was now grown up; she was good of heart, and fair of face, and had a golden star on her forehead. Once, when it was the great washing, she saw twelve men's shirts among the things, and asked her mother, "To whom do these twelve shirts belong, for they are far too small for father?" Then the Queen answered with a heavy heart, "Dear child, these belong to thy twelve brothers." Said the maiden, "Where are my twelve brothers, I have never yet heard of them?" She replied, "God knows where they are, they are wandering about the world." Then she took the maiden and opened the chamber for her, and showed her the twelve coffins with the shavings, and pillows for the head. "These coffins," said she, "were destined for thy brothers, but they went away secretly before thou wert born," and she related to her how everything had happened; then said the maiden, "Dear mother, weep not, I will go and seek my brothers."
So she took the twelve shirts and went forth, and straight into the great forest. She walked the whole day, and in the evening she came to the bewitched hut. Then she entered it and found a young boy, who asked, "From whence comest thou, and whither art thou bound?" and was astonished that she was so beautiful, and wore royal garments, and had a star on her forehead. And she answered, "I am a king's daughter, and am seeking my twelve brothers, and I will walk as far as the sky is blue until I find them." She likewise showed him the twelve shirts which belonged to them. Then Benjamin saw that she was his sister, and said, "I am Benjamin, thy youngest brother." And she began to weep for joy, and Benjamin wept also, and they kissed and embraced each other with the greatest love. But after this he said, "Dear sister, there is still one difficulty. We have agreed that every maiden whom we meet shall die, because we have been obliged to leave our kingdom on account of a girl." Then said she, "I will willingly die, if by so doing I can deliver my twelve brothers."
"No," answered he, "thou shalt not die, seat thyself beneath this tub until our eleven brothers come, and then I will soon come to an agreement with them."
She did so, and when it was night the others came from hunting, and their dinner was ready. And as they were sitting at table, and eating, they asked, "What news is there?" Said Benjamin, "Don't you know anything?" "No," they answered. He continued, "You have been in the forest and I have stayed at home, and yet I know more than you do." "Tell us then," they cried. He answered, "But promise me that the first maiden who meets us shall not be killed." "Yes," they all cried, "she shall have mercy, only do tell us."
Then said he, "Our sister is here," and he lifted up the tub, and the King's daughter came forth in her royal garments with the golden star on her forehead, and she was beautiful, delicate and fair. Then they were all rejoiced, and fell on her neck, and kissed and loved her with all their hearts.
Now she stayed at home with Benjamin and helped him with the work. The eleven went into the forest and caught game, and deer, and birds, and wood-pigeons that they might have food, and the little sister and Benjamin took care to make it ready for them. She sought for the wood for cooking and herbs for vegetables, and put the pans on the fire so that the dinner was always ready when the eleven came. She likewise kept order in the little house, and put beautifully white clean coverings on the little beds, and the brothers were always contented and lived in great harmony with her.
Once on a time the two at home had prepared a beautiful entertainment, and when they were all together, they sat down and ate and drank and were full of gladness. There was, however, a little garden belonging to the bewitched house wherein stood twelve lily flowers, which are likewise called students. She wished to give her brothers pleasure, and plucked the twelve flowers, and thought she would present each brother with one while at dinner. But at the self-same moment that she plucked the flowers the twelve brothers were changed into twelve ravens, and flew away over the forest, and the house and garden vanished likewise. And now the poor maiden was alone in the wild forest, and when she looked around, an old woman was standing near her who said, "My child, what hast thou done? Why didst thou not leave the twelve white flowers growing? They were thy brothers, who are now for evermore changed into ravens." The maiden said, weeping, "Is there no way of delivering them?"
"No," said the woman, "there is but one in the whole world, and that is so hard that thou wilt not deliver them by it, for thou must be dumb for seven years, and mayst not speak or laugh, and if thou speakest one single word, and only an hour of the seven years is wanting, all is in vain, and thy brothers will be killed by the one word."
Then said the maiden in her heart, "I know with certainty that I shall set my brothers free," and went and sought a high tree and seated herself in it and span, and neither spoke nor laughed. Now it so happened that a king was hunting in the forest, who had a great greyhound which ran to the tree on which the maiden was sitting, and sprang about it, whining, and barking at her. Then the King came by and saw the beautiful King's daughter with the golden star on her brow, and was so charmed with her beauty that he called to ask her if she would be his wife. She made no answer, but nodded a little with her head. So he climbed up the tree himself, carried her down, placed her on his horse, and bore her home. Then the wedding was solemnized with great magnificence and rejoicing, but the bride neither spoke nor smiled. When they had lived happily together for a few years, the King's mother, who was a wicked woman, began to slander the young Queen, and said to the King, "This is a common beggar girl whom thou hast brought back with thee. Who knows what impious tricks she practises secretly! Even if she be dumb, and not able to speak, she still might laugh for once; but those who do not laugh have bad consciences." At first the King would not believe it, but the old woman urged this so long, and accused her of so many evil things, that at last the King let himself be persuaded and sentenced her to death.
And now a great fire was lighted in the courtyard in which she was to be burnt, and the King stood above at the window and looked on with tearful eyes, because he still loved her so much. And when she was bound fast to the stake, and the fire was licking at her clothes with its red tongue, the last instant of the seven years expired. Then a whirring sound was heard in the air, and twelve ravens came flying towards the place, and sank downwards, and when they touched the earth they were her twelve brothers, whom she had delivered. They tore the fire asunder, extinguished the flames, set their dear sister free, and kissed and embraced her. And now as she dared to open her mouth and speak, she told the King why she had been dumb, and had never laughed. The King rejoiced when he heard that she was innocent, and they all lived in great unity until their death. The wicked step-mother was taken before the judge, and put into a barrel filled with boiling oil and venomous snakes, and died an evil death.
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