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三个纺纱女
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从前有个女孩，非常懒惰，怎么着都不愿意纺纱。
终于有一天，母亲感到忍无可忍，就打了她一顿，她于是嚎啕大哭起来。正巧这时王后
乘车从门前经过，听见了哭声，吩咐把车停下来，进屋问那位母亲为什么打女儿。做母亲的
怎好意思说自己的女儿如何如何的懒惰，于是就回答说：“我叫她不要再纺了，可她就是不
听，在纺车上仍然纺个不停。
我穷啊，哪买得起那么多的亚麻呀。”
王后听了说道：“我最爱纺纱。让你的女儿随我进宫去吧，我有的是亚麻，她愿意纺多
少就纺多少。”
母亲听了这话，打心眼儿里高兴，满口答应下来，王后便带着女孩走了。
她们到了王宫之后，王后领着女孩上了楼，把三间库房指给她看，只见库房里装满了最
好的亚麻。“喏，你就为我纺这些亚麻吧，”王后说道，“你什么时候纺完了，就嫁给我的
长子。”
女孩听了心里一阵惊恐――即使她每天从早纺到晚，纺到她三百岁的时候，也休想把那
么多的亚麻纺完。剩下女孩独自一人时，她就哭了起来。她就这样哭哭啼啼地坐着，一晃儿
三天过去了，还没动手纺纱呢。第三天，女孩不知如何是好，忧心忡忡地来到窗前。恰在这
时她看见有三个女人走了过来：第一个女人的一个脚板又宽又平；第二个的下嘴唇很长，耷
拉到下巴上；而第三个的一只大拇指非常宽大。这三个女人走到窗下停住了脚，问女孩为什
么忧心忡忡，她就向她们诉说了自己的苦恼。“只要你不嫌我们丢人，”他们对女孩说道，
“请我们参加你的婚礼，说我们是你的表姐，并且让我们与你同桌喝喜酒，我们就帮你把这
些亚麻纺完。”
“我非常乐意。”女孩回答说。
说罢，女孩就让这三个长相奇特的女人进屋来。她们进来后刚一坐下就开始纺纱。每次
王后来，女孩生怕王后发现，便把那三个纺纱女藏起来，而让王后看已经纺好的纱。王后看
了之后，对她赞不绝口。
库房里所有的亚麻都纺完了，这三个纺织女便跟女孩告别，临行前对她说道：“你可千
万不要忘记了对我们许下的诺言，这关系到你自己的幸福啊。”
女孩领着王后看了三间空荡荡的库房和堆得像小山似的纱线，王后于是就安排了婚礼。
“我有三位表姐，”女孩说，“她们待我非常好。在我自己幸福如意的时候，怎么也不
愿意冷漠了她们。请允许我邀请她们来参加婚礼，并且让她们在婚宴上和我们坐在一起。”
王后和王子欣然同意。婚礼那天，三个纺纱女果然来了。她们打扮得怪模怪样的，很令
人发笑。新娘马上迎上去说：
“欢迎你们，亲爱的表姐们。”
“你的几个表姐怎么长得这么丑？”王子问道。随后，他转身走到那个大脚板女人身
边，问道：“您的一只脚怎么会这样大呢？”
“踏纺车踏的呗。”她回答道。
新郎又走到第二个女人身旁，问道：“您的嘴唇怎么会耷拉着呢？”
“舔麻线舔的呗。”她回答说。
然后他问第三个女人：“您的大拇指怎么会这样宽呢？”
“捻麻线捻的呗。”她回答说。
王子听罢三人的回答，大惊失色，于是就说：“我美丽的新娘今后绝不再碰纺车一下。”
就这样，女孩从此再也用不着干纺纱这个讨厌的活儿了。
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15 / Hansel and Grethel
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great scarcity fell on the land, he could no longer procure daily bread. Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife, "What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?" "I'll tell you what, husband," answered the woman, "Early to-morrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest, there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one piece of bread more, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them." "No, wife," said the man, "I will not do that; how can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest? -- the wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces." "O, thou fool!" said she, "Then we must all four die of hunger, thou mayest as well plane the planks for our coffins," and she left him no peace until he consented. "But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same," said the man.
The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grethel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, "Now all is over with us." "Be quiet, Grethel," said Hansel, "do not distress thyself, I will soon find a way to help us." And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and put as many of them in the little pocket of his coat as he could possibly get in. Then he went back and said to Grethel, "Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us," and he lay down again in his bed. When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying "Get up, you sluggards! we are going into the forest to fetch wood." She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, "There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else." Grethel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. His father said, "Hansel, what art thou looking at there and staying behind for? Mind what thou art about, and do not forget how to use thy legs." "Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me." The wife said, "Fool, that is not thy little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys." Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.
When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, "Now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold." Hansel and Grethel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said, "Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away."
Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. It was not, however, the axe, it was a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes shut with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Grethel began to cry and said, "How are we to get out of the forest now?" But Hansel comforted her and said, "Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way." And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.
They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Grethel, she said, "You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest? -- we thought you were never coming back at all!" The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone.
Not long afterwards, there was once more great scarcity in all parts, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father, "Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and after that there is an end. The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no other means of saving ourselves!" The man's heart was heavy, and he thought "it would be better for thee to share the last mouthful with thy children." The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.
The children were, however, still awake and had heard the conversation. When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said, "Do not cry, Grethel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us."
Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds. Their bit of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. "Hansel, why dost thou stop and look round?" said the father, "go on." "I am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me," answered Hansel. "Simpleton!" said the woman, "that is not thy little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney." Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.
The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said, "Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away." When it was noon, Grethel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening came and went, but no one came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said, "Just wait, Grethel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again." When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Grethel, "We shall soon find the way," but they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.
It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house. They began to walk again, but they always got deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And when it had finished its song, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted; and when they came quite up to little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar. "We will set to work on that," said Hansel, "and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and thou, Grethel, canst eat some of the window, it will taste sweet." Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Grethel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a soft voice cried from the room,
"Nibble, nibble, gnaw,
Who is nibbling at my little house?"
The children answered,
"The wind, the wind,
The heaven-born wind,"
and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who thought the roof tasted very nice, tore down a great piece of it, and Grethel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it. Suddenly the door opened, and a very, very old woman, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Grethel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, "Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you." She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Grethel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.
The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. When Hansel and Grethel came into her neighborhood, she laughed maliciously, and said mockingly, "I have them, they shall not escape me again!" Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was already up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump red cheeks, she muttered to herself, "That will be a dainty mouthful!" Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable, and shut him in with a grated door. He might scream as he liked, that was of no use. Then she went to Grethel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, "Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good for thy brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I will eat him." Grethel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, she was forced to do what the wicked witch ordered her.
And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grethel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and cried, "Hansel, stretch out thy finger that I may feel if thou wilt soon be fat." Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was Hansel's finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening him. When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still continued thin, she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer. "Hola, Grethel," she cried to the girl, "be active, and bring some water. Let Hansel be fat or lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him." Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down over her cheeks! "Dear God, do help us," she cried. "If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together." "Just keep thy noise to thyself," said the old woman, "all that won't help thee at all."
Early in the morning, Grethel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire. "We will bake first," said the old woman, "I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough." She pushed poor Grethel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. "Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is properly heated, so that we can shut the bread in." And when once Grethel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. But Grethel saw what she had in her mind, and said, "I do not know how I am to do it; how do you get in?" "Silly goose," said the old woman, "The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!" and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Grethel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but Grethel ran away, and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
Grethel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried, "Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!" Then Hansel sprang out like a bird from its cage when the door is opened for it. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other! And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch's house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. "These are far better than pebbles!" said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in, and Grethel said, "I, too, will take something home with me," and filled her pinafore full. "But now we will go away." said Hansel, "that we may get out of the witch's forest."
When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great piece of water. "We cannot get over," said Hansel, "I see no foot-plank, and no bridge." "And no boat crosses either," answered Grethel, "but a white duck is swimming there; if I ask her, she will help us over." Then she cried,
"Little duck, little duck, dost thou see,
Hansel and Grethel are waiting for thee?
There's never a plank, or bridge in sight,
Take us across on thy back so white."
The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him. "No," replied Grethel, "that will be too heavy for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other." The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father's house. Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves into their father's arms. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead. Grethel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness. My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great scarcity fell on the land, he could no longer procure daily bread. Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife, "What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?" "I'll tell you what, husband," answered the woman, "Early to-morrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest, there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one piece of bread more, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them." "No, wife," said the man, "I will not do that; how can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest? -- the wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces." "O, thou fool!" said she, "Then we must all four die of hunger, thou mayest as well plane the planks for our coffins," and she left him no peace until he consented. "But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same," said the man.
The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grethel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, "Now all is over with us." "Be quiet, Grethel," said Hansel, "do not distress thyself, I will soon find a way to help us." And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and put as many of them in the little pocket of his coat as he could possibly get in. Then he went back and said to Grethel, "Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us," and he lay down again in his bed. When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying "Get up, you sluggards! we are going into the forest to fetch wood." She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, "There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else." Grethel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. His father said, "Hansel, what art thou looking at there and staying behind for? Mind what thou art about, and do not forget how to use thy legs." "Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me." The wife said, "Fool, that is not thy little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys." Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.
When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, "Now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold." Hansel and Grethel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said, "Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away."
Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. It was not, however, the axe, it was a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes shut with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Grethel began to cry and said, "How are we to get out of the forest now?" But Hansel comforted her and said, "Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way." And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.
They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Grethel, she said, "You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest? -- we thought you were never coming back at all!" The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone.
Not long afterwards, there was once more great scarcity in all parts, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father, "Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and after that there is an end. The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no other means of saving ourselves!" The man's heart was heavy, and he thought "it would be better for thee to share the last mouthful with thy children." The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.
The children were, however, still awake and had heard the conversation. When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said, "Do not cry, Grethel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us."
Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds. Their bit of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. "Hansel, why dost thou stop and look round?" said the father, "go on." "I am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me," answered Hansel. "Simpleton!" said the woman, "that is not thy little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney." Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.
The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said, "Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away." When it was noon, Grethel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening came and went, but no one came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said, "Just wait, Grethel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again." When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Grethel, "We shall soon find the way," but they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.
It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house. They began to walk again, but they always got deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And when it had finished its song, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted; and when they came quite up to little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar. "We will set to work on that," said Hansel, "and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and thou, Grethel, canst eat some of the window, it will taste sweet." Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Grethel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a soft voice cried from the room,
"Nibble, nibble, gnaw,
Who is nibbling at my little house?"
The children answered,
"The wind, the wind,
The heaven-born wind,"
and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who thought the roof tasted very nice, tore down a great piece of it, and Grethel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it. Suddenly the door opened, and a very, very old woman, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Grethel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, "Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you." She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Grethel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.
The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. When Hansel and Grethel came into her neighborhood, she laughed maliciously, and said mockingly, "I have them, they shall not escape me again!" Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was already up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump red cheeks, she muttered to herself, "That will be a dainty mouthful!" Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable, and shut him in with a grated door. He might scream as he liked, that was of no use. Then she went to Grethel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, "Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good for thy brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I will eat him." Grethel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, she was forced to do what the wicked witch ordered her.
And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grethel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and cried, "Hansel, stretch out thy finger that I may feel if thou wilt soon be fat." Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was Hansel's finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening him. When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still continued thin, she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer. "Hola, Grethel," she cried to the girl, "be active, and bring some water. Let Hansel be fat or lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him." Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down over her cheeks! "Dear God, do help us," she cried. "If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together." "Just keep thy noise to thyself," said the old woman, "all that won't help thee at all."
Early in the morning, Grethel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire. "We will bake first," said the old woman, "I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough." She pushed poor Grethel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. "Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is properly heated, so that we can shut the bread in." And when once Grethel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. But Grethel saw what she had in her mind, and said, "I do not know how I am to do it; how do you get in?" "Silly goose," said the old woman, "The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!" and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Grethel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but Grethel ran away, and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
Grethel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried, "Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!" Then Hansel sprang out like a bird from its cage when the door is opened for it. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other! And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch's house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. "These are far better than pebbles!" said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in, and Grethel said, "I, too, will take something home with me," and filled her pinafore full. "But now we will go away." said Hansel, "that we may get out of the witch's forest."
When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great piece of water. "We cannot get over," said Hansel, "I see no foot-plank, and no bridge." "And no boat crosses either," answered Grethel, "but a white duck is swimming there; if I ask her, she will help us over." Then she cried,
"Little duck, little duck, dost thou see,
Hansel and Grethel are waiting for thee?
There's never a plank, or bridge in sight,
Take us across on thy back so white."
The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him. "No," replied Grethel, "that will be too heavy for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other." The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father's house. Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves into their father's arms. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead. Grethel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness. My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.
汉赛尔与格莱特
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在大森林的边上，住着一个贫穷的樵夫，他妻子和两个孩子与他相依为命。他的儿子名
叫汉赛尔，女儿名叫格莱特。他们家里原本就缺吃少喝，而这一年正好遇上国内物价飞涨，
樵夫一家更是吃了上顿没下顿，连每天的面包也无法保证。这天夜里，愁得辗转难眠的樵夫
躺在床上大伤脑筋，他又是叹气，又是呻吟。终于他对妻子说：“咱们怎么办哪！自己都没
有一点吃的，又拿什么去养咱们那可怜的孩子啊？”
“听我说，孩子他爹，”他老婆回答道：“明天大清早咱们就把孩子们带到远远的密林
中去，在那儿给他们生一堆火，再给他们每人一小块面包，然后咱们就假装去干咱们的活，
把他们单独留在那儿。他们不认识路，回不了家，咱们就不用再养他们啦。”
“不行啊，老婆，”樵夫说：“我不能这么干啊。我怎么忍心把我的孩子丢在丛林里喂
野兽呢！”
“哎，你这个笨蛋，”他老婆说，“不这样的话，咱们四个全都得饿死！”接着她又叽
哩呱啦、没完没了地劝他，最后，他也就只好默许了。
那时两个孩子正饿得无法入睡，正好听见了继母与父亲的全部对话。听见继母对父亲的
建议，格莱特伤心地哭了起来，对汉赛尔说：“这下咱俩可全完了。”
“别吱声，格莱特，”汉赛尔安慰她说，“放心吧，我会有办法的。”
等两个大人睡熟后，他便穿上小外衣，打开后门偷偷溜到了房外。这时月色正明，皎洁
的月光照得房前空地上的那些白色小石子闪闪发光，就像是一块块银币。汉赛尔蹲下身，尽
力在外衣口袋里塞满白石子。然后他回屋对格莱特说：“放心吧，小妹，只管好好睡觉就是
了，上帝会与我们同在的。”
说完，他回到了他的小床上睡觉。
天刚破晓，太阳还未跃出地平线，那个女人就叫醒了两个孩子，“快起来，快起来，你
们这两个懒虫！”她嚷道，“我们要进山砍柴去了。”说着，她给一个孩子一小块面包，并
告诫他们说：“这是你们的午饭，可别提前吃掉了，因为你们再也甭想得到任何东西了。”
格莱特接过面包藏在她的围裙底下，因为汉赛尔的口袋里这时塞满了白石子。
随后，他们全家就朝着森林进发了。汉赛尔总是走一会儿便停下来回头看看自己的家，
走一会儿便停下来回头看自己的家。他的父亲见了便说：“汉赛尔，你老是回头瞅什么？
专心走你的路。”
“哦，爸爸，”汉赛尔回答说：“我在看我的白猫呢，他高高地蹲在屋顶上，想跟我说
‘再见’呢！”
“那不是你的小猫，小笨蛋，”继母讲，“那是早晨的阳光照在烟囱上。”其实汉赛尔
并不是真的在看小猫，他是悄悄地把亮亮的白石子从口袋里掏出来，一粒一粒地丢在走过的
路上。
到了森林的深处，他们的父亲对他们说：“嗨，孩子们，去拾些柴火来，我给你们生一
堆火。”
汉赛尔和格莱特拾来许多枯枝，把它们堆得像小山一样高。当枯枝点着了，火焰升得老
高后，继母就对他们说：“你们两个躺到火堆边上去吧，好好呆着，我和你爸爸到林子里砍
柴。等一干完活，我们就来接你们回家。”
于是汉赛尔和格莱特坐在火堆旁边，等他们的父母干完活再来接他们。到了中午时分，
他们就吃掉了自己的那一小块面包。因为一直能听见斧子砍树的嘭、嘭声，他们相信自己的
父亲就在近旁。其实他们听见的根本就不是斧子发出的声音，那是一根绑在一棵小树上的枯
枝，在风的吹动下撞在树干上发出来的声音。兄妹俩坐了好久好久，疲倦得上眼皮和下眼皮
都打起架来了。没多久，他们俩就呼呼睡着了，等他们从梦中醒来时，已是漆黑的夜晚。格
莱特害怕得哭了起来，说：“这下咱们找不到出森林的路了！”
“别着急，”汉赛尔安慰她说，“等一会儿月亮出来了，咱们很快就会找到出森林的
路。”
不久，当一轮满月升起来时，汉赛尔就拉着他妹妹的手，循着那些月光下像银币一样在
地上闪闪发光的白石子指引的路往前走。他们走了整整的一夜，在天刚破晓的时候回到了他
们父亲的家门口。他们敲敲门，来开门的是他们的继母。她打开门一见是汉赛尔和格莱特，
就说：“你们怎么在森林里睡了这么久，我们还以为你们不想回家了呐！”
看到孩子，父亲喜出望外，因为冷酷地抛弃两个孩子，他心中十分难受。
他们一家又在一起艰难地生活了。但时隔不久，又发生了全国性的饥荒。一天夜里，两
个孩子又听见继母对他们的父亲说：“哎呀！能吃的都吃光了，就剩这半个面包，你看以后
可怎么办啊？咱们还是得减轻负担，必须把两个孩子给扔了！这次咱们可以把他们带进更
深、更远的森林中去，叫他们再也找不到路回来。只有这样才能挽救我们自己。”
听见妻子又说要抛弃孩子，樵夫心里十分难过。他心想，大家同甘共苦，共同分享最后
一块面包不是更好吗？但是像天下所有的男人一样，对一个女人说个“不”字那是太难太难
了，樵夫也毫不例外。就像是“谁套上了笼头，谁就必须得拉车”的道理一样，樵夫既然对
妻子作过第一次让步，当然就必然有第二次让步了，他也就不再反对妻子的建议了。
然而，孩子们听到了他们的全部谈话。等父母都睡着后，汉赛尔又从床上爬了起来，想
溜出门去，像上次那样，到外边去捡些小石子，但是这次他发现门让继母给锁死了。但他心
里又有了新的主意，他又安慰他的小妹妹说：“别哭，格莱特，不用担心，好好睡觉。上帝
会帮助咱们的。”
一大清早，继母就把孩子们从床上揪了下来。她给了他们每人一块面包，可是比上次那
块要小多了。
在去森林的途中，汉赛尔在口袋里捏碎了他的面包，并不时地停下脚步，把碎面包屑撒
在路上。
“汉赛尔，你磨磨蹭蹭地在后面看什么？”他的父亲见他老是落在后面就问他。“我在
看我的小鸽子，它正站在屋顶上‘咕咕咕’地跟我说再见呢。”汉赛尔回答说。
“你这个白痴，”他继母叫道，“那不是你的鸽子，那是早晨的阳光照在烟囱上面。”
但是汉赛尔还是在路上一点一点地撒下了他的面包屑。
继母领着他们走了很久很久，来到了一个他们从未到过的森林中。像上次一样，又生起
了一大堆火，继母又对他们说：“好好呆在这儿，孩子们，要是困了就睡一觉，我们要到远
点的地方去砍柴，干完活我们就来接你们。”
到了中午，格莱特把她的面包与汉赛尔分来吃了，因为汉赛尔的面包已经撒在路上了。
然后，他们俩又睡着了。一直到了半夜，仍然没有人来接这两个可怜的孩子，他们醒来已是
一片漆黑。汉赛尔安慰他的妹妹说：“等月亮一出来，我们就看得见我撒在地上的面包屑
了，它一定会指给我们回家的路。”
但是当月亮升起来时，他们在地上却怎么也找不到一点面包屑了，原来它们都被那些在
树林里、田野上飞来飞去的鸟儿一点点地啄食了。
虽然汉赛尔也有些着急了，但他还是安慰妹妹说：“我们一定能找到路的，格莱特。”
但他们没有能够找到路，虽然他们走了一天一夜，可就是出不了森林。他们已经饿得头
昏眼花，因为除了从地上找到的几颗草霉，他们没吃什么东西。这时他们累得连脚都迈不动
了，倒在一颗树下就睡着了。
这已是他们离开父亲家的第三天早晨了，他们深陷丛林，已经迷路了。如果再不能得到
帮助，他们必死无疑。就在这时，他们看到了一只通体雪白的、极其美丽的鸟儿站在一根树
枝上引吭高歌，它唱得动听极了，他们兄妹俩不由自主地停了下来，听它唱。它唱完了歌，
就张开翅膀，飞到了他们的面前，好像示意他们跟它走。他们于是就跟着它往前走，一直走
到了一幢小屋的前面，小鸟停到小屋的房顶上。他俩这时才发现小屋居然是用香喷喷的面包
做的，房顶上是厚厚的蛋糕，窗户却是明亮的糖块。
“让我们放开肚皮吧，”汉赛尔说：“这下我们该美美地吃上一顿了。我要吃一小块房
顶，格莱特，你可以吃窗户，它的味道肯定美极了、甜极了。”
说着，汉赛尔爬上去掰了一小块房顶下来，尝着味道。格莱特却站在窗前，用嘴去啃那
个甜窗户。这时，突然从屋子里传出一个声音：
“啃啊！啃啊！啃啊啃！
谁在啃我的小房子？”
孩子们回答道：
“是风啊，是风，
是天堂里的小娃娃。”
他们边吃边回答，一点也不受干扰。
汉赛尔觉得房顶的味道特别美，便又拆下一大块来；格莱特也干脆抠下一扇小圆窗，坐
在地上慢慢享用。突然，房子的门打开了，一个老婆婆拄着拐杖颤颤巍巍的走了出来。汉赛
尔和格莱特吓得双腿打颤，拿在手里的食物也掉到了地上。
那个老婆婆晃着她颤颤巍巍的头说：“好孩子，是谁带你们到这儿来的？来，跟我进屋
去吧，这儿没人会伤害你们！”
她说着就拉着兄妹俩的手，把他们领进了她的小屋，并给他们准备了一顿丰盛的晚餐，
有牛奶、糖饼、苹果，还有坚果。等孩子们吃完了，她又给孩子们铺了两张白色的小床，汉
赛尔和格莱特往床上一躺，马上觉得是进了天堂。
其实这个老婆婆是笑里藏刀，她的友善只是伪装给他们看的，她事实上是一个专门引诱
孩子上当的邪恶的巫婆，她那幢用美食建造的房子就是为了让孩子们落入她的圈套。一旦哪
个孩子落入她的魔掌，她就杀死他，把他煮来吃掉。这个巫婆的红眼睛视力不好，看不远，
但是她的嗅觉却像野兽一样灵敏，老远老远她就能嗅到人的味道。汉赛尔和格莱特刚刚走近
她的房子她就知道了，高兴得一阵狂笑，然后就冷笑着打定了主意：“我要牢牢地抓住他
们，决不让他们跑掉。”
第二天一早，还不等孩子们醒来，她就起床了。看着两个小家伙那红扑扑、圆滚滚的脸
蛋，她忍不住口水直流：“好一顿美餐呐！”说着便抓住汉赛尔的小胳膊，把他扛进了一间
小马厩，并用栅栏把他锁了起来。汉赛尔在里面大喊大叫，可是毫无用处。然后，老巫婆走
过去把格莱特摇醒，冲着她吼道：“起来，懒丫头！快去打水来替你哥哥煮点好吃的。他关
在外面的马厩里，我要把他养得白白胖胖的，然后吃掉他。”
格莱特听了伤心得大哭起来，可她还是不得不按照那个老巫婆的吩咐去干活。于是，汉
赛尔每天都能吃到许多好吃的，而可怜的格莱特每天却只有螃蟹壳吃。每天早晨，老巫婆都
要颤颤巍巍的走到小马厩去喊汉赛尔：“汉赛尔，把你的手指头伸出来，让我摸摸你长胖了
没有！”可是汉赛尔每次都是伸给她一根啃过的小骨头，老眼昏花的老巫婆，根本就看不清
楚，她还真以为是汉赛尔的手指头呢！她心里感到非常纳闷，怎么汉赛尔还没有长胖一点呢？
又过了四个星期，汉赛尔还是很瘦的样子。老巫婆失去了耐心，便扬言她不想再等了。
“过来，格莱特，”她对小女孩吼道，“快点去打水来！管他是胖还是瘦，明天我一定
要杀死汉赛尔，把他煮来吃了。”
可怜的小妹妹被逼着去打水来准备煮她的哥哥，一路上她伤心万分，眼泪顺着脸颊一串
一串地往下掉！“亲爱的上帝，请帮帮我们吧！”她呼喊道，“还不如当初在森林里就被野
兽吃掉，那我们总还是死在一起的呵！”
趁老巫婆离开一会儿，可怜的格莱特瞅准机会跑到汉赛尔身边，把她所听到的一切都告
诉他：
“我们要赶快逃跑，因为这个老太婆是个邪恶的巫婆，她要杀死我们哩。”
可是汉赛尔说：“我知道怎么逃出去，因为我已经把插销给搞开了。不过，你得首先去
把她的魔杖和挂在她房间里的那根笛子偷来，这样万一她追来，我们就不怕她了。”
等格莱特好不容易把魔杖和笛子都偷来之后，两个孩子便逃跑了。
这时，老巫婆走过来看她的美餐是否弄好了，发现两个孩子却不见了。虽说她的眼睛不
好，可她还是从窗口看到了那两个正在逃跑的孩子。
她勃然大怒，赶紧穿上她那双一步就能走上几码远的靴子，不多一会就要赶上那两个孩
子了。格莱特眼看老巫婆就要追上他们了，便用她偷来的那根魔杖把汉赛尔变成了一个湖
泊，而把她自己变成了一只在湖泊中游来游去的小天鹅。老巫婆来到湖边，往湖里扔了些面
包屑想骗那只小天鹅上当。可是小天鹅就是不过来，最后老巫婆只好空着手回去了。
见到老巫婆走了，格莱特便用那根魔杖又把自己和汉赛尔变回了原来的模样。然后，他
们又继续赶路，一直走到天黑。
很快，老巫婆又追了上来。
这时，小姑娘把自己变成了山楂树篱笆中的一朵玫瑰，于是汉赛尔便在这只玫瑰的旁边
坐了下来变成一位笛手。
“吹笛子的好心人，”老巫婆说，“我可以摘下那朵漂亮的玫瑰花吗？”
“哦，可以。”汉赛尔说。
于是，非常清楚那朵玫瑰是什么的老巫婆快步走向树篱想飞快地摘下它。就在这时，汉
赛尔拿出他的笛子，吹了起来。
这是一根魔笛，谁听了这笛声都会不由自主地跳起舞来。所以那老巫婆不得不随着笛声
一直不停地旋转起来，再也摘不到那朵玫瑰了。汉赛尔就这样不停地吹着，直吹到那些荆棘
把巫婆的衣服挂破，并深深地刺到她的肉里，直刺得她哇哇乱叫。最后，老巫婆被那些荆棘
给牢牢地缠住了。
这时，格莱特又恢复了自己的原形，和汉赛尔一块儿往家走去。走了长长的一段路程之
后，格莱特累坏了。于是他们便在靠近森林的草地上找到了一棵空心树，就在树洞里躺了下
来。就在他们睡着的时候，那个好不容易从荆棘丛中脱身出来的老巫婆又追了上来。她一看
到自己的魔杖，就得意地一把抓住它。然后，立刻把可怜的汉赛尔变成了一头小鹿。
格莱特醒来之后，看到所发生的一切，伤心地扑到那头可怜的小动物身上哭了起来。这
时，泪水也从小鹿的眼睛里不停地往下流。
格莱特说：“放心吧，亲爱的小鹿，我绝不会离开你。”
说着，她就取下她那长长的金色项链戴到他的脖子上，然后又扯下一些灯芯草把它编成
一条草绳，套住小鹿的脖子，无论她走到哪儿，她都把这头可怜的小鹿带在身边。
终于，有一天他们来到了一个小屋前。格莱特看到这间小屋没有人住，便说：“我们就
在这儿住下吧。”
她采来了很多树叶和青苔替小鹿铺了一张柔软的小床。每天早上，她便出去采摘一些坚
果和浆果来充饥，又替她的哥哥采来很多树叶和青草。她把树叶和青草放在自己的手中喂小
鹿，而那头小鹿就在她的身旁欢快地蹦来蹦去。到了晚上，格莱特累了，就会把头枕在小鹿
的身上睡觉。要是可怜的汉赛尔能够恢复原形，那他们的生活该有多幸福啊！
他们就这样在森林里生活了许多年，这时，格莱特已经长成了一个少女。有一天，刚好
国王到这儿来打猎。当小鹿听到在森林中回荡的号角声、猎狗汪汪的叫声以及猎人们的大喊
声时，忍不住想去看看是怎么回事。“哦，妹妹，”他说，“让我到森林里去看看吧，我再
也不能待在这儿了。”他不断地恳求着，最后她只好同意让他去了。
“可是，”她说，“一定要在天黑之前回来。我会把门关好不让那些猎人们进来。如果
你敲门并说：‘妹妹，让我进来。’我就知道是你回来了。如果你不说话，我就把门紧紧地
关住。”
于是小鹿便一蹦一跳地跑了出去。当国王和他的猎人们看到这头美丽的小鹿之后，便来
追赶他，可是他们怎么也逮不着他，因为当他们每次认为自己快要抓住他时，他都会跳到树
丛中藏起来。
天黑了下来，小鹿便跑回了小屋，他敲了敲门说：“妹妹，让我进来吧！”于是格莱特
便打开了门，他跳了进来，在他那温软的床上美美地睡了一觉。
第二天早上，围猎又开始了。小鹿一听到猎人们的号角声，他便说：“妹妹，替我把门
打开吧。我一定要出去。”
国王和他的猎人们见到这头小鹿，马上又开始了围捕。他们追了他一整天，最后终于把
他给围住了，其中一个猎人还射中了他的一条脚。他一瘸一拐地好不容易才逃回到了家中。
那个射伤了他的猎人跟踪着他，听到了这头小鹿说：“妹妹，让我进来吧。”还看到了那扇
门开了，小鹿进去后很快又关上了。于是这个猎人就回去向国王禀报了他的所见所闻。国王
说：“那明天我们再围捕一次吧。”
当格莱特看到她那亲爱的小鹿受伤了，感到非常害怕。不过，她还是替他把伤口清洗得
干干净净，敷上了一些草药。第二天早上，那伤口竟已经复原了。当号角再次吹响的时候，
那小东西又说：“我不能待在这儿，我必须出去看看。我会多加小心，不会让他们抓住我
的。”
可是格莱特说：“我肯定他们这一次会杀死你的，我不让你去。”
“如果你把我关在这儿的话，那我会遗憾而死。”他说。格莱特不得不让他出去，她心
情沉重地打开门，小鹿便又欢快地向林中奔去。
国王一看到小鹿，便大声下令：“你们今天一定要追到他，可你们谁也不许伤害他。”
然而，太阳落山的时候，他们还是没能抓住他。于是国王对那个曾经跟踪过小鹿的猎人
说：“那么现在领我去那个小屋吧。”
于是他们来到了小屋前，国王敲了敲门，并且说：“妹妹，让我进来吧。”
门儿打开之后，国王走了进去，只见房子里站着一个他生平见过的最美丽的少女。
当格莱特看到来者并非是她的小鹿而是一位戴着皇冠的国王时，感到非常害怕。可是国
王非常友善地拉着她的手，并说：“你愿意和我一起到我的城堡去，做我的妻子吗？”
“是的，”格莱特说，“我可以和你一起去你的城堡，可是我不能成为你的妻子，因为
我的小鹿必须和我在一起，我不能和他分开。”
“那好吧，”国王说，“他可以和你一起去，永远都不离开你，并且他想要什么就会有
什么。”
正在这时，小鹿跳了进来。于是格莱特把草绳套在他的脖子上，他们便一起离开了小屋。
国王把小格莱特抱上他的高头大马之后，就朝着他的王宫跑去。那头小鹿也欢快地跟在
他们后面。一路上，格莱特告诉了国王有关她的一切，国王认识那个老巫婆，便派人去把她
叫来，命令她恢复小鹿的人形。
当格莱特看到他亲爱的哥哥又恢复了原形，她非常感激国王，便欣然同意嫁给他。他们
就这样幸福地生活着，汉赛尔也成了国王的王宫大臣。
------------------
16 / The Three Snake-Leaves
There was once on a time a poor man, who could no longer support his only son. Then said the son, "Dear father, things go so badly with us that I am a burden to you. I would rather go away and see how I can earn my bread." So the father gave him his blessing, and with great sorrow took leave of him. At this time the King of a mighty empire was at war, and the youth took service with him, and with him went out to fight. And when he came before the enemy, there was a battle, and great danger, and it rained shot until his comrades fell on all sides, and when the leader also was killed, those left were about to take flight, but the youth stepped forth, spoke boldly to them, and cried, "We will not let our fatherland be ruined!" Then the others followed him, and he pressed on and conquered the enemy. When the King heard that he owed the victory to him alone, he raised him above all the others, gave him great treasures, and made him the first in the kingdom.
The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange. She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first. "If he loves me with all his heart," said she, "of what use will life be to him afterwards?" On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him. This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her. "But dost thou know what thou must promise?" said the King. "I must be buried with her," he replied, "if I outlive her, but my love is so great that I do not mind the danger." Then the King consented, and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour.
They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other, and then it befell that the young Queen was attacked by a severe illness, and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead, the young King remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and was horrified at having to lie down alive in the grave, but there was no escape. The King had placed sentries at all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid his fate. When the day came when the corpse was to be buried, he was taken down into the royal vault with it and then the door was shut and bolted.
Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine, and when this provision came to an end, he would have to die of hunger. And now he sat there full of pain and grief, ate every day only a little piece of bread, drank only a mouthful of wine, and nevertheless saw death daily drawing nearer. Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body. And as he thought it came to gnaw at it, he drew his sword and said, "As long as I live, thou shalt not touch her," and hewed the snake in three pieces. After a time a second snake crept out of the hole, and when it saw the other lying dead and cut in pieces, it went back, but soon came again with three green leaves in its mouth. Then it took the three pieces of the snake, laid them together, as they ought to go, and placed one of the leaves on each wound. Immediately the severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and became alive again, and both of them hastened away together. The leaves were left lying on the ground, and a desire came into the mind of the unhappy man who had been watching all this, to know if the wondrous power of the leaves which had brought the snake to life again, could not likewise be of service to a human being. So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth of his dead wife, and the two others on her eyes. And hardly had he done this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into her pale face, and coloured it again. Then she drew breath, opened her eyes, and said, "Ah, God, where am I?" "Thou art with me, dear wife," he answered, and told her how everything had happened, and how he had brought her back again to life. Then he gave her some wine and bread, and when she had regained her strength, he raised her up and they went to the door and knocked, and called so loudly that the sentries heard it, and told the King. The King came down himself and opened the door, and there he found both strong and well, and rejoiced with them that now all sorrow was over. The young King, however, took the three snake-leaves with him, gave them to a servant and said, "Keep them for me carefully, and carry them constantly about thee; who knows in what trouble they may yet be of service to us!"
A change had, however, taken place in his wife; after she had been restored to life, it seemed as if all love for her husband had gone out of her heart. After some time, when he wanted to make a voyage over the sea, to visit his old father, and they had gone on board a ship, she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown her, and which had been the means of rescuing her from death, and conceived a wicked inclination for the skipper. And once when the young King lay there asleep, she called in the skipper and seized the sleeper by the head, and the skipper took him by the feet, and thus they threw him down into the sea. When the shameful deed was done, she said, "Now let us return home, and say that he died on the way. I will extol and praise thee so to my father that he will marry me to thee, and make thee the heir to his crown." But the faithful servant who had seen all that they did, unseen by them, unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it, sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way. He fished up the dead body, and by the help of the three snake-leaves which he carried about with him, and laid on the eyes and mouth, he fortunately brought the young King back to life.
They both rowed with all their strength day and night, and their little boat flew so swiftly that they reached the old King before the others did. He was astonished when he saw them come alone, and asked what had happened to them. When he learnt the wickedness of his daughter he said, "I cannot believe that she has behaved so ill, but the truth will soon come to light," and bade both go into a secret chamber and keep themselves hidden from every one. Soon afterwards the great ship came sailing in, and the godless woman appeared before her father with a troubled countenance. He said, "Why dost thou come back alone? Where is thy husband?" "Ah, dear father," she replied, "I come home again in great grief; during the voyage, my husband became suddenly ill and died, and if the good skipper had not given me his help, it would have gone ill with me. He was present at his death, and can tell you all." The King said, "I will make the dead alive again," and opened the chamber, and bade the two come out. When the woman saw her husband, she was thunderstruck, and fell on her knees and begged for mercy. The King said, "There is no mercy. He was ready to die with thee and restored thee to life again, but thou hast murdered him in his sleep, and shalt receive the reward that thou deservest." Then she was placed with her accomplice in a ship which had been pierced with holes, and sent out to sea, where they soon sank amid the waves.
There was once on a time a poor man, who could no longer support his only son. Then said the son, "Dear father, things go so badly with us that I am a burden to you. I would rather go away and see how I can earn my bread." So the father gave him his blessing, and with great sorrow took leave of him. At this time the King of a mighty empire was at war, and the youth took service with him, and with him went out to fight. And when he came before the enemy, there was a battle, and great danger, and it rained shot until his comrades fell on all sides, and when the leader also was killed, those left were about to take flight, but the youth stepped forth, spoke boldly to them, and cried, "We will not let our fatherland be ruined!" Then the others followed him, and he pressed on and conquered the enemy. When the King heard that he owed the victory to him alone, he raised him above all the others, gave him great treasures, and made him the first in the kingdom.
The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange. She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first. "If he loves me with all his heart," said she, "of what use will life be to him afterwards?" On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him. This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her. "But dost thou know what thou must promise?" said the King. "I must be buried with her," he replied, "if I outlive her, but my love is so great that I do not mind the danger." Then the King consented, and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour.
They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other, and then it befell that the young Queen was attacked by a severe illness, and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead, the young King remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and was horrified at having to lie down alive in the grave, but there was no escape. The King had placed sentries at all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid his fate. When the day came when the corpse was to be buried, he was taken down into the royal vault with it and then the door was shut and bolted.
Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine, and when this provision came to an end, he would have to die of hunger. And now he sat there full of pain and grief, ate every day only a little piece of bread, drank only a mouthful of wine, and nevertheless saw death daily drawing nearer. Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body. And as he thought it came to gnaw at it, he drew his sword and said, "As long as I live, thou shalt not touch her," and hewed the snake in three pieces. After a time a second snake crept out of the hole, and when it saw the other lying dead and cut in pieces, it went back, but soon came again with three green leaves in its mouth. Then it took the three pieces of the snake, laid them together, as they ought to go, and placed one of the leaves on each wound. Immediately the severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and became alive again, and both of them hastened away together. The leaves were left lying on the ground, and a desire came into the mind of the unhappy man who had been watching all this, to know if the wondrous power of the leaves which had brought the snake to life again, could not likewise be of service to a human being. So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth of his dead wife, and the two others on her eyes. And hardly had he done this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into her pale face, and coloured it again. Then she drew breath, opened her eyes, and said, "Ah, God, where am I?" "Thou art with me, dear wife," he answered, and told her how everything had happened, and how he had brought her back again to life. Then he gave her some wine and bread, and when she had regained her strength, he raised her up and they went to the door and knocked, and called so loudly that the sentries heard it, and told the King. The King came down himself and opened the door, and there he found both strong and well, and rejoiced with them that now all sorrow was over. The young King, however, took the three snake-leaves with him, gave them to a servant and said, "Keep them for me carefully, and carry them constantly about thee; who knows in what trouble they may yet be of service to us!"
A change had, however, taken place in his wife; after she had been restored to life, it seemed as if all love for her husband had gone out of her heart. After some time, when he wanted to make a voyage over the sea, to visit his old father, and they had gone on board a ship, she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown her, and which had been the means of rescuing her from death, and conceived a wicked inclination for the skipper. And once when the young King lay there asleep, she called in the skipper and seized the sleeper by the head, and the skipper took him by the feet, and thus they threw him down into the sea. When the shameful deed was done, she said, "Now let us return home, and say that he died on the way. I will extol and praise thee so to my father that he will marry me to thee, and make thee the heir to his crown." But the faithful servant who had seen all that they did, unseen by them, unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it, sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way. He fished up the dead body, and by the help of the three snake-leaves which he carried about with him, and laid on the eyes and mouth, he fortunately brought the young King back to life.
They both rowed with all their strength day and night, and their little boat flew so swiftly that they reached the old King before the others did. He was astonished when he saw them come alone, and asked what had happened to them. When he learnt the wickedness of his daughter he said, "I cannot believe that she has behaved so ill, but the truth will soon come to light," and bade both go into a secret chamber and keep themselves hidden from every one. Soon afterwards the great ship came sailing in, and the godless woman appeared before her father with a troubled countenance. He said, "Why dost thou come back alone? Where is thy husband?" "Ah, dear father," she replied, "I come home again in great grief; during the voyage, my husband became suddenly ill and died, and if the good skipper had not given me his help, it would have gone ill with me. He was present at his death, and can tell you all." The King said, "I will make the dead alive again," and opened the chamber, and bade the two come out. When the woman saw her husband, she was thunderstruck, and fell on her knees and begged for mercy. The King said, "There is no mercy. He was ready to die with thee and restored thee to life again, but thou hast murdered him in his sleep, and shalt receive the reward that thou deservest." Then she was placed with her accomplice in a ship which had been pierced with holes, and sent out to sea, where they soon sank amid the waves.
三片蛇叶
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从前有个穷人，穷得连自己的儿子都养不活。儿子便对他说：“好爸爸，我们现在的日
子过得太糟了，而我又是你的一个负担。我现在想离开家，看能不能挣到饭吃。”父亲祝福
了他，然后悲痛欲绝地送他出了家门。这时候，一个强大帝国的国王正和人打仗，于是他便
参加了国王的部队，上前线去打仗。他到达前线时正好赶上激烈的战斗，而且情况非常危
急，他的战友们纷纷倒在敌人的弹雨中。当指挥官也牺牲时，剩下的人打算逃跑，可是这位
年轻人站出来大着胆子对他们叫道：“我们决不能让自己的祖国灭亡！”于是其他人跟在他
的后面，在他的带领下打败了敌人。当国王得知这场胜利全靠他一个人时，就把他提升到最
高的位置，给了他许多财富，使他一下子成了全国最显赫的人物。
国王有一个女儿，虽长得非常美丽，脾气却非常古怪，她只答应嫁给一个保证在她死后
愿意被活埋在她身边的人。“如果这个人真心实意地爱我，”她说，“我死了之后他活着还
有什么用？”反过来，她也是一样。如果她丈夫先死，她愿意和他一起被埋进坟墓。她这古
怪的誓言吓得人一直不敢向她求婚，可是这位年轻人被公主的美貌迷住了，不顾一切地请求
国王把女儿嫁给他。“你知道你要作出什么样的承诺吗？”国王问。“要是我活得比她长，
就得为她做陪葬，”他回答，“可是我非常爱她，根本不在乎这种危险。”国王于是便答应
了，他们举行了盛大的婚礼。
这对年轻人幸福美满地生活了一段时间，妻子便突然得了重病，医生们没有一个能治好
她。她死了之后，年轻的丈夫想起了自己的诺言，知道自己得活生生地被关在坟墓里，不由
得惊恐万状，可也没有什么别的办法。国王在王宫的各个大门口都派了岗哨，所以他根本不
可能逃避这厄运。安葬尸体的那一天，他也被带进了王室的陵墓，然后墓门就被关上了，而
且还上了插销。
棺材旁有张桌子，上面放着四支蜡烛、四条面包和四瓶酒。等这些东西消耗完后，他就
会饿死。他万分痛苦、万分伤心地坐在那里，每天只吃一丁点面包，只喝一口酒，可死神还
是一天天地在向他逼近。正当他出神地坐在那里时，他看到一条蛇从墓穴的角落里钻了出
来，向死尸爬去。他以为蛇是去咬她的肉，便拔出宝剑说：“只要我还活着，你就休想碰她
一下。”说完就把蛇砍成了三段。过了一会儿，又一条蛇从洞里爬了出来。当它看到第一条
蛇被砍成了三段，已经死了，它便爬了回去。可不一会儿它又爬了出来，嘴里衔着三片绿色
的叶子。然后，它把死蛇的三段拼在一起，在每一处伤口上盖上一片叶子。顷刻之间，那条
断蛇的的几个部分又长在了一起。蛇动了几下便活了过来，然后和第二条蛇一起逃走了，而
那三片叶子却留在了地上。这位目睹了这一切的不幸青年突然产生了一个想法：不知道这些
把死蛇重新救活的叶子的魔力能不能把人也救活。于是，他捡起叶子，在他亡妻的嘴上放了
一片，又把另外两片放在她的眼睛上。他刚把叶子放好，血液便开始在她的血管里流动，慢
慢涌上了她苍白的脸颊，使它重新变得绯红。接着，她吸了口气，睁开眼睛，说：“啊，上
帝，我这是在哪里呀？”“你和我在一起，亲爱的妻子，”他回答，然后把所发生的一切，
以及他救活她的经过告诉了她。他给她喝了点酒，又给她吃了点面包。等她重新恢复精力
后，他扶她站起来走到墓门口，又是敲门又是叫喊。卫兵们听到后便去报告国王。国王亲自
来打开墓门，发现他俩健康而富有活力，不禁为悲伤的事情终于结束而欣喜万分。年轻人把
那三片蛇叶带了出来，把它们交给一个侍从，说：“给我小心保管好，要时刻带在身边。天
知道我们还会遇到什么麻烦呢？说不定我们还用得着它们呢！”
可他的妻子发生了变化，她死而复生之后好像完全失去了对丈夫的爱。过了一段时间，
年轻人想过海去看看他的老父亲。他们上船之后，她就忘记了她丈夫对她所表现出的深深的
爱和忠诚，也忘记了他对她的救命之恩，可恶地迷上了船长。一天，当年轻人睡着时，她叫
来船长，自己抱住丈夫的头，船长抓住他的脚，两个人一起把他扔进了大海。干完了这可耻
的勾当之后，她说：“我们现在回去，就说他死在路上了。我会在我父亲的面前大大地夸奖
你，赞扬你，使他同意把我嫁给你，并且让你做王位的继承人。”可是那位忠心耿耿的侍从
在暗中目睹了一切。他从大船上解下一只小船，坐上去寻找他的主人，不再管那两个坏家伙
驶向哪里。他从水里捞起年轻人的尸体，把身上带着的三片蛇叶分别放在他的眼睛和嘴巴
上，幸运地救活了他。
他俩日夜奋力地划船，小船行驶如飞，结果他们比其他人先回到老国王的王宫。老国王
看到他俩独自回来自然感到很惊讶，便问发生了什么事。他听说自己女儿的可恶行径后说：
“我不相信她会干出这样卑鄙的事情，但是很快就会真相大白的。”他命令他俩躲进一间密
室，不要让任何人看见。不久，大船驶了回来，那个不知羞耻的女人满脸愁容地来见父亲。
老国王问：“你怎么独自回来了？你丈夫呢？”“唉，亲爱的父亲，”她回答，“我的心都
要碎了。我丈夫在途中突然得病死了，要不是这位好心的船长帮助我，我就惨喽！我丈夫死
的时候他也在场，他可以把一切告诉你。”国王说：“我要让死去的人复活！”说着就打开
了密室，叫那主仆二人出来。那女人一看见自己的丈夫，就像被雷打了一样跪了下去，请求
饶恕。国王说：“绝不能饶恕！他愿意和你一起去死，而且把你救活，可你却趁他睡着时害
死他，你是罪有应得。”接着，她和她的帮凶被放在一条凿了洞的船上。船被推到海上，很
快就在汹涌的浪涛中沉没了。
------------------
17 / The White Snake
A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of the most secret things was brought to him through the air. But he had a strange custom; every day after dinner, when the table was cleared, and no one else was present, a trusty servant had to bring him one more dish. It was covered, however, and even the servant did not know what was in it, neither did anyone know, for the King never took off the cover to eat of it until he was quite alone.
This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who took away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he could not help carrying the dish into his room. When he had carefully locked the door, he lifted up the cover, and saw a white snake lying on the dish. But when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, so he cut off a little bit and put it into his mouth. No sooner had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals.
Now it so happened that on this very day the Queen lost her most beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty servant, who was allowed to go everywhere. The King ordered the man to be brought before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he could before the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty and executed. In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with no better answer.
In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one said in a pitiful tone, "Something lies heavy on my stomach; as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the Queen's window." The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, "Here is a fine duck; pray, kill her." "Yes," said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; "she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long enough." So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the spit, the Queen's ring was found inside her.
The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the King, to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favor, and promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for. The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for traveling, as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little.
When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They quivered with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, "We will remember you and repay you for saving us!"
He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, "Why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without mercy!" So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to him, 'We will remember you -- one good turn deserves another!"
The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones. "Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures!" cried they; "we cannot find food for you any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves." But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, "Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, and yet we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?" So the good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, and cried, "We will remember you -- one good turn deserves another!"
And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, "The King's daughter wants a husband; but whoever sues for her hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life." Many had already made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth saw the King's daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, went before the King, and declared himself a suitor.
So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, in his sight; then the King ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, "If you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves." All the people grieved for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea.
He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the King, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward.
But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task. She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass; then she said, "To-morrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting."
The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks.
Presently the King's daughter herself came down into the garden, and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, "Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the Tree of Life."
The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving; when we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the Golden Apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the Tree of Life stands, and have brought you the apple." The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and took the Golden Apple to the King's beautiful daughter, who had no more excuses left to make. They cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.
A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of the most secret things was brought to him through the air. But he had a strange custom; every day after dinner, when the table was cleared, and no one else was present, a trusty servant had to bring him one more dish. It was covered, however, and even the servant did not know what was in it, neither did anyone know, for the King never took off the cover to eat of it until he was quite alone.
This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who took away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he could not help carrying the dish into his room. When he had carefully locked the door, he lifted up the cover, and saw a white snake lying on the dish. But when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, so he cut off a little bit and put it into his mouth. No sooner had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals.
Now it so happened that on this very day the Queen lost her most beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty servant, who was allowed to go everywhere. The King ordered the man to be brought before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he could before the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty and executed. In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with no better answer.
In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one said in a pitiful tone, "Something lies heavy on my stomach; as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the Queen's window." The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, "Here is a fine duck; pray, kill her." "Yes," said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; "she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long enough." So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the spit, the Queen's ring was found inside her.
The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the King, to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favor, and promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for. The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for traveling, as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little.
When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They quivered with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, "We will remember you and repay you for saving us!"
He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, "Why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without mercy!" So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to him, 'We will remember you -- one good turn deserves another!"
The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones. "Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures!" cried they; "we cannot find food for you any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves." But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, "Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, and yet we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?" So the good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, and cried, "We will remember you -- one good turn deserves another!"
And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, "The King's daughter wants a husband; but whoever sues for her hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life." Many had already made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth saw the King's daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, went before the King, and declared himself a suitor.
So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, in his sight; then the King ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, "If you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves." All the people grieved for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea.
He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the King, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward.
But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task. She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass; then she said, "To-morrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting."
The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks.
Presently the King's daughter herself came down into the garden, and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, "Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the Tree of Life."
The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving; when we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the Golden Apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the Tree of Life stands, and have brought you the apple." The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and took the Golden Apple to the King's beautiful daughter, who had no more excuses left to make. They cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.
白蛇
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从前有位以他的智慧而闻名全国的国王，世界上的事情他没有不知道的，而且，好像再
秘密的事情也能有风声传到他的耳朵里。不过，这位国王有个古怪的习惯：每天吃完晚饭，
桌子已经收拾干净，而且其他人也都已离开之后，一位忠实的侍从会再给他端来一道菜。不
过，这道菜用盖子盖着，谁也不知道里面装的是什么，就连这侍从也不知道，因为国王每次
都要等到房间里只剩下他一个人时才揭开盖子吃。
这种情况持续了很长一段时间，终于有一天，端碗的侍从再也克制不住好奇心，把这道
菜端进了自己的房间。他小心地锁上门，揭开盖子，看到盘子里的菜是一条白蛇。他看到之
后，就忍不住想尝一尝，于是他用刀子割下一小块送进嘴里。蛇肉刚碰到他的舌头，他就听
到了窗子外面有一些奇怪的小声音在窃窃私语。他走到窗边侧耳细听，发现原来是一群麻雀
在聊天，相互说着在田野和森林里的所见所闻。吃了那块蛇肉之后，他现在居然能听懂动物
语言了！
说来也巧，也就在这一天，王后最漂亮的戒指不见了，因为这个侍从哪里都可以去，所
以偷戒指的嫌疑也就落到了他的头上。国王把他叫去大骂一通，并且威胁说，要是他第二天
早晨说不出小偷是谁，那么他自己会被判为小偷，并被处死。侍从一再声明自己是清白无辜
的，可没有用，国王还是不改变自己的主意。
侍从的心里又是烦恼又是害怕，便走进院子去想怎样摆脱自己厄运的办法。有几只鸭子
安安静静地坐在院子里的小溪旁，一面用喙梳理羽毛，一面说着悄悄话。侍从站在一旁听
着。它们分别讲述着他们一上午都到过哪些地方，都找到一些什么好东西吃。其中一只鸭子
抱怨说：“我的胃里有样很重的东西。我吃东西的时候匆匆忙忙的，结果把王后窗子下的一
只戒指吞进肚子里去了。”侍从立刻抓住这只鸭子的脖子，把它拿到厨房，对厨师说：“送
你一只肥鸭子。请把它宰了。”“好的，”厨师说，一面用手掂了掂鸭子，“这家伙拼死拼
活地把自己吃得肥肥的，早就等着进烤箱了。”厨师说着便砍下了鸭子的脑袋，在掏鸭内脏
的时候，发现王后的戒指在里面。
这下侍从轻而易举地证明了自己的清白。国王觉得不该那样冤枉他，想作一些弥补，便
允许他提出一个请求，而且还答应，只要他开口，可以把宫中最好的职位给他。可是侍从谢
绝了这一切，只请求给他一匹马和一些旅费，让他出去看看外面的世界。国王答应了他的请
求，他便上了路。一天，他来到了一个池塘边，看到池塘里有三条鱼让芦苇缠住了，嘴一张
一张地想喝水。虽然人们常说鱼都是哑巴，他却听到它们在为自己这样惨死而哀声叹气。他
很善良，下了马，把三条鱼重新放回到水里。鱼高兴极了，从水里探出头来，冲着他喊道：
“我们会记住你的，而且会报答你的救命之恩。”
他骑着马继续向前走。过了一会儿，他觉得好像听到脚底下的沙子里有什么声音。他听
了一会儿，听到一只蚁王在抱怨：“那些骑着笨牲口的人类为什么不离我们远一点呢？这匹
蠢马沉重的蹄子踩死了我们多少人呵！”于是，他赶紧把马带到旁边的小路上。蚁王对他叫
道：“我们会记住你的。好心自然会有好报的！”
这条小路把他带进了一座森林。他看到两只老乌鸦站在窝边，正往外扔小乌鸦。“你们
这些好吃懒做、没有用的东西！都给我出去！”老乌鸦在骂着，“我们再也养不活你们了。
你们都长这么大了，应该自己养活自己。”可那些小乌鸦一个个躺在地上，扑打着翅膀喊
着：“我们真是可怜啊！没有谁能帮助我们。要我们自己养活自己，可我们连飞都还不会
啊！除了躺在这里饿死，我们还有什么别的法子呢？”善良的青年从马背上跳下来，拔出宝
剑把马杀了，留给小乌鸦当粮食。小乌鸦们立刻跳过来，一面吃一面叫道：“我们会记住你
的。好心自然会有好报！”
他现在只能靠两条腿步行。他走了很长一段路后，来到了一座大城市。街上叽叽喳喳的
围了一群人，一个人骑在马背上高声叫道：“公主要选丈夫，但求婚者必须完成一项艰巨的
任务，完不成就得送掉自己的性命。”许多人都已经尝试过了，可他们只是白白地送掉了性
命。我们这位年轻人一看到公主，就被她的美貌迷住了，他忘记了危险，到国王面前去求婚。
他被带到海边，一枚戒指当着他的面被扔进了海中。国王命令他从海底把戒指捞上来，
并且说：“要是你捞不上来，我们就把你重新推进大海，直到浪涛把你吞没。”大家都为这
位英俊的小伙子感到惋惜，一个个都悄悄走了，只留下他一个人在海边。
他站在海边，盘算着该怎么办。突然，他看到有三条鱼在向他游来，而且正是他救过的
那三条鱼。中间那条鱼衔着一只贝壳，游到岸边就把它吐在了年轻人的脚边。他捡起贝壳打
开一看，只见那枚金戒指就在里面。他兴冲冲地带着戒指去见国王，以为国王一定会把答应
的奖赏赐给他。
可是，当高傲的公主得知他出身低微时，非常瞧不起他，要他先完成第二项任务。她走
到花园里，亲手撒了十袋小米在草地上，并且说：“明天日出之前，你必须把这些全部捡起
来，一粒也不能少！”
年轻人坐在花园里，盘算着怎样才能完成这项任务。可是他什么办法也没有想出来，只
好难过地坐在那里，等待着天亮被人带去处死。谁知当第一缕阳光照进花园时，他却看到那
十袋小米已经装得满满的排在他的身旁，而且一粒也不少。原来，那只蚁王晚上带着成千上
万的蚂蚁来过了。这些知恩报恩的小动物不辞辛劳地捡起所有的小米，装进了袋子。
不一会儿，公主亲自来到了花园，看到年轻人已经完成了交给他的任务，她不由得感到
万分惊讶。可她那颗高傲的心还没有被征服，于是她说：“虽然他完成了两项任务，我还是
不能嫁给他，除非他能从生命之树上摘来一个苹果。”年轻人根本不知道生命之树长在什么
地方，可他还是出发了，而且准备一直找下去，直到他走不动为止。不过他也不抱多大希
望，他找遍了三个王国，一天来到了一座森林。他躺在一棵树下刚准备睡觉，突然听到树枝
上有沙沙的声音，一个金苹果掉进了他的手里！与其同时，三只乌鸦飞了下来，落在他的膝
盖上，说：“我们就是你救活的三只乌鸦。我们长大了之后，听说你在寻找金苹果，便飞过
大海，到了长着生命之树的世界尽头，给你把苹果摘来了。”年轻人万分高兴地踏上归途，
带着金苹果回到了美丽的公主那里，这下公主再也没有什么可说的了。他俩把生命之果切成
两半，吃了下去，她的心便充满了对他的爱，他们从此过着幸福安宁的生活。
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18 / The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth, and that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. When she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped without her observing it, and lay on the ground beside a straw, and soon afterwards a burning coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw began and said, "Dear friends, from whence do you come here?" The coal replied, "I fortunately sprang out of the fire, and if I had not escaped by main force, my death would have been certain, -- I should have been burnt to ashes." The bean said, "I too have escaped with a whole skin, but if the old woman had got me into the pan, I should have been made into broth without any mercy, like my comrades." "And would a better fate have fallen to my lot?" said the straw. "The old woman has destroyed all my brethren in fire and smoke; she seized sixty of them at once, and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers."
"But what are we to do now?" said the coal.
"I think," answered the bean, "that as we have so fortunately escaped death, we should keep together like good companions, and lest a new mischance should overtake us here, we should go away together, and repair to a foreign country."
The proposition pleased the two others, and they set out on their way in company. Soon, however, they came to a little brook, and as there was no bridge or foot-plank, they did not know how they were to get over it. The straw hit on a good idea, and said, "I will lay myself straight across, and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge." The straw therefore stretched itself from one bank to the other, and the coal, who was of an impetuous disposition, tripped quite boldly on to the newly-built bridge. But when she had reached the middle, and heard the water rushing beneath her, she was, after all, afraid, and stood still, and ventured no farther. The straw, however, began to burn, broke in two pieces, and fell into the stream. The coal slipped after her, hissed when she got into the water, and breathed her last. The bean, who had prudently stayed behind on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, was unable to stop, and laughed so heartily that she burst. It would have been all over with her, likewise, if, by good fortune, a tailor who was traveling in search of work, had not sat down to rest by the brook. As he had a compassionate heart he pulled out his needle and thread, and sewed her together. The bean thanked him most prettily, but as the tailor used black thread, all beans since then have a black seam.
In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth, and that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. When she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped without her observing it, and lay on the ground beside a straw, and soon afterwards a burning coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw began and said, "Dear friends, from whence do you come here?" The coal replied, "I fortunately sprang out of the fire, and if I had not escaped by main force, my death would have been certain, -- I should have been burnt to ashes." The bean said, "I too have escaped with a whole skin, but if the old woman had got me into the pan, I should have been made into broth without any mercy, like my comrades." "And would a better fate have fallen to my lot?" said the straw. "The old woman has destroyed all my brethren in fire and smoke; she seized sixty of them at once, and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers."
"But what are we to do now?" said the coal.
"I think," answered the bean, "that as we have so fortunately escaped death, we should keep together like good companions, and lest a new mischance should overtake us here, we should go away together, and repair to a foreign country."
The proposition pleased the two others, and they set out on their way in company. Soon, however, they came to a little brook, and as there was no bridge or foot-plank, they did not know how they were to get over it. The straw hit on a good idea, and said, "I will lay myself straight across, and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge." The straw therefore stretched itself from one bank to the other, and the coal, who was of an impetuous disposition, tripped quite boldly on to the newly-built bridge. But when she had reached the middle, and heard the water rushing beneath her, she was, after all, afraid, and stood still, and ventured no farther. The straw, however, began to burn, broke in two pieces, and fell into the stream. The coal slipped after her, hissed when she got into the water, and breathed her last. The bean, who had prudently stayed behind on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, was unable to stop, and laughed so heartily that she burst. It would have been all over with her, likewise, if, by good fortune, a tailor who was traveling in search of work, had not sat down to rest by the brook. As he had a compassionate heart he pulled out his needle and thread, and sewed her together. The bean thanked him most prettily, but as the tailor used black thread, all beans since then have a black seam.
麦草、煤块和豆子
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一座村子里住着一位贫穷的老太太，她摘了一盘豆子，准备煮熟了吃。她在炉子里点上
火，为了让炉子烧得快一点，她生炉子的时候用了一把麦草。当把豆子倒进锅里时，她没有
注意到一粒豆子掉了出来，落在地上的一根麦草旁。不一会儿，一块燃烧的煤炭也从炉子中
跳了出来，落在它俩的旁边。于是，麦草开口说：“亲爱的朋友们，你们从哪里来呀？”煤
块答道：“我总算幸运地从火里跳出来了。要是我没有使劲跳出来，我必死无疑，一定会被
烧成灰烬。”豆子说：“我也成功地逃了出来，可要是那老太太把我倒进了锅子，我肯定会
像我的伙伴们一样，被她毫不留情地煮成浓汤。”“难道我不是不幸中之万幸吗？”麦草
问，“那个老太太把我所有的兄弟塞进炉火里，变成了轻烟。她一把就抓住了六十根，要了
它们的命。幸好我从她的指缝里溜掉了。”
“可我们现在怎么办呢？”煤块问。
“我觉得，”豆子回答，“既然我们都幸运地死里逃生，我们就应该像好伙伴一样团结
在一起。为了避免在这地方再遭到厄运，我们应该离开这里，到别的地方去。”
另外两位都觉得这是一个好主意，于是它们便结伴而行。没过多久，它们来到了一条小
溪边，小溪上既没有桥，也没有跳磴，它们不知道该怎么过去。麦草灵机一动，说：“让我
横躺在小溪上，你们可以像过桥一样从我身上走过去。”麦草说着便把自己的身子从小溪的
这一边伸到了另一边。煤块性子比较急，立刻大着胆子走上了这座刚刚搭好的桥。可是它走
到桥中间时，听到溪水在脚下哗哗地流淌，不由得害怕起来，站在那里不敢往前走。这下麦
草燃了起来，断成两截掉进了小溪。煤块跟着掉了下去，碰到水发出咝的一声，就送了命。
豆子一直谨慎地呆在岸上，看到这情景不由得放声哈哈大笑。它笑呀笑，笑得裂开了自己的
肚皮。它本来也许就这样完蛋了，但幸运的是，一个外出找活干的裁缝正好坐在小溪旁休
息。这位裁缝心肠很好，取出针线把它的肚子缝在了一起。豆子好好地谢了裁缝，可由于裁
缝用的是黑线，所以豆子的身上至今还留有一条黑缝。
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19 / The Fisherman and His Wife
There was once on a time a Fisherman who lived with his wife in a miserable hovel close by the sea, and every day he went out fishing. And once as he was sitting with his rod, looking at the clear water, his line suddenly went down, far down below, and when he drew it up again he brought out a large Flounder. Then the Flounder said to him, "Hark, you Fisherman, I pray you, let me live, I am no Flounder really, but an enchanted prince. What good will it do you to kill me? I should not be good to eat, put me in the water again, and let me go." "Come," said the Fisherman, "there is no need for so many words about it -- a fish that can talk I should certainly let go, anyhow," with that he put him back again into the clear water, and the Flounder went to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the Fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the hovel.
"Husband," said the woman, "have you caught nothing to-day?" "No," said the man, "I did catch a Flounder, who said he was an enchanted prince, so I let him go again." "Did you not wish for anything first?" said the woman. "No," said the man; "what should I wish for?" "Ah," said the woman, "it is surely hard to have to live always in this dirty hovel; you might have wished for a small cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him we want to have a small cottage, he will certainly give us that." "Ah," said the man, "why should I go there again?" "Why," said the woman, "you did catch him, and you let him go again; he is sure to do it. Go at once." The man still did not quite like to go, but did not like to oppose his wife, and went to the sea.
When he got there the sea was all green and yellow, and no longer so smooth; so he stood still and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
Then the Flounder came swimming to him and said, "Well what does she want, then?" "Ah," said the man, "I did catch you, and my wife says I really ought to have wished for something. She does not like to live in a wretched hovel any longer. She would like to have a cottage." "Go, then," said the Flounder, "she has it already."
When the man went home, his wife was no longer in the hovel, but instead of it there stood a small cottage, and she was sitting on a bench before the door. Then she took him by the hand and said to him, "Just come inside, look, now isn't this a great deal better?" So they went in, and there was a small porch, and a pretty little parlor and bedroom, and a kitchen and pantry, with the best of furniture, and fitted up with the most beautiful things made of tin and brass, whatsoever was wanted. And behind the cottage there was a small yard, with hens and ducks, and a little garden with flowers and fruit. "Look," said the wife, "is not that nice!" "Yes," said the husband, "and so we must always think it, -- now we will live quite contented." "We will think about that," said the wife. With that they ate something and went to bed.
Everything went well for a week or a fortnight, and then the woman said, "Hark you, husband, this cottage is far too small for us, and the garden and yard are little; the Flounder might just as well have given us a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle; go to the Flounder, and tell him to give us a castle." "Ah, wife," said the man, "the cottage is quite good enough; why should we live in a castle?" "What!" said the woman; "just go there, the Flounder can always do that." "No, wife," said the man, "the Flounder has just given us the cottage, I do not like to go back so soon, it might make him angry." "Go," said the woman, "he can do it quite easily, and will be glad to do it; just you go to him."
The man's heart grew heavy, and he would not go. He said to himself, "It is not right," and yet he went. And when he came to the sea the water was quite purple and dark-blue, and grey and thick, and no longer so green and yellow, but it was still quiet. And he stood there and said --
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, half scared, "she wants to live in a great stone castle." "Go to it, then, she is standing before the door," said the Flounder.
Then the man went away, intending to go home, but when he got there, he found a great stone palace, and his wife was just standing on the steps going in, and she took him by the hand and said, "Come in." So he went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall paved with marble, and many servants, who flung wide the doors; And the walls were all bright with beautiful hangings, and in the rooms were chairs and tables of pure gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all the rooms and bed-rooms had carpets, and food and wine of the very best were standing on all the tables, so that they nearly broke down beneath it. Behind the house, too, there was a great court-yard, with stables for horses and cows, and the very best of carriages; there was a magnificent large garden, too, with the most beautiful flowers and fruit-trees, and a park quite half a mile long, in which were stags, deer, and hares, and everything that could be desired. "Come," said the woman, "isn't that beautiful?" "Yes, indeed," said the man, "now let it be; and we will live in this beautiful castle and be content." "We will consider about that," said the woman, "and sleep upon it;" thereupon they went to bed.
Next morning the wife awoke first, and it was just daybreak, and from her bed she saw the beautiful country lying before her. Her husband was still stretching himself, so she poked him in the side with her elbow, and said, "Get up, husband, and just peep out of the window. Look you, couldn't we be the King over all that land? Go to the Flounder, we will be the King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why should we be King? I do not want to be King." "Well," said the wife, "if you won't be King, I will; go to the Flounder, for I will be King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be King? I do not like to say that to him." "Why not?" said the woman; "go to him this instant; I must be King!" So the man went, and was quite unhappy because his wife wished to be King. "It is not right; it is not right," thought he. He did not wish to go, but yet he went.
And when he came to the sea, it was quite dark-grey, and the water heaved up from below, and smelt putrid. Then he went and stood by it, and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will"
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, "she wants to be King." "Go to her; she is King already."
So the man went, and when he came to the palace, the castle had become much larger, and had a great tower and magnificent ornaments, and the sentinel was standing before the door, and there were numbers of soldiers with kettle-drums and trumpets. And when he went inside the house, everything was of real marble and gold, with velvet covers and great golden tassels. Then the doors of the hall were opened, and there was the court in all its splendour, and his wife was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds, with a great crown of gold on her head, and a sceptre of pure gold and jewels in her hand, and on both sides of her stood her maids-in-waiting in a row, each of them always one head shorter than the last.
Then he went and stood before her, and said, "Ah, wife, and now you are King." "Yes," said the woman, "now I am King." So he stood and looked at her, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he said, "And now that you are King, let all else be, now we will wish for nothing more." "Nay, husband," said the woman, quite anxiously, "I find time pass very heavily, I can bear it no longer; go to the Flounder -- I am King, but I must be Emperor, too." "Alas, wife, why do you wish to be Emperor?" "Husband," said she, "go to the Flounder. I will be Emperor." "Alas, wife," said the man, "he cannot make you Emperor; I may not say that to the fish. There is only one Emperor in the land. An Emperor the Flounder cannot make you! I assure you he cannot."
"What!" said the woman, "I am the King, and you are nothing but my husband; will you go this moment? go at once! If he can make a King he can make an emperor. I will be Emperor; go instantly." So he was forced to go. As the man went, however, he was troubled in mind, and thought to himself, "It will not end well; it will not end well! Emperor is too shameless! The Flounder will at last be tired out."
With that he reached the sea, and the sea was quite black and thick, and began to boil up from below, so that it threw up bubbles, and such a sharp wind blew over it that it curdled, and the man was afraid. Then he went and stood by it, and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas, Flounder," said he, "my wife wants to be Emperor." "Go to her," said the Flounder; "she is Emperor already."
So the man went, and when he got there the whole palace was made of polished marble with alabaster figures and golden ornaments, and soldiers were marching before the door blowing trumpets, and beating cymbals and drums; and in the house, barons, and counts, and dukes were going about as servants. Then they opened the doors to him, which were of pure gold. And when he entered, there sat his wife on a throne, which was made of one piece of gold, and was quite two miles high; and she wore a great golden crown that was three yards high, and set with diamonds and carbuncles, and in one hand she had the sceptre, and in the other the imperial orb; and on both sides of her stood the yeomen of the guard in two rows, each being smaller than the one before him, from the biggest giant, who was two miles high, to the very smallest dwarf, just as big as my little finger. And before it stood a number of princes and dukes.
Then the man went and stood among them, and said, "Wife, are you Emperor now?" "Yes," said she, "now I am Emperor." Then he stood and looked at her well, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he said, "Ah, wife, be content, now that you are Emperor." "Husband," said she, "why are you standing there? Now, I am Emperor, but I will be Pope too; go to the Flounder." "Alas, wife," said the man, "what will you not wish for? You cannot be Pope. There is but one in Christendom. He cannot make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "I will be Pope; go immediately, I must be Pope this very day." "No, wife," said the man, "I do not like to say that to him; that would not do, it is too much; the Flounder can't make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "what nonsense! If he can make an emperor he can make a pope. Go to him directly. I am Emperor, and you are nothing but my husband; will you go at once?"
Then he was afraid and went; but he was quite faint, and shivered and shook, and his knees and legs trembled. And a high wind blew over the land, and the clouds flew, and towards evening all grew dark, and the leaves fell from the trees, and the water rose and roared as if it were boiling, and splashed upon the shore. And in the distance he saw ships which were firing guns in their sore need, pitching and tossing on the waves. And yet in the midst of the sky there was still a small bit of blue, though on every side it was as red as in a heavy storm. So, full of despair, he went and stood in much fear and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;"
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will.
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, "she wants to be Pope." "Go to her then," said the Flounder; "she is Pope already."
So he went, and when he got there, he saw what seemed to be a large church surrounded by palaces. He pushed his way through the crowd. Inside, however, everything was lighted up with thousands and thousands of candles, and his wife was clad in gold, and she was sitting on a much higher throne, and had three great golden crowns on, and round about her there was much ecclesiastical splendour; and on both sides of her was a row of candles the largest of which was as tall as the very tallest tower, down to the very smallest kitchen candle, and all the emperors and kings were on their knees before her, kissing her shoe. "Wife," said the man, and looked attentively at her, "are you now Pope?" "Yes," said she, "I am Pope." So he stood and looked at her, and it was just as if he was looking at the bright sun. When he had stood looking at her thus for a short time, he said, "Ah, wife, if you are Pope, do let well alone!" But she looked as stiff as a post, and did not move or show any signs of life. Then said he, "Wife, now that you are Pope, be satisfied, you cannot become anything greater now." "I will consider about that," said the woman. Thereupon they both went to bed, but she was not satisfied, and greediness let her have no sleep, for she was continually thinking what there was left for her to be.
The man slept well and soundly, for he had run about a great deal during the day; but the woman could not fall asleep at all, and flung herself from one side to the other the whole night through, thinking always what more was left for her to be, but unable to call to mind anything else. At length the sun began to rise, and when the woman saw the red of dawn, she sat up in bed and looked at it. And when, through the window, she saw the sun thus rising, she said, "Cannot I, too, order the sun and moon to rise?" "Husband," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbows, "wake up! go to the Flounder, for I wish to be even as God is." The man was still half asleep, but he was so horrified that he fell out of bed. He thought he must have heard amiss, and rubbed his eyes, and said, "Alas, wife, what are you saying?" "Husband," said she, "if I can't order the sun and moon to rise, and have to look on and see the sun and moon rising, I can't bear it. I shall not know what it is to have another happy hour, unless I can make them rise myself." Then she looked at him so terribly that a shudder ran over him, and said, "Go at once; I wish to be like unto God." "Alas, wife," said the man, falling on his knees before her, "the Flounder cannot do that; he can make an emperor and a pope; I beseech you, go on as you are, and be Pope." Then she fell into a rage, and her hair flew wildly about her head, and she cried, "I will not endure this, I'll not bear it any longer; wilt thou go?" Then he put on his trousers and ran away like a madman. But outside a great storm was raging, and blowing so hard that he could scarcely keep his feet; houses and trees toppled over, the mountains trembled, rocks rolled into the sea, the sky was pitch black, and it thundered and lightened, and the sea came in with black waves as high as church-towers and mountains, and all with crests of white foam at the top. Then he cried, but could not hear his own words,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said he, "she wants to be like unto God." "Go to her, and you will find her back again in the dirty hovel." And there they are living still at this very time
There was once on a time a Fisherman who lived with his wife in a miserable hovel close by the sea, and every day he went out fishing. And once as he was sitting with his rod, looking at the clear water, his line suddenly went down, far down below, and when he drew it up again he brought out a large Flounder. Then the Flounder said to him, "Hark, you Fisherman, I pray you, let me live, I am no Flounder really, but an enchanted prince. What good will it do you to kill me? I should not be good to eat, put me in the water again, and let me go." "Come," said the Fisherman, "there is no need for so many words about it -- a fish that can talk I should certainly let go, anyhow," with that he put him back again into the clear water, and the Flounder went to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the Fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the hovel.
"Husband," said the woman, "have you caught nothing to-day?" "No," said the man, "I did catch a Flounder, who said he was an enchanted prince, so I let him go again." "Did you not wish for anything first?" said the woman. "No," said the man; "what should I wish for?" "Ah," said the woman, "it is surely hard to have to live always in this dirty hovel; you might have wished for a small cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him we want to have a small cottage, he will certainly give us that." "Ah," said the man, "why should I go there again?" "Why," said the woman, "you did catch him, and you let him go again; he is sure to do it. Go at once." The man still did not quite like to go, but did not like to oppose his wife, and went to the sea.
When he got there the sea was all green and yellow, and no longer so smooth; so he stood still and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
Then the Flounder came swimming to him and said, "Well what does she want, then?" "Ah," said the man, "I did catch you, and my wife says I really ought to have wished for something. She does not like to live in a wretched hovel any longer. She would like to have a cottage." "Go, then," said the Flounder, "she has it already."
When the man went home, his wife was no longer in the hovel, but instead of it there stood a small cottage, and she was sitting on a bench before the door. Then she took him by the hand and said to him, "Just come inside, look, now isn't this a great deal better?" So they went in, and there was a small porch, and a pretty little parlor and bedroom, and a kitchen and pantry, with the best of furniture, and fitted up with the most beautiful things made of tin and brass, whatsoever was wanted. And behind the cottage there was a small yard, with hens and ducks, and a little garden with flowers and fruit. "Look," said the wife, "is not that nice!" "Yes," said the husband, "and so we must always think it, -- now we will live quite contented." "We will think about that," said the wife. With that they ate something and went to bed.
Everything went well for a week or a fortnight, and then the woman said, "Hark you, husband, this cottage is far too small for us, and the garden and yard are little; the Flounder might just as well have given us a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle; go to the Flounder, and tell him to give us a castle." "Ah, wife," said the man, "the cottage is quite good enough; why should we live in a castle?" "What!" said the woman; "just go there, the Flounder can always do that." "No, wife," said the man, "the Flounder has just given us the cottage, I do not like to go back so soon, it might make him angry." "Go," said the woman, "he can do it quite easily, and will be glad to do it; just you go to him."
The man's heart grew heavy, and he would not go. He said to himself, "It is not right," and yet he went. And when he came to the sea the water was quite purple and dark-blue, and grey and thick, and no longer so green and yellow, but it was still quiet. And he stood there and said --
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, half scared, "she wants to live in a great stone castle." "Go to it, then, she is standing before the door," said the Flounder.
Then the man went away, intending to go home, but when he got there, he found a great stone palace, and his wife was just standing on the steps going in, and she took him by the hand and said, "Come in." So he went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall paved with marble, and many servants, who flung wide the doors; And the walls were all bright with beautiful hangings, and in the rooms were chairs and tables of pure gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all the rooms and bed-rooms had carpets, and food and wine of the very best were standing on all the tables, so that they nearly broke down beneath it. Behind the house, too, there was a great court-yard, with stables for horses and cows, and the very best of carriages; there was a magnificent large garden, too, with the most beautiful flowers and fruit-trees, and a park quite half a mile long, in which were stags, deer, and hares, and everything that could be desired. "Come," said the woman, "isn't that beautiful?" "Yes, indeed," said the man, "now let it be; and we will live in this beautiful castle and be content." "We will consider about that," said the woman, "and sleep upon it;" thereupon they went to bed.
Next morning the wife awoke first, and it was just daybreak, and from her bed she saw the beautiful country lying before her. Her husband was still stretching himself, so she poked him in the side with her elbow, and said, "Get up, husband, and just peep out of the window. Look you, couldn't we be the King over all that land? Go to the Flounder, we will be the King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why should we be King? I do not want to be King." "Well," said the wife, "if you won't be King, I will; go to the Flounder, for I will be King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be King? I do not like to say that to him." "Why not?" said the woman; "go to him this instant; I must be King!" So the man went, and was quite unhappy because his wife wished to be King. "It is not right; it is not right," thought he. He did not wish to go, but yet he went.
And when he came to the sea, it was quite dark-grey, and the water heaved up from below, and smelt putrid. Then he went and stood by it, and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will"
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, "she wants to be King." "Go to her; she is King already."
So the man went, and when he came to the palace, the castle had become much larger, and had a great tower and magnificent ornaments, and the sentinel was standing before the door, and there were numbers of soldiers with kettle-drums and trumpets. And when he went inside the house, everything was of real marble and gold, with velvet covers and great golden tassels. Then the doors of the hall were opened, and there was the court in all its splendour, and his wife was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds, with a great crown of gold on her head, and a sceptre of pure gold and jewels in her hand, and on both sides of her stood her maids-in-waiting in a row, each of them always one head shorter than the last.
Then he went and stood before her, and said, "Ah, wife, and now you are King." "Yes," said the woman, "now I am King." So he stood and looked at her, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he said, "And now that you are King, let all else be, now we will wish for nothing more." "Nay, husband," said the woman, quite anxiously, "I find time pass very heavily, I can bear it no longer; go to the Flounder -- I am King, but I must be Emperor, too." "Alas, wife, why do you wish to be Emperor?" "Husband," said she, "go to the Flounder. I will be Emperor." "Alas, wife," said the man, "he cannot make you Emperor; I may not say that to the fish. There is only one Emperor in the land. An Emperor the Flounder cannot make you! I assure you he cannot."
"What!" said the woman, "I am the King, and you are nothing but my husband; will you go this moment? go at once! If he can make a King he can make an emperor. I will be Emperor; go instantly." So he was forced to go. As the man went, however, he was troubled in mind, and thought to himself, "It will not end well; it will not end well! Emperor is too shameless! The Flounder will at last be tired out."
With that he reached the sea, and the sea was quite black and thick, and began to boil up from below, so that it threw up bubbles, and such a sharp wind blew over it that it curdled, and the man was afraid. Then he went and stood by it, and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas, Flounder," said he, "my wife wants to be Emperor." "Go to her," said the Flounder; "she is Emperor already."
So the man went, and when he got there the whole palace was made of polished marble with alabaster figures and golden ornaments, and soldiers were marching before the door blowing trumpets, and beating cymbals and drums; and in the house, barons, and counts, and dukes were going about as servants. Then they opened the doors to him, which were of pure gold. And when he entered, there sat his wife on a throne, which was made of one piece of gold, and was quite two miles high; and she wore a great golden crown that was three yards high, and set with diamonds and carbuncles, and in one hand she had the sceptre, and in the other the imperial orb; and on both sides of her stood the yeomen of the guard in two rows, each being smaller than the one before him, from the biggest giant, who was two miles high, to the very smallest dwarf, just as big as my little finger. And before it stood a number of princes and dukes.
Then the man went and stood among them, and said, "Wife, are you Emperor now?" "Yes," said she, "now I am Emperor." Then he stood and looked at her well, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he said, "Ah, wife, be content, now that you are Emperor." "Husband," said she, "why are you standing there? Now, I am Emperor, but I will be Pope too; go to the Flounder." "Alas, wife," said the man, "what will you not wish for? You cannot be Pope. There is but one in Christendom. He cannot make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "I will be Pope; go immediately, I must be Pope this very day." "No, wife," said the man, "I do not like to say that to him; that would not do, it is too much; the Flounder can't make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "what nonsense! If he can make an emperor he can make a pope. Go to him directly. I am Emperor, and you are nothing but my husband; will you go at once?"
Then he was afraid and went; but he was quite faint, and shivered and shook, and his knees and legs trembled. And a high wind blew over the land, and the clouds flew, and towards evening all grew dark, and the leaves fell from the trees, and the water rose and roared as if it were boiling, and splashed upon the shore. And in the distance he saw ships which were firing guns in their sore need, pitching and tossing on the waves. And yet in the midst of the sky there was still a small bit of blue, though on every side it was as red as in a heavy storm. So, full of despair, he went and stood in much fear and said,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;"
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will.
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, "she wants to be Pope." "Go to her then," said the Flounder; "she is Pope already."
So he went, and when he got there, he saw what seemed to be a large church surrounded by palaces. He pushed his way through the crowd. Inside, however, everything was lighted up with thousands and thousands of candles, and his wife was clad in gold, and she was sitting on a much higher throne, and had three great golden crowns on, and round about her there was much ecclesiastical splendour; and on both sides of her was a row of candles the largest of which was as tall as the very tallest tower, down to the very smallest kitchen candle, and all the emperors and kings were on their knees before her, kissing her shoe. "Wife," said the man, and looked attentively at her, "are you now Pope?" "Yes," said she, "I am Pope." So he stood and looked at her, and it was just as if he was looking at the bright sun. When he had stood looking at her thus for a short time, he said, "Ah, wife, if you are Pope, do let well alone!" But she looked as stiff as a post, and did not move or show any signs of life. Then said he, "Wife, now that you are Pope, be satisfied, you cannot become anything greater now." "I will consider about that," said the woman. Thereupon they both went to bed, but she was not satisfied, and greediness let her have no sleep, for she was continually thinking what there was left for her to be.
The man slept well and soundly, for he had run about a great deal during the day; but the woman could not fall asleep at all, and flung herself from one side to the other the whole night through, thinking always what more was left for her to be, but unable to call to mind anything else. At length the sun began to rise, and when the woman saw the red of dawn, she sat up in bed and looked at it. And when, through the window, she saw the sun thus rising, she said, "Cannot I, too, order the sun and moon to rise?" "Husband," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbows, "wake up! go to the Flounder, for I wish to be even as God is." The man was still half asleep, but he was so horrified that he fell out of bed. He thought he must have heard amiss, and rubbed his eyes, and said, "Alas, wife, what are you saying?" "Husband," said she, "if I can't order the sun and moon to rise, and have to look on and see the sun and moon rising, I can't bear it. I shall not know what it is to have another happy hour, unless I can make them rise myself." Then she looked at him so terribly that a shudder ran over him, and said, "Go at once; I wish to be like unto God." "Alas, wife," said the man, falling on his knees before her, "the Flounder cannot do that; he can make an emperor and a pope; I beseech you, go on as you are, and be Pope." Then she fell into a rage, and her hair flew wildly about her head, and she cried, "I will not endure this, I'll not bear it any longer; wilt thou go?" Then he put on his trousers and ran away like a madman. But outside a great storm was raging, and blowing so hard that he could scarcely keep his feet; houses and trees toppled over, the mountains trembled, rocks rolled into the sea, the sky was pitch black, and it thundered and lightened, and the sea came in with black waves as high as church-towers and mountains, and all with crests of white foam at the top. Then he cried, but could not hear his own words,
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsabil,
Wills not as I'd have her will."
"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said he, "she wants to be like unto God." "Go to her, and you will find her back again in the dirty hovel." And there they are living still at this very time
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