ONCE upon a time an old queen, whose husband had been dead for many years, had a beautiful daughter. —
从前有一位年迈的皇后，她丈夫已经去世多年了。她有一个美丽的女儿。 —

When she grew up she was betrothed to a prince who lived a great way off. —
等女儿长大后，她与一位远方的王子订婚了。 —

Now, when the time drew near for her to be married and to depart into a foreign kingdom, her old mother gave her much costly baggage, and many ornaments, gold and silver, trinkets and knicknacks, and, in fact, everything that belonged to a royal trousseau, for she loved her daughter very dearly. —
如今，当她快要结婚并前往异国他乡时，她年迈的母亲给了她许多昂贵的行李，还有许多装饰品、金银饰物、小玩意儿，事实上，就是一切皇家嫁妆的东西，因为她非常爱她的女儿。 —

She gave her a waiting-maid also, who was to ride with her and hand her over to the bridegroom, and she provided each of them with a horse for the journey. —
她还给她找了一位侍女，陪同她一起骑马前往，交给新郎，为她们提供了两匹马供旅行使用。 —

Now the Princess’s horse was called Falada, and could speak.
公主的马名叫法拉达，它会说话。

When the hour for departure drew near the old mother went to her bedroom, and taking a small knife she cut her fingers till they bled; —
当离别的时刻临近时，年迈的母亲去了她的卧室，拿出一把小刀用它划破自己的手指，让它们流出几滴血。 —

then she held a white rag under them, and letting three drops of blood fall into it, she gave it to her daughter, and said: —
然后她在手指上放了一块白布，让三滴血滴落在上面，她把白布递给了女儿，并对她说： —

“Dear child, take great care of this rag: —
“亲爱的孩子，好好保管这块破布： —

it may be of use to you on the journey.”
在旅途中可能会派上用场。”

So they took a sad farewell of each other, and the Princess stuck the rag in front of her dress, mounted her horse, and set forth on the journey to her bridegroom’s kingdom. —
于是他们互相伤感地告别，公主把破布别在衣服前面，骑上马，出发去她未婚夫的王国。 —

After they had ridden for about an hour the Princess began to feel very thirsty, and said to her waiting-maid: —
大约骑了一个小时后，公主开始感到口渴，对她的侍女说： —

“Pray get down and fetch me some water in my golden cup out of yonder stream: —
“请下马去那边的溪流给我用金杯舀些水： —

I would like a drink.” “If you’re thirsty,” said the maid, “dismount yourself, and lie down by the water and drink; —
我想喝一口。”“如果你渴了，”侍女说，“你自己下马，在水边躺下来喝； —

I don’t mean to be your servant any longer. —
我不想再当你的仆人了。 —

” The Princess was so thirsty that she got down, bent over the stream, and drank, for she wasn’t allowed to drink out of the golden goblet. —
”公主口渴得下马了，弯下身子在溪流边喝水，因为她不准用金杯喝。 —

As she drank she murmured: “Oh! —
喝水的时候她喃喃自语道：“哦！ —

heaven, what am I to do? —
天啊，我该怎么办？ —

” and the three drops of blood replied:
”三滴血回答说：

“If your mother only knew,
“如果你的娘亲知道，

Her heart would surely break in two.”
她的心肯定要碎成两半。”

But the Princess was meek, and said nothing about her maid’s rude behavior, and quietly mounted her horse again. —
但是公主很温顺，对于女仆粗鲁的行为一言不发，默默地再次骑上马。 —

They rode on their way for several miles, but the day was hot, and the sun’s rays smote fiercely on them, so that the Princess was soon overcome by thirst again. —
他们继续骑行了几英里，但天气很热，阳光猛烈地晒在他们身上，所以公主很快又渴了。 —

And as they passed a brook she called once more to her waiting-maid: —
当他们经过一条小溪时，她又一次呼唤自己的女仆： —

“Pray get down and give me a drink from my golden cup,” for she had long ago forgotten her maid’s rude words. —
“请下来用我的金杯给我倒一杯水喝”，因为她早已忘记女仆的粗鲁言辞。 —

But the waiting-maid replied, more haughtily even than before: —
但女仆的回答比之前更高傲： —

“If you want a drink, you can dismount and get it; —
“如果你想喝水，你可以下来取，我才不想做你的仆人呢。 —

I don’t mean to be your servant. —
“于是，公主被口渴逼得不得不下马，弯下身子俯在流水上哭喊着说： —

” Then the Princess was compelled by her thirst to get down, and bending over the flowing water she cried and said: —
“哦！天啊，我该怎么办？ —

“Oh! heaven, what am I to do? —
“三滴血回答道： —

” and the three drops of blood replied:
“如果你的母亲知道，

“If your mother only knew,
“她的心肯定会碎成两半。

Her heart would surely break in two.”

And as she drank thus, and leaned right over the water, the rag containing the three drops of blood fell from her bosom and floated down the stream, and she in her anxiety never even noticed her loss. —
当她这样喝水时，身体倾斜到水面上，含有三滴血的抹布从她的胸前滑落，并漂流到了溪流中。她焦急地没有注意到自己的损失。 —

But the waiting-maid had observed it with delight, as she knew it gave her power over the bride, for in losing the drops of blood the Princess had become weak and powerless. —
但是，侍女却发现了这一切，她知道这使她对新娘具有了控制力，因为失去了血滴后，公主变得虚弱无力。 —

When she wished to get on her horse Falada again, the waiting-maid called out: —
当她再次想要骑上自己的马法拉达时，侍女大声说道： —

“I mean to ride Falada: you must mount my beast”; —
“我要骑法拉达，你必须骑我的坐骑”； —

and this too she had to submit to. —
她也必须顺从。 —

Then the waiting-maid commanded her harshly to take off her royal robes, and to put on her common ones, and finally she made her swear by heaven not to say a word about the matter when they reached the palace; —
然后，侍女严厉地命令她脱下皇家礼服，穿上普通的衣服，并最后让她发誓不在到达宫殿后提及此事； —

and if she hadn’t taken this oath she would have been killed on the spot. —
如果她没有发誓，她就会当场被杀。 —

But Falada observed everything, and laid it all to heart.
但是，法拉达一切都看在眼里，并牢记于心。

The waiting-maid now mounted Falada, and the real bride the worse horse, and so they continued their journey till at length they arrived at the palace yard. —
随从现在骑着法拉达，真正的新娘骑着更差的马，于是他们继续前行，直到最后到达了宫殿院子。 —

There was great rejoicing over the arrival, and the Prince sprang forward to meet them, and taking the waiting-maid for his bride, he lifted her down from her horse and led her upstairs to the royal chamber. —
人们对他们的到来感到非常高兴，王子迎上前去，将随从当作新娘，把她从马上扶下来，带她上了皇家的房间。 —

In the meantime the real Princess was left standing below in the courtyard. —
与此同时，真正的公主被留在庭院里站着。 —

The old King, who was looking out of his window, beheld her in this plight, and it struck him how sweet and gentle, even beautiful, she looked. —
老国王正在窗外看到她处境艰难，他觉得她看起来多么温柔、善良，甚至美丽。 —

He went at once to the royal chamber, and asked the bride who it was she had brought with her and had left thus standing in the court below. —
他立刻走到皇家房间，问新娘她在庭院里带来的那个人是谁，为什么把她留在下面。 —

“Oh!” replied the bride, “I brought her with me to keep me company on the journey; —
“哦！”新娘回答道，“我带她来陪我一起旅行； —

give the girl something to do, that she may not be idle. —
给她点事情做，这样她就不会闲着。 —

” But the old King had no work for her, and couldn’t think of anything; —
”但是老国王没有工作给她做，也想不到任何事情。 —

so he said, “I’ve a small boy who looks after the geese, she’d better help him. —
于是他说：“我有一个小男孩照看鹅，她最好去帮他一下。” —

” The youth’s name was Curdken, and the real bride was made to assist him in herding geese.
这个小伙子叫库德肯，真正的新娘被迫帮助他放鹅。

Soon after this the false bride said to the Prince: —
不久之后，假新娘对王子说： —

“Dearest husband, I pray you grant me a favor. —
“亲爱的丈夫，我恳求你答应我的一个请求。 —

” He answered: “That I will. —
”他回答：“我会的。” —

” “Then let the slaughterer cut off the head of the horse I rode here upon, because it behaved very badly on the journey. —
“那就让屠夫砍掉我骑来这里的马的头，因为它在旅途中表现得很差。 —

” But the truth was she was afraid lest the horse should speak and tell how she had treated the Princess. —
”但事实是她害怕马会说出她如何对待公主的事情。 —

She carried her point, and the faithful Falada was doomed to die. —
她得逞了，忠诚的法拉达注定要死。 —

When the news came to the ears of the real Princess she went to the slaughterer, and secretly promised him a piece of gold if he would do something for her. —
当真正的公主听到这个消息时，她去找屠夫，暗地里给了他一个金币，如果他愿意帮她做点事情。 —

There was in the town a large dark gate, through which she had to pass night and morning with the geese; —
镇上有一个大黑门，她每天早晚都必须带着鹅走过去。 —

would he “kindly hang up Falada’s head there, that she might see it once again? —
他能否“善意地挂起法拉达的头，让她能再次看到它呢？ —

” The slaughterer said he would do as she desired, chopped off the head, and nailed it firmly over the gateway.
屠夫说他会按她的要求去做，砍下了头，然后将头牢牢地钉在门上。

Early next morning, as she and Curdken were driving their flock through the gate, she said as she passed under:
第二天早上，当她和Curdken带着他们的羊群经过大门时，她说着经过时说：

“Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there”;
“哦！Falada，你就挂在这儿”；

and the head replied:
而头部回答道：

“ ’Tis you; pass under, Princess fair:
“是你，通过吧，美丽的公主：

If your mother only knew,
如果你的母亲知道了，

Her heart would surely break in two.”
她的心一定会碎成两半。”

Then she left the tower and drove the geese into a field. —
然后她离开了塔楼，将鹅赶进了一个田地里。 —

And when they had reached the common where the geese fed she sat down and unloosed her hair, which was of pure gold. —
当他们到达鹅群吃东西的地方时，她坐下来松开了自己纯金色的头发。 —

Curdken loved to see it glitter in the sun, and wanted much to pull some hair out. —
Curdken喜欢看它在阳光下闪烁，他很想拔下一些头发。 —

Then she spoke:
接着她说：

“Wind, wind, gently sway,
“风啊，轻轻地吹，

Blow Curdken’s hat away;
把Curdken的帽子吹走；

Let him chase o’er field and wold
让他在田野上追逐，

Till my locks of ruddy gold,
直到我的红发才能放下。”

Now astray and hanging down,
现在，离开原路，向下垂，

Be combed and plaited in a crown.”
可以梳理和编成冠状头发。

Then a gust of wind blew Curdken’s hat away, and he had to chase it over hill and dale. —
突然一股风将Curdken的帽子吹走了，他不得不在山岗和山谷之间追逐。 —

When he returned from the pursuit she had finished her combing and curling, and his chance of getting any hair was gone. —
当他追回来时，她已经梳好头发，他得不到一根头发了。 —

Curdken was very angry, and wouldn’t speak to her. —
Curdken非常生气，不愿意和她说话。 —

So they herded the geese till evening and then went home.
所以他们赶着鹅直到傍晚才回家。

The next morning, as they passed under the gate, the girl said:
第二天早上，当他们经过门下时，那个女孩说道：

“Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there”;
“哦！法拉达，你就挂在那里”；

and the head replied:
头颅回答道：

“’Tis you; pass under, Princess fair:
“是你呀；公主美丽，请走过来；

If your mother only knew,
如果您母亲知道，

Her heart would surely break in two.”
她的心肯定会断成两半。”

Then she went on her way till she came to the common, where she sat down and began to comb out her hair; —
然后她继续走，走到了平原上，坐下来梳理她的头发； —

then Curdken ran up to her and wanted to grasp some of the hair from her head, but she called out hastily:
这时库尔德肯跑过来，想抓住她头上的一些头发，但她急忙喊道：

“Wind, wind, gently sway,
“风，风，轻轻吹动，

Blow Curdken’s hat away;
把库尔德肯的帽子吹走；

Let him chase o’er field and wold
让他追逐田野和旷野

Till my locks of ruddy gold,
直到我那束红色的金发，

Now astray and hanging down,
现在迷了路悬挂下来，

Be combed and plaited in a crown.”
被梳理和编成冠冕。”

Then a puff of wind came and blew Curdken’s hat far away, so that he had to run after it; —
于是一阵风吹来，把库尔德肯的帽子吹得远远的，他不得不去追赶； —

and when he returned she had long finished putting up her golden locks, and he couldn’t get any hair; —
当他回来时，她已经把她的金发编好很久了，他一根头发也没拿到； —

so they watched the geese till it was dark.
所以他们一直看着鹅群，直到天黑。

But that evening when they got home Curdken went to the old King, and said: —
但是那天晚上，当他们回家时，库德肯去找老国王，说道： —

“I refuse to herd geese any longer with that girl. —
“我再也不想和那个女孩一起放鸽子了。” —

” “For what reason?” asked the old King. “Because she does nothing but annoy me all day long,” replied Curdken; —
“为什么？”老国王问道。“因为她整天都在惹我生气。”库德肯回答道； —

and he proceeded to relate all her iniquities, and said: —
然后他继续讲述她的罪行，并说道： —

“Every morning as we drive the flock through the dark gate she says to a horse’s head that hangs on the wall:
“每天早上当我们走过那扇黑暗的门时，她对着墙上一颗挂着的马头说道：

“‘Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there’;
“‘哦！法拉达，你挂在那里’；

and the head replies:
而马头回答道：

“‘’Tis you; pass under, Princess fair:
“‘是你；通过吧，美丽的公主：

If your mother only knew,
如果你妈妈知道的话，

Her heart would surely break in two.’”
她的心肯定会碎成两半。’”

And Curdken went on to tell what passed on the common where the geese fed, and how he had always to chase his hat.
库德肯接着讲述了在鹅群在野地吃东西的时候发生的事情，以及他总是不得不追逐他的帽子。

The old King bade him go and drive forth his flock as usual next day; —
老国王吩咐他隔天像往常一样去放鸽子； —

and when morning came he himself took up his position behind the dark gate, and heard how the goose-girl greeted Falada. —
当早晨到来时，他自己站在了黑暗的门后面，听到了那个放鸽子女孩向法拉达问好的声音。 —

Then he followed her through the field, and hid himself behind a bush on the common. —
然后他跟着她穿过田野，在公共地上躲藏在一棵灌木后面。 —

He soon saw with his own eyes how the goose-boy and the goose-girl looked after the geese, and how after a time the maiden sat down and loosed her hair, that glittered like gold, and repeated:
他很快亲眼看到了牧童和牧童女是如何照顾鹅，还有女孩坐下来放松她那像金子一样闪闪发光的头发，并重复说：

“Wind, wind, gently sway,
“风，风，轻轻摇摆，

Blow Curdken’s hat away;
吹走Curdken的帽子；

Let him chase o’er field and wold
让他在田野和草原上追逐，

Till my locks of ruddy gold
直到我那红发的头发

Now astray and hanging down,
变得方寸大乱，垂下来，

Be combed and plaited in a crown.”
被梳理成一个皇冠。”

Then a gust of wind came and blew Curdken’s hat away, so that he had to fly over hill and dale after it, and the girl in the meantime quietly combed and plaited her hair: —
然后一阵风吹来，吹走了Curdken的帽子，他不得不在山坡和山谷里追赶，而女孩则安静地梳理和编织她的头发。 —

all this the old King observed, and returned to the palace without anyone having noticed him. —
老国王观察到了这一切，悄悄地回到宫殿，没有人注意到他。 —

In the evening when the goose-girl came home he called her aside, and asked her why she behaved as she did. —
晚上，当牧童女回家时，他把她叫到一边，问她为什么要这样做。 —

“I may not tell you why; —
“我不能告诉你为什么； —

how dare I confide my woes to anyone? —
我怎么敢将我的痛苦告诉任何人？ —

for I swore not to by heaven, otherwise I should have lost my life. —
因为我发誓不能这样，否则我会失去生命。” —

” The old King begged her to tell him all, and left her no peace, but he could get nothing out of her. —
“老国王求她告诉他一切，而且恐怕她，但他什么也问不出来。” —

At last he said: “Well, if you won’t tell me, confide your trouble to the iron stove there,” and he went away. —
最后他说：“好吧，如果你不告诉我，把你的烦恼告诉铁炉子吧”，然后他离开了。 —

Then she crept to the stove, and began to sob and cry and to pour out her poor little heart, and said: —
然后她爬到炉子跟前，开始哭泣和倾诉她可怜的小心灵，说： —

“Here I sit, deserted by all the world, I who am a king’s daughter, and a false waiting-maid has forced me to take off my own clothes, and has taken my place with my bridegroom, while I have to fulfill the lowly office of goose-girl.
“我坐在这里，被世界上所有的人抛弃，我是一个国王的女儿，一个虚假的侍女强迫我脱下自己的衣服，代替我与我的新郎在一起，而我却要担任低贱的鹅女。”

“If my mother only knew
“如果我妈妈知道

Her heart would surely break in two.”
她的心一定会碎成两半。”

But the old King stood outside at the stove chimney, and listened to her words. —
但是老国王却站在炉子烟囱外面，听着她的话。 —

Then he entered the room again, and bidding her leave the stove, he ordered royal apparel to be put on her, in which she looked amazingly lovely. —
然后他再次进入房间，命令她离开炉子，并给她穿上了皇家的服装，她看起来非常漂亮。 —

Then he summoned his son, and revealed to him that he had got the false bride, who was nothing but a waiting-maid, while the real one, in the guise of the ex-goose-girl, was standing at his side. —
然后他召唤了他的儿子，并向他透露他得到了一个假新娘，她只是一个侍女，而真正的新娘，以前的鹅女孩的面貌站在他身边。 —

The young King rejoiced from his heart when he saw her beauty and learned how good she was, and a great banquet was prepared, to which everyone was bidden. —
年轻的国王看到她的美丽并知道她的善良时，内心十分欢喜，一场盛大的宴会被准备好了，所有人都受邀参加。 —

The bridegroom sat at the head of the table, the Princess on one side of him and the waiting-maid on the other; —
新郎坐在桌子的一端，公主坐在他一侧，侍女坐在他另一侧； —

but she was so dazzled that she did not recognize the Princess in her glittering garments. —
但她被她闪闪发光的衣服所迷惑，没有认出公主。 —

Now when they had eaten and drunk, and were merry, the old King asked the waiting-maid to solve a knotty point for him. —
当他们吃喝玩乐时，老国王请侍女帮他解决一个棘手的问题。 —

“What,” said he, “should be done to a certain person who has deceived everyone? —
“对于一个欺骗了每个人的人，应该怎么办？”他说，然后他开始讲述整个故事，最后说道，“现在应该判什么样的刑罚？” —

” and he proceeded to relate the whole story, ending up with, “Now what sentence should be passed? —
然后假新娘回答说： —

” Then the false bride answered: —
“应该让她被扔进一间屋子里，她里外都贴满了点着火的铁板，让她一直跳舞直到死亡。” —

“She deserves to be put stark naked into a barrel lined with sharp nails, which should be dragged by two white horses up and down the street till she is dead.”
“她应该被光着身子放进一个铺满锋利钉子的木桶里，由两匹白马拖着上下街道直到她死去。”

“You are the person,” said the King, “and you have passed sentence on yourself; —
“你就是那个人，”国王说，“你已经对自己下了判决； —

and even so it shall be done to you. —
“就按照你的判决执行吧。” —

” And when the sentence had been carried out the young King was married to his real bride, and both reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness.
”当判决执行完毕后，年轻的国王与真正的新娘结婚，在王国中守望着和平与幸福。”