A FATHER had two sons, of whom the eldest was clever and bright, and always knew what he was about; —
一个父亲有两个儿子，其中大儿子聪明而敏捷，总是知道自己在做什么； —

but the youngest was stupid, and couldn’t learn or understand anything. —
而小儿子很愚笨，什么都学不会，也不理解任何事情。 —

So much so that those who saw him exclaimed: —
以至于看到他的人都惊叹道： —

“What a burden he’ll be to his father! —
“他对他的父亲来说真是个负担！” —

” Now when there was anything to be done, the eldest had always to do it; —
现在，有事情要做的时候，总是得大儿子去做； —

but if something was required later or in the night-time, and the way led through the churchyard or some such ghostly place, he always replied: —
但是，如果有事情要晚些时候或者在夜间去做，而且路过墓地或者其他类似阴森恐怖的地方，他总是回答道： —

“Oh! no, father: nothing will induce me to go there, it makes me shudder! —
“哦！不，爸爸：我绝不会去那里的，这使我感到害怕！” —

” for he was afraid. Or, when they sat of an evening around the fire telling stories which made one’s flesh creep, the listeners sometimes said: —
因为他害怕。或者，当他们晚上围着火堆讲一些令人毛骨悚然的故事时，听众们有时会说： —

“Oh! it makes one shudder,” the youngest sat in a corner, heard the exclamation, and could not understand what it meant. —
“哦！真叫人毛骨悚然”。小儿子坐在一角，听到这句话，却不能理解它的意思。 —

“They are always saying it makes one shudder! —
“他们总是说这让人毛骨悚然！ —

it makes one shudder! Nothing makes me shudder. —
让人毛骨悚然！可是我从来不会被吓到。” —

It’s probably an art quite beyond me.”
“这大概是一门超过我的能力的艺术。”

Now it happened that his father said to him one day: —
他的父亲有一天对他说: —

“Hearken, you there in the corner; —
“听着，你那边的人; —

you are growing big and strong, and you must learn to earn your own bread. —
你长得这么高大壮实，你必须学会自己谋生。 —

Look at your brother, what pains he takes; —
看看你的兄弟，他多么辛苦; —

but all the money I’ve spent on your education is thrown away. —
可是我花在你教育上的所有钱都白白浪费了。 —

” “My dear father,” he replied, “I will gladly learn — in fact, if it were possible I should like to learn to shudder; —
“亲爱的父亲，”他回答道，“我很愿意学——事实上，如果可能的话，我想学会害怕; —

I don’t understand that a bit yet. —
我对此一点也不懂。 —

” The eldest laughed when he heard this, and thought to himself: —
”大儿子听到这句话时笑了，心里想: —

“Good heavens! what a ninny my brother is! —
“天哪!我的兄弟简直太蠢了! —

he’ll never come to any good; —
他永远不会有什么作为; —

as the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined. —
因为树干弯曲的样子，树的风向也是如此。 —

” The father sighed, and answered him: —
”父亲叹了口气，回答他: —

“You’ll soon learn to shudder; —
“你很快就会学会害怕; —

but that won’t help you to make a living.”
但那对你谋生没有帮助。”

Shortly after this, when the sexton came to pay them a visit, the father broke out to him, and told him what a bad hand his youngest son was at everything: —
不久之后，当六尺横的村长来拜访他们时，父亲当着他的面抱怨起他最小的儿子多么拙笨无能： —

he knew nothing and learned nothing. “Only think! —
什么都不知道，什么都学不会。“你要知道！ —

when I asked him how he purposed gaining a livelihood, he actually asked to be taught to shudder. —
当我问他将来怎么谋生时，他居然要求学会害怕。 —

” “If that’s all he wants,” said the sexton, “I can teach him that; —
“如果他只是想学这个，”村长说，“我可以教他； —

just you send him to me, I’ll soon polish him up. —
你只管送他来找我，我会好好教训他的。 —

” The father was quite pleased with the proposal, because he thought: —
“父亲很高兴接受这个建议，因为他觉得： —

“It will be a good discipline for the youth. —
“这对年轻人来说是个很好的磨炼。 —

” And so the sexton took him into his house, and his duty was to toll the bell. —
“于是村长把他带进了自己的家，他的任务就是敲响钟声。 —

After a few days he woke him at midnight, and bade him rise and climb into the tower and toll. —
几天后，他在半夜把他叫醒，让他起来爬上塔楼去敲钟。 —

“Now, my friend, I’ll teach you to shudder,” thought he. —
“现在，我的朋友，我会教你害怕的，”他心想。 —

He stole forth secretly in front, and when the youth was up above, and had turned round to grasp the bell-rope, he saw, standing opposite the hole of the belfry, a white figure. —
他悄悄地在前面偷偷摸摸地走，当年轻人在上面转过身来抓住钟绳时，他看到了一个站在钟楼洞口对面的白色身影。 —

“Who’s there?” he called out, but the figure gave no answer, and neither stirred nor moved. —
“谁在那里？”他喊道，但那个身影没有回答，也没有动弹。 —

“Answer,” cried the youth, “or begone; —
“回答一下，”年轻人喊道，“或者赶紧走吧；在深夜你在这里没有事情可做。” —

you have no business here at this hour of the night. —
但是教堂管理员没有动，让年轻人以为那是一个幽灵。 —

” But the sexton remained motionless, so that the youth might think that it was a ghost. —
“你到这里想干什么？”年轻人第二次喊道。 —

The youth called out the second time: —
“如果你是个诚实的人就说话，不然我就把你打下楼梯。” —

“What do you want here? —
教堂管理员心想：“他不会当真吧”，所以他没有发出声音，站得像个石头一样。 —

Speak if you are an honest fellow, or I’ll knock you down the stairs. —
然后，年轻人第三次对他大喊，但也没有效果，于是他猛冲向幽灵，把它打下了楼梯。 幽灵摔了大约十级楼梯，然后躺在一个角落里。 —

” The sexton thought: “He can’t mean that in earnest,” so gave forth no sound, and stood as though he were made of stone. —
他悄悄地在前面偷偷摸摸地走，当年轻人在上面转过身来抓住钟绳时，他看到了一个站在钟楼洞口对面的白色身影。 —

Then the youth shouted out to him the third time, and as that too had no effect, he made a dash at the spectre and knocked it down the stairs, so that it fell about ten steps and remained lying in a corner. —
“谁在那里？”他喊道，但那个身影没有回答，也没有动弹。 —

Thereupon he tolled the bell, went home to bed without saying a word, and fell asleep. —
于是他敲起钟来，没说一句话就回家睡觉了。 —

The sexton’s wife waited a long time for her husband, but he never appeared. —
六丁六田的妻子等了她丈夫很久，但他一直没有出现。 —

At last she became anxious, and woke the youth, and asked: —
最后她变得焦虑不安，把这个年轻人叫醒，问道: —

“Don’t you know where my husband is? —
“难道你不知道我丈夫在哪里吗？ —

He went up to the tower in front of you. —
他就站在你面前的塔楼上。 —

” “No,” answered the youth; —
” “不，”年轻人回答道; —

“but someone stood on the stairs up there just opposite the trap-door in the belfry, and because he wouldn’t answer me, or go away, I took him for a rogue and knocked him down. —
“但有个人站在楼梯上，就在钟楼上的天窗对面，因为他不回答我，也不离开，我以为他是个无赖就把他打倒了。 —

You’d better go and see if it was he; —
你最好去看看是否是他； —

I should be much distressed if it were. —
如果是的话，我会非常痛苦。 —

” The wife ran and found her husband who was lying groaning in a corner, with his leg broken.
“妻子跑去找她躺在角落里呻吟的丈夫，他的腿骨折了。

She carried him down, and then hurried with loud protestations to the youth’s father. —
她把他扶下来，然后带着大声抗议赶往年轻人的父亲那里。 —

“Your son has been the cause of a pretty misfortune,” she cried; —
“你儿子给我们带来了一场可怕的不幸，”她喊道； —

“he threw my husband downstairs so that he broke his leg. —
“他把我丈夫推下楼梯，弄断了他的腿。 —

Take the good-for-nothing wretch out of our house. —
把这个毫无用处的家伙赶出我们的房子。 —

” The father was horrified, hurried to the youth, and gave him a scolding.
”父亲吃惊不已，匆忙赶到年轻人跟前，并且责骂他。

“What unholy pranks are these? —
“这是些什么不祥之举？ —

The evil one must have put them into your head. —
必定是邪恶的诡计才使你想到这样的东西。 —

” “Father,” he replied, “only listen to me; —
”“父亲，”他回答，“请听我说； —

I am quite guiltless. He stood there in the night, like one who meant harm. —
我完全无罪。他站在那里，犹如有意伤害。 —

I didn’t know who it was, and warned him three times to speak or begone. —
我不知道他是谁，已经三次警告他说话或走开了。 —

” “Oh!” groaned the father, “you’ll bring me nothing but misfortune; —
”“哦！”父亲叹息道，“你只会给我带来不幸； —

get out of my sight, I won’t have anything more to do with you. —
滚出我的视线，我再也不想和你有关系了。 —

” “Yes, father, willingly; —
“是的，父亲，我愿意； —

only wait till daylight, then I’ll set out and learn to shudder, and in that way I shall be master of an art which will gain me a living. —
只要等到天亮，我就出发去学会害怕，这样我就能掌握一门谋生的技艺。 —

” “Learn what you will,” said the father, “it’s all one to me. —
” “你想学什么都行，”父亲说，“对我来说都一样。 —

Here are fifty dollars for you, set forth into the wide world with them; —
这是五十美元给你，带着它去闯荡世界吧； —

but see you tell no one where you come from or who your father is, for I am ashamed of you. —
但你可别告诉别人你来自哪里，也别说你是谁的儿子，我为你感到羞愧。 —

” “Yes, father, whatever you wish; —
” “是的，父亲，你想要的我都记住了。 —

and if that’s all you ask, I can easily keep it in mind.”
如果这是你的唯一要求，我可以很容易记住。”

When day broke the youth put the fifty dollars into his pocket, set out on the hard high road, and kept muttering to himself: —
黎明时分，年轻人把五十美元装进口袋，踏上了崎岖的大道，一边喃喃自语： —

“If I could only shudder! if I could only shudder! —
“如果我能害怕一次就好！如果我能害怕一次就好！” —

” Just at this moment a man came by who heard the youth speaking to himself, and when they had gone on a bit and were in sight of the gallows the man said to him: —
正在这时，一个路过的人听到了年轻人自言自语的声音，他们走了一段路后，在绞刑架的眼前，那人对他说： —

“Look! there is the tree where seven people have been hanged, and are now learning to fly; —
“看！那是一棵七个人被吊死的树，它们现在正在学习飞翔； —

sit down under it and wait till nightfall, and then you’ll pretty soon learn to shudder. —
坐下来，在它下面等到天黑，然后你很快就会学会发抖。 —

” “If that’s all I have to do,” answered the youth, “it’s easily done; —
“如果那是我所要做的一切，”年轻人回答道，“那就很容易。” —

but if I learn to shudder so quickly, then you shall have my fifty dollars. —
但是如果我这么快学会发抖，那么你就会得到我的五十美元。 —

Just come back to me tomorrow morning early. —
明早早点回到我这里来。 —

” Then the youth went to the gallows-tree and sat down underneath it, and waited for the evening; —
然后年轻人去了绞刑架底下，坐在那里，等待晚上； —

and because he felt cold he lit himself a fire. —
因为他觉得冷，他点燃了一堆火。 —

But at midnight it got so chill that in spite of the fire he couldn’t keep warm. —
但到了午夜，即使有火也暖不住他。 —

And as the wind blew the corpses one against the other, tossing them to and fro, he thought to himself: —
当风吹动尸体时，他对自己想到： —

“If you are perishing down here by the fire, how those poor things up there must be shaking and shivering! —
“如果你在这里被火烧死，那么上面的那些可怜的东西一定在摇摆和发抖！” —

” And because he had a tender heart, he put up a ladder, which he climbed unhooked one body after the other, and took down all the seven. —
因为他有一颗善良的心，他搭起了一把梯子，爬上去一个接一个地拆下了所有七具尸体。 —

Then he stirred the fire, blew it up, and placed them all round in a circle, that they might warm themselves. —
然后他搅动火焰，吹了起来，并将它们围成一个圆圈，让他们暖和起来。 —

But they sat there and did not move, and the fire caught their clothes. —
但他们坐在那里没有动，火焰却烧着了他们的衣服。 —

Then he spoke: “Take care, or I’ll hang you up again. —
然后他说：“小心点，否则我会再把你们吊起来。” —

” But the dead men did not hear and let their rags go on burning. —
但那些死人听不见，任由他们的破烂衣物继续燃烧。 —

Then he got angry, and said: —
然后他生气了，说道： —

“If you aren’t careful yourselves, then I can’t help you, and I don’t mean to burn with you”; —
“如果你们不自己小心，那我也帮不了你们了，我可不想和你们一起被烧掉。” —

and he hung them up again in a row. —
于是他将他们再次吊成一排。 —

Then he sat down at his fire and fell asleep. —
然后他坐在火边睡着了。 —

On the following morning the man came to him, and, wishing to get his fifty dollars, said: —
第二天早上，一个人来找他，想要拿到他的五十美元，并说道： —

“Now you know what it is to shudder. —
“现在你知道什么叫战栗了吧。” —

” “No,” he answered, “how should I? —
“不，”他回答道，“我怎么会知道呢？ —

Those fellows up there never opened their mouths, and were so stupid that they let those few old tatters they have on their bodies burn. —
那些家伙从来没有张嘴说个不停，还愚蠢到让自己身上的破烂衣物烧起来。” —

” Then the man saw he wouldn’t get his fifty dollars that day, and went off, saying: —
然后那个人看到他今天得不到他的五十美元了，走开了，说： —

“Well, I’m blessed if I ever met such a person in my life before.”
“哎呀，我可从来没有遇过这样一个人。”

The youth went too on his way, and began to murmur to himself: —
青年继续走着，自言自语道： —

“Oh! if I could only shudder! if I could only shudder! —
“噢！如果我能害怕一下！如果我能害怕一下！ —

” A carrier who was walking behind him heard these words, and asked him: —
” 一个随行的搬运工听到了这些话，问道： —

“Who are you” “I don’t know,” said the youth. —
“你是谁？” “我不知道，” 青年回答道。 —

“Where do you hail from?” “I don’t know. —
“你来自哪里？” “我不知道。” —

” “Who’s your father?” “I mayn’t say. —
” “你的父亲是谁？” “我不能说。” —

” “What are you constantly muttering to yourself? —
” “你为什么总是自言自语？” —

” “Oh!” said the youth, “I would give worlds to shudder, but no one can teach me. —
” “噢！” 青年说道，“我愿意付出一切来害怕一下，但没有人能教我。 —

” “Stuff and nonsense!” spoke the carrier; —
” “废话！” 搬运工说道； —

“come along with me, and I’ll soon put that right. —
“跟我来，我很快就能解决这个问题。 —

” The youth went with the carrier, and in the evening they reached an inn, where they were to spend the night. —
” 青年跟着搬运工走，到了晚上他们到达了一个旅馆，准备过夜。 —

Then, just as he was entering the room, he said again, quite aloud: —
当他刚要进房间的时候，他又大声说道： —

“Oh! if I could only shudder! if I could only shudder! —
“噢！如果我能害怕一下！如果我能害怕一下！” —

” The landlord, who heard this, laughed and said: —
“听到这话，房东笑了起来说： —

“If that’s what you’re sighing for, you shall be given every opportunity here. —
“如果这就是你渴望的，你将会在这里得到一切机会。 —

” “Oh! hold your tongue!” said the landlord’s wife; —
“哦！闭上你的嘴！”房东的妻子说； —

“so many people have paid for their curiosity with their lives, it were a thousand pities if those beautiful eyes were never again to behold daylight. —
“已经有很多人用生命付出了对好奇心的代价，如果那双美丽的眼睛再也看不到阳光，真是太可惜了。 —

” But the youth said: “No matter how difficult, I insist on learning it; —
”但那年轻人说：“无论多么困难，我都要学会害怕； —

why, that’s what I’ve set out to do. —
这正是我要去做的。 —

” He left the landlord no peace till he told him that in the neighborhood stood a haunted castle, where one could easily learn to shudder if one only kept watch in it for three nights. —
“他不给房东留下一刻安宁，一直纠缠着他，直到房东告诉他，在附近有一座闹鬼的城堡，只要在里面守夜三个晚上，就能很容易地学会害怕。 —

The King had promised the man who dared to do this thing his daughter as wife, and she was the most beautiful maiden under the sun. —
“国王答应了敢做这件事的人将他的女儿嫁给他，她是太阳下最美丽的少女。 —

There was also much treasure hid in the castle, guarded by evil spirits, which would then be free, and was sufficient to make a poor man more than rich. —
“城堡里还有很多被邪灵守护的宝藏，到时候将会得到解放，足以让一个穷人变得非常富有。” —

Many had already gone in, but so far none had ever come out again. —
许多人已经进去了，但迄今为止没有人再出来过。 —

So the youth went to the King and spoke: —
于是年轻人去见国王并说道： —

“If I were allowed, I should much like to watch for three nights in the castle. —
“如果被允许的话，我愿意在城堡里守三个晚上。” —

” The King looked at him, and because he pleased him, he said: —
国王看着他，因为他讨喜，就说： —

“You can ask for three things, none of them living, and those you may take with you into the castle. —
“你可以要求三样东西，都不能是活的，你可以带它们进城堡。” —

” Then he answered: “Well, I shall beg for a fire, a turning lathe, and a carving bench with the knife attached.”
然后他回答说：“那好吧，我将请求一团火、一个旋转的车床，附有刻刀的雕刻凳。”

On the following day the King had everything put into the castle; —
第二天国王把一切都送进了城堡； —

and when night drew on the youth took up his position there, lit a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the carving bench with the knife close to it, and sat himself down on the turning lathe. —
当夜幕降临时，年轻人在那里找了个站位，点亮了一个房间的亮火，把雕刻凳和刀放在旁边，然后坐在旋转的车床上。 —

“Oh! if I could only shudder!” he said: —
“哦！要是我能吓一吓就太好了！”他说道， —

“but I sha’n’t learn it here either. —
“但是我在这儿也学不到。” —

” Toward midnight he wanted to make up the fire, and as he was blowing up a blaze he heard a shriek from a corner. —
快到午夜时他想升旺火势，正在吹风时，他听到了一个角落里的尖叫声。 —

“Ou, miou! how cold we are!” “You fools!” he cried; —
“喔，喵喵！我们多冷啊！”他们尖叫着； —

“why do you scream? If you are cold, come and sit at the fire and warm yourselves. —
“你们这些傻瓜！”他嘶吼道，“你们为什么尖叫？如果冷的话，过来坐在火边暖和一下吧。” —

” And as he spoke two huge black cats sprang fiercely forward and sat down, one on each side of him, and gazed wildly at him with their fiery eyes. —
说着，两只巨大的黑猫凶猛地跳了过来，一只坐在他的左边，一只坐在他的右边，用火红的眼睛狂野地注视着他。 —

After a time, when they had warmed themselves, they said: —
过了一会儿，当它们暖和了的时候，它们说道： —

“Friend, shall we play a little game of cards? —
“朋友，我们玩一局小游戏吧？” —

” “Why not?” he replied; —
“为什么不呢？”他回答道。 —

“but first let me see your paws. —
“但是，让我看看你们的爪子。” —

” Then they stretched out their claws. “Ha!” said he; —
然后它们伸出了它们的爪子。“哈！”他说道， —

“what long nails you’ve got! Wait a minute: —
“你们的爪子好长啊！等一下： —

I must first cut them off. —
我必须先给它们剪掉。” —

” Thereupon he seized them by the scruff of their necks, lifted them on to the carving bench, and screwed down their paws firmly. —
于是他抓住它们的脖子，将它们抬到工作台上，并紧紧固定它们的爪子。 —

“After watching you narrowly,” said he, “I no longer feel any desire to play cards with you”; —
“经过仔细观察你们，”他说，“我再也没有兴趣和你们玩牌了”； —

and with these words he struck them dead and threw them out into the water. —
说着，他将它们打死并扔进水里。 —

But when he had thus sent the two of them to their final rest, and was again about to sit down at the fire, out of every nook and corner came forth black cats and black dogs with fiery chains in such swarms that he couldn’t possibly get away from them. —
但当他将这两个人送去他们最后的安息之地后，又要坐在火堆旁边时，黑猫和黑狗从每个角落里蜂拥而出，身上带着火链，以至他无法摆脱它们。 —

They yelled in the most ghastly manner, jumped upon his fire, scattered it all, and tried to put it out. —
它们发出最可怕的叫声，跳到他的火堆上，把火撒得到处都是，试图将火熄灭。 —

He looked on quietly for a time, but when it got beyond a joke he seized his carving-knife and called out: —
他静静地观察了一段时间，但当事情变得不好玩的时候，他拿起他的刀子喊道: —

“Be off, you rabble rout!” and let fly at them. —
“滚开，你们这帮乌合之众！”然后猛砍过去。 —

Some of them fled away, and the others he struck dead and threw them out into the pond below. —
其中一些逃跑了，其他的他打死并扔到了下面的池塘里。 —

When he returned he blew up the sparks of the fire once more, and warmed himself. —
当他回来的时候，他再次吹起火花，取暖。 —

And as he sat thus his eyes refused to keep open any longer, and a desire to sleep stole over him. —
当他坐在那里的时候，他的眼睛再也无法保持清醒，一种睡意袭上心头。 —

Then he looked around him and beheld in the corner a large bed. —
然后他四处看了看，发现角落里有一张大床。 —

“The very thing,” he said, and laid himself down in it. —
“正合适，”他说道，并躺在床上。 —

But when he wished to close his eyes the bed began to move by itself, and ran all round the castle. —
但是当他想闭上眼睛时，床却开始自己移动起来，在城堡里四处奔跑。 —

“Capital,” he said, “only a little quicker. —
“太好了，”他说，“只是再快一点。” —

” Then the bed sped on as if drawn by six horses, over thresholds and stairs, up this way and down that. —
然后床就像被六匹马拉着一样，快速地穿过门槛和楼梯，上上下下地行驶着。 —

All of a sudden — crash, crash! —
突然间——咔嚓，咔嚓！ —

with a bound it turned over, upside down, and lay like a mountain on the top of him. —
翻了个筋斗，倒过来，像座山一样压在他身上。 —

But he tossed the blankets and pillows in the air, emerged from underneath, and said: —
但他把毯子和枕头抛向空中，从下面爬了出来，说道： —

“Now anyone who has the fancy for it may go a drive,” lay down at his fire, and slept till daylight. —
“现在任何人如果想尝试一下也可以坐一下了。”他躺到火边，一直睡到天亮。 —

In the morning the King came, and when he beheld him lying on the ground he imagined the ghosts had been too much for him, and that he was dead. —
早上国王来了，当他看到他躺在地上时，以为鬼怪把他吓死了。 —

Then he said: “What a pity! —
然后他说：“真可惜！他本来是这么好的一个人。” —

and such a fine fellow he was. —
男青年听到这话，起身说道： —

” The youth heard this, got up, and said: —
“事情还没到那个地步。” —

“It’s not come to that yet. —
国王感到惊讶，但非常高兴，问他过去发生了什么。 —

” Then the King was astonished, but very glad, and asked how it had fared with him. —
然后男青年回答。 —

“First-rate,” he answered; —
“很好，”他回答； —

“and now I’ve survived the one night, I shall get through the other two also. —
“既然我已经度过了第一个晚上，我也能度过后面两个晚上。 —

” The landlord, when he went to him, opened his eyes wide, and said: —
“当店主走过来时，他睁大眼睛说： —

“Well, I never thought to see you alive again. —
“哎呀，我从没想过我还能见到你活着。 —

Have you learned now what shuddering is ? —
你现在知道害怕是什么感觉了吗？ —

” “No,” he replied, “it’s quite hopeless; —
“不，”他回答说，”这是完全没希望的； —

if someone could only tell me how to!”
如果有人能告诉我该怎么害怕就好了！”

The second night he went up again to the old castle, sat down at the fire, and began his old refrain: —
第二天晚上，他再次上了那座古堡，坐在火前，并开始他的老调子： —

“If I could only shudder! —
“要是我能害怕就好了！” —

” As midnight approached, a noise and din broke out, at first gentle, but gradually increasing; —
当午夜临近时，有一阵噪音和喧闹声响起，起初很轻，但逐渐变大； —

then all was quiet for a minute, and at length, with a loud scream, half of a man dropped down the chimney and fell before him. —
然后一切安静了一分钟，最后，一半人从烟囱里掉落下来，摔在他面前。 —

“Hi, up there!” shouted he; —
“嗨，在上面!“他喊道； —

“there’s another half wanted down here, that’s not enough”; —
“还需要另外一半下来，这不够”; —

then the din commenced once more, there was a shrieking and a yelling, and then the other half fell down. —
然后噪音再次开始，有尖叫和喊叫声，然后另外一半掉了下来。 —

“Wait a bit,” he said; —
“等一下，”他说。 —

“I’ll stir up the fire for you. —
“我替你搅拌火。 —

” When he had done this and again looked around, the two pieces had united, and a horrible-looking man sat on his seat. —
”当他这样做并重新四周看时，两块木板连接在一起，一个可怕的人坐在他的座位上。 —

“Come,” said the youth, “I didn’t bargain for that, the seat is mine. —
“来，”年轻人说，“我可没打算这样，这个座位是我的。 —

” The man tried to shove him away, but the youth wouldn’t allow it for a moment, and, pushing him off by force, sat down in his place again. —
”那人试图把他推开，但年轻人不允许这一刻，用力把他推开，又坐回了他的位置。 —

Then more men dropped down, one after the other, who fetching nine skeleton legs and two skulls, put them up and played ninepins with them. —
然后又有更多的人掉下来，一个接一个地掉下来，他们拿着九条骨腿和两个头骨，装上去用它们打九柱。 —

The youth thought he would like to play too, and said: —
年轻人想要加入游戏，说道： —

“Look here; do you mind my joining the game? —
“看这里，可以让我加入游戏吗？ —

” “No, not if you have money. —
” “不，除非你有钱。 —

” “I’ve money enough,” he replied, “but your balls aren’t round enough. —
”他回答说，“我有足够的钱，但是你的球不够圆。 —

” Then he took the skulls, placed them on his lathe, and turned them till they were round. —
”然后他拿起头骨，放在他的车床上，将它们转到圆。 —

“Now they’ll roll along better,” said he, “and houp-la! —
“现在它们会滚得更好，”他说，“嘿呼！ —

now the fun begins.” He played with them and lost some of his money, but when twelve struck everything vanished before his eyes. —
现在好戏开始了。”他和他们玩耍，输掉了一些钱，但当钟敲响时，一切在他眼前消失了。 —

He lay down and slept peacefully. —
他躺下安然入睡。 —

The next morning the King came, anxious for news. —
第二天早上，国王来了，急切地寻求消息。 —

“How have you got on this time?” he asked. —
“这次你的经历如何？”他问道。 —

“I played ninepins,” he answered, “and lost a few pence. —
“我玩了九柱戏，输掉了几个便士。 —

” “Didn’t you shudder then? —
” “你当时没有恐惧吗？ —

” “No such luck,” said he; “I made myself merry. —
”“没有这样的运气，”他说；“我使自己开心。 —

Oh! if I only knew what it was to shudder!”
哦！如果我只知道什么是恐惧有多好！

On the third night he sat down again on his bench, and said, in the most desponding way: —
第三天晚上，他又坐在自己的长凳上，哀伤地说道： —

“If I could only shudder! —
“如果我能恐惧就好了！ —

” When it got late, six big men came in carrying a coffin. —
” 天黑了，六个壮汉进来抬着一个棺材。 —

Then he cried: “Ha! ha! —
然后他大喊道：“哈！哈！ —

that’s most likely my little cousin who only died a few days ago”; —
那很可能是我那个才死了几天的小表弟”； —

and beckoning with his finger he called out: —
他伸手招呼，呼唤道： —

“Come, my small cousin, come. —
“来吧，我的小表弟，来吧。 —

” They placed the coffin on the ground, and he approached it and took off the cover. —
他们把棺材放在地上，他走近棺材，取下盖子。 —

In it lay a dead man. He felt his face, and it was cold as ice. —
里面躺着一个死人。他摸了摸他的脸，冰凉如冰。 —

“Wait,” he said “I’ll heat you up a bit,” went to the fire, warmed his hand, and laid it on the man’s face, but the dead remained cold. —
“等等，”他说，“我给你热一热。”他走向火堆，温暖了手，然后放在死人的脸上，但是死人还是冰冷的。 —

Then he lifted him out, sat down at the fire, laid him on his knee, and rubbed his arms that the blood should circulate again. —
然后他把他抱起来，坐到火堆旁边，把他放在膝盖上，搓着他的手臂使血液再次循环。 —

When that too had no effect it occurred to him that if two people lay together in bed they warmed each other; —
当这样做也没有效果时，他突然想到如果两个人在床上躺在一起，会互相保暖； —

so he put him into the bed, covered him up, and lay down beside him; —
所以他把他放到床上，盖上被子，自己躺了下来； —

after a time the corpse became warm and began to move. —
经过一段时间，尸体渐渐变暖，并开始动了起来。 —

Then the youth said: “Now, my little cousin, what would have happened if I hadn’t warmed you? —
然后年轻人说：“现在，我亲爱的表弟，如果我没有给你温暖你会怎样？” —

” But the dead man rose up and cried out: —
但是死人却站起来大叫： —

“Now I will strangle you.” “What! —
“现在我要勒死你。” “什么！ —

” said he, “is that all the thanks I get? —
”他说，“这就是我得到的感谢吗？” —

You should be put straight back into your coffin,” lifted him up, threw him in, and closed the lid. —
“你应该马上回到你的棺材里，”他把他扔了进去，然后合上了盖子。 —

Then the six men came and carried him out again. —
然后六个人走了进来，又把他抬了出来。 —

“I simply can’t shudder,” he said, “and it’s clear I sha’n’t learn it in a lifetime here.”
“我根本就不会害怕，”他说，“在这里一辈子也学不会。”

Then a man entered, of more than ordinary size and of a very fearful appearance; —
然后一个身材比普通人更高大、样子非常可怕的人进来了； —

but he was old and had a white beard. “Oh! —
但他年纪很大，长着一把白胡子。 “哦! —

you miserable creature, now you will soon know what it is to shudder,” he cried, “for you must die. —
你这个可怜的家伙，你很快就会知道什么是害怕了，”他喊道，“因为你必须死。 —

” “Not so quickly,” answered the youth. —
” “不会那么快，”年轻人回答。 —

“If I am to die, you must catch me first. —
“如果我要死，你得先抓到我。 —

” “I shall soon lay hold of you,” spoke the monster. —
” “我很快就会抓到你的，”怪物说。 —

“Gently, gently, don’t boast too much, I’m as strong as you, and stronger too. —
“轻轻地，别太自夸了，我和你一样强壮，甚至更强壮。 —

” “We’ll soon see,” said the old man; —
” “我们马上就会知道，”老人说； —

“if you are stronger than I then I’ll let you off; —
“如果你比我更强壮，那我就饶了你； —

come, let’s have a try. —
来吧，我们来试试。” —

” Then he led him through some dark passages to a forge, and grasping an axe he drove one of the anvils with a blow into the earth. —
然后他带领他穿过一些黑暗的通道来到一个锻造场，握起一把斧子，用一锤将一个铁砧插进地里。 —

“I can do better than that,” cried the youth, and went to the other anvil. —
“我可以做得更好，”年轻人大喊一声，走向另一个铁砧。 —

The old man drew near him in order to watch closely, and his white beard hung right down. —
老人靠近他，以便近距离观察，他的白胡子垂得很低。 —

The youth seized the axe, cleft the anvil open, and jammed in the old man’s beard. —
年轻人抓住斧子，劈开了铁砧，将老人的胡子夹在其中。 —

“Now I have you,” said the youth; —
“现在轮到你了，”年轻人说； —

“this time it’s your turn to die. —
“这次轮到你死了。” —

” Then he seized an iron rod and belabored the old man till he, whimpering, begged him to leave off, and he would give him great riches. —
然后他拿起一根铁棍，用力打老人，老人哀嚎着请求他停下来，他会给他巨额财富。 —

The youth drew out the axe and let him go. —
年轻人拔出斧子，放他走了。 —

The old man led him back to the castle and showed him in a cellar three chests of gold. —
老人带他回到城堡，展示给他一个地窖里的三个金箱子。 —

“One of these,” said he, “belongs to the poor, one to the King, and the third is yours. —
“其中之一，”他说，“属于穷人，一个属于国王，第三个属于你。” —

” At that moment twelve struck, and the spirit vanished, leaving the youth alone in the dark. —
就在那一刻，钟敲了十二下，恶魔消失了，年轻人独自一人留在黑暗中。 —

“I’ll surely be able to find a way out,” said he, and groping about he at length found his way back to the room, and fell asleep at his fire. —
“我一定能找到出路的，”他说着，摸索着终于回到了房间，蜷缩在火边睡着了。 —

The next morning the King came, and said: —
第二天早上，国王来了，说道： —

“Well, now you’ve surely learned to shudder? —
“那么，你现在一定学会害怕了吧？ —

” “No,” he answered; “what can it be? —
“不，”他回答道，“是什么呢？ —

My dead cousin was here, and an old bearded man came, who showed me heaps of money down below there, but what shuddering is no one has told me. —
我的死表亲来了，还有个老胡子人也来了，给我展示了金币堆，但是害怕是什么，没人告诉过我。 —

” Then the King spoke: “You have freed the castle from its curse, and you shall marry my daughter. —
”然后国王说：“你解除了这个城堡的诅咒，你将娶我的女儿。 —

” “That’s all charming,” he said; —
“太好了，”他说道； —

abut I still don’t know what it is to shudder.”
但是我还是不知道害怕是什么。

Then the gold was brought up, and the wedding was celebrated, but the young King, though he loved his wife dearly, and though he was very happy, still kept on saying: —
然后金币被拿上来，婚礼被庆祝，但是年轻的国王，虽然深爱妻子，虽然非常幸福，还是一直在说： —

“If I could only shudder! if I could only shudder! —
“要是我能害怕一下！要是我能害怕一下！ —

” At last he reduced her to despair. Then her maid said: —
”最后他使她绝望了。然后她的女仆说： —

“I’ll help you; we’ll soon make him shudder. —
“我来帮你，我们很快会让他害怕起来。 —

” So she went out to the stream that flowed through the garden, and had a pail full of little gudgeons brought to her. —
她走到园子里流过的小溪旁，叫人给她捞了一桶小鳜鱼。 —

At night, when the young King was asleep, his wife had to pull the clothes off him, and pour the pail full of little gudgeons over him, so that the little fish swam all about him. —
晚上，当年轻的国王睡着时，他的妻子必须把他的衣服脱下来，把一桶满满的小鳜鱼倒在他身上，让小鱼在他周围游动。 —

Then he awoke and cried out: “Oh! —
然后他醒来大叫：“哦！ —

how I shudder, how I shudder, dear wife! —
我多么害怕，我多么害怕，亲爱的妻子！ —

Yes, now I know what shuddering is.
是的，现在我知道什么叫害怕了。