ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen who loved each other so much that they were never happy unless they were together. —
从前有一对国王和王后，他们彼此深爱着，除非在一起，否则他们从来都不会快乐。 —

Day after day they went out hunting or fishing; —
每天他们出去打猎或钓鱼； —

night after night they went to balls or to the opera; —
每个夜晚他们去参加舞会或歌剧； —

they sang, and danced, and ate sugar-plums, and were the gayest of the gay, and all their subjects followed their example so that the kingdom was called the Joyous Land. Now in the next kingdom everything was as different as it could possibly be. —
他们唱歌、跳舞、吃糖果，是最快乐的人，他们的臣民们都效仿他们，所以这个王国被称为快乐之地。而在隔壁的王国，情况完全相反。 —

The King was sulky and savage, and never enjoyed himself at all. —
国王自暴自弃，从来都不能享受生活。 —

He looked so ugly and cross that all his subjects feared him, and he hated the very sight of a cheerful face; —
他看起来又丑又脾气暴躁，以至于所有的臣民都害怕他，他恨不得看到快乐的面孔都会立刻砍掉对方的头。 —

so if he ever caught anyone smiling he had his head cut off that very minute. —
所以，如果他发现有人面带微笑，他会立刻斩首。 —

This kingdom was very appropriately called the Land of Tears. Now when this wicked King heard of the happiness of the Jolly King, he was so jealous that he collected a great army and set out to fight him, and the news of his approach was soon brought to the King and Queen. The Queen, when she heard of it, was frightened out of her wits, and began to cry bitterly. —
这个王国非常贴切地被称为泪之国。当这个邪恶的国王听说开心国王的幸福时，他非常嫉妒，于是他集结了一支强大的军队，并开始向他发起战争，关于他的行踪很快就传到了国王和女王的耳中。女王听到后吓得魂飞魄散，开始痛哭起来。 —

‘Sire,’ she said, ‘let us collect all our riches and run away as far as ever we can, to the other side of the world.’
“陛下，”她说，”让我们收集我们的财富，逃到尽可能远的世界的另一边去吧。”

But the King answered:
但国王回答道：

‘Fie, madam! I am far too brave for that. It is better to die than to be a coward.’
“唉，娘娘！我太勇敢了，不能那样做。死亡总比当个懦夫好。”

Then he assembled all his armed men, and after bidding the Queen a tender farewell, he mounted his splendid horse and rode away. —
然后，他集结了所有的武装人员，向女王深情告别后，骑上他那匹华丽的马离去了。 —

When he was lost to sight the Queen could do nothing but weep, and wring her hands, and cry.
当他的身影渐渐远去，女王除了哭泣、搓手和哭泣外，

‘Alas! If the King is killed, what will become of me and of my little daughter? —
“唉！如果国王被杀了，我和我的小女儿该怎么办？ —

’ and she was so sorrowful that she could neither eat nor sleep.
“她悲伤得不能吃饭也睡不着。

The King sent her a letter every day, but at last, one morning, as she looked out of the palace window, she saw a messenger approaching in hot haste.
国王每天都给她寄一封信，但最后有一天早上，她从宫殿窗户往外看，看到一个急匆匆的使者正在接近。

‘What news, courier? What news?’ cried the Queen, and he answered:
‘有什么消息，快递员？有什么消息？’王后大喊道，他回答说：

‘The battle is lost and the King is dead, and in another moment the enemy will be here.’
‘战斗失利，国王已经去世，再过一会儿敌人就会到这里了。’

The poor Queen fell back insensible, and all her ladies carried her to bed, and stood round her weeping and wailing. —
可怜的王后晕了过去，她的侍女们把她抬到床上，站在她周围哭泣悲哀。 —

Then began a tremendous noise and confusion, and they knew that the enemy had arrived, and very soon they heard the King himself stamping about the palace seeking the Queen. Then her ladies put the little Princess into her arms, and covered her up, head and all, in the bedclothes, and ran for their lives, and the poor Queen lay there shaking, and hoping she would not be found. —
接着开始了一片嘈杂和混乱，她们知道敌人已经到了，很快他们就听到国王本人在宫殿里踱来踱去寻找王后。然后她的侍女们把小公主抱在她怀里，用床上的被子把她盖住，头部全部包裹起来，然后逃命去了，可怜的王后躺在那里发抖，希望自己不会被找到。 —

But very soon the wicked King clattered into the room, and in a fury because the Queen would not answer when he called to her, he tore back her silken coverings and tweaked off her lace cap, and when all her lovely hair came tumbling down over her shoulders, he wound it three times round his hand and threw her over his shoulder, where he carried her like a sack of flour.
但很快，邪恶的国王闯入房间，因为王后不回答他的呼唤而大发雷霆，他撕掉了她的丝绸覆盖物，拨开她的花边帽子，当她可爱的头发倾泻而下时，他用手绕了三圈，然后把她扔在肩膀上，像一袋面粉一样背走了。

The poor Queen held her little daughter safe in her arms and shrieked for mercy, but the wicked King only mocked her, and begged her to go on shrieking, as it amused him, and so mounted his great black horse, and rode back to his own country. —
可怜的王后抱着她的小女儿，尖叫着求饶，但邪恶的国王只是嘲笑她，并请求她继续尖叫，因为这让他觉得好玩。于是他骑上他那匹巨大的黑马，回到了自己的国家。 —

When he got there he declared that he would have the Queen and the little Princess hanged on the nearest tree; —
当他回到那里时，他宣布将会把王后和小公主绞死在最近的树上； —

but his courtiers said that seemed a pity, for when the baby grew up she would be a very nice wife for the King’s only son.
但他的朝臣们说这样做太可惜了，因为当孩子长大后，她将成为国王独生子的一个很好的妻子。

The King was rather pleased with this idea, and shut the Queen up in the highest room of a tall tower, which was very tiny, and miserably furnished with a table and a very hard bed upon the floor. —
国王对这个主意感到相当满意，将王后关在了一座高塔的最高房间里，那个房间非常小，并且家具简陋，只有一张桌子和一张坚硬的床。 —

Then he sent for a fairy who lived near his kingdom, and after receiving her with more politeness than he generally showed, and entertaining her at a sumptuous feast, he took her up to see the Queen. The fairy was so touched by the sight of her misery that when she kissed her hand she whispered:
然后他召来了一个住在他王国附近的仙女，对她比平时更加礼貌地接待，并摆了一顿丰盛的筵席，然后带她去看王后。当仙女看到王后的悲惨境况时，她非常触动，亲吻王后的手时悄声说道：

‘Courage, madam! I think I see a way to help you.’
“勇气，夫人！我觉得我知道如何帮助您。”

The Queen, a little comforted by these words, received her graciously, and begged her to take pity upon the poor little Princess, who had met with such a sudden reverse of fortune. —
王后因这些话略感安慰，亲切地接待了她，并请求她怜悯这个可怜的小公主，她的命运突然发生了逆转。 —

But the King got very cross when he saw them whispering together, and cried harshly:
但是当国王看到她们在低声交谈时，非常生气，厉声说道：

‘Make an end of these fine speeches, madam. —
“别再说这些漂亮话了，夫人。 —

I brought you here to tell me if the child will grow up pretty and fortunate.’
我请你来告诉我孩子会长得漂亮且幸运。”

Then the Fairy answered that the Princess would be as pretty, and clever, and well brought up as it was possible to be, and the old King growled to the Queen that it was lucky for her that it was so, as they would certainly have been hanged if it were otherwise. —
然后仙女回答说公主会变得像是可能的那样漂亮、聪明和教养良好，而老国王对皇后咆哮说，幸好是这样，否则他们肯定会被绞死。 —

Then he stamped off, taking the Fairy with him, and leaving the poor Queen in tears.
然后他生气地离开，带着仙女走了，把可怜的皇后留在了泪水中。

‘How can I wish my little daughter to grow up pretty if she is to be married to that horrid little dwarf, the King’s son,’ she said to herself, ‘and yet, if she is ugly we shall both be killed. —
“如果我的小女儿长得漂亮却要嫁给那个可怕的小侏儒，国王的儿子，我怎么能希望她长得漂亮呢?” 她自言自语道，“但是，如果她长得丑，我们两个都会被杀掉。” —

If I could only hide her away somewhere, so that the cruel King could never find her.’
“如果我能把她藏到一个地方，这样残忍的国王就找不到她了。”

As the days went on, the Queen and the little Princess grew thinner and thinner, for their hard-hearted gaoler gave them every day only three boiled peas and a tiny morsel of black bread, so they were always terribly hungry. —
随着时间的推移，皇后和小公主变得越来越瘦，因为他们的冷酷监狱看守每天只给他们三颗煮熟的豌豆和一小块黑面包，所以他们总是非常饥饿。 —

At last, one evening, as the Queen sat at her spinning-wheel — for the King was so avaricious that she was made to work day and night — she saw a tiny, pretty little mouse creep out of a hole, and said to it:
终于有一天晚上，当女王坐在纺车旁边时 - 因为国王非常贪婪，所以她被迫日夜工作 - 她看到一只小小的、漂亮的老鼠从一个洞里爬出来，对它说：

‘Alas, little creature! what are you coming to look for here? —
‘哎呀，小家伙！你在这里找什么？ —

I only have three peas for my day’s provision, so unless you wish to fast you must go elsewhere.’
我一天只有三颗豌豆，所以除非你想挨饿，否则你必须去别的地方。’

But the mouse ran hither and thither, and danced and capered so prettily, that at last the Queen gave it her last pea, which she was keeping for her supper, saying: —
但老鼠四处跑跳，舞得很可爱，最后女王把她留着晚餐的最后一颗豌豆给了它，说： —

‘Here, little one, eat it up; I have nothing better to offer you, but I give this willingly in return for the amusement I have had from you.’
‘来，小家伙，吃掉它；我没有更好的东西给你，但是我愿意为了你给我带来的娱乐而给你。’

She had hardly spoken when she saw upon the table a delicious little roast partridge, and two dishes of preserved fruit. —
她刚说完，就看到桌子上有一只美味的烤鹧鸪，还有两道蜜饯水果。 —

‘Truly,’ said she, ‘a kind action never goes unrewarded; —
‘真的，’她说，‘善良的行为从来不会没有回报； —

‘and she and the little Princess ate their supper with great satisfaction, and then the Queen gave what was left to the little mouse, who danced better than ever afterwards. —
‘而她和小公主非常满意地吃完晚餐，然后皇后把剩下的东西给了小老鼠，它跳舞比以前更好。 —

The next morning came the gaoler with the Queen’s allowance of three peas, which he brought in upon a large dish to make them look smaller; —
第二天早上，狱卒带来了皇后的三颗豌豆，他把它们放在一个大盘子里，为了显得它们更小； —

but as soon as he set it down the little mouse came and ate up all three, so that when the Queen wanted her dinner there was nothing left for her. —
但是他一放下盘子，小老鼠就跑过来把所有的三颗豌豆都吃光了，所以当皇后想吃午饭时，什么都剩下了。 —

Then she was quite provoked, and said:
于是她非常生气地说：

‘What a bad little beast that mouse must be! If it goes on like this I shall be starved. —
‘这只老鼠真是个讨厌的小东西！如果它继续这样下去，我会饿死的。 —

’ But when she glanced at the dish again it was covered with all sorts of nice things to eat, and the Queen made a very good dinner, and was gayer than usual over it. —
’但是当她再次看向盘子时，上面盖满了各种好吃的东西，皇后吃了一顿非常丰盛的晚餐，比平常更开心。 —

But afterwards as she sat at her spinning-wheel she began to consider what would happen if the little Princess did not grow up pretty enough to please the King, and she said to herself:
但是在坐在纺车旁边的时候，她开始思考如果小公主长大后没有长得漂亮来讨好国王会发生什么，她对自己说：

‘Oh! if I could only think of some way of escaping.’
“哦！如果我能想出一个逃脱的办法就好了。”

As she spoke she saw the little mouse playing in a corner with some long straws. —
当她说话的时候，她看见小老鼠在角落里玩耍着一些长长的稻草。 —

The Queen took them and began to plait them, saying:
女王拿起它们开始编织，说道：

‘If only I had straws enough I would make a basket with them, and let my baby down in it from the window to any kind passer-by who would take care of her.’
“如果我有足够多的稻草，我将用它们制作一个篮子，然后把我的宝宝放进篮子里，让经过的人照顾她。”

By the time the straws were all plaited the little mouse had dragged in more and more, until the Queen had plenty to make her basket, and she worked at it day and night, while the little mouse danced for her amusement; —
在编织稻草的时候，小老鼠一直把更多的稻草拉进来，直到女王有足够的材料制作她的篮子，她日夜努力工作，而小老鼠则为她跳舞以取乐； —

and at dinner and supper time the Queen gave it the three peas and the bit of black bread, and always found something good in the dish in their place. —
在午餐和晚餐时，女王给了它三粒豌豆和一小块黑面包，总能发现盘子里的位置有好东西。 —

She really could not imagine where all the nice things came from. —
她实在无法想象那些美味东西都从哪里来的。 —

At last one day when the basket was finished, the Queen was looking out of the window to see how long a cord she must make to lower it to the bottom of the tower, when she noticed a little old woman who was leaning upon her stick and looking up at her. —
最后有一天当篮子完成了，王后从窗户里往外看，想知道自己要拉多长的绳子才能把篮子降到塔底，这时她注意到一个老太太正倚着拐杖仰望着她。 —

Presently she said:
不久她说道：

‘I know your trouble, madam. If you like I will help you.’
‘我知道你的困扰，夫人。如果你愿意，我可以帮助你。’

‘Oh! my dear friend,’ said the Queen. ‘If you really wish to be of use to me you will come at the time that I will appoint, and I will let down my poor little baby in a basket. —
‘哦！亲爱的朋友，’王后说道。‘如果你真的想对我有所帮助，你就在我指定的时间来，我会把我的可怜小宝宝放在一个篮子里放下来。 —

If you will take her, and bring her up for me, when I am rich I will reward you splendidly.’
如果你能接她，并替我抚养她，等我有了财富我会给你丰厚的报酬。’

‘I don’t care about the reward,’ said the old woman, ‘but there is one thing I should like. —
‘我不在乎报酬，’老太太说道，‘但有一件事我希望能得到。 —

You must know that I am very particular about what I eat, and if there is one thing that I fancy above all others, it is a plump, tender little mouse. —
你应该知道我对我所吃的东西非常挑剔，如果有一样东西我比其他任何东西都喜欢，那就是一只饱满嫩嫩的小老鼠。’ —

If there is such a thing in your garret just throw it down to me, and in return I will promise that your little daughter shall be well taken care of.’
如果你阁楼里有这样的东西，就扔给我吧。作为回报，我保证会好好照顾你的小女儿。

The Queen when she heard this began to cry, but made no answer, and the old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her what was the matter.
女王听到这个，开始哭了，但没有回答。老妇人等了几分钟后问她怎么了。

‘Why,’ said the Queen, ‘there is only one mouse in this garret, and that is such a dear, pretty little thing that I cannot bear to think of its being killed.’
女王说：“噢，这个阁楼里只有一只老鼠，而且它是那么可爱的小东西，我不忍心想它被杀掉。”

‘What!’ cried the old woman, in a rage. —
老妇人气急败坏地喊道：“什么！你居然比你自己的孩子还在乎一个可怜的老鼠？再见，女士！我就让你继续享受它的陪伴吧。至于我自己，感谢上苍，我可以得到足够多的老鼠，不必麻烦你给我。” —

‘Do you care more for a miserable mouse than for your own baby? Good-bye, madam! —
她嘟哝着走开了。 —

I leave you to enjoy its company, and for my own part I thank my stars that I can get plenty of mice without troubling you to give them to me.’
至于女王，她非常失望，尽管晚餐比平时好吃，小老鼠也在欢快地跳舞，她只能哭。

And she hobbled off grumbling and growling. —
她开始哭了。 —

As to the Queen, she was so disappointed that, in spite of finding a better dinner than usual, and seeing the little mouse dancing in its merriest mood, she could do nothing but cry. —
至于女王，她非常失望，尽管找到了比平时更好的晚餐，还看到小老鼠跳得最开心，但她只能流泪。 —

That night when her baby was fast asleep she packed it into the basket, and wrote on a slip of paper, ‘This unhappy little girl is called Delicia! —
那天晚上，当她的宝宝安稳地睡着时，她把宝宝放进篮子里，并在一张纸条上写道：“这个不幸的小女孩叫做德莉西亚！” —

’ This she pinned to its robe, and then very sadly she was shutting the basket, when in sprang the little mouse and sat on the baby’s pillow.
她把纸条别在宝宝的衣服上，就在她准备把篮子关上的时候，一只小老鼠跳了进来，坐在宝宝的枕头上。

‘Ah! little one,’ said the Queen, ‘it cost me dear to save your life. —
“啊！小家伙，”女王说，“我为了救你的命付出了很大的代价。” —

How shall I know now whether my Delicia is being taken care of or no? —
现在我怎么知道我的德莉西亚是否得到了妥善照顾？ —

Anyone else would have let the greedy old woman have you, and eat you up, but I could not bear to do it. —
其他人大概会让那个贪婪的老婆婆把你抱走，把你吃掉，但我无法忍受这样做。 —

’ Whereupon the Mouse answered:
鼠标回答道：

‘Believe me, madam, you will never repent of your kindness.’
“相信我，夫人，您绝不会对您的善良后悔。”

The Queen was immensely astonished when the Mouse began to speak, and still more so when she saw its little sharp nose turn to a beautiful face, and its paws to hands and feet; —
女王听到老鼠说话时感到非常惊讶，当她看到老鼠的尖尖的鼻子变成了美丽的脸庞，爪子变成了手和脚时，她更加惊讶； —

then it suddenly grew tall, and the Queen recognised the Fairy who had come with the wicked King to visit her.
然后它突然长高了，女王认出了曾经与邪恶国王一起来访的仙女。

The Fairy smiled at her astonished look, and said:
仙女对她惊讶的表情微笑着说：

‘I wanted to see if you were faithful and capable of feeling a real friendship for me, for you see we fairies are rich in everything but friends, and those are hard to find.’
“我想看看你是否忠诚，并且是否能对我产生真正的友谊，你要知道，对于我们仙子来说，除了朋友，其他什么都是有的，而朋友却很难找到。”

‘It is not possible that YOU should want for friends, you charming creature,’ said the Queen, kissing her.
“你这个迷人的生物不可能缺少朋友，”女王说着吻了她一下。

‘Indeed it is so,’ the Fairy said. ‘For those who are only friendly with me for their own advantage, I do not count at all. —
“确实如此，”仙子说道，“对于那些只是为了自己的利益而与我交朋友的人，我根本不计较。” —

But when you cared for the poor little mouse you could not have known there was anything to be gained by it, and to try you further I took the form of the old woman whom you talked to from the window, and then I was convinced that you really loved me. —
当你照顾那个可怜的小老鼠时，你可能并不知道自己能从中得到什么好处，为了再试探你一次，我变成了你从窗户里与之交谈的那个老妇人，那时我确信你真的爱我。 —

’ Then, turning to the little Princess, she kissed her rosy lips three times, saying:
然后，她转向小公主，亲了她的粉红唇三次，说道：

‘Dear little one, I promise that you shall be richer than your father, and shall live a hundred years, always pretty and happy, without fear of old age and wrinkles.’
“亲爱的小家伙，我答应你将会比你的父亲更富有，可以过上一百岁，永远美丽和幸福，不用担心老去和皱纹。”

The Queen, quite delighted, thanked the Fairy gratefully, and begged her to take charge of the little Delicia and bring her up as her own daughter. —
女王非常高兴，感激地向仙女表示感谢，并请求她把小德利西亚当作自己的女儿抚养。 —

This she agreed to do, and then they shut the basket and lowered it carefully, baby and all, to the ground at the foot of the tower. —
她答应了这样做，然后他们合上篮子，小心地把篮子连同婴儿一起降到塔底。 —

The Fairy then changed herself back into the form of a mouse, and this delayed her a few seconds, after which she ran nimbly down the straw rope, but only to find when she got to the bottom that the baby had disappeared.
仙女随后变回了老鼠的形态，这让她耽搁了几秒钟，然后她迅速地沿着稻草绳子跑了下去，但是只发现当她到达底部时，婴儿已经消失了。

In the greatest terror she ran up again to the Queen, crying:
恐惧中，她又跑回来找女王，大喊道：

‘All is lost! my enemy Cancaline has stolen the Princess away. —
“一切都完了！我的敌人坎卡琳偷走了公主。 —

You must know that she is a cruel fairy who hates me, and as she is older than I am and has more power, I can do nothing against her. —
你必须知道，她是一个残忍的仙女，她恨我，而且她比我年长，力量更大，我对付不了她。 —

I know no way of rescuing Delicia from her clutches.’
我不知道该如何救出德利西亚。”

When the Queen heard this terrible news she was heart-broken, and begged the Fairy to do all she could to get the poor little Princess back again. —
女王听到这个可怕的消息后，心碎了，恳求仙女尽一切努力把可怜的小公主找回来。 —

At this moment in came the gaoler, and when he missed the little Princess he at once told the King, who came in a great fury asking what the Queen had done with her. —
在这时，狱卒走了进来，当他看到小公主不见了，立即告诉了国王，国王大怒地问王后把她怎么了。 —

She answered that a fairy, whose name she did not know, had come and carried her off by force. —
她回答说，一个名字她不知道的仙女来了，用强力把她带走了。 —

Upon this the King stamped upon the ground, and cried in a terrible voice:
国王在地上跺脚，用可怕的声音大喊：

‘You shall be hung! I always told you you should. —
“你要被绞死！我一直告诉过你会这样的。” —

’ And without another word he dragged the unlucky Queen out into the nearest wood, and climbed up into a tree to look for a branch to which he could hang her. —
说完这话他没有再说别的，就把倒霉的王后拖到最近的树林里，爬上一棵树找一个树枝将她吊起来。 —

But when he was quite high up, the Fairy, who had made herself invisible and followed them, gave him a sudden push, which made him lose his footing and fall to the ground with a crash and break four of his teeth, and while he was trying to mend them the fairy carried the Queen off in her flying chariot to a beautiful castle, where she was so kind to her that but for the loss of Delicia the Queen would have been perfectly happy. —
但是当他爬得相当高时，那个仙女把自己变得无形了并且跟踪他们，她给了他一个突然的推，让他失去了立足之地，发出一声巨响摔倒在地上，摔断了他的四颗牙齿，而他正在试图修补它们时，仙女驾着她的飞车把王后带到了一个美丽的城堡，她对王后非常友好，如果不是因为失去了德丽西娅，王后会非常幸福。 —

But though the good little mouse did her very utmost, they could not find out where Cancaline had hidden the little Princess.
尽管这只好小老鼠尽其所能，但他们仍然找不到Cancaline把小公主藏在哪里。

Thus fifteen years went by, and the Queen had somewhat recovered from her grief, when the news reached her that the son of the wicked King wished to marry the little maiden who kept the turkeys, and that she had refused him; —
因此过去了十五年，女王已经从悲伤中恢复过来，当她收到邪恶国王的儿子想要娶那个养火鸡的小姑娘的消息时，她拒绝了他。 —

the wedding-dresses had been made, nevertheless, and the festivities were to be so splendid that all the people for leagues round were flocking in to be present at them. —
尽管如此，婚纱已经做好了，庆典将会非常辉煌，附近几个乡村的人都会前来参加。 —

The Queen felt quite curious about a little turkey-maiden who did not wish to be a Queen, so the little mouse conveyed herself to the poultry-yard to find out what she was like.
女王对一个不想成为女王的小火鸡姑娘感到非常好奇，于是小老鼠潜入了禽舍去了解她是什么样子。

She found the turkey-maiden sitting upon a big stone, barefooted, and miserably dressed in an old, coarse linen gown and cap; —
她发现这个小火鸡姑娘坐在一块大石头上，赤脚，身穿一件破旧的粗麻布长袍和帽子。 —

the ground at her feet was all strewn with robes of gold and silver, ribbons and laces, diamonds and pearls, over which the turkeys were stalking to and fro, while the King’s ugly, disagreeable son stood opposite her, declaring angrily that if she would not marry him she should be killed.
她脚下的地面铺满了金银袍子、丝带花边、钻石和珍珠，火鸡们在上面来回走动，而国王那丑陋而讨厌的儿子站在她对面，愤怒地宣称如果她不嫁给他，她就会被杀死。

The Turkey-maiden answered proudly:
火鸡姑娘傲然回答道：

‘I never will marry you I you are too ugly and too much like your cruel father. —
’ 我绝对不会嫁给你，你太丑，太像你残忍的父亲了。 —

Leave me in peace with my turkeys, which I like far better than all your fine gifts.’
和你那些虚伪的礼物相比，我更喜欢它们自由自在地与火鸡们在一起。

The little mouse watched her with the greatest admiration, for she was as beautiful as the spring; —
小老鼠以极大的钦佩观看着她，因为她就像春天一样美丽； —

and as soon as the wicked Prince was gone, she took the form of an old peasant woman and said to her:
坏王子一走，她便变成了一个农妇老妇人的模样，对她说：

‘Good day, my pretty one! you have a fine flock of turkeys there.’
’ 你好，我的美人儿！你有一群漂亮的火鸡啊。

The young Turkey-maiden turned her gentle eyes upon the old woman, and answered:
年轻的火鸡姑娘把温柔的目光投向老妇人，回答道：

‘Yet they wish me to leave them to become a miserable Queen! —
’ 然而他们希望我抛弃它们成为一个不幸的女王！ —

what is your advice upon the matter?’
对于此事，你有什么建议？

‘My child,’ said the Fairy, ‘a crown is a very pretty thing, but you know neither the price nor the weight of it.’
“孩子，”仙女说，“皇冠是件很漂亮的东西，但你既不了解它的价值，也不知道它的重量。”

‘I know so well that I have refused to wear one,’ said the little maiden, ‘though I don’t know who was my father, or who was my mother, and I have not a friend in the world.’
“我很清楚，所以我拒绝佩戴，”小姑娘说，“虽然我不知道我的父亲是谁，母亲是谁，也没有朋友。”

‘You have goodness and beauty, which are of more value than ten kingdoms,’ said the wise Fairy. ‘But tell me, child, how came you here, and how is it you have neither father, nor mother, nor friend?’
“你拥有善良和美貌，比十个王国还要珍贵，”智慧的仙女说。“但告诉我，孩子，你是怎么来到这里的？为什么既没有父亲、母亲，也没有朋友？”

‘A Fairy called Cancaline is the cause of my being here,’ answered she, ‘for while I lived with her I got nothing but blows and harsh words, until at last I could bear it no longer, and ran away from her without knowing where I was going, and as I came through a wood the wicked Prince met me, and offered to give me charge of the poultry-yard. —
“一个叫坎卡琳的仙女是我来到这里的原因，”她回答说，“在我和她住在一起的时候，我只受到了打骂和严厉的话语，直到最后我再也无法忍受，离开了她，却不知道我要去哪里，然后当我穿过一片树林时，那个邪恶的王子遇见了我，提议让我负责禽畜园。” —

I accepted gladly, not knowing that I should have to see him day by day. —
“我欣然接受，却不知道我将不得不天天见到他。” —

And now he wants to marry me, but that I will never consent to.’
现在他想娶我，但我永远不会同意。

Upon hearing this the Fairy became convinced that the little Turkey-maiden was none other than the Princess Delicia.
听到这个，仙女相信小火鸡姑娘就是公主黛丽西亚。

‘What is your name, my little one?’ said she.
‘你叫什么名字，小朋友？’她问道。

‘I am called Delicia, if it please you,’ she answered.
‘如果你愿意，我叫黛丽西亚，’她回答道。

Then the Fairy threw her arms round the Princess’s neck, and nearly smothered her with kisses, saying:
然后仙女抱住公主的脖子，几乎用亲吻把她窒息了，说道：

‘Ah, Delicia! I am a very old friend of yours, and I am truly glad to find you at last; —
‘哦，黛丽西亚！我是你的一个非常老的朋友，真的很高兴终于找到你； —

but you might look nicer than you do in that old gown, which is only fit for a kitchen-maid. —
但是你应该比在那件只适合厨娘穿的旧礼服上看上去更漂亮。 —

Take this pretty dress and let us see the difference it will make.’
穿上这套漂亮的衣服，让我们看看它会带来的变化。’

So Delicia took off the ugly cap, and shook out all her fair shining hair, and bathed her hands and face in clear water from the nearest spring till her cheeks were like roses, and when she was adorned with the diamonds and the splendid robe the Fairy had given her, she looked the most beautiful Princess in the world, and the Fairy with great delight cried:
所以，Delicia摘下了那顶丑陋的帽子，摇了摇她那一头亮丽的金发，用最近的泉水洗净了双手和脸庞，她的脸颊变得像玫瑰一样红润。当她穿上了仙女给她的钻石和华丽的长袍后，她看起来是世界上最美丽的公主，仙女高兴地喊道：

‘Now you look as you ought to look, Delicia: what do you think about it yourself?’
‘Delicia，现在你看起来才像真正的你，你对此有何感想？’

And Delicia answered:
Delicia回答道：

‘I feel as if I were the daughter of some great king.’
‘我感觉自己就像某位伟大国王的女儿一样。’

‘And would you be glad if you were?’ said the Fairy.
‘那你如果真的是国王的女儿会感到开心吗？’仙女问道。

‘Indeed I should,’ answered she.
‘当然会，’她回答道。

‘Ah, well,’ said the Fairy, ‘to-morrow I may have some pleasant news for you.’
‘啊，好吧，’仙女说道，‘也许明天我会给你一些令人愉快的消息。’

So she hurried back to her castle, where the Queen sat busy with her embroidery, and cried:
于是她匆匆回到自己的城堡，那里的女王正忙着绣花。仙女大声说道：

‘Well, madam! will you wager your thimble and your golden needle that I am bringing you the best news you could possibly hear?’
‘嗨，女士！你愿意打赌你的刺线板和黄金针，说我给你带来了你可能听到的最好的消息吗？’

‘Alas!’ sighed the Queen, ‘since the death of the Jolly King and the loss of my Delicia, all the news in the world is not worth a pin to me.
“唉！”女王叹息道，“自从快乐国王去世和我失去了迪莉西娅，世界上的一切新闻对我来说都不值一针。

‘There, there, don’t be melancholy,’ said the Fairy. ‘I assure you the Princess is quite well, and I have never seen her equal for beauty. —
“别伤感啦，”仙女说，“我向你保证公主很好，她的美丽是无与伦比的。 —

She might be a Queen to-morrow if she chose; —
如果她愿意，她明天就可以成为一位女王。 —

‘and then she told all that had happened, and the Queen first rejoiced over the thought of Delicia’s beauty, and then wept at the idea of her being a Turkey-maiden.
“然后她把发生的事都告诉了她，女王首先为迪莉西娅的美丽而高兴，然后为她成为一名火鸡女仆而哭泣。

‘I will not hear of her being made to marry the wicked King’s son,’ she said. —
“我不想让她与邪恶国王的儿子结婚，”她说。 —

‘Let us go at once and bring her here.’
“让我们立即去把她带回来吧。”

In the meantime the wicked Prince, who was very angry with Delicia, had sat himself down under a tree, and cried and howled with rage and spite until the King heard him, and cried out from the window:
与此同时，邪恶的王子对迪莉西娅非常生气，他坐在一棵树下，愤怒地哭和嚎叫，直到国王听到他，从窗户里喊道：

‘What is the matter with you, that you are making all this disturbance?’
“你怎么了，你这么吵闹干什么？”

The Prince replied:
王子回答道：

‘It is all because our Turkey-maiden will not love me!’
“都是因为我们的火鸡女仆不爱我！”

‘Won’t love you? eh!’ said the King. ‘We’ll very soon see about that! —
“难道我会不爱你？”国王说道。“我们很快就会看到！ —

’ So he called his guards and told them to go and fetch Delicia. —
于是他召集了他的侍卫，命令他们去把德丽西娅带来。 —

‘See if I don’t make her change her mind pretty soon! —
“看我不让她很快改变主意！” —

’ said the wicked King with a chuckle.
邪恶的国王笑着说道。

Then the guards began to search the poultry-yard, and could find nobody there but Delicia, who, with her splendid dress and her crown of diamonds, looked such a lovely Princess that they hardly dared to speak to her. —
然后卫兵开始搜索禽舍，除了迪莉西亚之外，他们在那里找不到任何人。迪莉西亚身穿华丽的服装，头戴钻石皇冠，看起来如此美丽，以至于他们几乎不敢对她开口。 —

But she said to them very politely:
但她非常客气地对他们说道:

‘Pray tell me what you are looking for here?’
‘请告诉我你们在这里找什么？’

‘Madam,’ they answered, ‘we are sent for an insignificant little person called Delicia.’
‘夫人，’他们回答道，‘我们被派来找一个叫迪莉西亚的不起眼的人。’

‘Alas!’ said she, ‘that is my name. What can you want with me?’
‘唉！’她说，‘那就是我的名字。你们想找我有什么事？’

So the guards tied her hands and feet with thick ropes, for fear she might run away, and brought her to the King, who was waiting with his son.
于是卫兵们用粗绳子把她的手脚捆绑起来，以免她逃跑，把她带到等着的国王和他的儿子那里。

When he saw her he was very much astonished at her beauty, which would have made anyone less hard-hearted sorry for her. —
当他看到她时，他对她的美貌感到非常惊讶，这种美貌会让任何一个心肠不那么狠毒的人为她难过。 —

But the wicked King only laughed and mocked at her, and cried: ‘Well, little fright, little toad! —
但是邪恶的国王只是笑嘲她，喊道：‘喂，小丑，小癞蛤蟆！你为什么不爱我儿子，他明明比你漂亮、善良得多？’ —

why don’t you love my son, who is far too handsome and too good for you? —
为什么你不爱他？’ —

Make haste and begin to love him this instant, or you shall be tarred and feathered.’
快点，立刻开始爱他，否则你将被涂上沥青和羽毛。

Then the poor little Princess, shaking with terror, went down on her knees, crying:
然后，那可怜的小公主吓得发抖，跪下哭着说道：

‘Oh, don’t tar and feather me, please! It would be so uncomfortable. —
“哦，请不要涂抹和羽毛我，那会很不舒服。” —

Let me have two or three days to make up my mind, and then you shall do as you like with me.’
让我再想两三天，然后你们可以随意处置我吧。

The wicked Prince would have liked very much to see her tarred and feathered, but the King ordered that she should be shut up in a dark dungeon. —
邪恶的王子很想看到她被涂抹和羽毛，但国王命令将她关进一个黑暗的地牢。 —

It was just at this moment that the Queen and the Fairy arrived in the flying chariot, and the Queen was dreadfully distressed at the turn affairs had taken, and said miserably that she was destined to be unfortunate all her days. —
正是在这一刻，王后和仙女乘着飞车到达，王后对事态的发展感到可怕不安，并悲惨地说她注定一辈子不幸福。 —

But the Fairy bade her take courage.
但仙女告诉她要有勇气。

‘I’ll pay them out yet,’ said she, nodding her head with an air of great determination.
“我会报复他们的，”她说，意气风发地点了点头。

That very same night, as soon as the wicked King had gone to bed, the Fairy changed herself into the little mouse, and creeping up on to his pillow nibbled his ear, so that he squealed out quite loudly and turned over on his other side; —
就在那个晚上，邪恶的国王上床睡觉后不久，仙女变成了一只小老鼠，爬上他的枕头，啃咬他的耳朵，于是他大声尖叫着转身躺到了另一边； —

but that was no good, for the little mouse only set to work and gnawed away at the second ear until it hurt more than the first one.
但那样也没有用，小老鼠只是开始咬掉第二只耳朵，使他感到比第一只更疼痛。

Then the King cried ‘Murder!’ and ‘Thieves! —
于是国王大喊“谋杀！”和“贼！”。 —

’ and all his guards ran to see what was the matter, but they could find nothing and nobody, for the little mouse had run off to the Prince’s room and was serving him in exactly the same way. —
当兔子尖叫着跑下楼梯时，国王一举手，所有的卫兵都跑去看是怎么回事，但他们什么都没找到，也没有人。因为那只小老鼠已经跑到了王子的房间，并用完全相同的方式为他服务。 —

All night long she ran from one to the other, until at last, driven quite frantic by terror and want of sleep, the King rushed out of the palace crying:
她整夜都从一个人跑到另一个人，直到最后，被恐惧和睡眠不足折磨得发疯的国王冲出了宫殿，大声喊道：

‘Help! help! I am pursued by rats.’
‘救命啊！我被老鼠追赶着！’

The Prince when he heard this got up also, and ran after the King, and they had not gone far when they both fell into the river and were never heard of again.
当王子听到这个消息后，他也起床跟着国王跑了出去，他们没走多远，就掉进了河里，再也没有音信。

Then the good Fairy ran to tell the Queen, and they went together to the black dungeon where Delicia was imprisoned. —
随后，善良的仙女跑去告诉王后，他们一起去了黑暗的地牢，那里关押着Delicia。 —

The Fairy touched each door with her wand, and it sprang open instantly, but they had to go through forty before they came to the Princess, who was sitting on the floor looking very dejected. —
仙女用她的魔杖触碰每扇门，它们立即弹开，但他们得穿过四十扇门才能找到那位坐在地板上看起来很沮丧的公主。 —

But when the Queen rushed in, and kissed her twenty times in a minute, and laughed, and cried, and told Delicia all her history, the Princess was wild with delight. —
但当女王冲进来，一分钟内吻了她二十次，笑了，哭了，告诉Delicia她所有的历史，公主高兴得发狂。 —

Then the Fairy showed her all the wonderful dresses and jewels she had brought for her, and said:
然后仙女给她展示了所有奇妙的衣服和珠宝，并说道：

‘Don’t let us waste time; we must go and harangue the people.’
“我们不能浪费时间，我们必须去和人民演说。”

So she walked first, looking very serious and dignified, and wearing a dress the train of which was at least ten ells long. —
于是她走在前面，显得非常严肃庄重，身穿一条至少十丈长的裙子。 —

Behind her came the Queen wearing a blue velvet robe embroidered with gold, and a diamond crown that was brighter than the sun itself. —
在她身后是穿着蓝色天鹅绒礼服镶有金色刺绣的女王，以及比太阳本身还亮的钻石皇冠。 —

Last of all walked Delicia, who was so beautiful that it was nothing short of marvellous.
最后走的是Delicia，她美丽得令人惊奇。

They proceeded through the streets, returning the salutations of all they met, great or small, and all the people turned and followed them, wondering who these noble ladies could be.
他们穿过街道，回应着遇到的所有人的问候，无论大小，所有人都转过身来跟随着他们，惊奇地猜测这些贵族女士究竟是谁。

When the audience hall was quite full, the Fairy said to the subjects of the Wicked King that if they would accept Delicia, who was the daughter of the Jolly King, as their Queen, she would undertake to find a suitable husband for her, and would promise that during their reign there should be nothing but rejoicing and merry-making, and all dismal things should be entirely banished. —
当听众厅座无虚席之时，仙女对邪恶国王的臣民说，如果他们接受快乐国王的女儿德利西亚作为他们的女王，她将为她找到一个合适的丈夫，并承诺在他们统治期间只会有欢乐和庆祝活动，所有消沉的事情都将完全消失。 —

Upon this the people cried with one accord, ‘We will, we will! —
于是众人一致呼喊道：“我们愿意，我们愿意！” —

we have been gloomy and miserable too long already. —
“我们已经过得太阴郁和不快乐了。” —

’ And they all took hands and danced round the Queen, and Delicia, and the good Fairy, singing: —
他们手牵着手围绕女王、德利西亚和善良的仙女跳舞，唱着：“是的，是的，我们愿意！” —

‘Yes, yes; we will, we will!’
接着，整个城镇的每条街道上都举行了盛宴和烟火，第二天一早，仙女在夜间已经遍历了全世界，她乘坐着飞车带回了她能找到的最帅气、脾气最好的王子。

Then there were feasts and fireworks in every street in the town, and early the next morning the Fairy, who had been all over the world in the night, brought back with her, in her flying chariot, the most handsome and good-tempered Prince she could find anywhere. —
请问我可以帮你做些什么呢？ —

He was so charming that Delicia loved him from the moment their eyes met, and as for him, of course he could not help thinking himself the luckiest Prince in the world. —
他如此迷人，以至于德丽西亚从两人的目光相交的那一刻起就爱上了他，至于他，当然他也觉得自己是世界上最幸运的王子。 —

The Queen felt that she had really come to the end of her misfortunes at last, and they all lived happily ever after.
女王感觉到自己终于走到了不幸的尽头，于是他们就幸福地生活在一起了。