THERE was once upon a time a couple of rich folks who had twelve sons, and when the youngest was grown up he would not stay at home any longer, but would go out into the world and seek his fortune. —
从前有一对富人，他们有十二个儿子。最小的儿子长大后，不愿再呆在家里，决心出去闯荡世界，寻找自己的财富。 —

His father and mother said that they thought he was very well off at home, and that he was welcome to stay with them; —
他的父母觉得他在家里过得很好，欢迎他留下来。 —

but ho could not rest, and said that he must and would go, so at last they had to give him leave. —
但是他心里无法安定，坚持一定要走，最后他们只好同意了。 —

When he had walked a long way, he came to a King’s palace. —
走了很长时间后，他来到了一个国王的宫殿。 —

There he asked for a place and got it.
他请求一个位置并得到了。

Now the daughter of the King of that country had been carried off into the mountains by a Troll, and the King had no other children, and for this cause both he and all his people were full of sorrow and affliction, and the King had promised the Princess and half his kingdom to anyone who could set her free; —
那个国家国王的女儿被巨人劫走，而国王没有其他孩子，因此他和他的人民都感到悲痛和苦恼。国王曾经承诺，只要有人能够救出公主，他将赏赐给他公主和一半的王国。 —

but there was no one who could do it, though a great number had tried. —
然而，没有人能够做到，尽管已经有很多人尝试过。 —

So when the youth had been there for the space of a year or so, he wanted to go home again to pay his parents a visit; —
所以当年轻人在那里待了一年左右后，他想回家拜访父母； —

but when he got there his father and mother were dead, and his brothers had divided everything that their parents possessed between themselves, so that there was nothing at all left for him.
但是当他到那里时，他的父母已经去世了，他的兄弟把父母的一切财产都分给了自己，所以他一无所有。

‘Shall I, then, receive nothing at all of my inheritance?’ asked the youth.
“那么，我连一分遗产都得不到吗？”年轻人问道。

‘Who could know that you were still alive — you who have been a wanderer so long? —
“谁会知道你还活着呢？你已经四处流浪了这么久。”兄弟们回答说。 —

’ answered the brothers. ‘However, there are twelve mares upon the hills which we have not yet divided among us, and if you would like to have them for your share, you may take them.’
“不过，山上还有十二匹马我们还没分，如果你愿意，你可以把它们作为你的份额。”

So the youth, well pleased with this, thanked them, and at once set off to the hill where the twelve mares were at pasture. —
年轻人非常高兴地接受了这个提议，感谢他们，立刻就去了放牧着十二匹马的山上。 —

When he got up there and found them, each mare had her foal, and by the side of one of them was a big dapple-grey foal as well. —
当他到达并找到它们时，每匹母马都有幼驹，而其中有一匹旁边还有一匹大型青花驹。 —

which was so sleek that it shone again.
这匹驹非常健康，闪闪发亮。

‘Well, my little foal, you are a fine fellow!’ said the youth.
‘孩子，你是个好小马驹！’年轻人说道。

‘Yes, but if you will kill all the other little foals so that I can suck all the mares for a year, you shall see how big and handsome I shall be then!’ said the Foal.
‘是的，但是如果你杀了所有其他的小马驹，这样我就能吮吸所有的母马一整年，你就会看到我有多大、多帅了！’小马驹说道。

So the youth did this — he killed all the twelve foals, and then went back again.
于是年轻人做了 —— 他杀掉了所有的十二匹小马驹，然后再回来。

Next year, when he came home again to look after his mares and the foal, it was as fat as it could be, and its coat shone with brightness, and it was so big that the lad had the greatest difficulty in getting on its back, and each of the mares had another foal.
第二年，当他再次回家照顾他的母马和小马驹时，小马驹已经胖得不能再胖了，毛皮也闪闪发亮，它变得如此之大，以至于年轻人极难骑上它的背，而且每匹母马都生下了一匹小马驹。

‘Well, it’s very evident that I have lost nothing by letting you suck all my mares,’ said the lad to the yearling; —
‘看来让你吮吸我所有的母马，我并没有损失什么。’年轻人对一岁大的小马驹说道。 —

‘but now you are quite big enough, and must come away with me.’
‘但是现在你已经够大了，必须跟我走了。’

‘No,’ said the Colt, ‘I must stay here another year; —
‘不，’小马驹说道，‘我还得在这里多待一年； —

kill the twelve little foals, and then I can suck all the mares this year also, and you shall see how big and handsome I shall be by summer.’
杀掉那十二匹小马驹，然后今年我还可以吮吸所有的母马，你就会看到我夏天时有多大、多帅了。’

So the youth did it again, and when he went up on the hill next year to look after his colt and the mares, each of the mares had her foal again; —
所以年轻人又做了同样的事，当他在山上看着他的小马和母马时，每匹母马又生了一匹小马； —

but the dappled colt was so big that when the lad wanted to feel its neck to see how fat it was, he could not reach up to it, it was so high? —
但是这匹花斑小马长得如此之大，以至于当年轻人想摸一下它的脖子看看它有多胖时，他够不到，因为它太高了。 —

and it was so bright that the light glanced off its coat.
它的皮毛如此亮丽，阳光照射下来反射出耀眼的光芒。

‘Big and handsome you were last year, my colt, but this year you are ever so much handsomer,’ said the youth; —
‘去年你已经是个漂亮的小马了，但今年你更漂亮了，’年轻人说道； —

‘in all the King’s court no such horse is to be found. —
在国王的宫廷里找不到比你更好的马。 —

But now you shall come away with me.’
但是现在你必须跟我走。

‘No,’ said the dappled Colt once more; ‘here I must stay for another year. —
‘不，’花斑小马再次说道；‘我必须再呆一年。 —

Just kill the twelve little foals again, so that I can suck the mares this year also, and then come and look at me in the summer.’
再杀死那十二匹小马，这样我明年还可以吸食母马的奶，然后你再来看我夏天的时候。’

So the youth did it — he killed all the little foals, and then went home again.
于是年轻人这样做了-他杀死了所有的小马，然后再回家。

But next year, when he returned to look after the dappled colt and the mares, he was quite appalled. —
但是第二年当他回来看着花斑小马和母马时，他大吃一惊。 —

He had never imagined that any horse could become so big and overgrown, for the dappled horse had to lie down on all fours before the youth could get on his back, and it was very hard to do that even when it was lying down, and it was so plump that its coat shone and glistened just as if it had been a looking-glass. —
他从未想象过任何马匹会长得如此庞大，长得臃肿，这匹花斑马必须趴在四肢上才能让青年骑上它的背，即使在趴下的时候这也非常困难，而且它如此肥胖，毛皮闪烁着光芒，就像一面镜子一样。 —

This time the dappled horse was not unwilling to go away with the youth, so he mounted it, and when he came riding home to his brothers they all smote their hands together and crossed themselves, for never in their lives had they either seen or heard tell of such a horse as that.
这一次，这匹花斑马并不介意与青年一起离开，所以他骑上了它，当他骑回家时，他的兄弟们都拍手叫好，交叉着手，因为他们还从未见过或听说过这样的马。

‘If you will procure me the best shoes for my horse, and the most magnificent saddle and bridle that can be found,’ said the youth, ‘you may have all my twelve mares just as they are standing out on the hill, and their twelve foals into the bargain. —
‘如果你能为我的马弄到最好的马蹄铁，以及最华丽的鞍子和缰绳，’青年说道，‘那么你可以拥有我山上的所有十二匹母马，还有它们的十二匹小马。 —

’ For this year also each mare had her foal. The brothers were quite willing to do this; —
’因为今年每匹母马都生下了小马。兄弟们非常愿意这样做； —

so the lad got such shoes for his horse that the sticks and stones flew high up into the air as he rode away over the hills, and such a gold saddle and such a gold bridle that they could be seen glittering and glancing from afar.
那小伙子为他的马买了这样的鞋子，以至于当他骑着马飞越山丘时，树枝和石头都飞得很高，他还为他的马买了一把金马鞍和金马笼，远远就能看到它们闪闪发亮。

‘And now we will go to the King’s palace,’ said Dapplegrim — that was the horse’s name, ‘but bear in mind that you must ask the King for a good stable and excellent fodder for me.’
‘现在我们要去国王的宫殿了，’达普格林说-这是那匹马的名字，‘但要记住，你必须为我向国王要一个好的马厩和优质的饲料。’

So the lad promised not to forget to do that. —
那个小伙子答应不会忘记这一点。 —

He rode to the palace, and it will be easily understood that with such a horse as he had he was not long on the way.
他骑着马去了宫殿，可以很容易理解，像他这样的马，路途不会很长。

When he arrived there, the King was standing out on the steps, and how he did stare at the man who came riding up!
当他到达那里时，国王正站在台阶上，他对那个骑马而来的人怎么看都不够。

‘Nay,’ said he, ‘never in my whole life have I seen such a man and such a horse.’
‘不，’他说，‘我一辈子都没见过这样的人和这样的马。’

And when the youth inquired if he could have a place in the King’s palace, the King was so delighted that he could have danced on the steps where he was standing, and there and then the lad was told that he should have a place.
当这个年轻人询问是否能在国王宫中有个位置的时候，国王欣喜若狂，他恨不得在自己站立的台阶上跳舞，立刻告诉这个年轻人他可以有一个位置。

‘Yes; but I must have a good stable and most excellent fodder for my horse,’ said he.
“是的，但我必须有一个好的马厩和最优质的饲料来喂养我的马，”他说。

So they told him that he should have sweet hay and oats, and as much of them as the dappled horse chose to have, and all the other riders had to take their horses out of the stable that Dapplegrim might stand alone and really have plenty of room.
于是他们告诉他，他的马可以享受到香甜的干草和燕麦，只要斑马马想吃多少就给他多少，其他骑手都得把马带出马厩，让斑马独占足够的空间。

But this did not last long, for the other people in the King’s Court became envious of the lad, and there was no bad thing that they would not have done to him if they had but dared. —
但这种状况没有持续多久，因为国王的宫廷里的其他人开始嫉妒这个年轻人，他们对他不择手段，对他恶心之极。 —

At last they bethought themselves of telling the King that the youth had said that, if he chose, he was quite able to rescue the Princess who had been carried off into the mountain a long time ago by the Troll.
最后他们想到和国王说，这个年轻人说如果愿意，他完全有能力解救被巨魔很久以前劫持到山里的公主。

The King immediately summoned the lad into his presence, and said that he had been informed that he had said that it was in his power to rescue the Princess, so he was now to do it. —
国王立刻召见了这个小伙子，并且告诉他有人告诉他说，他说他能救出公主，所以现在他就要去做。 —

If he succeeded in this, he no doubt knew that the King had promised his daughter and half the kingdom to anyone who set her free, which promise should be faithfully and honourably kept, but if he failed he should be put to death. —
如果他成功了，毫无疑问他会知道国王已经答应将女儿和半个王国给任何救出她的人，这个承诺应该忠实而光荣地履行，但如果他失败了，他就会被处死。 —

The youth denied that he had said this, but all to no purpose, for the King was deaf to all his words; —
这个年轻人否认自己说过这个话，但无济于事，因为国王对他的话充耳不闻； —

so there was nothing to be done but say that he would make the attempt.
所以除了说他会尝试一下之外，别无他法。

He went down into the stable, and very sad and full of care he was. —
他走进了马棚，心情非常沮丧和忧虑。 —

Then Dapplegrim inquired why he was so troubled, and the youth told him, and said that he did not know what to do, ‘for as to setting the Princess free, that was downright impossible.’
然后，黑鬃马问他为什么这么烦恼，年轻人告诉了他，并说他不知道该怎么办，“因为解救公主简直是不可能的。”

‘Oh, but it might be done,’ said Dapplegrim. ‘I will help you; —
“哦，但这是可以做到的，”黑鬃马说。“我会帮助你； —

but you must first have me well shod. You must ask for ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of steel for the shoeing, and one smith to hammer and one to hold.’
但你必须先为我理好蹄子。你要准备十磅铁和十二磅钢来铸蹄铁，还要一个铁匠敲打，一个擎住。

So the youth did this, and no one said him nay. —
于是，年轻人按照要求办理了，没有人拒绝他。 —

He got both the iron and the steel, and the smiths, and thus was Dapplegrim shod strongly and well, and when the youth went out of the King’s palace a cloud of dust rose up behind him. —
他得到了铁和钢，还有铁匠，于是达普尔格林得到了坚固耐用的马蹄铁。当年轻人从国王宫殿出来时，身后升起了一片尘土。 —

But when he came to the mountain into which the Princess had been carried, the difficulty was to ascend the precipitous wall of rock by which he was to get on to the mountain beyond, for the rock stood right up on end, as steep as a house side and as smooth as a sheet of glass. —
但是当他来到被公主带走的那座山时，他面临的困难是攀登那峭立如墙的岩壁，以便到达山的另一侧。岩壁直立如屋旁，光滑如玻璃。 —

The first time the youth rode at it he got a little way up the precipice, but then both Dapplegrim’s fore legs slipped, and down came horse and rider with a sound like thunder among the mountains. —
年轻人第一次冲上去时，他爬上了一小段悬崖，但是达普尔格林的前腿滑了下来，马和骑手轰然倒下，犹如山间响起的雷声。 —

The next time that he rode at it he got a little farther up, but then one of Dapplegrim’s fore legs slipped, and down they went with the sound of a landslip. —
下一次他再次冲上去时，他离目标更近了一些，但是达普尔格里姆的前腿滑了一下，他们一起摔下来，发出了山崩般的声音。 —

But the third time Dapplegrim said: ‘Now we must show what we can do,’ and went at it once more till the stones sprang up sky high, and thus they got up. —
但第三次达普尔格里姆说：“现在我们必须展示我们的能力”，然后再次冲上去，石头腾空飞起，他们就这样上去了。 —

Then the lad rode into the mountain cleft at full gallop and caught up the Princess on his saddle-bow, and then out again before the Troll even had time to stand up, and thus the Princess was set free.
然后，小伙子全速驰骋进入山洞里，将公主拎起放在马鞍前面，然后迅速冲出来，让巨魔连站起来的时间都没有，这样公主就被解救了。

When the youth returned to the palace the King was both happy and delighted to get his daughter back again, as may easily be believed, but somehow or other the people about the Court had so worked on him that he was angry with the lad too. —
当年轻人将公主带回宫殿时，国王既高兴又高兴地重新获得自己的女儿，可以想象得出，但不知怎么回事，宫廷周围的人却这样影响了国王，以至于他也对小伙子生气。 —

‘Thou shalt have my thanks for setting my Princess free,’ he said, when the youth came into the palace with her, and was then about to go away.
“你解救了我的公主，我要谢谢你，”当这位年轻人带着公主进入宫殿时，国王说道，然后打算离开。

She ought to be just as much my Princess as she is yours now, for you are a man of your word,’ said the youth.
“她现在应该是我的公主，就像是你的一样，因为你是个守信用的男人。”年轻人说道。

‘Yes, yes,’ said the King. ‘Have her thou shalt, as I have said it; —
“是的，是的，”国王说。“就像我说的，你会得到她； —

but first of all thou must make the sun shine into my palace here.’
但首先你必须让阳光照进我的宫殿。”

For there was a large and high hill outside the windows which overshadowed the palace so much that the sun could not shine in.
外面的窗户旁有一个高高的大山，它遮挡了宫殿的阳光。

‘That was no part of our bargain,’ answered the youth. —
“这不是我们的约定的一部分。”年轻人回答道。 —

‘But as nothing that I can say will move you, I suppose I shall have to try to do my best, for the Princess I will have.’
“但无论我说什么也无法动摇你，我想我只能尽力而为，因为我要得到公主。”

So he went down to Dapplegrim again and told him what the King desired, and Dapplegrim thought that it might easily be done; —
于是他又回到了大苹果马那里，告诉他国王的要求，大苹果马觉得这很容易做到； —

but first of all he must have new shoes, and ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of steel must go to the making of them, and two smiths were also necessary, one to hammer and one to hold, and then it would be very easy to make the sun shine into the King’s palace.
但首先他需要新的马蹄铁，需要用掉十磅的铁和十二磅的钢材，还需要两个铁匠，一个敲打铁件，一个拿着，然后就能很容易地让阳光照进国王的宫殿。

The lad asked for these things and obtained them instantly, for the King thought that for very shame he could not refuse to give them, and so Dapplegrim got new shoes, and they were good ones. —
小伙子要求这些东西，立刻就得到了，因为国王觉得他很羞愧，不能拒绝给他这些，所以马悦灵得到了一双新鞋，而且是好鞋。 —

The youth seated himself on him, and once more they went their way, and for each hop that Dapplegrim made, down went the hill fifteen ells into the earth, and so they went on until there was no hill left for the King to see.
年轻人搭在马悦灵背上，他们再次出发了，每一次马悦灵跳跃，山就下沉十五丈进入地下，他们一直这样继续，直到国王看不见山为止。

When the youth came down again to the King’s palace he asked the King if the Princess should not at last be his, for now no one could say that the sun was not shining into the palace. —
当年轻人再次来到国王的宫殿时，他问国王是否应该把公主嫁给他，因为现在没有人能说阳光没有照进宫殿里了。 —

But the other people in the palace had again stirred up the King, and he answered that the youth should have her, and that he had never intended that he should not; —
但宫殿里的其他人再次煽动国王，他回答说年轻人应该拥有公主，并且他从来没有打算不给他的； —

but first of all he must get her quite as good a horse to ride to the wedding on as that which he had himself. —
但他首先必须给他一匹和他自己一样好的马，作为婚礼的坐骑。 —

The youth said that the King had never told him he was to do that, and it seemed to him that he had now really earned the Princess; —
青年说国王从未告诉过他要这样做，而他觉得自己现在真的赢得了公主； —

but the King stuck to what he had said, and if the youth were unable to do it he was to lose his life, the King said. —
但国王坚持他所说的，如果青年无法做到，他将失去生命，国王说； —

The youth went down to the stable again, and very sad and sorrowful he was, as anyone may well imagine. —
青年再次走进马厩，非常悲伤和悲痛，任何人都可以想象得到； —

Then he told Dapplegrim that the King had now required that he should get the Princess as good a bridal horse as that which the bridegroom had, or he should lose his life. —
然后他告诉Dapplegrim，国王现在要求他找到一匹和新郎一样好的婚礼马，否则他将失去生命； —

‘But that will be no easy thing to do,’ said he, ‘for your equal is not to be found in all the world,’
‘但这并不容易，’他说，‘因为在全世界中找不到你的对手。’

‘Oh yes, there is one to match me,’ said Dapplegrim. —
‘哦，有一个和我匹配的，’Dapplegrim说。 —

‘But it will not be easy to get him, for he is underground. However, we will try. —
‘但要找到他并不容易，因为他在地下。不过，我们会尝试。’ —

Now you must go up to the King and ask for new shoes for me, and for them we must again have ten pounds of iron, twelve pounds of steel, and two smiths, one to hammer and one to hold, but be very particular to see that the hooks are very sharp. —
现在你必须去找国王，为我要一双新鞋，为此我们需要十磅铁、十二磅钢和两个铁匠，一个敲打，一个拿着，但一定要确保钩子非常锋利。 —

And you must also ask for twelve barrels of rye, and twelve slaughtered oxen must we have with us, and all the twelve ox-hides with twelve hundred spikes set in each of them; —
你还必须要求十二桶黑麦，我们还必须有十二头宰杀的牛，以及每头牛皮上钉有十二百个钉子。 —

all these things must we have, likewise a barrel of tar with twelve tons of tar in it. —
我们必须有所有这些东西，同样还要有一个装有十二吨焦油的木桶。 —

The youth went to the King and asked for all the things that Dapplegrim had named, and once more, as the King thought that it would be disgraceful to refuse them to him, he obtained them all.
年轻人去见国王，要求了Dapplegrim所说的一切东西。国王认为如果拒绝给他这些东西会很丢脸，所以他得到了所有的东西。

So he mounted Dapplegrim and rode away from the Court, and when he had ridden for a long, long time over hills and moors, Dapplegrim asked: —
于是他骑着Dapplegrim离开了宫廷，长时间地在山丘和荒野上行驶。Dapplegrim问道： —

‘Do you hear anything?’
“你听到什么吗？”

‘Yes; there is such a dreadful whistling up above in the air that I think I am growing alarmed,’ said the youth.
“听到上方空中有一阵可怕的呼啸声，我开始感到害怕。”年轻人说道。

‘That is all the wild birds in the forest flying about; —
‘那是森林中所有的野鸟飞翔;’ —

they are sent to stop us,’ said Dapplegrim. —
‘它们被派来阻止我们，’达普尔格里姆说道。 —

‘But just cut a hole in the corn sacks, and then they will be so busy with the corn that they will forget us.’
‘但是只要在谷袋上剪个洞，它们就会为了谷物而忙碌，然后忘记我们。’

The youth did it. He cut holes in the corn sacks so that barley and rye ran out on every side, and all the wild birds that were in the forest came in such numbers that they darkened the sun. —
年轻人照做了。他在谷袋上剪了洞，以至于大麦和黑麦从各个边缘流出来，森林里所有的野鸟都聚集在一起，密密麻麻地遮住了太阳。 —

But when they caught sight of the corn they could not refrain from it, but flew down and began to scratch and pick at the corn and rye, and at last they began to fight among themselves, and forgot all about the youth and Dapplegrim, and did them no harm.
但当它们发现谷物时，无法克制自己，飞下来开始啄食大麦和黑麦，最后它们开始互相争斗，忘记了年轻人和达普尔格里姆，对他们没有任何伤害。

And now the youth rode onwards for a long, long time, over hill and dale, over rocky places and morasses, and then Dapplegrim began to listen again, and asked the youth if he heard anything now.
此时年轻人继续骑行很长一段时间，穿过山丘、峡谷、岩石和沼泽地，然后达普尔格里姆又开始聆听，询问年轻人是否现在听到了什么。

‘Yes; now I hear such a dreadful crackling and crashing in the forest on every side that I think I shall be really afraid,’ said the youth.
‘是的；现在我听到从四面八方的森林中传来了可怕的咔嗒声和崩溃声，我真的开始害怕了，’年轻人说。

‘That is all the wild beasts in the forest,’ said Dapplegrim; ‘they are sent out to stop us. —
‘那是森林里的所有野兽，’达普尔格里姆说，‘它们被派出来阻止我们。 —

But just throw out the twelve carcasses of the oxen, and they will be so much occupied with them that they will quite forget us. —
但是只要扔出这十二条牛的尸体，它们就会忙于争夺食物，而完全忘记我们。 —

’ So the youth threw out the carcasses of the oxen, and then all the wild beasts in the forest, both bears and wolves, and lions, and grim beasts of all kinds, came. —
’于是年轻人扔出了牛的尸体，然后森林里所有的野兽，包括熊、狼、狮子和各种可怕的野兽，都过来了。 —

But when they caught sight of the carcasses of the oxen they began to fight for them till the blood flowed, and they entirely forgot Dapplegrim and the youth.
但是当它们看到牛的尸体时，它们开始争夺食物，直到血流成河，它们完全忘记了达普尔格里姆和年轻人。

So the youth rode onwards again, and many and many were the new scenes they saw, for travelling on Dapplegrim’s back was not travelling slowly, as may be imagined, and then Dapplegrim neighed.
于是年轻人再次骑上达普尔格里姆继续前进，他们看到了许多新的景象，因为骑在达普尔格里姆背上并不是慢慢前行的，可以想象，然后达普尔格里姆嘶鸣起来。

‘Do you hear anything? he said.
‘你听到了什么？’他说。

‘Yes; I heard something like a foal neighing quite plainly a long, long way off,’ answered the youth.
‘是的，我听到好像是小马嘶鸣的声音，离我们很远，’年轻人回答说。

‘That’s a full-grown colt,’ said Dapplegrim, ‘if you hear it so plainly when it is so far away from us.’
‘那是一匹马驹已经成长了，’Dapplegrim说道，‘如果你在它离我们这么远的地方能如此清晰地听到它。’

So they travelled onwards a long time, and saw one new scene after another once more. —
于是他们又长时间地继续旅行，又看到了一个又一个新的景象。 —

Then Dapplegrim neighed again.
然后Dapplegrim再次嘶鸣了。

‘Do you hear anything now?’ said he.
‘你现在听到什么了吗？’他问道。

‘Yes; now I heard it quite distinctly, and it neighed like a full-grown horse,’ answered the youth.
‘是的，现在我听得非常清楚，它嘶鸣的声音像一匹成年马，’年轻人回答道。

‘Yes, and you will hear it again very soon,’ said Dapplegrim; —
‘是的，你很快就会再次听到它，’Dapplegrim说道； —

‘and then you will hear what a voice it has. —
‘然后你会听到它真正的声音。 —

’ So they travelled on through many more different kinds of country, and then Dapplegrim neighed for the third time; —
’于是他们继续穿越更多不同的地方，然后Dapplegrim第三次嘶鸣； —

but before he could ask the youth if he heard anything, there was such a neighing on the other side of the heath that the youth thought that hills and rocks would be rent in pieces.
但在他问年轻人是否听到了什么之前，荒原的另一边传来了如此强烈的嘶鸣声，以至于年轻人觉得山和岩石都将被撕裂开来。

‘Now he is here!’ said Dapplegrim. ‘Be quick, and fling over me the ox-hides that have the spikes in them, throw the twelve tons of tar over the field, and climb up into that great spruce fir tree. —
“现在他来了！”Dapplegrim说。“快点，把插有尖钉的牛皮披在我身上，把十二吨的焦油撒在田地上，然后爬上那棵大云杉树。 —

When he comes, fire will spurt out of both his nostrils, and then the tar will catch fire. —
当他来的时候，火焰会从他的鼻孔中喷出，然后焦油会着火。 —

Now mark what I say — if the flame ascends I conquer, and if it sinks I fail; —
现在记住我说的，如果火焰上升，我就胜利了，如果下降，我就失败了； —

but if you see that I am winning, fling the bridle, which you must take off me, over his head, and then he will become quite gentle.’
但是如果你看到我正在赢，就把你必须从我身上卸下的马勒扔在他的头上，他就会变得很温顺。”

Just as the youth had flung all the hides with the spikes over Dapplegrim, and the tar over the field, and had got safely up into the spruce fir, a horse came with flame spouting from his nostrils, and the tar caught fire in a moment; —
就在年轻人把所有带有尖钉的牛皮披在Dapplegrim身上，把焦油撒在田地上，安全地爬上云杉树时，一匹马带着鼻子里冒出火焰走了过来，焦油一下子着火了； —

and Dapplegrim and the horse began to fight until the stones leapt up to the sky. —
Dapplegrim和那匹马开始打斗，直到石头跳得离天空很近。 —

They bit, and they fought with their fore legs and their hind legs, and sometimes the youth looked at them. —
他们彼此咬来咬去，用前腿和后腿互相搏斗，有时年轻人看着他们。 —

and sometimes he looked at the tar, but at last the flames began to rise, for wheresoever the strange horse bit or wheresoever he kicked he hit upon the spikes in the hides, and at length he had to yield. —
有时他看着沥青, 但最后火焰开始上升，因为那奇怪的马咬到哪儿，踢到哪儿，就碰到皮革上的尖刺，最后他不得不屈服。 —

When the youth saw that, he was not long in getting down from the tree and flinging the bridle over the horse’s head, and then he became so tame that he might have been led by a thin string.
当小伙子看到这一幕, 他很快就从树上下来，把缰绳放在马头上，然后他变得如此温顺，以至于可以用细绳牵着它走。

This horse was dappled too, and so like Dapplegrim that no one could distinguish the one from the other. —
这匹马也长着斑斓的皮毛，和“Dapplegrim”一模一样，没人能分辩出它们两个。 —

The youth seated himself on the dappled horse which he had captured, and rode home again to the King’s palace, and Dapplegrim ran loose by his side. —
小伙子骑上了抓到的斑斓马，又带着“Dapplegrim”回到了国王的宫殿。 —

When he got there, the King was standing outside in the courtyard.
当他到那儿时，国王正站在院子里。

‘Can you tell me which is the horse I have caught, and which is the one I had before? —
“你能告诉我哪一匹是我抓到的马，哪一匹是我原先拥有的吗？”小伙子问道，“如果你分不清楚，我觉得你的女儿就归我了。” —

’ said the youth. ‘If you can’t, I think your daughter is mine.’
国王走过去，看了看两匹斑斓马。

The King went and looked at both the dappled horses; —
他的心一阵惊慌，“我真的分不清它们。”他说道。 —

he looked high and he looked low, he looked before and he looked behind, but there was not a hair’s difference between the two.
他四处张望高低，他前后寻找，但两者之间没有丝毫差别。

‘No,’ said the King; ‘that I cannot tell thee, and as thou hast procured such a splendid bridal horse for my daughter thou shalt have her; —
‘不，’国王说，‘我不能告诉你，既然你为我的女儿找到了一匹如此华丽的马，你可以娶她； —

but first we must have one more trial, just to see if thou art fated to have her. —
但是我们必须再进行一次考验，看看你是否命中注定得到她。 —

She shall hide herself twice, and then thou shalt hide thyself twice. —
她将会两次隐藏自己，然后你也要两次隐藏自己。 —

If thou canst find her each time that she hides herself, and if she cannot find thee in thy hiding-places, then it is fated, and thou shalt have the Princess.’
如果你能找到她每次隐藏自己的地方，而她却找不到你的藏身之处，那么这就是命中注定的，你将会得到公主。

‘That, too, was not in our bargain,’ said the youth. —
‘这也不在我们的交易中，’年轻人说。 —

‘But we will make this trial since it must be so.’
‘但既然情况如此，我们将进行这个试验。’

So the King’s daughter was to hide herself first.
于是国王的女儿先要隐藏起来。

Then she changed herself into a duck, and lay swimming in a lake that was just outside the palace. —
然后她变成了一只鸭子，在宫殿外的湖中游泳。 —

But the youth went down into the stable and asked Dapplegrim what she had done with herself.
但是年轻人进入了马棚，问Dapplegrim她去哪了。

‘Oh, all that you have to do is to take your gun, and go down to the water and aim at the duck which is swimming about there, and she will soon discover herself,’ said Dapplegrim.
“哦，你所要做的就是拿起你的枪，走到水边，对准那只在那里游泳的鸭子，她很快就会现身，”达普尔格林说道。

The youth snatched up his gun and ran to the lake. —
青年抓起枪跑向湖边。 —

‘I will just have a shot at that duck,’ said he, and began to aim at it.
“我只是想朝那只鸭子开一枪，”他说着，开始瞄准。

‘Oh, no, dear friend, don’t shoot! It is I,’ said the Princess. So he had found her once.
“哦，不，亲爱的朋友，不要射击！是我，”公主说道。这样他又找到她了。

The second time the Princess changed herself into a loaf, and laid herself on the table among four other loaves; —
第二次，公主变成了一块面包，躺在桌子上，与其他四个面包一模一样； —

and she was so like the other loaves that no one could see any difference between them.
她跟其他的面包一模一样，没有任何人能够看出区别。

But the youth again went down to the stable to Dapplegrim, and told him that the Princess had hidden herself again, and that he had not the least idea what had become of her.
但是，青年又一次下去找达普尔格林，告诉他公主再次藏起来了，他完全不知道她去了哪里。

‘Oh, just take a very large bread-knife, sharpen it, and pretend that you are going to cut straight through the third of the four loaves which are lying on the kitchen table in the King’s palace — count them from right to left — and you will soon find her,’ said Dapplegrim.
‘哦，拿一把很大的面包刀，把它磨尖，假装你要从国王宫里的厨房桌上の第三个面包剁开——从右到左数——你很快就会找到她，’达普尔格里姆说。

So the youth went up to the kitchen, and began to sharpen the largest bread-knife that he could find; then he caught hold of the third loaf on the left-hand side, and put the knife to it as if he meant to cut it straight in two. —
于是年轻人走到厨房，找到了最大的面包刀开始磨；然后他拿住左手边的第三个面包，把刀子放在上面，好像要把它直接切开。 —

‘I will have a bit of this bread for myself,’ said he.
‘我要自己吃一点这个面包，’他说。

‘No, dear friend, don’t cut, it is I! —
‘不，亲爱的朋友，别切，是我!’公主又说道；这次他找到了她。 —

’ said the Princess again; so he had found her the second time.
现在轮到他去躲藏了；

And now it was his turn to go and hide himself; —
但是达普尔格林给了他这么好的指示，找到他并不容易。 —

but Dapplegrim had given him such good instructions that it was not easy to find him. —
首先，他把自己变成一只马蝇，并藏在达普尔格林的左鼻孔里。 —

First he turned himself into a horse-fly, and hid himself in Dapplegrim’s left nostril. —
然后，他又变成了马驹，藏在了达普尔格林的右尾巴底下，从那里伸出一只马蹄，踢到了公爵的骑手的鞍桥上，所以他想知道是谁把马蹄当成了武器，因此才能找到他。 —

The Princess went poking about and searching everywhere, high and low, and wanted to go into Dapplegrim’s stall too, but he began to bite and kick about so that she was afraid to go there, and could not find the youth. —
公主四处搜索，高低寻觅，也想进入达普尔格林的马厩，但它开始咬人和乱踢，让她害怕进去，找不到这位年轻人。 —

‘Well,’ said she, ‘as I am unable to find you, you must show yourself; —
“好吧”，她说，“既然我找不到你，那你就得显现出来； —

‘whereupon the youth immediately appeared standing there on the stable floor.
于是，年轻人立刻出现在马厩的地板上。

Dapplegrim told him what he was to do the second time, and he turned himself into a lump of earth, and stuck himself between the hoof and the shoe on Dapplegrim’s left fore foot. —
达普尔格林告诉他第二次要做的事情，他变成了一块土，卡在达普尔格林左前脚的蹄铁和蹄子之间。 —

Once more the King’s daughter went and sought everywhere, inside and outside, until at last she came into the stable, and wanted to go into the stall beside Dapplegrim. —
国王的女儿再次四处寻找，里里外外地搜索，最后来到马厩，想进入达普尔格林旁边的马厩。 —

So this time he allowed her to go into it, and she peered about high and low, but she could not look under his hoofs, for he stood much too firmly on his legs for that, and she could not find the youth.
这一次，它允许她进去，她四处寻找，但她无法看到蹄子底下，因为它牢牢地站在蹄子上，她找不到这位年轻人。

‘Well, you will just have to show where you are yourself, for I can’t find you,’ said the Princess, and in an instant the youth was standing by her side on the floor of the stable.
“好吧，你只能自己告诉我你在哪里，因为我找不到你。”公主说道，转眼间，年轻人就站在了她身边，站在了马厩的地板上。

‘Now you are mine!’ said he to the Princess.
“现在你是我的了！”他对公主说道。

‘Now you can see that it is fated that she should be mine,’ he said to the King.
“现在你可以看到她注定是我的了，”他对国王说道。

‘Yes, fated it is,’ said the King. ‘So what must be, must.’
“是的，注定如此。”国王说道，“所以，必然如此。”

Then everything was made ready for the wedding with great splendour and promptitude, and the youth rode to church on Dapplegrim, and the King’s daughter on the other horse. —
然后一切准备妥当，婚礼豪华而迅速地进行，年轻人骑着达普格林去教堂，国王的女儿则骑着另一匹马。 —

So everyone must see that they could not be long on their way thither.
这样每个人都能看到他们的路程不会太长。