THERE was once a man who had three sons. The youngest of them was called Dullhead, and was sneered and jeered at and snubbed on every possible opportunity.
从前有个人，有三个儿子。他们中最小的叫木头脑袋，每次都受到嘲笑和冷落。

One day it happened that the eldest son wished to go into the forest to cut wood, and before he started his mother gave him a fine rich cake and a bottle of wine, so that he might be sure not to suffer from hunger or thirst.
有一天，大儿子想去森林里砍柴，在出门前，他的母亲给他一个美味的蛋糕和一瓶酒，这样他就不会饥饿或口渴。

When he reached the forest he met a little old grey man who wished him ‘Good-morning,’ and said: —
当他到达森林时，遇到了一个古怪的老灰衣人，向他问好并说： —

‘Do give me a piece of that cake you have got in your pocket, and let me have a draught of your wine — I am so hungry and thirsty.’
“请给我一块你口袋里的蛋糕，还有一口你的酒——我饿了，渴了。”

But this clever son replied: ‘If I give you my cake and wine I shall have none left for myself; —
但是这个聪明的儿子回答道：“如果我把蛋糕和酒都给你，我自己就没有了； —

you just go your own way;’ and he left the little man standing there and went further on into the forest. —
你自己走吧。”然后他离开了那个老人，继续朝森林深处走去。 —

There he began to cut down a tree, but before long he made a false stroke with his axe, and cut his own arm so badly that he was obliged to go home and have it bound up.
他开始砍树，但没过多久他就误砍了一刀，割伤了自己的手臂，伤得很严重，只好回家包扎。

Then the second son went to the forest, and his mother gave him a good cake and a bottle of wine as she had to his elder brother. —
然后第二个儿子去了森林，他的母亲给了他一个好蛋糕和一瓶酒，就像给他哥哥一样。 —

He too met the little old grey man, who begged him for a morsel of cake and a draught of wine.
他也遇到了那个小老灰人，他乞求他给他一点蛋糕和一口酒。

But the second son spoke most sensibly too, and said: ‘Whatever I give to you I deprive myself of. —
但第二个儿子也说得很明智，他说：“我给你什么，就是剥夺了自己的东西。 —

Just go your own way, will you?’ Not long after his punishment overtook him, for no sooner had he struck a couple of blows on a tree with his axe, than he cut his leg so badly that he had to be carried home.
你还是自己走你的路吧。”不久后，报应找到了他，因为他刚用斧头砍了几刀树木，就把自己的腿割伤了，伤得很严重，必须被人扶回家。

So then Dullhead said: ‘Father, let me go out and cut wood.’
于是呆头儿说：“爸爸，让我出去砍柴吧。”

But his father answered: ‘Both your brothers have injured themselves. —
但他父亲回答说：“你两个哥哥都弄伤了自己。 —

You had better leave it alone; you know nothing about it.’
你最好还是别去了；你根本不懂。”

But Dullhead begged so hard to be allowed to go that at last his father said: —
—

‘Very well, then — go. Perhaps when you have hurt yourself, you may learn to know better. —
‘好吧，去吧。也许等你弄伤自己后，你就会明白更好了。 —

’ His mother only gave him a very plain cake made with water and baked in the cinders, and a bottle of sour beer.
他的母亲只给了他一块用水做的普通蛋糕，在炉渣里烘烤的，并且还有一瓶酸啤酒。

When he got to the forest, he too met the little grey old man, who greeted him and said: —
当他到达森林时，他也遇到了那个小灰老人，他向他打招呼并说: —

‘Give me a piece of your cake and a draught from your bottle; —
‘给我一块蛋糕和一口酒； —

I am so hungry and thirsty.’
我又饿又渴。

And Dullhead replied: ‘I’ve only got a cinder-cake and some sour beer, but if you care to have that, let us sit down and eat.’
笨蛋回答说:‘我只有一块炉渣蛋糕和一些酸啤酒，但如果你愿意的话，我们可以坐下来吃。

So they sat down, and when Dullhead brought out his cake he found it had turned into a fine rich cake, and the sour beer into excellent wine. —
于是他们坐下来，当笨蛋拿出他的蛋糕时，他发现它变成了一块美味的蛋糕，而酸啤酒变成了上等的葡萄酒。 —

Then they ate and drank, and when they had finished the little man said: —
然后他们吃喝起来，等他们吃完后，小人说: —

‘Now I will bring you luck, because you have a kind heart and are willing to share what you have with others. —
‘现在我会给你带来好运，因为你有一颗善良的心，愿意与他人分享你所拥有的。 —

There stands an old tree; cut it down, and amongst its roots you’ll find something. —
那里有一棵老树；砍倒它，在它的根部你会找到一些东西。 —

’ With that the little man took leave.
说完这句话，小人告别了。

Then Dullhead fell to at once to hew down the tree, and when it fell he found amongst its roots a goose, whose feathers were all of pure gold. —
接着，愚蠢的头脑立刻开始砍倒了那棵树，当它倒下时，他在树根中找到了一只全部由纯金制成的鹅。 —

He lifted it out, carried it off, and took it with him to an inn where he meant to spend the night.
他将它拿起来，带着它去了一个打算过夜的旅馆。

Now the landlord of the inn had three daughters, and when they saw the goose they were filled with curiosity as to what this wonderful bird could be, and each longed to have one of its golden feathers.
旅馆的老板有三个女儿，当她们看到这只鹅时，对这只奇妙的鸟的身份产生了好奇，每个人都渴望拥有它的一根金羽毛。

The eldest thought to herself: ‘No doubt I shall soon find a good opportunity to pluck out one of its feathers,’ and the first time Dullhead happened to leave the room she caught hold of the goose by its wing. —
大女儿心想：“毫无疑问，很快我会找到一个好机会拔下它的一根羽毛。”第一次愚蠢的头脑离开房间时，她抓住鹅的翅膀。 —

But, lo and behold! her fingers seemed to stick fast to the goose, and she could not take her hand away.
然而，天哪！她的手指似乎粘住了鹅，她无法把手拿开。

Soon after the second daughter came in, and thought to pluck a golden feather for herself too; —
接着，二女儿进来了，也想为自己拔下一根金羽毛； —

but hardly had she touched her sister than she stuck fast as well. —
但她刚刚触碰到姐姐，就也粘住了。 —

At last the third sister came with the same intentions, but the other two cried out: —
最后第三个姐妹也带着同样的意图来了，但其他两个大喊道： —

‘Keep off! for Heaven’s sake, keep off!’
‘快住手！天啊，住手！’

The younger sister could not imagine why she was to keep off, and thought to herself: —
年幼的姐妹无法想象为什么她要住手，心里暗想着： —

‘If they are both there, why should not I be there too?’
‘既然她们都在那里，为什么我不能去呢？’

So she sprang to them; but no sooner had she touched one of them than she stuck fast to her. —
于是她向她们扑去；可她一碰到其中一个，就黏在那儿不能动弹。 —

So they all three had to spend the night with the goose.
于是她们三个都不得不和那只鹅一起过夜。

Next morning Dullhead tucked the goose under his arm and went off, without in the least troubling himself about the three girls who were hanging on to it. —
第二天早上，迟钝的小聪明把鹅塞在臂下，一点也不理会黏在鹅上的三个姑娘。 —

They just had to run after him right or left as best they could. —
她们只能尽量左右蹦跳跟在他后面。 —

In the middle of a field they met the parson, and when he saw this procession he cried: —
他们在一个田野上碰到了神父，当他看到这一行人时，他喊道： —

‘For shame, you bold girls! What do you mean by running after a young fellow through the fields like that? —
‘丢脸！你们这些大胆的姑娘！你们跟在年轻人后面穿过田野又是何苦？ —

Do you call that proper behaviour?’ And with that he caught the youngest girl by the hand to try and draw her away. —
你们认为这是合适的行为吗？’说完，他抓住最小的姑娘的手，想要把她拉开。 —

But directly he touched her he hung on himself, and had to run along with the rest of them.
但是一碰到她，他就绊倒了，只能跟着其他人一起跑。

Not long after the clerk came that way, and was much surprised to see the parson following the footsteps of three girls. —
不久之后，小店员路过，很吃惊地看到牧师跟着三个女孩的脚步。 —

‘Why, where is your reverence going so fast?’ cried he; —
‘噢，你这位大人要这么快去哪儿？’他喊道； —

‘don’t forget there is to be a christening to-day; —
‘别忘了今天要举行一个洗礼； —

’ and he ran after him, caught him by the sleeve, and hung on to it himself: —
’他追着他跑去，抓住他的袖子，自己也卡在上面： —

As the five of them trotted along in this fashion one after the other, two peasants were coming from their work with their hoes. —
当他们五个人像这样一只接着一只小跑的时候，两个农民拿着锄头从工地上过来。 —

On seeing them the parson called out and begged them to come and rescue him and the clerk. —
看到他们，牧师大喊着，请求他们来救他和小店员。 —

But no sooner did they touch the clerk than they stuck on too, and so there were seven of them running after Dullhead and his goose.
但是他们碰到小店员后马上也被粘住了，这样就有七个人追着呆头和他的鹅跑。

After a time they all came to a town where a King reigned whose daughter was so serious and solemn that no one could ever manage to make her laugh. —
过了一会儿，他们来到一个国王统治的城镇，国王有一个女儿，非常严肃庄重，没人能逗她笑。 —

So the King had decreed that whoever should succeed in making her laugh should marry her.
因此国王宣布，谁能让她笑起来就可以娶她为妻。

When Dullhead heard this he marched before the Princess with his goose and its appendages, and as soon as she saw these seven people continually running after each other she burst out laughing, and could not stop herself. —
当傻人听说这个消息后，他带着他的鹅和它的附件走到公主面前。当她看到这七个人不停地互相追赶时，她笑了起来，停不下来。 —

Then Dullhead claimed her as his bride, but the King, who did not much fancy him as a son-in-law, made all sorts of objections, and told him he must first find a man who could drink up a whole cellarful of wine.
然后，傻人声称她是他的新娘，但国王并不喜欢他作为儿婿，他提出了各种反对意见，并告诉他他必须先找到一个能够喝下整个酒窖的人。

Dullhead bethought him of the little grey man, who could, he felt sure, help him; —
傻人想起了那个小灰人，他认为他一定能帮助他。 —

so he went off to the forest, and on the very spot where he had cut down the tree he saw a man sitting with a most dismal expression of face.
于是他去了森林，在他砍倒树的地方，他看见一个人坐在那里，面露沮丧之色。

Dullhead asked him what he was taking so much to heart, and the man answered: —
傻人问他为什么如此苦恼，那个人回答道： —

‘I don’t know how I am ever to quench this terrible thirst I am suffering from. —
“我不知道该怎么解渴我所遭受的可怕口渴。” —

Cold water doesn’t suit me at all. To be sure I’ve emptied a whole barrel of wine, but what is one drop on a hot stone?’
冷水对我来说一点都不适合。确信过我已经倒空了一整桶葡萄酒，可是在热石头上滴一滴又有何妨呢？

‘I think I can help you,’ said Dullhead. —
“我想我可以帮助你，”傻瓜说道。 —

‘Come with me, and you shall drink to your heart’s content. —
“跟我来，你将尽情畅饮。” —

’ So he took him to the King’s cellar, and the man sat down before the huge casks and drank and drank till he drank up the whole contents of the cellar before the day closed.
于是他带他去了国王的酒窖，那个人坐在巨大的木桶前，喝了一直喝，直到天黑前把整个酒窖里的酒都喝光了。

Then Dullhead asked once more for his bride, but the King felt vexed at the idea of a stupid fellow whom people called ‘Dullhead’ carrying off his daughter, and he began to make fresh conditions. —
傻瓜又一次要求娶他的新娘，但国王对一个被人称为”傻瓜”的愚蠢家伙娶走他的女儿感到生气，他开始提出新的条件。 —

He required Dullhead to find a man who could eat a mountain of bread. —
他要求傻瓜找一个能吃下一山的面包的人。 —

Dullhead did not wait to consider long but went straight off to the forest, and there on the same spot sat a man who was drawing in a strap as tight as he could round his body, and making a most woeful face the while. —
傻瓜没有等待太久，径直去了森林，在同一个地方，有个男人正在用力将带子勒紧在身上，同时露出非常悲伤的表情。 —

Said he: ‘I’ve eaten up a whole oven full of loaves, but what’s the good of that to anyone who is as hungry as I am? —
他说：“我吃了一整个炉子的面包，但对于像我这样饥肠辘辘的人来说，这对任何人有什么好处呢？ —

I declare my stomach feels quite empty, and I must draw my belt tight if I’m not to die of starvation.’
我声明我胃感觉空空的，如果我不想挨饿而死，我必须把腰带扎紧。”

Dullhead was delighted, and said: ‘Get up and come with me, and you shall have plenty to eat,’ and he brought him to the King’s Court.
笨蛋非常高兴地说：“起来跟我走吧，你将会有东西吃，”他把他带到了国王的宫廷。

Now the King had given orders to have all the flour in his kingdom brought together, and to have a huge mountain baked of it. —
此时国王已经下令将他王国里的所有面粉都聚集在一起，并烤成一个巨大的山。 —

But the man from the wood just took up his stand before the mountain and began to eat, and in one day it had all vanished.
但是那个来自树林的人站在山前开始吃，一天之内整座山都消失了。

For the third time Dullhead asked for his bride, but again the King tried to make some evasion, and demanded a ship ‘which could sail on land or water! —
第三次笨蛋要求娶他的新娘，但国王再次设法推脱，并要求一艘“既能在陆地上行驶又能在水上航行的船！ —

When you come sailing in such a ship,’ said he, ‘you shall have my daughter without further delay.’
当你乘坐这样的船航行时，”他说，“你将立刻得到我的女儿。”

Again Dullhead started off to the forest, and there he found the little old grey man with whom he had shared his cake, and who said: —
愚蠢的家伙又一次出发去了森林，在那里他找到了与他分享蛋糕的那个小老灰人，他说道： —

‘I have eaten and I have drunk for you, and now I will give you the ship. —
‘我替你吃了喝了，现在我会给你一艘船。 —

I have done all this for you because you were kind and merciful to me.’
我之所以为你做所有这些，是因为你对我善良和仁慈。

Then he gave Dullhead a ship which could sail on land or water, and when the King saw it he felt he could no longer refuse him his daughter.
然后他给了愚蠢的家伙一艘可以在陆地和水上航行的船，当国王看到它时，他觉得再也不能拒绝他的女儿了。

So they celebrated the wedding with great rejoicings; —
所以他们用盛大的庆祝活动庆祝了婚礼； —

and after the King’s death Dullhead succeeded to the kingdom, and lived happily with his wife for many years after.[30]
在国王去世后，愚蠢的家伙继承了王国，并与他的妻子幸福地生活了许多年。

[30] Grimm.
[30]格林兄弟。