ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had two beautiful sons and one little daughter, who was so pretty that no one who saw her could help loving her. —
从前有一对国王和王后，他们拥有两个英俊的儿子和一个可爱到让人无法抗拒爱她的小女儿。 —

When it was time for the christening of the Princess, the Queen — as she always did — sent for all the fairies to be present at the ceremony, and afterwards invited them to a splendid banquet.
当公主要受洗礼的时候，王后像往常一样，请所有的仙女们参加仪式，并在之后邀请她们参加盛大的宴会。

When it was over, and they were preparing to go away, the Queen said to them:
宴会结束时，准备离开的时候，王后对她们说：

‘Do not forget your usual good custom. Tell me what is going to happen to Rosette.’
“不要忘了你们通常的好习惯。告诉我罗赛特将来会发生什么。”

For that was the name they had given the Princess.
因为罗赛特就是公主的名字。

But the fairies said they had left their book of magic at home, and they would come another day and tell her.
但仙女们说她们把魔法书忘在家里了，她们会另外的日子再来告诉王后。

‘Ah!’ said the Queen, ‘I know very well what that means — you have nothing good to say; —
“啊！”王后说，“我很清楚那是什么意思—你们没有什么好话要说； —

but at least I beg that you will not hide anything from me.’
但至少我请求你们不要对我隐瞒任何事。”

So, after a great deal of persuasion, they said:
所以，在一番劝说之后，她们说：

‘Madam, we fear that Rosette may be the cause of great misfortunes to her brothers; —
“夫人，我们担心罗赛特可能会给她的兄弟们带来巨大的不幸； —

they may even meet with their death through her; —
她们甚至可能因为她而丧命； —

that is all we have been able to foresee about your dear little daughter. —
这是我们对你亲爱的小女儿所能预知的全部。 —

We are very sorry to have nothing better to tell you.’
我们非常抱歉没有更好的消息告诉您。’

Then they went away, leaving the Queen very sad, so sad that the King noticed it, and asked her what was the matter.
然后她们离开了，让女王非常伤心，伤心得王子都注意到了，并问她怎么了。

The Queen said that she had been sitting too near the fire, and had burnt all the flax that was upon her distaff.
女王说她坐得离火太近，把她的纺锤上的全部麻袋都烧掉了。

‘Oh! is that all?’ said the King, and he went up into the garret and brought her down more flax than she could spin in a hundred years. —
‘哦！那就是了吗？’国王说，并走上阁楼给她带下了她一百年都纺不完的麻袋。 —

But the Queen still looked sad, and the King asked her again what was the matter. —
可女王仍然看起来很伤心，国王再次问她怎么了。 —

She answered that she had been walking by the river and had dropped one of her green satin slippers into the water.
她回答说她在河边散步时把她的一只绿缎绸花朵鞋子掉进水里了。

‘Oh! if that’s all,’ said the King, and he sent to all the shoe-makers in his kingdom, and they very soon made the Queen ten thousand green satin slippers, but still she looked sad. —
‘哦！如果只是这个，’国王说，他派了人去王国的所有鞋匠那里，他们很快就给女王做了一万双绿色缎绸花朵鞋子，但她仍然看起来很伤心。 —

So the King asked her again what was the matter, and this time she answered that in eating her porridge too hastily she had swallowed her wedding-ring. —
国王再次问她有什么事，这次她回答说她在匆忙吃粥的时候吞下了自己的结婚戒指。 —

But it so happened that the King knew better, for he had the ring himself, and he said:
然而国王知道真相，因为他自己就有那个戒指，他说道：

‘Oh I you are not telling me the truth, for I have your ring here in my purse.’
‘哦，你不是在告诉我真相，因为我这里有你的戒指放在钱包里。’

Then the Queen was very much ashamed, and she saw that the King was vexed with her; —
那时，王后非常惭愧，她看到国王对她感到烦恼； —

so she told him all that the fairies had predicted about Rosette, and begged him to think how the misfortunes might be prevented.
所以她告诉他所有仙女们关于罗塞特的预言，并请求他想想如何阻止这些不幸。

Then it was the King’s turn to look sad, and at last he said:
然后国王沮丧起来，最后他说道：

‘I see no way of saving our sons except by having Rosette’s head cut off while she is still little.’
‘我看只有在罗塞特还小的时候砍掉她的头才能救我们的儿子们。’

But the Queen cried that she would far rather have her own head cut off, and that he had better think of something else, for she would never consent to such a thing. —
但是王后大声疾呼她宁愿自己的头被砍掉，他最好想出其他办法，因为她绝不同意这种事情。 —

So they thought and thought, but they could not tell what to do, until at last the Queen heard that in a great forest near the castle there was an old hermit, who lived in a hollow tree, and that people came from far and near to consult him; so she said:
他们思考了很久，但是他们无法决定该怎么办，直到女王听说在城堡附近的一片大森林中，有一个住在空心树里的老隐士，人们从远近的地方都来向他求助。所以她说：

‘I had better go and ask his advice; perhaps he will know what to do to prevent the misfortunes which the fairies foretold.’
“我最好去请教他的意见，也许他会知道如何预防那些仙女预言中的不幸。”

She set out very early the next morning, mounted upon a pretty little white mule, which was shod with solid gold, and two of her ladies rode behind her on beautiful horses. —
第二天早上，她骑着一匹漂亮的小白骡子出发了，这匹骡子的蹄子是由纯金打造的，她的两位女伴骑在美丽的马背上跟在她后面。 —

When they reached the forest they dismounted, for the trees grew so thickly that the horses could not pass, and made their way on foot to the hollow tree where the hermit lived. —
当他们到达森林时，她们下了马，因为树木长得太密了，马无法通过，她们只能步行前往那位隐士所住的空心树那里。 —

At first when he saw them coming he was vexed, for he was not fond of ladies; —
一开始他看到她们过来，他为此感到不悦，因为他不喜欢女士们； —

but when he recognised the Queen, he said:
但是当他认出是女王时，他说：

‘You are welcome, Queen. What do you come to ask of me?’
“女王，欢迎您。您来找我有什么事情请教吗？”

Then the Queen told him all the fairies had foreseen for Rosette, and asked what she should do, and the hermit answered that she must shut the Princess up in a tower and never let her come out of it again. —
然后女王告诉他，所有的仙女都预见到了罗塞特的命运，并询问该做什么。隐士回答说，她必须关起公主，永远不让她离开塔楼。 —

The Queen thanked and rewarded him, and hastened back to the castle to tell the King. When he heard the news he had a great tower built as quickly as possible, and there the Princess was shut up, and the King and Queen and her two brothers went to see her every day that she might not be dull. —
女王感谢并奖赏他，急忙回到城堡告诉国王。听到这个消息后，国王尽快建造了一座高塔，将公主关了起来，国王和女王以及她的两个兄弟每天都会去看望她，以免她感到无聊。 —

The eldest brother was called ‘the Great Prince,’ and the second ‘the Little Prince. —
大兄弟被称为“伟大王子”，而二兄弟被称为“小王子”。他们非常爱他们的妹妹，因为她是最甜美、最漂亮的公主，她微笑的一瞥足以价值一百枚金币。 —

’ They loved their sister dearly, for she was the sweetest, prettiest princess who was ever seen, and the least little smile from her was worth more than a hundred pieces of gold. —
当罗塞特十五岁的时候，伟大王子向国王询问是不是该让她婚配，而小王子向女王提出了同样的问题。 —

When Rosette was fifteen years old the Great Prince went to the King and asked if it would not soon be time for her to be married, and the Little Prince put the same question to the Queen.
当罗塞特十五岁的时候，伟大王子向国王询问是不是该让她婚配，而小王子向女王提出了同样的问题。

Their majesties were amused at them for thinking of it, but did not make any reply, and soon after both the King and the Queen were taken ill, and died on the same day. —
他们陛下对于他们的想法感到好笑，但没有做出任何回应。不久之后，国王和王后都生病了，并在同一天去世了。 —

Everybody was sorry, Rosette especially, and all the bells in the kingdom were tolled.
每个人都很难过，特别是罗丝塔，整个王国的钟都被敲响。

Then all the dukes and counsellors put the Great Prince upon a golden throne, and crowned him with a diamond crown, and they all cried, ‘Long live the King! —
然后所有的公爵和参议员把大王子放在了一个金色的宝座上，并戴上了一顶钻石皇冠，他们都喊道：“新国王万岁！” —

’ And after that there was nothing but feasting and rejoicing.
在那之后，只有盛宴和庆祝。

The new King and his brother said to one another:
新国王和他的兄弟彼此说道：

‘Now that we are the masters, let us take our sister out of that dull tower which she is so tired of.’
“现在我们是主宰了，让我们把我们姐姐从那个无聊的塔里带出来。”

They had only to go across the garden to reach the tower, which was very high, and stood up in a corner. —
他们只需穿过花园就能抵达塔楼，那是非常高的，矗立在一个角落里。 —

Rosette was busy at her embroidery, but when she saw her brothers she got up, and taking the King’s hand cried:
罗丝塔正在忙着刺绣，但当她看到她的兄弟们时，她站起来，拉着国王的手说道：“早上好，亲爱的兄弟。现在你是国王了，请把我从这个无聊的塔里带出来，因为我对它太厌倦了。”

‘Good morning, dear brother. Now that you are King, please take me out of this dull tower, for I am so tired of it.’
因此，两位国王的兄弟走向高塔，将罗丝塔带了出来。

Then she began to cry, but the King kissed her and told her to dry her tears, as that was just what they had come for, to take her out of the tower and bring her to their beautiful castle, and the Prince showed her the pocketful of sugar plums he had brought for her, and said:
然后她开始哭泣，但国王吻了她，告诉她擦干眼泪，因为他们来的目的就是要把她从塔里带出去，带到他们美丽的城堡，而王子展示了他为她带来的满怀糖李子，并说道：

‘Make haste, and let us get away from this ugly tower, and very soon the King will arrange a grand marriage for you.’
“快点，让我们离开这个丑陋的塔楼，很快国王会为你安排一场盛大的婚姻。”

When Rosette saw the beautiful garden, full of fruit and flowers, with green grass and sparkling fountains, she was so astonished that not a word could she say, for she had never in her life seen anything like it before. —
当罗赛特看到美丽的花园，里面有水果和花朵，绿草和闪闪发光的喷泉，她惊讶得说不出话来，因为她以前从未见过这样的景象。 —

She looked about her, and ran hither and thither gathering fruit and flowers, and her little dog Frisk, who was bright green all over, and had but one ear, danced before her, crying ‘Bow-wow-wow,’ and turning head over heels in the most enchanting way.
她四处张望，跑来跑去采集水果和花朵，她的小狗弗里斯克全身发亮是亮绿色的，只有一只耳朵，它跳舞在她面前，喊着“汪汪汪”，转个筋斗，看起来非常迷人。

Everybody was amused at Frisk’s antics, but all of a sudden he ran away into a little wood, and the Princess was following him, when, to her great delight, she saw a peacock, who was spreading his tail in the sunshine. —
大家都对Frisk的滑稽行为感到非常愉快，但他突然跑进了一片小树林，公主跟在他后面，当她高兴地看到一只孔雀在阳光下展开它的尾巴时。 —

Rosette thought she had never seen anything so pretty. —
Rosette觉得自己从未见过这么漂亮的东西。 —

She could not take her eyes off him, and there she stood entranced until the King and the Prince came up and asked what was amusing her so much. —
她无法移开目光，一直站在那里入迷，直到国王和王子走过来问她为什么那么开心。 —

She showed them the peacock, and asked what it was, and they answered that it was a bird which people sometimes ate.
她向他们展示了孔雀，并问这是什么东西，他们回答说这是一种有时候被人们吃掉的鸟。

‘What!’ said the Princess, ‘do they dare to kill that beautiful creature and eat it? —
“什么！”公主说，“他们竟敢杀死这只美丽的生物并吃掉它？ —

I declare that I will never marry any one but the King of the Peacocks, and when I am Queen I will take very good care that nobody eats any of my subjects.’
我发誓除了孔雀之王，我绝不会嫁给任何人，而且当我成为女王时，我会非常小心，不让任何人吃掉我的属下。”

At this the King was very much astonished.
这让国王非常惊讶。

‘But, little sister,’ said he, ‘where shall we find the King of the Peacocks?’
“但是，小妹妹，”他说，“我们要在哪里找到孔雀之王呢？”

‘Oh! wherever you like, sire,’ she answered, ‘but I will never marry any one else.’
“哦！陛下，随便您喜欢的地方。”她回答道，“但是我绝对不会嫁给别人。”

After this they took Rosette to the beautiful castle, and the peacock was brought with her, and told to walk about on the terrace outside her windows, so that she might always see him, and then the ladies of the court came to see the Princess, and they brought her beautiful presents — dresses and ribbons and sweetmeats, diamonds and pearls and dolls and embroidered slippers, and she was so well brought up, and said, ‘Thank you! —
之后，他们带着Rosette去了美丽的城堡，孔雀也和她一起带去，被告知在她窗户外的露台上走动，这样她就可以时刻看到他。然后，宫廷的女士们来看公主，她们给她带来了漂亮的礼物——衣服、丝带、甜食、钻石、珍珠、玩偶和刺绣拖鞋。她非常有教养，说着“谢谢！”说得这么可爱、亲切，每个人都离开时都很高兴。 —

’ so prettily, and was so gracious, that everyone went away delighted with her.
与此同时，国王和王子们正在考虑他们应该如何找到孔雀之王，如果世上真的存在这样一个人的话。

Meanwhile the King and the Prince were considering how they should find the King of the Peacocks, if there was such a person in the world. —
首先，他们让人为公主画了一张肖像画，非常像她，以至于如果画像对你说话，你都不会感到奇怪。 —

And first of all they had a portrait made of the Princess, which was so like her that you really would not have been surprised if it had spoken to you. —
然后他们对她说： —

Then they said to her:
“哦！陛下，随便您喜欢的地方。”她回答道，“但是我绝对不会嫁给别人。”

‘Since you will not marry anyone but the King of the Peacocks, we are going out together into the wide world to search for him. —
‘既然你只愿嫁给孔雀之王，我们一起到外面的世界去寻找他。 —

If we find him for you we shall be very glad. —
如果我们为你找到了他，我们会非常高兴。 —

In the meantime, mind you take good care of our kingdom.’
与此同时，你要好好照顾好我们的王国。”

Rosette thanked them for all the trouble they were taking on her account, and promised to take great care of the kingdom, and only to amuse herself by looking at the peacock, and making Frisk dance while they were away.
罗塞特感谢他们为了她而付出的所有辛劳，并承诺会好好照顾这个王国，只会在他们离开的时候看着孔雀，让弗瑞斯奇跳舞。

So they set out, and asked everyone they met —
于是他们出发了，问遇到的每个人：

‘Do you know the King of the Peacocks?’
“你知道孔雀之王在哪里吗？”

But the answer was always, ‘No, no.’
但是答案总是：“不，不知道。”

Then they went on and on, so far that no one has ever been farther, and at last they came to the Kingdom of the Cockchafers.
然后他们继续走，走得如此之远，以至于没有人能再走得更远，最后他们来到了天牛之王国。

They had never before seen such a number of cockchafers, and the buzzing was so loud that the King was afraid he should be deafened by it. —
他们从来没有见过这么多天牛，嗡嗡声非常大，国王担心会因此而耳聋。 —

He asked the most distinguished-looking cockchafer they met if he knew where they could find the King of the Peacocks.
他问他们遇到的那位看起来最有气质的天牛，是否知道他们可以在哪里找到孔雀之王。

‘Sire,’ replied the cockchafer, ‘his kingdom is thirty thousand leagues from this; —
“大王”，甲虱回答道，“他的王国比这里远三万英里； —

you have come the longest way.’
你来的路走得比较远。”

‘And how do you know that?’ said the King.
“你怎么知道？”国王问道。

‘Oh!’ said the cockchafer, ‘we all know you very well, since we spend two or three months in your garden every year.’
“哦！”甲虱说，“我们都很了解你，因为我们每年都在你的花园里呆上两三个月。”

Thereupon the King and the Prince made great friends with him, and they all walked arm-in-arm and dined together, and afterwards the cockchafer showed them all the curiosities of his strange country, where the tiniest green leaf costs a gold piece and more. —
于是国王和王子与他成了非常好的朋友，他们手挽着手一起散步，一起用餐；之后甲虱带他们参观了他的奇异国家的所有奇观，那里即使最小的绿叶也价值一枚金币或更多。 —

Then they set out again to finish their journey, and this time, as they knew the way, they were not long upon the road. —
然后他们再次出发，继续他们的旅程，这一次因为他们了解路线，所以走得不久就到了目的地。 —

It was easy to guess that they had come to the right place, for they saw peacocks in every tree, and their cries could be heard a long way off:
很容易猜到他们来对地方了，因为树上到处都是孔雀，而它们的叫声可以从很远的地方听到。

When they reached the city they found it full of men and women who were dressed entirely in peacocks’ feathers, which were evidently thought prettier than anything else.
当他们到达城市时，发现城市里到处都是穿着孔雀羽毛的男人和女人，显然他们觉得这比任何其他东西都漂亮。

They soon met the King, who was driving about in a beautiful little golden carriage which glittered with diamonds, and was drawn at full speed by twelve peacocks. —
他们很快遇到了国王，他正驾驶着一辆金光闪闪、镶满钻石的小马车，由十二只孔雀全速拉动。 —

The King and the Prince were delighted to see that the King of the Peacocks was as handsome as possible. —
国王和王子都很高兴地看到孔雀国王非常英俊。 —

He had curly golden hair and was very pale, and he wore a crown of peacocks’ feathers.
他有着卷曲的金色头发，皮肤很苍白，头上戴着一顶孔雀羽毛制成的皇冠。

When he saw Rosette’s brothers he knew at once that they were strangers, and stopping his carriage he sent for them to speak to him. —
当他看到罗泽特的兄弟们时，立刻知道他们是陌生人，于是停下马车，让他们前来和他交谈。 —

When they had greeted him they said:
他们向他问候后，说道：

‘Sire, we have come from very far away to show you a beautiful portrait.’
“陛下，我们从很远的地方来给您展示一幅美丽的肖像。”

So saying they drew from their travelling bag the picture of Rosette.
说着，他们从行囊中取出了罗泽特的画像。

The King looked at it in silence a long time, but at last he said:
国王沉默地看了很久，最后他说：

‘I could not have believed that there was such a beautiful Princess in the world!’
“我简直不敢相信世上会有如此美丽的公主！”

‘Indeed, she is really a hundred times as pretty as that,’ said her brothers.
“事实上，她真的比照片上漂亮一百倍。”她的兄弟们说道。

‘I think you must be making fun of me,’ replied the King of the Peacocks.
“我想你们一定是在取笑我。”孔雀国王回答道。

‘Sire,’ said the Prince, ‘my brother is a King, like yourself. —
“陛下，”王子说，“我的兄弟和你一样是国王。 —

He is called ‘‘the King,’’ I am called ‘‘the Prince,’’ and that is the portrait of our sister, the Princess Rosette. —
他被称为‘国王’，而我被称为‘王子’，这是我们的妹妹，公主罗泽特的肖像。 —

We have come to ask if you would like to marry her. —
我们来求问您是否愿意娶她。 —

She is as good as she is beautiful, and we will give her a bushel of gold pieces for her dowry.’
她不仅美丽，而且善良，我们将给她一大篮金币作为嫁妆。”

‘Oh! with all my heart,’ replied the King, ‘and I will make her very happy. —
“哦！我非常愿意，”国王回答道，“我会让她非常幸福。 —

She shall have whatever she likes, and I shall love her dearly; —
她可以得到她想要的一切，我会深爱她； —

only I warn you that if she is not as pretty as you have told me, I will have your heads cut off.’
只是我提醒你们，如果她不像你们说的那么漂亮，我会砍下你们的脑袋。”

‘Oh! certainly, we quite agree to that,’ said the brothers in one breath.
“哦！当然，我们完全同意，”两个兄弟异口同声地说。

‘Very well. Off with you into prison, and stay there until the Princess arrives,’ said the King of the Peacocks.
“好吧，直接进监狱，一直待在那里，直到公主到达，”孔雀国王说。

And the Princes were so sure that Rosette was far prettier than her portrait that they went without a murmur. —
两位王子非常确信罗泽特比肖像更漂亮，所以他们毫无怨言地去了。 —

They were very kindly treated, and that they might not feel dull the King came often to see them. —
他们受到了非常友善的待遇，为了让他们不感到无聊，国王经常来看他们。 —

As for Rosette’s portrait that was taken up to the palace, and the King did nothing but gaze at it all day and all night.
至于罗塞特的肖像画被送到宫殿，国王整日整夜地盯着它看。

As the King and the Prince had to stay in prison, they sent a letter to the Princess telling her to pack up all her treasures as quickly as possible, and come to them, as the King of the Peacocks was waiting to marry her; —
因为国王和王子被关押在监狱里，他们给公主发送了一封信，告诉她尽快收拾好她的财宝，并前来与他们会合，因为孔雀王正在等着娶她。 —

but they did not say that they were in prison, for fear of making her uneasy.
但他们没有说他们被关押在监狱里，以免让她担心。

When Rosette received the letter she was so delighted that she ran about telling everyone that the King of the Peacocks was found, and she was going to marry him.
当罗塞特收到信时，她非常高兴地四处告诉每个人说孔雀王找到了，她要嫁给他。

Guns were fired, and fireworks let off. Everyone had as many cakes and sweetmeats as he wanted. —
炮声轰鸣，烟花绽放。每个人都有自己想要的蛋糕和甜食。 —

And for three days everybody who came to see the Princess was presented with a slice of bread-and-jam, a nightingale’s egg, and some hippocras. —
三天来，每个来见公主的人都会获得一块面包夹果酱、一枚夜莺的蛋以及一些苹果酒。 —

After having thus entertained her friends, she distributed her dolls among them, and left her brother’s kingdom to the care of the wisest old men of the city, telling them to take charge of everything, not to spend any money, but save it all up until the King should return, and above all, not to forget to feed her peacock. —
在娱乐了她的朋友们之后，她把她的玩偶分发给他们，并把她兄弟的王国交给了城市最聪明的老人们照顾，告诉他们照顾好一切事物，不要花任何钱，把所有的都存起来，直到国王回来，并且最重要的是不要忘记喂她的孔雀。 —

Then she set out, only taking with her her nurse, and the nurse’s daughter, and the little green dog Frisk.
然后，她只带着她的保姆和保姆的女儿，还有小绿狗Frisk上路了。

They took a boat and put out to sea, carrying with them the bushel of gold pieces, and enough dresses to last the Princess ten years if she wore two every day, and they did nothing but laugh and sing. —
他们乘船出海，携带了一蓬金币，还有足够的衣服，如果公主每天穿两套的话，可以供她穿十年，他们一直笑着唱着。 —

The nurse asked the boatman:
保姆问船夫：

‘Can you take us, can you take us to the kingdom of the peacocks?’
“你能带我们去孔雀王国吗？”

But he answered:
但他回答说：

‘Oh no! oh no!’
“哦不！哦不！”

Then she said:
然后她说：

‘You must take us, you must take us.’
“你必须带我们，你必须带我们。”

And he answered:
他回答说：

‘Very soon, very soon.’
“很快，很快。”

Then the nurse said:
然后保姆说：

‘Will you take us? will you take us?’
“你会带我们吗？你会带我们吗？”

And the boatman answered:
船夫回答：

‘Yes, yes.’
“是的，是的。”

Then she whispered in his ear:
然后她在他耳边低声说道：

‘Do you want to make your fortune?’
“你想致富吗？”

And he said:
他回答道：

‘Certainly I do.’
“当然想。”

‘I can tell you how to get a bag of gold,’ said she.
“我可以告诉你如何得到一袋黄金。”她说道。

‘I ask nothing better,’ said the boatman.
“我没有什么比这更好的。”船夫说道。

‘Well,’ said the nurse, ‘to-night, when the Princess is asleep, you must help me to throw her into the sea, and when she is drowned I will put her beautiful clothes upon my daughter, and we will take her to the King of the Peacocks, who will be only too glad to marry her, and as your reward you shall have your boat full of diamonds.’
“嗯，”护士说道，“今晚当公主入睡时，你必须帮我将她扔进大海，待她被淹死后，我会将她美丽的衣服给我女儿穿上，然后我们将她带给孔雀王，他将会非常愿意娶她，作为你的报酬，你将得到一船装满钻石。”

The boatman was very much surprised at this proposal, and said:
船夫对这个提议感到非常惊讶，他说道：

‘But what a pity to drown such a pretty Princess!’
“但是淹死这么漂亮的公主真是太可惜了！”

However, at last the nurse persuaded him to help her, and when the night came and the Princess was fast asleep as usual, with Frisk curled up on his own cushion at the foot of her bed, the wicked nurse fetched the boatman and her daughter, and between them they picked up the Princess, feather bed, mattress, pillows, blankets and all, and threw her into the sea, without even waking her. —
然而，最后护士说服了他帮她，当夜晚来临，公主照常熟睡，Frisk蜷缩在她床尾的小垫子上，邪恶的护士找来了船夫和她的女儿，在他们的配合下，将公主连同羽绒床、床垫、枕头、毯子等一起扔进了大海中，甚至没有唤醒她。 —

Now, luckily, the Princess’s bed was entirely stuffed with phoenix feathers, which are very rare, and have the property of always floating upon water, so Rosette went on swimming about as if she had been in a boat. —
幸运的是，公主的床被填满了凤凰羽毛，这种羽毛非常罕见，具有在水上漂浮的特性，所以罗塞特像乘坐船一样在水中游动。 —

After a little while she began to feel very cold, and turned round so often that she woke Frisk, who started up, and, having a very good nose, smelt the soles and herrings so close to him that he began to bark. —
过了一会，她开始感到很冷，频繁转身使弗里斯克醒来，他跳起来，由于嗅觉很灵敏，闻到了鳎鱼和鲱鱼靠得很近，于是开始狂吠。 —

He barked so long and so loud that he woke all the other fish, who came swimming up round the Princess’s bed, and poking at it with their great heads. —
他吠叫了很长时间，声音很大，把其他鱼都吵醒了，它们游过来围着公主的床，用它们庞大的头戳着床。 —

As for her, she said to herself:
至于她自己，她对自己说道：

‘How our boat does rock upon the water! —
‘我们的船在水上摇摆！ —

I am really glad that I am not often as uncomfortable as I have been to-night.’
我真高兴我不常像今晚这样不舒服。’

The wicked nurse and the boatman, who were by this time quite a long way off, heard Frisk barking, and said to each other:
邪恶的护士和船夫已经离得很远了，他们听到弗里斯克在叫，然后互相说道：

‘That horrid little animal and his mistress are drinking our health in sea-water now. —
‘那只可恶的小动物和他的主人正在喝我们的血。’ —

Let us make haste to land, for we must be quite near the city of the King of the Peacocks.’
‘我们得快点上岸，我们离孔雀王国的城市应该很近了。’

The King had sent a hundred carriages to meet them, drawn by every kind of strange animal. —
国王派了一百辆车来迎接他们，每辆车都由不同种类的奇特动物拉着。 —

There were lions, bears, wolves, stags, horses, buffaloes, eagles, and peacocks. —
有狮子、熊、狼、鹿、马、水牛、老鹰和孔雀。 —

The carriage intended for the Princess Rosette had six blue monkeys, which could turn summer-saults, and dance on a tight-rope, and do many other charming tricks. —
为公主罗泽特准备的马车上有六只能翻跟头、走钢丝和做很多有趣把戏的蓝色猴子。 —

Their, harness was all of crimson velvet with gold buckles, and behind the carriage walked sixty beautiful ladies chosen by the King to wait upon Rosette and amuse her.
它们的马具全部都是红色天鹅绒做的，带有金质扣子。在马车后面，有六十位国王选择的美丽女士们陪伴并娱乐罗泽特。

The nurse had taken all the pains imaginable to deck out her daughter. —
护士尽全力打扮自己的女儿。 —

She put on her Rosette’s prettiest frock, and covered her with diamonds from head to foot. —
她给她的女儿穿上了罗塞特最漂亮的裙子，并从头到脚都覆盖了钻石。 —

But she was so ugly that nothing could make her look nice, and what was worse, she was sulky and ill-tempered, and did nothing but grumble all the time.
但是她实在是太丑了，无论怎样都无法使她看起来漂亮，更糟糕的是，她脾气暴躁，整天唠叨不停。

When she stepped from the boat and the escort sent by the King of the Peacocks caught sight of her, they were so surprised that they could not say a single word.
当她从船上走下来，孔雀王派来的护卫们看到她时，他们都惊呆了，一句话都说不出来。

‘Now then, look alive,’ cried the false Princess. —
“快点，快点！”假公主喊道。 —

‘If you don’t bring me something to eat I will have all your heads cut off!’
“如果你们不给我拿来吃的，我就让你们全都剁了头！”

Then they whispered one to another:
然后他们低声对话：

‘Here’s a pretty state of things! she is as wicked as she is ugly. —
‘真是个糟糕的地方！她既邪恶又丑陋。 —

What a bride for our poor King! She certainly was not worth bringing from the other end of the world!’
对我们可怜的国王来说，她算什么新娘！她从世界另一端带来也不值得！

But she went on ordering them all about, and for no fault at all would give slaps and pinches to everyone she could reach.
但她继续命令他们，毫无原因地拍打和捏人。

As the procession was so long it advanced but slowly, and the nurse’s daughter sat up in her carriage trying to look like a Queen. But the peacocks, who were sitting upon every tree waiting to salute her, and who had made up their minds to cry, ‘Long live our beautiful Queen! —
由于队伍很长，前进得很慢，女仆的女儿坐在车里试图像一个女王一样。但是孔雀们却坐在每棵树上等着向她致敬，他们已经下定决心要喊：“我们美丽的女王万岁！”然而当他们看到假新娘时却不禁叫了起来： —

’ when they caught sight of the false bride could not help crying instead:
‘哦！她好丑啊！’

‘Oh! how ugly she is!’
这冒犯了她，她对卫兵们说：

Which offended her so much that she said to the guards:
‘快点杀掉这些嚣张的孔雀，他们竟敢侮辱我。’

‘Make haste and kill all these insolent peacocks who have dared to insult me.’
但孔雀们只飞走了，还嘲笑她。

But the peacocks only flew away, laughing at her.
那个狡猾的船夫注意到这一切后，轻声对女仆说：

The rogue of a boatman, who noticed all this, said softly to the nurse:
‘看看，真是麻烦，皇夫人像个女巫，我们的可怜王糟透了。’

‘This is a bad business for us, gossip; your daughter ought to have been prettier.’
‘这对我们来说是个糟糕的生意，流言蜚语；你的女儿应该长得更漂亮一些。’

But she answered:
但她回答道：

‘Be quiet, stupid, or you will spoil everything.’
‘闭嘴，笨蛋，你会把事情搞砸的。’

Now they told the King that the Princess was approaching.
现在他们告诉国王公主要来了。

‘Well,’ said he, ‘did her brothers tell me truly? Is she prettier than her portrait?’
‘好吧，’他说，‘她的兄弟们告诉我真实情况了吗？她比画像更漂亮吗？’

‘Sire,’ they answered, ‘if she were as pretty that would do very well.’
‘陛下，’他们回答道，‘如果她长得像画像那样漂亮，那就非常好了。’

‘That’s true,’ said the King; ‘I for one shall be quite satisfied if she is. —
‘没错，’国王说道，‘就我个人而言，她如果这样那就足够了。’ —

Let us go and meet her.’ For they knew by the uproar that she had arrived, but they could not tell what all the shouting was about. —
让我们去见她吧。因为他们通过喧嚣声知道她已经到了，但他们不知道所有的喧嚣是关于什么的。 —

The King thought he could hear the words:
国王觉得他听到了这样的话：“她多么丑！她多么丑！”他以为这些话一定是指她带来的某个侏儒。

‘How ugly she is! How ugly she is!’ and he fancied they must refer to some dwarf the Princess was bringing with her. —
它从来没有想到这些话可能是关于新娘自己的。 —

It never occurred to him that they could apply to the bride herself.
公主罗泽特的画像被携带在队伍的前头，而国王则被他的臣子们包围。

The Princess Rosette’s portrait was carried at the head of the procession, and after it walked the King surrounded by his courtiers. —
他迫不及待地想要见到美丽的公主，但当他一眼看到保姆的女儿时，他勃然大怒，再也不愿向前迈一步。 —

He was all impatience to see the lovely Princess, but when he caught sight of the nurse’s daughter he was furiously angry, and would not advance another step. —
因为她真的够丑，足以吓到任何人。 —

For she was really ugly enough to have frightened anybody.

‘What!’ he cried, ‘have the two rascals who are my prisoners dared to play me such a trick as this? —
“什么！”他大叫道，“那两个混蛋竟敢和我玩这样的把戏？ —

Do they propose that I shall marry this hideous creature? —
难道他们打算让我娶这个丑陋的生物吗？ —

Let her be shut up in my great tower, with her nurse and those who brought her here; —
把她和她的保姆以及那些把她带来的人关进我的大塔里； —

and as for them, I will have their heads cut off.’
至于他们，我要砍掉他们的脑袋。”

Meanwhile the King and the Prince, who knew that their sister must have arrived, had made themselves smart, and sat expecting every minute to be summoned to greet her. —
与此同时，国王和王子们早已打扮整齐，坐在那里等待着被召唤去迎接她。 —

So when the gaoler came with soldiers, and carried them down into a black dungeon which swarmed with toads and bats, and where they were up to their necks in water, nobody could have been more surprised and dismayed than they were.
所以当狱卒带着士兵把他们带到一个布满蟾蜍和蝙蝠的黑暗地牢里时，他们比任何人都更加惊讶和沮丧。地牢里的水已经淹到了他们的脖子，没有什么比这更令人沮丧的了。

‘This is a dismal kind of wedding,’ they said; —
“这真是一场灰暗的婚礼，”他们说道； —

‘what can have happened that we should be treated like this? —
“到底发生了什么事情才会对待我们如此？ —

They must mean to kill us.’
他们一定是打算杀掉我们。”

And this idea annoyed them very much. Three days passed before they heard any news, and then the King of the Peacocks came and berated them through a hole in the wall.
这个想法让他们非常恼火。三天过去了他们才听到一些消息，然后孔雀王从墙上的一个洞口责骂了他们。

‘You have called yourselves King and Prince,’ he cried, ‘to try and make me marry your sister, but you are nothing but beggars, not worth the water you drink. —
‘你们自称为国王和王子，想让我娶你们的妹妹，但你们只是乞丐，不值得你们喝的水。 —

I mean to make short work with you, and the sword is being sharpened that will cut off your heads!’
我打算迅速解决你们，正在磨刀的刀将割下你们的脑袋！’

‘King of the Peacocks,’ answered the King angrily, ‘you had better take care what you are about. —
‘孔雀王，’国王愤怒地回答说，‘你最好小心点。 —

I am as good a King as yourself, and have a splendid kingdom and robes and crowns, and plenty of good red gold to do what I like with. —
我和你一样是一位好国王，拥有绝妙的王国、衣袍和皇冠，还有足够的红色黄金，想怎么用就怎么用。 —

You are pleased to jest about having our heads cut off; —
你很高兴开玩笑说要砍下我们的头； —

perhaps you think we have stolen something from you?’
也许你认为我们从你那里偷了什么东西？’

At first the King of the Peacocks was taken aback by this bold speech, and had half a mind to send them all away together; —
起初孔雀王被这个大胆的讲话吓了一跳，心里有点想把他们一起赶走； —

but his Prime Minister declared that it would never do to let such a trick as that pass unpunished, everybody would laugh at him; —
但是他的总理宣称，这样的把戏过去了也不行，每个人都会嘲笑他； —

so the accusation was drawn up against them, that they were impostors, and that they had promised the King a beautiful Princess in marriage who, when she arrived, proved to be an ugly peasant girl.
所以他们被指控是冒充者，并承诺给国王一个美丽的公主作为婚姻对象，结果却是一个丑陋的农村姑娘。

This accusation was read to the prisoners, who cried out that they had spoken the truth, that their sister was indeed a Princess more beautiful than the day, and that there was some mystery about all this which they could not fathom. —
这个指控被读给囚犯听，他们大喊自己说的是实话，他们的妹妹确实比白天还要美丽，而这一切都有一些他们无法理解的神秘。 —

Therefore they demanded seven days in which to prove their innocence, The King of the Peacocks was so angry that he would hardly even grant them this favour, but at last he was persuaded to do so.
因此他们要求七天时间来证明自己的清白，孔雀国王非常生气，几乎不愿意给予他们这个机会，但最终还是被说服了。

While all this was going on at court, let us see what had been happening to the real Princess. —
当宫廷上发生这一切的时候，让我们看看真正的公主发生了什么。 —

When the day broke she and Frisk were equally astonished at finding themselves alone upon the sea, with no boat and no one to help them. —
当天亮时，她和弗里斯克都惊讶地发现自己孤身一人在海上，没有船只，也没有人来帮助他们。 —

The Princess cried and cried, until even the fishes were sorry for her.
公主哭个不停，连鱼儿都为她感到难过。

‘Alas!’ she said, ‘the King of the Peacocks must have ordered me to be thrown into the sea because he had changed his mind and did not want to marry me. —
‘唉！’她说道，‘孔雀之王肯定是命令人把我扔进海里，是因为他改变了主意，不想娶我了。 —

But how strange of him, when I should have loved him so much, and we should have been so happy together!’
但他怎么会这么奇怪呢？当我是如此爱他的，我们本应该幸福地在一起！’

And then she cried harder than ever, for she could not help still loving him. —
然后，她比以前更加伤心，因为她无法停止爱他。 —

So for two days they floated up and down the sea, wet and shivering with the cold, and so hungry that when the Princess saw some oysters she caught them, and she and Frisk both ate some, though they didn’t like them at all. —
所以他们在海上漂了两天，又冷又湿，饥肠辘辘，当公主看到了一些牡蛎时，她抓起来，她和弗里斯克都吃了一些，尽管他们不喜欢吃。 —

When night came the Princess was so frightened that she said to Frisk:
当夜幕降临时，公主非常害怕，她对弗里斯克说道：

‘Oh! Do please keep on barking for fear the soles should come and eat us up!’
‘哦！请你继续吠叫，以免鳎鱼们把我们吃掉！’

Now it happened that they had floated close in to the shore, where a poor old man lived all alone in a little cottage. —
现在发生的是，他们漂近了岸边，岸边住着一个贫穷的老人，独自一人生活在一个小屋里。 —

When he heard Frisk’s barking he thought to himself:
当他听到弗里斯克的叫声时，他心里想着：

‘There must have been a shipwreck!’ (for no dogs ever passed that way by any chance), and he went out to see if he could be of any use. —
肯定有什么船只遇难了！（因为没有狗会经过那个地方）他出去看看是否能帮上忙。 —

He soon saw the Princess and Frisk floating up and down, and Rosette, stretching out her hands to him, cried:
他很快就看到了公主和弗里斯克在水中上下漂浮，罗赛特伸出手向他求救，喊道：

‘Oh! Good old man, do save me, or I shall die of cold and hunger!’
哦！好老人，请救救我，不然我会冻饿而死！

When he heard her cry out so piteously he was very sorry for her, and ran back into his house to fetch a long boat-hook. —
当他听到她如此可怜地喊出来时，他对她很抱歉，跑回屋子里取来一根长长的船钩。 —

Then he waded into the water up to his chin, and after being nearly drowned once or twice he at last succeeded in getting hold of the Princess’s bed and dragging it on shore.
然后他徒步进入水中，直到淹到下巴，经历了一两次几乎淹死的经历后，他终于成功地抓住了公主的床，把它拖到了岸上。

Rosette and Frisk were joyful enough to find themselves once more on dry land, and the Princess thanked the old man heartily; —
罗赛特和弗里斯克非常高兴再度站在干燥的陆地上，公主衷心感谢这位老人； —

then, wrapping herself up in her blankets, she daintily picked her way up to the cottage on her little bare feet. —
然后，她把自己包裹在毯子里，蹑手蹑脚地用她赤裸的小脚向小屋走去。 —

There the old man lighted a fire of straw, and then drew from an old box his wife’s dress and shoes, which the Princess put on, and thus roughly clad looked as charming as possible, and Frisk danced his very best to amuse her.
老人点燃一堆稻草做了火，然后从一个旧箱子里取出他妻子的衣服和鞋子，公主穿上了，虽然打扮得很简朴，但看起来仍然非常迷人，弗里斯克卖力地跳舞逗她开心。

The old man saw that Rosette must be some great lady, for her bed coverings were all of satin and gold. —
老人看出罗赛特一定是某个重要的女士，因为她的床上用品全都是缎子和金子做的。 —

He begged that she would tell him all her history, as she might safely trust him. —
他请求她将自己的故事全部告诉他，她可以完全信任他。 —

The Princess told him everything, weeping bitterly again at the thought that it was by the King’s orders that she had been thrown overboard.
公主把自己的一切都告诉了他，再次伤心地流泪，因为她被国王的命令抛下船去了。

‘And now, my daughter, what is to be done?’ said the old man. —
“现在，我的女儿，我们该怎么办呢？”老人说。 —

‘You are a great Princess, accustomed to fare daintily, and I have nothing to offer you but black bread and radishes, which will not suit you at all. —
“你是一位伟大的公主，习惯于美食，而我只有黑面包和萝卜，这对你来说一点都不适合。” —

Shall I go and tell the King of the Peacocks that you are here? —
“我要告诉孔雀王您在这里吗？” —

If he sees you he will certainly wish to marry you.’
“如果他见到您，肯定会想要娶你。”

‘Oh no!’ cried Rosette, ‘he must be wicked, since he tried to drown me. —
“哦不！”罗塞特叫道，“他一定是个邪恶的人，因为他试图淹死我。” —

Don’t let us tell him, but if you have a little basket give it to me.’
“我们不要告诉他，但如果你有一个小篮子给我。”

The old man gave her a basket, and tying it round Frisk’s neck she said to him: —
老人给了她一个篮子，她把它系在Frisk的脖子上对他说： —

‘Go and find out the best cooking-pot in the town and bring the contents to me.’
“去找出镇上最好的炊具，把里面的东西给我。”

Away went Frisk, and as there was no better dinner cooking in all the town than the King’s, he adroitly took the cover off the pot and brought all it contained to the Princess, who said:
Frisk走了，因为在整个镇上没有比国王的炊具更好的晚餐了，他熟练地把锅盖取下来，把里面的全部东西拿给了公主，她说：

‘Now go back to the pantry, and bring the best of everything you find there.’
“现在回到厨房，把那里找到的最好的东西都给我带来。”

So Frisk went back and filled his basket with white bread, and red wine, and every kind of sweetmeat, until it was almost too heavy for him to carry.
于是Frisk回去，把他的篮子装满了白面包、红葡萄酒和各种糖果，直到篮子几乎太重以至于他几乎无法扛起来。

When the King of the Peacocks wanted his dinner there was nothing in the pot and nothing in the pantry. —
当孔雀之王想要吃晚餐时，锅里什么都没有，食品室里也没有。 —

All the courtiers looked at one another in dismay, and the King was terribly cross.
所有的臣子都惊愕地互相看着，国王非常生气。

‘Oh well! ‘he said, ‘if there is no dinner I cannot dine, but take care that plenty of things are roasted for supper.’
“唉，好吧！”他说，“如果没有晚餐，我就不能享用了，但一定要小心，晚餐要烤好许多东西。”

When evening came the Princess said to Frisk:
晚上到了，公主对Frisk说：

‘Go into the town and find out the best kitchen, and bring me all the nicest morsels that are being roasted upon the spit.’
“去镇上找到最好的厨房，给我把正在烤的最美味的食物都拿回来。”

Frisk did as he was told, and as he knew of no better kitchen than the King’s, he went in softly, and when the cook’s back was turned took everything that was upon the spit, As it happened it was all done to a turn, and looked so good that it made him hungry only to see it. —
Frisk按照指示去做了，因为他不知道比国王的厨房更好的地方，他悄悄进去，趁厨师转身时拿走了所有在火上转的东西。恰巧，这些东西都是刚刚好，看上去很美味，看了它就让他感到饥饿。 —

He carried his basket to the Princess, who at once sent him back to the pantry to bring all the tarts and sugar plums that had been prepared for the King’s supper.
他把篮子提到了公主面前，公主立刻让他回餐厨房把为国王晚餐准备的所有馅饼和糖果都拿来。

The King, as he had had no dinner, was very hungry and wanted his supper early, but when he asked for it, lo and behold it was all gone, and he had to go to bed half-starved and in a terrible temper. —
国王因为没有吃午饭，非常饥饿并且想早点吃晚餐，但当他要求晚餐时，哎呀，它都没了，他不得不饥肠辘辘地上床睡觉，情绪非常糟糕。 —

The next day the same thing happened, and the next, so that for three days the King got nothing at all to eat, because just when the dinner or the supper was ready to be served it mysteriously disappeared. —
接下来的几天都发生了同样的事情，所以连续三天国王一点东西都没吃到，因为正当晚餐或午餐准备好要上菜时，它神秘地消失了。 —

At last the Prime Minister began to be afraid that the King would be starved to death, so he resolved to hide himself in some dark corner of the kitchen, and never take his eyes off the cooking-pot. —
最后，首相开始担心国王会饿死，所以他决定躲在厨房的某个黑暗角落，一直盯着炊锅，不让它离开视线。 —

His surprise was great when he presently saw a little green dog with one ear slip softly into the kitchen, uncover the pot, transfer all its contents to his basket, and run off. —
他惊讶地发现一个只有一只耳朵的小绿狗悄悄地溜进厨房，揭开锅盖，把里面的内容转移到篮子里，然后跑掉了。 —

The Prime Minister followed hastily, and tracked him all through the town to the cottage of the good old man; —
总理匆匆跟随，并在整个城镇中追踪到了那个善良老人的小屋； —

then he ran back to the King and told him that he had found out where all his dinners and suppers went. —
然后他跑回去告诉国王他发现了他所有晚餐和宵夜消失的地方。 —

The King, who was very much astonished, said he should like to go and see for himself. —
国王非常惊讶，说他想亲自去看看。 —

So he set out, accompanied by the Prime Minister and a guard of archers, and arrived just in time to find the old man and the Princess finishing his dinner.
于是他出发了，由总理和一队士兵陪同，并及时赶到，发现老人和公主正在吃晚饭。

The King ordered that they should be seized and bound with ropes, and Frisk also.
国王下令将他们和弗里斯克一起抓捕并捆绑起来。

When they were brought back to the palace some one told the King, who said:
当他们被带回宫殿时，有人告诉国王，国王说：

‘To-day is the last day of the respite granted to those impostors; —
“今天是给那些骗子的最后宽限期； —

they shall have their heads cut off at the same time as these stealers of my dinner. —
他们将与那些偷我晚餐的人一起被斩首。 —

’ Then the old man went down on his knees before the King and begged for time to tell him everything. —
“然后老人跪在国王面前，请求时间向他讲述一切。 —

While he spoke the King for the first time looked attentively at the Princess, because he was sorry to see how she cried, and when he heard the old man saying that her name was Rosette, and that she had been treacherously thrown into the sea, he turned head over heels three times without stopping, in spite of being quite weak from hunger, and ran to embrace her, and untied the ropes which bound her with his own hands, declaring that he loved her with all his heart.
当国王第一次发言时，他注意地看着公主，因为他很难过看到她哭泣，当他听到老人说她叫罗赛特，被背叛地扔进了海中时，他饥肠辘辘的情况下连续转身翻了三个跟头，冲上前去拥抱她，亲自解开了捆绑她的绳子，宣称他全心全意地爱着她。

Messengers were sent to bring the Princes out of prison, and they came very sadly, believing that they were to be executed at once: —
使者被派去把王子们从监狱里带出来，他们非常悲伤，以为自己马上要被处决： —

the nurse and her daughter and the boatman were brought also. —
保姆和她的女儿以及船夫也被带了过来。 —

As soon as they came in Rosette ran to embrace her brothers, while the traitors threw themselves down before her and begged for mercy. —
罗赛特进来后立即冲上去拥抱她的兄弟，而那些叛徒则跪在她面前乞求宽恕。 —

The King and the Princess were so happy that they freely forgave them, and as for the good old man he was splendidly rewarded, and spent the rest of his days in the palace. —
国王和公主非常快乐，他们慷慨地原谅了他们，至于那位好心的老人，他得到了丰厚的奖赏，度过了余生。 —

The King of the Peacocks made ample amends to the King and Prince for the way in which they had been treated, and did everything in his power to show how sorry he was.
孔雀之王对他们的待遇表示深深的歉意，并尽一切努力表达自己的懊悔。

The nurse restored to Rosette all her dresses and jewels, and the bushel of gold pieces; —
护士把所有的衣服和珠宝还给了罗瑟特，还有一袋金币。 —

the wedding was held at once, and they all lived happily ever after — even to Frisk, who enjoyed the greatest luxury, and never had anything worse than the wing of a partridge for dinner all the rest of his life.
结婚仪式立即举行，他们一直幸福地生活下去 - 甚至是弗里斯克，他享受最豪华的生活，终身都没有吃到比鹧鸪翅膀更差的东西。