A mother sat there with her little child.
一个母亲坐在那里，抱着她的小孩。 —

She was so downcast, so afraid that it should die!
她是如此沮丧，如此害怕它会死！ —

It was so pale, the small eyes had closed themselves, and it drew its breath so softly, now and then, with a deep respiration, as if it sighed;
它脸色苍白，小眼睛紧闭着，偶尔轻轻地呼吸着，像是在叹息； —

and the mother looked still more sorrowfully on the little creature.
母亲更加悲伤地看着这个小生命。

Then a knocking was heard at the door, and in came a poor old man wrapped up as in a large horse-cloth, for it warms one, and he needed it, as it was the cold winter season!
这时听到门外有敲门声，一个穿着像是大斗篷的可怜老人走了进来，因为这能保暖，而他正需要，毕竟是寒冷的冬季！ —

Everything out-of-doors was covered with ice and snow, and the wind blew so that it cut the face.
外面的一切都被冰雪覆盖，风刮得脸颊生疼。

As the old man trembled with cold, and the little child slept a moment, the mother went and poured some ale into a pot and set it on the stove, that it might be warm for him;
老人由于寒冷而颤抖，小孩瞬间入睡，母亲去倒了些麦酒入壶，放在火炉上加热，给老人喝； —

the old man sat and rocked the cradle, and the mother sat down on a chair close by him, and looked at her little sick child that drew its breath so deep, and raised its little hand.
老人坐下来摇篮，并且母亲坐在他旁边的椅子上，看着她生病的小孩深深呼吸着，还抬起了小手。

“Do you not think that I shall save him?” said she.
“你不觉得我能救他吗？”她说。 —

“Our Lord will not take him from me!”
“我们的主不会从我身边带走他！”

And the old man–it was Death himself–he nodded so strangely, it could just as well signify yes as no.
那个老人，就是死神本人——他有个怪怪的点头动作，既能表示肯定又能表示否定。 —

And the mother looked down in her lap, and the tears ran down over her cheeks;
母亲低头看着她的膝盖，泪水流过她的脸颊； —

her head became so heavy–she had not closed her eyes for three days and nights;
她的头很重——她已经三天三夜没闭过眼； —

and now she slept, but only for a minute, when she started up and trembled with cold.
现在她睡了，但只睡了一会儿，就惊醒了，浑身发抖因为冷。

“What is that?” said she, and looked on all sides;
“那是什么？”她说着四处张望； —

but the old man was gone, and her little child was gone–he had taken it with him;
但是老人已经不见了，她的小孩也不见了——他把孩子带走了； —

and the old clock in the corner burred, and burred, the great leaden weight ran down to the floor, bump!
角落里的老钟发出嗡嗡声，嗡嗡声，沉重的铅重量坠落到地板上，砰的一声！ —

and then the clock also stood still.
然后钟也停下来了。

But the poor mother ran out of the house and cried aloud for her child.
可怜的母亲冲出房屋，大声呼喊着她的孩子。

Out there, in the midst of the snow, there sat a woman in long, black clothes;
外面，雪地中央坐着一个身穿长黑衣的女人； —

and she said, “Death has been in thy chamber, and I saw him hasten away with thy little child;
她说：“死神曾到你的房间里，我看见他带着你的小孩匆匆离去； —

he goes faster than the wind, and he never brings back what he takes!”
他比风还快，而且他永远不会把他拿走的东西带回来！

“Oh, only tell me which way he went!” said the mother.
“哦，告诉我他走的哪条路！”母亲说。 —

“Tell me the way, and I shall find him!”
“告诉我路线，我会找到他的！”

“I know it!” said the woman in the black clothes.
“我知道！”穿黑衣服的女人说。 —

“But before I tell it, thou must first sing for me all the songs thou hast sung for thy child!
“但在我告诉你之前，你必须先为我唱你为孩子唱过的所有歌曲！ —

I am fond of them. I have heard them before; I am Night;
我很喜欢它们。在你唱的时候， —

I saw thy tears whilst thou sang’st them!”
我看到了你的眼泪！”

“I will sing them all, all!” said the mother.
“我会唱所有的，所有的！”母亲说。 —

“But do not stop me now–I may overtake him–I may find my child!”
“但现在不要阻止我–我可能会赶上他–我可能找到我的孩子！”

But Night stood still and mute.
但黑夜静止不动。 —

Then the mother wrung her hands, sang and wept, and there were many songs, but yet many more tears;
然后母亲捶胸顿足，唱歌哭泣，有许多歌曲，但更多的泪水； —

and then Night said, “Go to the right, into the dark pine forest;
然后黑夜说：“向右走，进入黑暗的松树林； —

thither I saw Death take his way with thy little child!”
我看到死神带着你的小孩走那条路！”

The roads crossed each other in the depths of the forest, and she no longer knew whither she should go!
道路在森林的深处交叉，她不再知道应该去哪里！ —

then there stood a thorn-bush;
然后有一个荆棘丛； —

there was neither leaf nor flower on it, it was also in the cold winter season, and ice-flakes hung on the branches.
树上既没有叶子又没有花朵，天正是寒冷的冬季，树枝上挂满了冰块。

“Hast thou not seen Death go past with my little child?
“你没看到死神带着我的小孩走过吗？ —

” said the mother.
”母亲问道。

“Yes,” said the thorn-bush;
“是的，”荆棘丛回答说， —

“but I will not tell thee which way he took, unless thou wilt first warm me up at thy heart.
“但我只有在你将我暖在你的心里之后才告诉你他走的方向。 —

I am freezing to death; I shall become a lump of ice!”
我快冻死了，我将变成一块冰！”

And she pressed the thorn-bush to her breast, so firmly, that it might be thoroughly warmed, and the thorns went right into her flesh, and her blood flowed in large drops, but the thornbush shot forth fresh green leaves, and there came flowers on it in the cold winter night, the heart of the afflicted mother was so warm;
于是她紧紧地将荆棘丛贴在胸前，以便将其完全暖和起来，荆棘刺进了她的肉里，她的鲜血大量涌出，但荆棘丛却在寒冷的冬夜里发出新鲜的绿叶，上面开出了花朵，那个受苦的母亲的心是如此温暖； —

and the thorn-bush told her the way she should go.
而荆棘丛告诉她应该走哪条路。

She then came to a large lake, where there was neither ship nor boat.
然后她来到了一个大湖边，湖上既没有船也没有船只。 —

The lake was not frozen sufficiently to bear her;
湖面没有结冰到足够承受她的重量； —

neither was it open, nor low enough that she could wade through it;
门没开，她也不够低，不能趟水过去； —

and across it she must go if she would find her child!
但是如果她想找到她的孩子，她必须过去！ —

Then she lay down to drink up the lake, and that was an impossibility for a human being, but the afflicted mother thought that a miracle might happen nevertheless.
然后她躺下喝干了湖水，这对一个人来说是不可能的，但是这个受苦的母亲认为奇迹可能会发生。

“Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!
“哦，我愿意付出任何代价来找到我的孩子！ —

” said the weeping mother;
”哭泣的母亲说。 —

and she wept still more, and her eyes sunk down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls;
她哭得更厉害了，她的眼睛沉入水中，变成了两颗珍贵的珍珠。 —

but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite side, where there stood a mile-broad, strange house, one knew not if it were a mountain with forests and caverns, or if it were built up;
但水把她托起来，就像她坐在秋千上一样，她在摇摆的波浪中飞向对岸，在那边有一座宽一英里的奇怪房子，一个人不知道它是一座带有森林和洞穴的山，还是修筑起来的。 —

but the poor mother could not see it;
但是可怜的母亲看不见； —

she had wept her eyes out.
她哭瞎了眼睛。

“Where shall I find Death, who took away my little child?
“我要去哪里找夺走我的小孩的死亡？ —

” said she.
”她说。

“He has not come here yet!” said the old grave woman, who was appointed to look after Death’s great greenhouse!
“他还没有来这里！”老婆婆说道，她被任命照顾死亡的大温室。 —

“How have you been able to find the way hither?
“你是怎么找到这里的？ —

And who has helped you?”
谁帮助了你？”

“OUR LORD has helped me,” said she. “He is merciful, and you will also be so!
“我们的主帮助了我，”她说。“他是仁慈的，你也将是！ —

Where shall I find my little child?”
我将在哪里找到我的小孩？”

“Nay, I know not,” said the woman, “and you cannot see! Many flowers and trees have withered this night;
“不，我不知道，”老婦人说，“而你也看不见！今晚有许多花草树木都枯萎了； —

Death will soon come and plant them over again!
死亡很快就会再种植它们！ —

You certainly know that every person has his or her life’s tree or flower, just as everyone happens to be settled;
你肯定知道每个人都有他或她的人生之树或之花，就像每个人都是安置的一样； —

they look like other plants, but they have pulsations of the heart.
它们看起来像其他植物，但有跳动的心脏。 —

Children’s hearts can also beat;
儿童的心脏也可以跳动； —

go after yours, perhaps you may know your child’s;
去寻找你的，也许你可以找到你孩子的； —

but what will you give me if I tell you what you shall do more?”
但是如果我告诉你还要做些什么，你会给我什么？”

“I have nothing to give,” said the afflicted mother, “but I will go to the world’s end for you!”
“我没有什么可给的。”悲伤的母亲说，“但是我会为了你去天涯海角！”

“Nay, I have nothing to do there!” said the woman.
“不，我在那里没事可干！” 女人说。 —

“But you can give me your long black hair;
“但是你可以把你的长长黑发给我； —

you know yourself that it is fine, and that I like!
你自己知道那很漂亮，我喜欢！ —

You shall have my white hair instead, and that’s always something!”
你可以拿我的白发来换，总归是一些东西！”

“Do you demand nothing else?” said she.
“你不要求别的吗？” 她说。 —

“That I will gladly give you!
“那我很愿意给你！ —

” And she gave her her fine black hair, and got the old woman’s snow-white hair instead.
”她把自己的漂亮黑发给了她，得到了老女人的雪白头发。

So they went into Death’s great greenhouse, where flowers and trees grew strangely into one another.
他们来到了死神的大温室里，里面奇异地长满了各种花草树木。 —

There stood fine hyacinths under glass bells, and there stood strong-stemmed peonies;
在玻璃罩下长着美丽的风信子，还有高大的牡丹花； —

there grew water plants, some so fresh, others half sick, the water-snakes lay down on them, and black crabs pinched their stalks.
在里面长着水生植物，有的健康有的半枯萎，水蛇躺在它们上面，黑螃蟹夹住它们的茎。 —

There stood beautiful palm-trees, oaks, and plantains;
在这里长着美丽的棕榈树、橡树和香蕉树； —

there stood parsley and flowering thyme:
还有欧芹和开花的百里香： —

every tree and every flower had its name;
每棵树和每朵花都有自己的名字； —

each of them was a human life, the human frame still lived–one in China, and another in Greenland–round about in the world.
它们每一个都是一个人的生命，人的身体仍然存活着——一个在中国，另一个在格陵兰——遍布在世界各地。 —

There were large trees in small pots, so that they stood so stunted in growth, and ready to burst the pots;
盆栽里有大树，因此它们的生长非常矮小，并且即将爆破盆。 —

in other places, there was a little dull flower in rich mould, with moss round about it, and it was so petted and nursed.
在其他地方，有一朵枯燥的小花生长在富饶的土壤中，周围长满苔藓，得到悉心呵护。 —

But the distressed mother bent down over all the smallest plants, and heard within them how the human heart beat;
但是这位苦恼的母亲弯下腰，倾听最小的植物内部心脏的跳动声。 —

and amongst millions she knew her child’s.
在数百万的植物中，她认识到了她的孩子。

“There it is!” cried she, and stretched her hands out over a little blue crocus, that hung quite sickly on one side.
“就在那里！”她叫道，伸出双手指向一朵蓝色的丑头缺气的藏红花。

“Don’t touch the flower!” said the old woman.
“不要碰这朵花！”老妇人说道，“取而代之， —

“But place yourself here, and when Death comes–I expect him every moment–do not let him pluck the flower up, but threaten him that you will do the same with the others.
站在这里，当死神来临时——我随时都在等他——不要让它把这朵花拔起来，而是威吓它如果它这样做，你会对其他的植物做同样的事情。 —

Then he will be afraid! He is responsible for them to OUR LORD, and no one dares to pluck them up before HE gives leave.”
这样它会害怕的！它对我们的主负责，没有人敢在主不允许之前把它们拔起来。”

All at once an icy cold rushed through the great hall, and the blind mother could feel that it was Death that came.

“How hast thou been able to find thy way hither?
“你是如何找到这里的？”他问道。 —

” he asked. “How couldst thou come quicker than I?”
“你怎么能比我更快地到达这里？”

“I am a mother,” said she.
“我是一个母亲，”她说道。

And Death stretched out his long hand towards the fine little flower, but she held her hands fast around his, so tight, and yet afraid that she should touch one of the leaves.
死神伸出他那长长的手指向那美丽的小花，但她紧紧地抓住他的手，又怕自己碰到花叶。 —

Then Death blew on her hands, and she felt that it was colder than the cold wind, and her hands fell down powerless.
然后死神吹了一口气在她的手上，她感到冷得比寒风还要冷，她的手无力地松开了。

“Thou canst not do anything against me!” said Death.
“你对我无能为力！”死神说道。

“But OUR LORD can!” said she.
“但是我们的主能！”她说道。

“I only do His bidding!
“我只是履行他的命令！ —

” said Death. “I am His gardener, I take all His flowers and trees, and plant them out in the great garden of Paradise, in the unknown land;
”死神说道。“我是他的园丁，我带走他所有的花草树木，把它们种在未知的天堂之地的大花园里； —

but how they grow there, and how it is there I dare not tell thee.”
但它们在那里如何生长，那里是什么样子，我不能告诉你。”

“Give me back my child!
“把我的孩子还给我！ —

” said the mother, and she wept and prayed.
”母亲说道，她哭泣着祈求。 —

At once she seized hold of two beautiful flowers close by, with each hand, and cried out to Death, “I will tear all thy flowers off, for I am in despair.”
她立刻用双手紧紧地抓住旁边的两朵美丽的花，对着死神喊道：“我要摘下你所有的花，因为我绝望了。”

“Touch them not!” said Death. “Thou say’st that thou art so unhappy, and now thou wilt make another mother equally unhappy.”
“不要碰它们！”死神说。“你说自己如此不幸，现在你又会使另一个母亲同样不幸。”

“Another mother!” said the poor woman, and directly let go her hold of both the flowers.
“另一个母亲！”可怜的女人说着，立刻放开了她对那两朵花的握持。

“There, thou hast thine eyes,” said Death;
“拿着你的眼睛吧，”死神说。 —

“I fished them up from the lake, they shone so bright; I knew not they were thine.
“我从湖中钓起它们，它们发光太亮了；我不知道它们是你的。 —

Take them again, they are now brighter than before;
再拿回去吧，它们现在比之前更亮； —

now look down into the deep well close by;
现在看看附近的深井； —

I shall tell thee the names of the two flowers thou wouldst have torn up, and thou wilt see their whole future life–their whole human existence:
我会告诉你你本来要拔掉的那两朵花的名字，你将看到它们整个未来的生活——它们整个人类存在： —

and see what thou wast about to disturb and destroy.”
并看到你本来要打扰和摧毁的东西。”

And she looked down into the well;
她俯视着深井； —

and it was a happiness to see how the one became a blessing to the world, to see how much happiness and joy were felt everywhere.
看到一个怎样成为世界的祝福，看到到处都感受到的幸福和喜悦，真是一种幸福。 —

And she saw the other’s life, and it was sorrow and distress, horror, and wretchedness.
她看到另一个的生活，那是悲伤和困苦，恐怖和悲惨。

“Both of them are God’s will!” said Death.
“两个都是上帝的旨意！”死神说。

“Which of them is Misfortune’s flower and which is that of Happiness?
“其中哪一朵是不幸的花，哪一朵是幸福的花？ —

” asked she.
”她问道。

“That I will not tell thee,” said Death;
“我不会告诉你的，”死神说， —

“but this thou shalt know from me, that the one flower was thy own child!
“但你将从我这里知道，其中一朵花是你自己的孩子！ —

it was thy child’s fate thou saw’st–thy own child’s future life!”
那是你孩子的命运，是你孩子未来的生活！”

Then the mother screamed with terror, “Which of them was my child? Tell it me!
然后母亲惊恐地尖叫起来，“哪一朵是我的孩子？告诉我！ —

Save the innocent! Save my child from all that misery!
拯救这无辜的孩子，使他摆脱所有的苦难！” —

Rather take it away! Take it into God’s kingdom!
“不如带走它吧！把它带到上帝的王国去！ —

Forget my tears, forget my prayers, and all that I have done!”
忘记我的眼泪，忘记我的祈祷，忘记我所做的一切！”

“I do not understand thee!
“我不明白你的意思！ —

” said Death. “Wilt thou have thy child again, or shall I go with it there, where thou dost not know!”
”死神说，“你是想再见到你的孩子，还是让我带它去一个你不了解的地方！”

Then the mother wrung her hands, fell on her knees, and prayed to our Lord:
然后母亲愁容满面，跪在地上，向上帝祈祷： —

“Oh, hear me not when I pray against Thy will, which is the best! hear me not! hear me not!”
“哦，当我祈祷违背你的意愿时，不要听我的！你的意愿是最好的！不要听我！不要听我！”

And she bowed her head down in her lap, and Death took her child and went with it into the unknown land.
她低头抱着膝盖，死神带着她的孩子走向那未知的地方。