Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. —
一个穷苦的木匠和他的妻子以及他们的两个孩子住在一个大森林附近。 —

The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. —
男孩叫汉赛尔,女孩叫格雷特。 —

He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. —
他吃的很少,甚至有一次当这片土地上降临了大饥荒时,他再也无法买到每天的面包。 —

Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife: —
当他在夜晚躺在床上,思考这个问题并为此忧心忡忡,他叹息着对妻子说: —

‘What is to become of us? —
“我们该怎么办呢? —

How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves? —
当我们连自己都没有东西吃的时候,我们要如何养活我们可怜的孩子呢? —

’ ‘I’ll tell you what, husband, ’ answered the woman, ‘early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest; —
“我告诉你,丈夫,”妻子回答道,“明天早上我们将把孩子们带到森林里最密集的地方; —

there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. —
我们会为他们生火,给他们每人再一块面包,然后我们就去工作,把他们一个人留在那里。 —

They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.’ ‘No, wife, ’ said the man, ‘I will not do that; —
他们再也找不到回家的路,这样我们就可以摆脱他们了。”“不,妻子,”那个男人说,“我不会这样做的; —

how can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest? —
我怎么能忍心把我的孩子们独自留在森林里呢? —

–the wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces. —
野生动物会很快把他们撕成碎片。”“哦, —

’ ‘O, you fool! —
你这个傻瓜! —

’ said she, ‘then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins, ’ and she left him no peace until he consented. —
她说:“那么我们都会饿死,你不妨给我们的棺材刨些木板吧。”她一直不让他得到宁静,直到他同意为止。 —

‘But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same,’ said the man.
但我真的为那可怜的孩子们感到很难过,”男人说。

The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father. —
孩子们也因为饥饿而无法入睡,听到了他们继母对父亲说的话。 —

Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel: ‘Now all is over with us. —
格雷特尔哭了苦涩的眼泪,对汉塞尔说:“现在我们完蛋了。” —

’ ‘Be quiet, Gretel,’ said Hansel, ‘do not distress yourself, I will soon find a way to help us. —
“安静点,格雷特尔,”汉塞尔说,“不要伤心,我很快就会找到办法帮助我们。” —

’ And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. —
当老人们入睡后,他起床,穿上小外套,打开下面的门,悄悄地走出去。 —

The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. —
月亮明亮地照着,房子前面的白色鹅卵石闪烁着像真正的银便士一样的光芒。 —

Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. —
汉赛弯腰弯下身子,将他能够装下的尽可能多的东西塞进了他外套的小口袋。 —

Then he went back and said to Gretel: —
然后他回过头对格雷特尔说: —

‘Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us, ’ and he lay down again in his bed. —
“亲爱的小妹妹,安心睡吧,上帝不会抛弃我们。” 他再次躺回到床上。 —

When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying: ‘Get up, you sluggards! —
天亮了,但太阳还没升起,女人来唤醒两个孩子,说:“起床吧,你们这两个懒虫! —

we are going into the forest to fetch wood. —
我们要去森林里找柴火。 —

’ She gave each a little piece of bread, and said: —
”她给了每个孩子一小块面包,说: —

‘There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else. —
“这是你们的午餐,但不要在那之前吃光它,否则你们将一无所得。 —

’ Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. —
”格雷泽尔用围裙将面包包起来,而汉塞尔则把鹅卵石装在口袋里。 —

Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. —
然后他们一起踏上了去森林的路。 —

When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. —
走了一小段路后,汉塞尔站住了,一次又一次地朝房子望去。他的父亲说: —

His father said: —

‘Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for? —
“汉塞尔,你在那里看什么,为什么落后了? —

Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs. —
集中注意力,别忘了怎么使用你的双腿。 —

’ ‘Ah, father,’ said Hansel, ‘I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me. —
” “啊,爸爸,”汉塞尔说,“我在看我那只坐在屋顶上想要和我道别的小白猫。” —

’ The wife said: ‘Fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys. —
妻子说:“傻瓜,那不是你的小猫,那是阳光照在烟囱上。” —

’ Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.
然而,汉塞尔并没有回头看猫,而是不断地从口袋里扔出一块白色的小石头在路上。

When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said: —
当他们走到森林中间时,父亲说: —

‘Now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold. —
“现在,孩子们,堆些木头,我来点火,让你们不会冷。” —

’ Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. —
汉塞尔和格雷泽尔聚集了一堆刷子,像一个小山一样高。 —

The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said: —
刷子点燃了,当火焰燃烧得很高时,那个女人说: —

‘Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. —
“现在,孩子们,躺在火边休息,我们去森林里砍些木头。我们砍完了,就回来接你们。” —

When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away.’
汉塞尔和格雷泽尔坐在火边,当中午时分到来时,他们各自吃了一小块面包,听到木斧的敲击声,他们以为父亲就在附近。

Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. —
汉塞尔和格雷泽尔坐在火边,当中午来临时,他们各自吃了一小块面包,听到木斧的敲击声,他们相信父亲就在附近。 —

It was not the axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. —
然而,那不是斧头,而是他系在一棵枯树上的一根树枝,被风吹来吹去。 —

And as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. —
由于他们坐了很久,双眼因疲劳而闭上,他们迅速入睡了。 —

When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. —
当他们终于醒来时,已经是夜晚了。 —

Gretel began to cry and said: —
格雷特尔开始哭泣道: —

‘How are we to get out of the forest now? —
“我们怎么才能走出这片森林呢?” —

’ But Hansel comforted her and said: —
但汉塞尔安慰她说:“等一下, —

‘Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way. —
等月亮升起来,我们很快就能找到回家的路。” —

’ And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.
于是当满月升起时,汉塞尔牵着妹妹的手,跟着那些闪耀如新铸的银币般的鹅卵石,找到了回家的路。

They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father’s house. —
他们整夜行走,天亮时再次回到了父亲的房子。 —

They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said: —
他们敲了敲门,当女人打开门看到是汉塞尔和格雷特尔时,她说道: —

‘You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest? —
“你们这些调皮的孩子,为什么在森林里睡了这么久? —

–we thought you were never coming back at all! —
—-我们都以为你们再也不会回来了!” —

’ The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone.
然而,父亲感到高兴,因为离开孩子们让他非常痛苦。

Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father: —
不久之后,全国再次发生了大饥荒,孩子们在晚上听到他们的母亲对父亲说: —

‘Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and that is the end. —
‘我们又吃光了,只剩下半块面包,就没了。 —

The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; —
孩子们必须离开,我们将把他们带到更深的森林里,他们就找不到出路了; —

there is no other means of saving ourselves! —
这是我们唯一能保全自己的办法! —

’ The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought: —
’父亲的心很沉重,他想: —

‘It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children. —
‘你最好和孩子们分享最后一口口粮。 —

’ The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. —
’然而,女人不愿听他说什么,只是责骂和责备他。 —

He who says A must say B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.
谁说了A就必须说B,因为他第一次妥协,所以第二次也必须如此。

The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation. —
然而,孩子们还醒着,听到了他们的谈话。 —

When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. —
当老人们都睡着时,汉塞尔再次起身,想出去拾起鹅卵石,就像以前那样,但是那个女人把门锁住了,汉塞尔无法出去。 —

Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said: ‘Do not cry, Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us.’
尽管如此,他安慰着他的小妹妹,并说:“别哭,格雷特,安静地睡觉,上帝会帮助我们的。”

Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds. —
第二天早上,那个女人来了,把孩子们从床上带出来。 —

Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. —
他们给了他们一块面包,但比上次还小。 —

On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. —
在进入森林的路上,汉塞尔把面包在口袋里碎成渣,经常停下来,在地上扔下一小块。 —

‘Hansel, why do you stop and look round? —
“汉塞尔,你为什么停下来看看? —

’ said the father, ‘go on. —
”父亲说,“继续走。” —

’ ‘I am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me, ’ answered Hansel. ‘Fool! —
“我在看我那只停在屋顶上,想跟我说再见的小鸽子。”汉塞尔回答道。“傻瓜! —

’ said the woman, ‘that is not your little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney. —
“那不是你的小鸽子,那是早晨的太阳照在烟囱上。”,这位女人说道。 —

’ Hansel, however little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.
然而,汉塞尔一点点地把所有的面包屑撒在路上。

The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. —
这个女人将孩子们带到了更深的森林中,这是他们生平从未来过的地方。 —

Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said: ‘Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; —
然后又生了一堆大火,母亲说:“孩子们,你们就坐在那里,累了就睡一会儿,我们要进森林砍柴,晚上做完后就来接你们。” —

we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away. —
中午时,格雷特将面包分给了散在路上的汉塞尔。 —

’ When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. —
然后他们睡着了,过了一晚上,可是没有人来找这两个可怜的孩子。 —

Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children. —
直到天黑才醒来,汉塞尔安慰着他的妹妹说: —

They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said: —
“等我们度过这段困难时期,我们肯定会找到回家的路的。” —

‘Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again. —
‘等着吧,格蕾特,等月亮升起来,我们就能看到我撒下的面包屑,它们会给我们指路回家的。 —

’ When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. —
’当月亮升起时,他们出发了,但他们找不到面包屑,因为树林和田野里无数的鸟都把它们都吃掉了。 —

Hansel said to Gretel: —
汉塞尔对格蕾特说: —

‘We shall soon find the way, ’ but they did not find it. —
‘我们很快就会找到路的,’但他们没有找到。 —

They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground. —
他们整夜行走,接着又整个第二天从早到晚走,但是他们没有走出森林,非常饿,因为他们除了两三颗在地上长着的浆果外没有东西可吃。 —

And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.
当他们太累以至于不能再走的时候,他们躺在一棵树下睡着了。

It was now three mornings since they had left their father’s house. —
现在他们离开父亲的房子已经三个早晨了。 —

They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. —
他们又开始走了,但是他们一直深入森林,如果帮助不快来的话,他们将会因饥饿和劳累而死。 —

When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. —
当正值中午时,他们看到一只美丽的雪白鸟儿坐在树枝上,鸟儿唱得如此动听,他们站在那里静静地聆听着。 —

And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted; —
当它的歌声结束时,它展开翅膀飞离了他们,他们紧随其后,直到到达一间小房子,鸟儿停在了屋顶上。 —

and when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar. —
当他们走近这间小房子时,发现它是用面包构建而成的,还覆盖着蛋糕,但窗户是由透明的糖做成的。 —

‘We will set to work on that, ’ said Hansel, ‘and have a good meal. —
“我们要开始吃起来了,” 汉塞尔说道,”好好用餐一顿吧。 —

I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet. —
我要吃一点屋顶,而你格蕾特尔,可以吃一些窗户,它会尝起来很甜的。 —

’ Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes. —
“汉塞尔伸手向上方折下一小块屋顶,尝了尝味道,而格蕾特尔则靠在窗户上咬着玻璃。 —

Then a soft voice cried from the parlour:
接着从客厅里传来一个柔和的声音:

‘Nibble, nibble, gnaw, Who is nibbling at my little house?’
“咬啊,咬啊,啃啊,啃,是谁在我小房子上咬啊咬?

The children answered:
孩子们回答道:

‘The wind, the wind, The heaven-born wind,’
“风啊,风啊,天生的风。”

and went on eating without disturbing themselves. —
他们继续吃着,毫不打扰自己。 —

Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it. —
汉塞尔喜欢屋顶的味道,他撕下一大块,格雷特尔推出一整块圆窗玻璃,坐下来,开心地享用着。 —

Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. —
突然,门开了,一个年纪已经老得像山一样的妇人,拄着拐杖,一瘸一拐地走了出来。 —

Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. —
汉塞尔和格雷特尔吓得手里的东西都掉了。然而, —

The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said: —
那个老婆婆点点头,说道: —

‘Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you. —
“哦,亲爱的孩子们,是谁把你们带到这里来的?请进来和我一起住吧。你们不会受到任何伤害。” —

’ She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. —
她拉着他们的手,领着他们进了她的小房子。 —

Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. —
接着,桌上放满了美食,有牛奶和煎饼,还有糖、苹果和坚果。 —

Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.
过后,两张漂亮的小床上铺上了干净的白床单,汉塞尔和格雷特尔躺在上面,觉得自己仿佛置身于天堂之中。

The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; —
这个老女人只是假装善良; —

she was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. —
事实上她是一个邪恶的女巫,等待着孩子们的到来,只是建了那座小面包房来引诱他们到那里。 —

When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. —
当一个孩子落入她的掌握中,她就杀死它,煮熟并吃掉它,这对她来说是个节日。 —

Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. —
女巫们有红色的眼睛,看不远,但她们有像野兽一样敏锐的嗅觉,能感觉到人类的接近。 —

When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighbourhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly: ‘I have them, they shall not escape me again! —
当汉赛尔和格蕾特尔来到她的附近时,她恶毒地笑了笑,嘲笑地说:“我抓到他们了,他们再也逃不掉了! —

’ Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was already up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump and rosy cheeks she muttered to herself: —
一早在孩子们醒来之前,她已经醒来了,看到他们两个都睡得很香,脸蛋肥而红润,她自言自语地嘀咕道: —

‘That will be a dainty mouthful! —
“这将是一顿可口的美食! —

’ Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable, and locked him in behind a grated door. —
”然后她用皱巴巴的手抓住汉赛尔,把他带到一个小马厩里,用铁栅门把他锁起来。 —

Scream as he might, it would not help him. —
尽管他尽力尖叫,但那对他毫无帮助。 —

Then she went to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried: —
接着她走到格雷特尔跟前,把她摇醒并大声说: —

‘Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. —
“起来吧,懒鬼,去拿些水,为你的哥哥煮些好吃的东西。他在外面的马厩里,要喂肥他。 —

When he is fat, I will eat him. —
当他胖起来后,我就吃掉他。” —

’ Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, for she was forced to do what the wicked witch commanded.
格雷特尔开始伤心地哭泣,但一切都是徒劳的,因为她被迫按邪恶女巫的命令去做。

And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing but crab-shells. —
现在给可怜的汉斯尔做了最好的食物,而格雷特尔却只得到螃蟹壳。 —

Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and cried: —
每天早上,女巫都会悄悄来到小马厩,喊道:”汉斯尔, —

‘Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may feel if you will soon be fat. —
伸出你的手指给我摸一下,看看你是不是很快就会胖起来了。 —

’ Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was Hansel’s finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening him. —
“然而,汉斯尔却伸出一根小骨头给她,老婆婆看不见了,以为是汉斯尔的手指,十分惊讶为什么无法让他变胖。 —

When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin, she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer. —
四个星期过去了,汉斯尔还是瘦瘦的,女巫不耐烦了,再也等不下去了。 —

‘Now, then, Gretel,’ she cried to the girl, ‘stir yourself, and bring some water. —
‘现在,格雷特尔,’她对着女孩喊道,‘快点动起来,拿点水来。 —

Let Hansel be fat or lean, tomorrow I will kill him, and cook him. —
不管是汉塞尔胖还是瘦,明天我都会杀了他,然后煮了他。 —

’ Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down her cheeks! —
啊,可怜的小妹妹要去取水时多么伤心,她的泪水流过脸颊! —

‘Dear God, do help us,’ she cried. —
‘亲爱的上帝,请帮助我们, —

‘If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together. —
’她喊道,‘如果森林里的野兽把我们吞噬了,至少我们可以一同死去。 —

’ ‘Just keep your noise to yourself, ’ said the old woman, ‘it won’t help you at all.’
‘少作声,’老婆婆说,‘这样完全没有用处。

Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire. —
早晨,格雷特尔得去外面挂起装满水的大锅,并点燃火。 —

‘We will bake first,’ said the old woman, ‘I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough. —
‘我们先烤,’老婆婆说,‘我已经把炉子烧热,并揉好面团。 —

’ She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. —
她把可怜的格雷特尔推开走向炉子,从里面已经冒出火焰。 —

‘Creep in,’ said the witch, ‘and see if it is properly heated, so that we can put the bread in. —
‘爬进去,’巫婆说,‘看看是否已经热好了,这样我们就可以把面包放进去。 —

’ And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. —
‘而一旦格雷特尔进来后,她打算把她关在烤炉里,然后她也会吃了她。 —

But Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said: —
但是格雷特尔看出了她的意图,说: —

‘I do not know how I am to do it; —
“我不知道该怎么做; —

how do I get in?’ ‘Silly goose, ’ said the old woman. —
我怎么进去?”‘愚蠢的鹅,’老太婆说。 —

‘The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself! —
‘门够大了;看呐,我自己都能进去! —

’ and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. —
’她爬了上去,把头伸进烤炉里去了。 —

Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! —
然后格雷特尔给了她一推,她就被推进了里面,关上了铁门,扣上了插销。哦! —

then she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
然后她开始发出可怕的哀嚎声,但格雷特尔逃走了,那个不敬的巫婆就可怜地被烧死了。

Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried: ‘Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead! —
然而,格雷特尔像闪电一样跑到汉塞尔那里,打开了他的小栈房,喊道:“汉塞尔,我们得救了!老巫婆死了! —

’ Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is opened. —
’然后汉塞尔像鸟儿从笼子里飞出来一样跳了出来。 —

How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other! —
他们多么高兴地拥抱在一起,相互跳舞、亲吻! —

And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch’s house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. —
因为他们不再需要对她感到害怕,他们走进了女巫的房子,而在每个角落都摆满了珍珠和宝石的箱子。 —

‘These are far better than pebbles! —
‘这些比小石子好多了!’ —

’ said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in, and Gretel said: —
汉塞尔说着,并将能拿到的东西塞进口袋里,格雷特尔也说: —

‘I, too, will take something home with me, ’ and filled her pinafore full. —
‘我也要带一些东西回家,’ 并把围裙塞得满满的。 —

‘But now we must be off,’ said Hansel, ‘that we may get out of the witch’s forest.’
‘但现在我们必须走了,’汉塞尔说,’ 这样我们才能离开女巫的森林。’

When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water. —
他们走了两个小时后,到达了一个很大的水域。’ —

‘We cannot cross,’ said Hansel, ‘I see no foot-plank, and no bridge. —
我们没法过去,’汉塞尔说,’ 我看不到木板,也没有桥。 —

’ ‘And there is also no ferry, ’ answered Gretel, ‘but a white duck is swimming there: —
’ ‘而且也没有渡船,’ 格雷特尔回答说,’但那里有一只白鸭正在游泳: —

if I ask her, she will help us over. —
如果我问她,她会帮助我们过去。’ —

’ Then she cried:
然后她喊道:

‘Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee? —
‘小鸭子,小鸭子,你看见吗, 汉塞尔和格雷特尔正在等你吗? —

There’s never a plank, or bridge in sight, Take us across on thy back so white.’
这里没有木板或桥可见, 请用你的雪白背踩越大河。

The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him. —
这只鸭子来到他们面前,汉塞尔坐在它的背上,并叫妹妹坐在他旁边。 —

‘No,’ replied Gretel, ‘that will be too heavy for the little duck; —
“不行,”格雷特回答说,“那样对小鸭子来说太重了, —

she shall take us across, one after the other. —
她一个一个地带我们过去。” —

’ The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father’s house. —
好心的小鸭子照做了,当他们安全地过河并行走了一段时间后,森林对他们来说越来越熟悉,最后他们从远处看到了父亲的房子。 —

Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves round their father’s neck. —
于是他们开始奔跑,冲进客厅,扑向父亲的脖子。 —

The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest; —
自从他把孩子们丢在森林里后,他就没有过一天快乐的时光;然而, —

the woman, however, was dead. —
那个女人已经去世了。 —

Gretel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. —
格雷特倒出了她围裙口袋里的珍珠和宝石,屋子里顿时到处都是它们,而汉塞尔则一把接一把地从口袋里掏出来加在其中。 —

Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness. —
于是一切焦虑都消失了,他们幸福地生活在一起。 —

My tale is done, there runs a mouse; —
我的故事结束了,有只老鼠跑了出来; —

whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.
不管谁抓到它,都可以用它做一顶大毛皮帽。