A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. —
某个国王拥有一个美丽的花园，花园里有一棵结满金苹果的树。 —

These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. —
这些苹果经常被计算，大概在它们开始成熟的时候，每天晚上都会发现有一个消失了。 —

The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. —
国王对此非常生气，命令园丁整夜守护在树下。 —

The gardener set his eldest son to watch; —
园丁安排了他的大儿子守夜； —

but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing. —
但是大约在午夜时分，他睡着了，第二天早上又发现有一个苹果不见了。 —

Then the second son was ordered to watch; —
于是又命令次子守夜； —

and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. —
午夜时分，他也睡着了，第二天早上又少了一个苹果。 —

Then the third son offered to keep watch; —
然后三儿子主动要求守夜； —

but the gardener at first would not let him, for fear some harm should come to him: —
但是园丁一开始不让他，担心他受到伤害： —

however, at last he consented, and the young man laid himself under the tree to watch. —
但是最后他同意了，年轻人躺在树下守夜。 —

As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling noise in the air, and a bird came flying that was of pure gold; —
当时钟敲响十二下的时候，他听到空中有一阵沙沙声，一只全身金色的鸟飞了过来； —

and as it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak, the gardener’s son jumped up and shot an arrow at it. —
当它朝一个苹果张嘴咬去时，园丁的儿子跳了起来，射了一箭。 —

But the arrow did the bird no harm; —
但是箭没有伤害到鸟， —

only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. —
只是掉落下一根金色的羽毛，然后飞走了。 —

The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning, and all the council was called together. —
金色的羽毛在早晨被带到了国王那里，所有的议会成员都被召集起来。 —

Everyone agreed that it was worth more than all the wealth of the kingdom: —
大家都认为这比整个王国的财富都要更有价值。 —

but the king said, ‘One feather is of no use to me, I must have the whole bird.’
但是国王说：“一根羽毛对我没有用，我必须要整只鸟。”

Then the gardener’s eldest son set out and thought to find the golden bird very easily; —
园丁的大儿子便出发了，以为很容易找到金色的鸟； —

and when he had gone but a little way, he came to a wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox sitting; —
他走了不远就来到了一片树林旁边，看见一只狐狸坐在那里。 —

so he took his bow and made ready to shoot at it. —
于是他拿起弓，准备射击。 —

Then the fox said, ‘Do not shoot me, for I will give you good counsel; —
狐狸说：“不要射我，我会给你好的建议； —

I know what your business is, and that you want to find the golden bird. —
我知道你的目的是什么，你想找到金色的鸟。 —

You will reach a village in the evening; —
你会在傍晚到达一个村庄； —

and when you get there, you will see two inns opposite to each other, one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at: —
当你到达那里时，你会看到两家相对的客栈，其中一家非常令人愉快和美丽： —

go not in there, but rest for the night in the other, though it may appear to you to be very poor and mean. —
千万不要进去那家，而是在另一家过夜，尽管它可能给你的印象是非常贫穷和破旧的。 —

’ But the son thought to himself, ‘What can such a beast as this know about the matter? —
但是儿子心里想着，“这样一只兽能知道什么呢？ —

’ So he shot his arrow at the fox; —
”于是他朝狐狸射箭； —

but he missed it, and it set up its tail above its back and ran into the wood. —
但是他没有射中，狐狸把尾巴竖起来，跑进了树林。 —

Then he went his way, and in the evening came to the village where the two inns were; —
然后他继续前行，到了晚上来到了村子，那里有两家客栈； —

and in one of these were people singing, and dancing, and feasting; —
其中一家有人唱歌，跳舞，宴会； —

but the other looked very dirty, and poor. —
但另一家看起来非常肮脏和贫穷。 —

‘I should be very silly,’ said he, ‘if I went to that shabby house, and left this charming place’; —
他心想，“如果我去那脏兮兮的房子，离开这个迷人的地方，那我就太傻了”； —

so he went into the smart house, and ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird, and his country too.
所以他走进了漂亮的房子，轻松地吃喝，忘记了鸟儿，也忘记了自己的国家。

Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. —
时间流逝；由于长子没有回来，也没有听到他的消息，二子就出发了，结果遭遇了同样的情况。 —

He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: —
他碰到了那只狐狸， —

but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; —
听到了他的好建议：但是当他来到那两家旅店时，他的大哥站在有欢笑声的窗户前，叫他进去； —

and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.
他无法抵挡诱惑，进去了，忘记了金鸟和他的国家，情况和他的大哥一样。

Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; —
时间再次流逝，最小的儿子也想出去寻找金鸟； —

but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. —
但他的父亲很长时间不同意，因为他非常喜欢他的儿子，担心他也可能遭遇不幸，无法回来。 —

However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not rest at home; —
然而，最后大家同意他去，因为他再也无法安心呆在家里； —

and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. —
当他来到森林时，遇到了那只狐狸，听到了同样的好建议。 —

But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; —
他对狐狸心存感激，没有像他的兄弟们那样试图夺他的命。 —

so the fox said, ‘Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster. —
所以狐狸说：“坐在我的尾巴上，你就能更快的旅行。 —

’ So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.
“于是他坐了下来，狐狸开始跑起来，他们越过山川如风一般地飞速前进，头发在风中呼啸。

When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. —
当他们来到村庄时，儿子遵循了狐狸的建议，毫不犹豫地去了一个破旧的旅馆，在那里舒舒服服地过了一夜。 —

In the morning came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey, and said, ‘Go straight forward, till you come to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring: —
第二天早上狐狸又来了，正当儿子准备启程时，他对他说：“一直直走，直到来到一座城堡前，城堡前有一群士兵都在熟睡呼噜声： —

take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; —
而是继续往前走，直到来到一个房间，那里有一只金色的鸟被锁在一个木制的笼子里： —

close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; —
旁边站着一个漂亮的金笼子， —

but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent it. —
但千万不要试图把鸟从那个破旧的笼子里拿出来，放到漂亮的笼子里，否则你会后悔的。 —

’ Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.
然后狐狸再次伸出尾巴，年轻人坐下，他们飞速穿越了丘陵和石头，头发在风中呼啸着。

Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said: so the son went in and found the chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and below stood the golden cage, and the three golden apples that had been lost were lying close by it. —
在城堡门口，一切都和狐狸所说的一样：儿子走进去，找到了那个金色鸟儿悬挂在木制笼子里的房间，下面放着金质笼子，丢失的三个金苹果就在旁边。 —

Then thought he to himself, ‘It will be a very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shabby cage’; —
于是他心想，像这样在这漏风的笼子里带走这样一只漂亮的鸟儿，会是一件很滑稽的事情。 —

so he opened the door and took hold of it and put it into the golden cage. —
于是他打开门，抓住金鸟，把它放进金质笼子里。 —

But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke, and they took him prisoner and carried him before the king. —
但是鸟儿发出了一声如此大的尖叫，以至于所有士兵都被惊醒了，他们抓住他，把他带到了国王面前。 —

The next morning the court sat to judge him; —
第二天早上，法庭开庭审判他； —

and when all was heard, it sentenced him to die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could run as swiftly as the wind; —
当所有事情都听取了后，判决他必须死，除非他能给国王带来一匹能像风一样快跑的金马。 —

and if he did this, he was to have the golden bird given him for his own.
如果他做到了，就会得到金鸟作为奖赏。

So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, and in great despair, when on a sudden his friend the fox met him, and said, ‘You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. —
他又一次踏上旅途，叹息着，心中绝望，突然他的朋友狐狸遇到了他，说道：“你现在看到了，因为你不听从我的建议而发生了这样的事情。 —

I will still, however, tell you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as I bid you. —
不过，我仍然会告诉你如何找到金马，如果你愿意听我的话。 —

You must go straight on till you come to the castle where the horse stands in his stall: —
你必须一直走直到到达城堡，那里金马就在马厩里： —

by his side will lie the groom fast asleep and snoring: —
旁边会有一个长相无奈而睡得很熟的马夫： —

take away the horse quietly, but be sure to put the old leathern saddle upon him, and not the golden one that is close by it. —
悄悄地把马牵走，但一定要给它戴上旁边的旧皮鞍，而不是金鞍。 —

’ Then the son sat down on the fox’s tail, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.
然后儿子坐在狐狸的尾巴上，他们越过丘陵和石头飞驰而去，直到他们的头发在风中呼啸。

All went right, and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. —
一切都顺利进行，马夫呼噜着睡着了，手还放在金鞍上。 —

But when the son looked at the horse, he thought it a great pity to put the leathern saddle upon it. —
但是当儿子看着马时，他觉得把皮鞍放在上面太可惜了。 —

‘I will give him the good one, ’ said he; —
“我会给它好的那个，”他说； —

‘I am sure he deserves it. —
‘我相信他配得上这一切。 —

’ As he took up the golden saddle the groom awoke and cried out so loud, that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner, and in the morning he was again brought before the court to be judged, and was sentenced to die. —
’当他拿起金鞍的时候，马夫醒了过来，大声喊叫，所有的卫兵都跑了进来，抓住了他，第二天早上，他再次被带到法庭接受审判，并被判处死刑。 —

But it was agreed, that, if he could bring thither the beautiful princess, he should live, and have the bird and the horse given him for his own.
但是如果他能把美丽的公主带到那里，他就可以活下去，并且得到那只鸟和那匹马作为奖赏。

Then he went his way very sorrowful; —
于是他非常难过地走了， —

but the old fox came and said, ‘Why did not you listen to me? —
但老狐狸来了，说道：‘你为什么不听我的话呢？ —

If you had, you would have carried away both the bird and the horse; —
如果你听了我的话，你就能带走鸟和马， —

yet will I once more give you counsel. —
我再给你一次建议。 —

Go straight on, and in the evening you will arrive at a castle. —
直走，晚上你会来到一座城堡。 —

At twelve o’clock at night the princess goes to the bathing-house: —
午夜十二点，公主去洗浴室： —

go up to her and give her a kiss, and she will let you lead her away; —
上去亲吻她，她会让你带她离开； —

but take care you do not suffer her to go and take leave of her father and mother. —
但要小心，不要让她去和父母道别。 —

’ Then the fox stretched out his tail, and so away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled again.
然后狐狸伸出尾巴，他们就一起过山坡石块，直到头发猎猎作响。

As they came to the castle, all was as the fox had said, and at twelve o’clock the young man met the princess going to the bath and gave her the kiss, and she agreed to run away with him, but begged with many tears that he would let her take leave of her father. —
当他们来到城堡时，一切都如狐狸所说，十二点钟时，年轻人遇见了公主去洗澡，亲了她一下，她同意和他私奔，但恳求他允许她向父亲告别，她流着泪请求。 —

At first he refused, but she wept still more and more, and fell at his feet, till at last he consented; —
起初，他拒绝了，但她越哭越多，跪在他脚前，最后他同意了。 —

but the moment she came to her father’s house the guards awoke and he was taken prisoner again.
但是她一到了父亲的家门口，卫兵们醒了过来，他又被重新捕获。

Then he was brought before the king, and the king said, ‘You shall never have my daughter unless in eight days you dig away the hill that stops the view from my window. —
然后他被带到国王面前，国王说：”如果你在八天内将挡住我窗户视线的山丘挖掉，你才能得到我的女儿。 —

’ Now this hill was so big that the whole world could not take it away: —
“这座山太大了，全世界都挖不走它。 —

and when he had worked for seven days, and had done very little, the fox came and said. —
他已经工作了七天，几乎没有什么成果，这时狐狸来了，说：” —

‘Lie down and go to sleep; —
躺下去睡觉吧， —

I will work for you. —
我来替你做。 —

’ And in the morning he awoke and the hill was gone; —
第二天早上他醒来，山丘消失了； —

so he went merrily to the king, and told him that now that it was removed he must give him the princess.
于是他快乐地去找国王，告诉他现在山丘已经移动了，国王必须给他公主。

Then the king was obliged to keep his word, and away went the young man and the princess; —
然后国王只好遵守诺言，年轻人和公主一同离开； —

and the fox came and said to him, ‘We will have all three, the princess, the horse, and the bird. —
狐狸来了，对他说：“我们将拥有三个——公主，马和鸟。” “啊！”年轻人说，“那将是一件伟大的事情，但是你如何安排呢？ —

’ ‘Ah! —
” —

’ said the young man, ‘that would be a great thing, but how can you contrive it?’
“只要你听我说，”狐狸说，“就能够做到。

‘If you will only listen, ’ said the fox, ‘it can be done. —
当你来到国王面前，他要求见美丽的公主时，你必须说：“她在这里！”然后他会非常高兴； —

When you come to the king, and he asks for the beautiful princess, you must say, “Here she is! —
你将骑上他们要给你的金马，伸出手与他们告别； —

” Then he will be very joyful; —
但最后与公主握手。 —

and you will mount the golden horse that they are to give you, and put out your hand to take leave of them; —
然后迅速把她举到你的马后面；用脚踏马肚子， —

but shake hands with the princess last. —
尽快地奔驰离开。” —

Then lift her quickly on to the horse behind you; —

clap your spurs to his side, and gallop away as fast as you can.’

All went right: then the fox said, ‘When you come to the castle where the bird is, I will stay with the princess at the door, and you will ride in and speak to the king; —
一切顺利：狐狸说：“当你来到那只鸟所在的城堡时，我会和公主一起站在门口，你将骑进去对国王说话； —

and when he sees that it is the right horse, he will bring out the bird; —
当他看到是正确的马时，他会把鸟带出来； —

but you must sit still, and say that you want to look at it, to see whether it is the true golden bird; —
但你必须坐着不动，说你想看看它，看看是否是真正的金色鸟； —

and when you get it into your hand, ride away.’
当你把它拿到手里时，就骑走。”

This, too, happened as the fox said; —
狐狸所说的也发生了： —

they carried off the bird, the princess mounted again, and they rode on to a great wood. —
他们带走了那只鸟，公主再次骑上马，他们骑到了一片大森林。 —

Then the fox came, and said, ‘Pray kill me, and cut off my head and my feet. —
然后狐狸来了，说：“请杀了我，砍掉我的头和脚。 —

’ But the young man refused to do it: —
”但是年轻人拒绝了： —

so the fox said, ‘I will at any rate give you good counsel: —
所以狐狸说：“我至少会给你一个好建议： —

beware of two things; —
要小心两件事； —

ransom no one from the gallows, and sit down by the side of no river. —
不给任何人赎金，也不在任何一条河边坐下。 —

’ Then away he went. —
然后他走了。 —

‘Well,’ thought the young man, ‘it is no hard matter to keep that advice.’
“好吧，”年轻人想，“遵守那个建议并不难。”

He rode on with the princess, till at last he came to the village where he had left his two brothers. —
他和公主继续骑着马走，最后来到他留下他的两个兄弟的村庄。 —

And there he heard a great noise and uproar; —
那里乱哄哄的; —

and when he asked what was the matter, the people said, ‘Two men are going to be hanged. —
当他问发生了什么事的时候，人们说：“两个人要被绞死。” —

’ As he came nearer, he saw that the two men were his brothers, who had turned robbers; so he said, ‘Cannot they in any way be saved? —
他走近一看，发现那两个人正是他的兄弟，他们成了强盗; 于是他说：“他们有没有别的办法可以被救出来呢? —

’ But the people said ‘No, ’ unless he would bestow all his money upon the rascals and buy their liberty. —
但人们说“不”，除非他愿意把所有的钱给那些无赖，买回他们的自由。 —

Then he did not stay to think about the matter, but paid what was asked, and his brothers were given up, and went on with him towards their home.
然后他没有考虑这件事，就付了要价，他的兄弟们被释放了，和他一起回家去了。

And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them, it was so cool and pleasant that the two brothers said, ‘Let us sit down by the side of the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink. —
当他们来到狐狸第一次遇见他们的树林时，那里非常凉爽宜人，两个兄弟说：“让我们坐在河边休息一会儿，吃喝一下吧。” —

’ So he said, ‘Yes, ’ and forgot the fox’s counsel, and sat down on the side of the river; —
所以他说：“好的”，忘记了狐狸的忠告，坐在了河边； —

and while he suspected nothing, they came behind, and threw him down the bank, and took the princess, the horse, and the bird, and went home to the king their master, and said. —
他毫无察觉，他们从后面走过来，把他推到了河边，夺走了公主、马和鸟，回到了他们的国王那里，并说道。 —

‘All this have we won by our labour. —
‘我们都是凭借自己的努力赢得了这一切。 —

’ Then there was great rejoicing made; —
’于是就有了一片欢乐; —

but the horse would not eat, the bird would not sing, and the princess wept.
但是马不吃东西，鸟不唱歌，公主哭泣。

The youngest son fell to the bottom of the river’s bed: —
最小的儿子掉进了河床底部： —

luckily it was nearly dry, but his bones were almost broken, and the bank was so steep that he could find no way to get out. —
幸运的是河床几乎干涸了，但他的骨头几乎都断了，河岸非常陡峭，他找不到出来的方法。 —

Then the old fox came once more, and scolded him for not following his advice; —
然后老狐狸再次来了，责备他没有听从他的忠告； —

otherwise no evil would have befallen him: —
否则就不会遭遇这场灾难 —

‘Yet,’ said he, ‘I cannot leave you here, so lay hold of my tail and hold fast. —
‘不过，’他说道，‘我不能把你留在这里，所以抓住我的尾巴，紧紧抓住。 —

’ Then he pulled him out of the river, and said to him, as he got upon the bank, ‘Your brothers have set watch to kill you, if they find you in the kingdom. —
’然后他把他从河里拉了出来，趁他上岸时对他说道，‘你的兄弟们已经派人看守，如果他们在王国里找到你就要杀你。 —

’ So he dressed himself as a poor man, and came secretly to the king’s court, and was scarcely within the doors when the horse began to eat, and the bird to sing, and the princess left off weeping. —
’于是他打扮成一个穷人，秘密地来到国王的庭院，刚进门马就开始吃草，鸟儿开始唱歌，公主停止了哭泣。 —

Then he went to the king, and told him all his brothers’ roguery; —
然后他去找国王，告诉他他兄弟的各种恶行； —

and they were seized and punished, and he had the princess given to him again; —
他们被捕并受到惩罚，而他又把公主夺回来了； —

and after the king’s death he was heir to his kingdom.
在国王去世后，他成为了王国的继承人。

A long while after, he went to walk one day in the wood, and the old fox met him, and besought him with tears in his eyes to kill him, and cut off his head and feet. —
又过了很久，他一天在森林里散步，碰到了那只老狐狸，老狐狸含泪恳求他杀了自己，砍掉自己的头和脚。 —

And at last he did so, and in a moment the fox was changed into a man, and turned out to be the brother of the princess, who had been lost a great many many years.
最后他这么做了，狐狸立刻变成了一个人，原来他是公主失散多年的兄弟。