There was once a miller who had one beautiful daughter, and as she was grown up, he was anxious that she should be well married and provided for. —
从前有个磨坊主，他有一个美丽的女儿，当她长大之后，他渴望给她找一个好丈夫，使她得到妥善照顾。 —

He said to himself, ‘I will give her to the first suitable man who comes and asks for her hand. —
他对自己说：“我会把她嫁给第一个适合的人，他来向我求婚。” —

’ Not long after a suitor appeared, and as he appeared to be very rich and the miller could see nothing in him with which to find fault, he betrothed his daughter to him. —
不久之后，有一个求婚者出现了，因为他看起来很有钱，磨坊主也看不出任何毛病，于是他把女儿许配给了他。 —

But the girl did not care for the man as a girl ought to care for her betrothed husband. —
但这个女孩并不喜欢这个男人，不像一个女孩应该对未婚夫有的情感。 —

She did not feel that she could trust him, and she could not look at him nor think of him without an inward shudder. —
她感觉无法信任他，一想到他就感到内心发抖。 —

One day he said to her, ‘You have not yet paid me a visit, although we have been betrothed for some time. —
有一天，他对她说：“我们已经订婚了这么久了，你还没有来看我。” —

’ ‘I do not know where your house is, ’ she answered. ‘My house is out there in the dark forest, ’ he said. —
她回答道：“我不知道你住在哪里。”他说：“我的家就在那里，就在黑暗的森林里。” —

She tried to excuse herself by saying that she would not be able to find the way thither. —
她试图找借口说自己找不到那里的路。 —

Her betrothed only replied, ‘You must come and see me next Sunday; —
她的未婚夫只回答道：“你必须下周日来看我； —

I have already invited guests for that day, and that you may not mistake the way, I will strew ashes along the path.’
我已经邀请了客人，为了使你不会迷路，我会在路上洒一些灰。”

When Sunday came, and it was time for the girl to start, a feeling of dread came over her which she could not explain, and that she might be able to find her path again, she filled her pockets with peas and lentils to sprinkle on the ground as she went along. —
周日到来的时候，女孩感到一种无法解释的恐惧，为了能够再次找到路，她把口袋里装满豌豆和扁豆，一路上撒在地上。 —

On reaching the entrance to the forest she found the path strewed with ashes, and these she followed, throwing down some peas on either side of her at every step she took. —
当她到达森林入口时，发现路上撒满了灰，她紧跟着灰走，每走一步都撒下一些豌豆。 —

She walked the whole day until she came to the deepest, darkest part of the forest. —
她走了一整天，直到来到森林最深、最黑暗的地方。 —

There she saw a lonely house, looking so grim and mysterious, that it did not please her at all. —
在那里，她看到一座孤独的房子，看起来那么阴森和神秘，一点也不讨她的喜欢。 —

She stepped inside, but not a soul was to be seen, and a great silence reigned throughout. —
她走进屋子，但没有看到一个人，四处一片寂静。突然， —

Suddenly a voice cried:
一个声音喊道：

‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’
‘回头吧，回头吧，年轻的姑娘，不要停留在这个凶手的巢穴里。’

The girl looked up and saw that the voice came from a bird hanging in a cage on the wall. —
姑娘抬头一看，声音是来自挂在墙上的鸟笼中的一只鸟。 —

Again it cried:
它又喊道:

‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’
‘回头吧，回头吧，年轻的姑娘，不要停留在这个凶手的巢穴里。’

The girl passed on, going from room to room of the house, but they were all empty, and still she saw no one. —
姑娘继续前行，走进了房子的每个房间，但都是空的，她仍然看不到任何人。 —

At last she came to the cellar, and there sat a very, very old woman, who could not keep her head from shaking. —
最后，她来到了地下室，看到了一个非常非常年迈的老妇人，她不禁止自己的头颤抖。 —

‘Can you tell me,’ asked the girl, ‘if my betrothed husband lives here?’
‘你能告诉我，’姑娘问道，‘我的未婚夫住在这里吗？’

‘Ah, you poor child,’ answered the old woman, ‘what a place for you to come to! —
‘啊，可怜的孩子，’老妇人回答道，‘你来到了什么地方啊！ —

This is a murderers’ den. —
这是一个凶手的巢穴。 —

You think yourself a promised bride, and that your marriage will soon take place, but it is with death that you will keep your marriage feast. —
你认为自己是被许配的新娘，你的婚礼很快就会举行，但你与死亡一起举行婚宴。 —

Look, do you see that large cauldron of water which I am obliged to keep on the fire! —
看，你看见我不得不在火上烧着的巨大的锅子了吗！ —

As soon as they have you in their power they will kill you without mercy, and cook and eat you, for they are eaters of men. —
一旦他们掌握了你的命运，他们会毫不留情地杀害你，然后把你煮了吃，因为他们是吃人的。 —

If I did not take pity on you and save you, you would be lost.’
如果我不可怜你并拯救你，你将会迷失。

Thereupon the old woman led her behind a large cask, which quite hid her from view. —
于是老婆婆把她带到一个大桶后面，桶完全把她藏起来了。“保持安静如老鼠，”她说，“不要动也不要说话，否则就没救了。今晚， —

‘Keep as still as a mouse, ’ she said; —
当强盗们都在熟睡时，我们会一起逃走。我早就等待逃跑的机会了。” —

‘do not move or speak, or it will be all over with you. Tonight, when the robbers are all asleep, we will flee together. —
她话音刚落，邪恶的一伙人就回来了，拖着另一个年轻女孩。 —

I have long been waiting for an opportunity to escape.’
他们都喝醉了，没有注意她的哭喊和悲哀。

The words were hardly out of her mouth when the godless crew returned, dragging another young girl along with them. —
他们给她喝了酒，一杯白酒，一杯红酒，一杯黄酒，她的心脏就崩溃了，她死了。 —

They were all drunk, and paid no heed to her cries and lamentations. —
然后他们扯下她精致的衣服，把她放在桌子上，把她美丽的身体切成了碎片，并撒上盐。 —

They gave her wine to drink, three glasses full, one of white wine, one of red, and one of yellow, and with that her heart gave way and she died. —
如果你不深爱她，那么这些也无济于事。 —

Then they tore off her dainty clothing, laid her on a table, and cut her beautiful body into pieces, and sprinkled salt upon it.
最后他们吃掉了她的肉，不留一丝痕迹。

The poor betrothed girl crouched trembling and shuddering behind the cask, for she saw what a terrible fate had been intended for her by the robbers. —
这个可怜的许婚女子蜷缩在桶后，颤抖不已，因为她看到盗贼对她设计了多么可怕的命运。 —

One of them now noticed a gold ring still remaining on the little finger of the murdered girl, and as he could not draw it off easily, he took a hatchet and cut off the finger; —
其中一个人注意到被杀女子小手指上还戴着一枚金戒指，由于无法轻松取下，他拿起一把斧子，砍下了那只手指； —

but the finger sprang into the air, and fell behind the cask into the lap of the girl who was hiding there. —
但手指跳入空中，落在躲在那里的女孩膝上的桶后。 —

The robber took a light and began looking for it, but he could not find it. —
盗贼拿起灯开始找，但他找不到。 —

‘Have you looked behind the large cask? —
“你看过大桶后面吗？” —

’ said one of the others. —
其他人中的一人说道。 —

But the old woman called out, ‘Come and eat your suppers, and let the thing be till tomorrow; —
但老婆婆喊道， “快来吃晚饭吧，明天再找吧； —

the finger won’t run away.’
手指不会跑掉的。”

‘The old woman is right,’ said the robbers, and they ceased looking for the finger and sat down.
“老婆婆说得对，” 盗贼们说着，他们停止找手指，坐下来。

The old woman then mixed a sleeping draught with their wine, and before long they were all lying on the floor of the cellar, fast asleep and snoring. —
然后老婆婆在他们的酒里加了一种安眠药，没过多久，他们全部躺在地下室的地板上，沉沉睡去，发出打鼾声。 —

As soon as the girl was assured of this, she came from behind the cask. —
女孩确信后，她从桶后走了出来。 —

She was obliged to step over the bodies of the sleepers, who were lying close together, and every moment she was filled with renewed dread lest she should awaken them. —
她不得不跨过睡者们的身体，他们靠得很近，她时刻担心会把他们惊醒。 —

But God helped her, so that she passed safely over them, and then she and the old woman went upstairs, opened the door, and hastened as fast as they could from the murderers’ den. —
但上帝帮助她，使她顺利地走过了他们身上，然后她和老妇人一起上楼，打开门，尽快逃离了杀人犯的巢穴。 —

They found the ashes scattered by the wind, but the peas and lentils had sprouted, and grown sufficiently above the ground, to guide them in the moonlight along the path. —
他们发现灰烬被风吹散了，但豌豆和扁豆已经发芽，长出地面，足以在月光下引导他们走路。 —

All night long they walked, and it was morning before they reached the mill. —
整夜他们都在走，直到天亮才到达了磨坊。 —

Then the girl told her father all that had happened.
然后女孩把发生的事情告诉了父亲。

The day came that had been fixed for the marriage. —
定下的婚礼日子到了。新郎到了， —

The bridegroom arrived and also a large company of guests, for the miller had taken care to invite all his friends and relations. —
还有一大群嘉宾，因为磨坊主特意邀请了所有的朋友和亲戚。 —

As they sat at the feast, each guest in turn was asked to tell a tale; —
在宴会上，每位客人轮流被要求讲一个故事。 —

the bride sat still and did not say a word.
新娘静静地坐着，一言不发。

‘And you, my love,’ said the bridegroom, turning to her, ‘is there no tale you know? —
“亲爱的，”新郎转向她说道，” 难道你没有任何故事吗？ —

Tell us something.’
给我们讲点什么吧。”

‘I will tell you a dream, then, ’ said the bride. ‘I went alone through a forest and came at last to a house; —
“那我给你们讲个梦吧，” 新娘说道，”我独自穿过一片森林，最后来到了一座房子； —

not a soul could I find within, but a bird that was hanging in a cage on the wall cried:
房子里没人，只有一只被关在墙上的鸟在笼子里唱道：

‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’
‘转身回去吧，年轻而美丽的少女，不要在这个杀人犯的巢穴逗留。’

and again a second time it said these words.’
然后它又说了一遍这些话。”

‘My darling, this is only a dream.’
“亲爱的，这只是一个梦而已。”

‘I went on through the house from room to room, but they were all empty, and everything was so grim and mysterious. —
“我在房子里走来走去，但是所有的房间都是空的，一切都那么阴森恐怖。 —

At last I went down to the cellar, and there sat a very, very old woman, who could not keep her head still. —
最后我来到了地下室，看见一个非常非常年迈的老妇人，她的头无法保持不动。 —

I asked her if my betrothed lived here, and she answered, “Ah, you poor child, you are come to a murderers’ den; —
我问她我的未婚夫是否住在这里，她回答说：’啊，可怜的孩子，你来到了一个杀人犯的巢穴； —

your betrothed does indeed live here, but he will kill you without mercy and afterwards cook and eat you.”’
你的未婚夫的确住在这里，但他会毫不留情地杀死你，然后煮了你吃。’”

‘My darling, this is only a dream.’
‘亲爱的，这只是个梦。’

‘The old woman hid me behind a large cask, and scarcely had she done this when the robbers returned home, dragging a young girl along with them. —
‘老妇人把我藏在一个大木桶后面，她刚躲好就看见强盗们带着一个年轻女孩回家。 —

They gave her three kinds of wine to drink, white, red, and yellow, and with that she died.’
他们给她喝了三种酒，白的、红的和黄的，然后她就死了。’

‘My darling, this is only a dream.’
‘亲爱的，这只是个梦。’

‘Then they tore off her dainty clothing, and cut her beautiful body into pieces and sprinkled salt upon it.’
‘然后他们撕下她的华服，将她美丽的身体切成碎片，撒上盐。’

‘My darling, this is only a dream.’
‘亲爱的，这只是个梦。’

‘And one of the robbers saw that there was a gold ring still left on her finger, and as it was difficult to draw off, he took a hatchet and cut off her finger; —
‘其中一个强盗看到她的手指上还有一个金戒指，由于很难取下来，他拿起一把斧头，砍掉了她的手指； —

but the finger sprang into the air and fell behind the great cask into my lap. —
但手指跳到了空中，落到了大木桶后面，掉进了我的腿上。 —

And here is the finger with the ring. —
这就是带着戒指的手指。’ —

’ And with these words the bride drew forth the finger and shewed it to the assembled guests.
‘新娘拿出手指向大家展示，并说道。’

The bridegroom, who during this recital had grown deadly pale, up and tried to escape, but the guests seized him and held him fast. —
在听完这个故事后，新郎变得苍白无力地站了起来，试图逃跑，但客人们抓住了他并把他挡住。 —

They delivered him up to justice, and he and all his murderous band were condemned to death for their wicked deeds.
他们将他送到了司法机关，他和他那一帮凶残的团伙都被因为他们那些邪恶行径而判了死刑。