It was the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow were falling around, that the queen of a country many thousand miles off sat working at her window. —
这是在寒冷的冬季,大片的雪花在附近纷纷扬扬飘落时,一个距离数千英里的国家的王后坐在窗前工作。 —

The frame of the window was made of fine black ebony, and as she sat looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood fell upon it. —
窗框是用精美的黑色乌木制成的,当她坐在雪地边窗前望着雪时,她扎破了手指,三滴血掉在了雪上。 —

Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops that sprinkled the white snow, and said, ‘Would that my little daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as black as this ebony windowframe! —
然后她沉思地看着洒在雪地上的红色血滴,说:“但愿我的小女儿能像这雪一样白皙,像这血一样红润,像这乌木窗框一样黑!” —

’ And so the little girl really did grow up; —
小女孩真的长大了, —

her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as the blood, and her hair as black as ebony; —
她的皮肤像雪一样白,脸颊像血液一样红润,头发像乌木一样黑; —

and she was called Snowdrop.
她被称为白雪。

But this queen died; and the king soon married another wife, who became queen, and was very beautiful, but so vain that she could not bear to think that anyone could be handsomer than she was. —
但这位王后去世了,国王很快又娶了另一位妻子,她成为了王后,非常漂亮,但自负到无法忍受有人比她更漂亮。 —

She had a fairy looking-glass, to which she used to go, and then she would gaze upon herself in it, and say:
她有一面仙女镜,她经常去照镜子,然后凝视自己,并说道:

‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! —
“告诉我,镜子,告诉我真相! —

Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’
这个国家所有的女士中,谁最美丽,告诉我,谁?”

And the glass had always answered:
镜子总是如此回答:

‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all the land.’
“女王,你是这个国家最美丽的。”

But Snowdrop grew more and more beautiful; —
但是白雪公主越来越美丽, —

and when she was seven years old she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the queen herself. —
当她七岁时,她比阳光还要明亮,比女王自己还要漂亮。 —

Then the glass one day answered the queen, when she went to look in it as usual:
一天,女王像往常一样去照镜子,但镜子却这样回答:

‘Thou, queen, art fair, and beauteous to see, But Snowdrop is lovelier far than thee!’
“女王,你很美,令人着迷,但白雪公主比你还要可爱!”

When she heard this she turned pale with rage and envy, and called to one of her servants, and said, ‘Take Snowdrop away into the wide wood, that I may never see her any more. —
听到这个,女王愤怒和嫉妒,脸色变苍白,她叫来一个仆人,说:“把白雪公主带到茫茫的森林中,我再也不想见到她。” —

’ Then the servant led her away; —
然后仆人把她带走, —

but his heart melted when Snowdrop begged him to spare her life, and he said, ‘I will not hurt you, thou pretty child. —
但当白雪公主恳求他饶她一命时,他的心融化了,他说:“我不会伤害你,可爱的孩子。” —

’ So he left her by herself; —
他把她留下; —

and though he thought it most likely that the wild beasts would tear her in pieces, he felt as if a great weight were taken off his heart when he had made up his mind not to kill her but to leave her to her fate, with the chance of someone finding and saving her.
虽然他认为野兽很可能会把她撕成碎片,但当他下定决心不杀她,而是让她自求多福,有人可能会找到她并拯救她时,他感到心中的沉重好像减轻了。

Then poor Snowdrop wandered along through the wood in great fear; —
然后可怜的白雪公主恐惧地在树林中漫游; —

and the wild beasts roared about her, but none did her any harm. —
野兽们咆哮着围着她,但没有一个伤害到她。 —

In the evening she came to a cottage among the hills, and went in to rest, for her little feet would carry her no further. —
傍晚时分,她来到山间的一间小屋,并走进去休息,因为她的小脚走不动了。 —

Everything was spruce and neat in the cottage: —
屋子里一切都整洁而精致: —

on the table was spread a white cloth, and there were seven little plates, seven little loaves, and seven little glasses with wine in them; —
桌上铺着一块白布,放着七个小盘子,七个小面包和七个装有酒的小杯子; —

and seven knives and forks laid in order; —
还有七把刀叉整齐地摆放着; —

and by the wall stood seven little beds. —
墙边放着七张小床。 —

As she was very hungry, she picked a little piece of each loaf and drank a very little wine out of each glass; —
由于她很饿,她从每个面包上拿了一小块,从每个杯子里喝了一小口酒。 —

and after that she thought she would lie down and rest. —
然后她觉得她应该躺下休息。 —

So she tried all the little beds; —
所以她试了所有小床; —

but one was too long, and another was too short, till at last the seventh suited her: —
但其中一张太长了,另一张太短了,最后第七张合适她: —

and there she laid herself down and went to sleep.
她躺在那里,就睡着了。

By and by in came the masters of the cottage. —
不久之后, —

Now they were seven little dwarfs, that lived among the mountains, and dug and searched for gold. —
小屋的主人进来了。他们是七个住在山里挖掘和寻找金子的小矮人。 —

They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw at once that all was not right. —
他们点亮了七盏灯,立刻发现不对劲。第一个说, —

The first said, ‘Who has been sitting on my stool? —
“谁坐在我的凳子上? —

’ The second, ‘Who has been eating off my plate? —
第二个说,“谁动了我的碟子? —

’ The third, ‘Who has been picking my bread? —
”第三个说,“谁吃了我的面包? —

’ The fourth, ‘Who has been meddling with my spoon? —
第四个说,“谁动了我的勺子? —

’ The fifth, ‘Who has been handling my fork? —
”第五个说,“谁动了我的叉子? —

’ The sixth, ‘Who has been cutting with my knife? —
第六个说,“谁用我的刀子切东西? —

’ The seventh, ‘Who has been drinking my wine? —
”第七个说,“谁喝了我的酒? —

’ Then the first looked round and said, ‘Who has been lying on my bed? —
然后第一个环顾四周说,“谁睡在我的床上? —

’ And the rest came running to him, and everyone cried out that somebody had been upon his bed. —
随后其他的小矮人跑过去,大家都嚷嚷着说有人躺在他的床上。 —

But the seventh saw Snowdrop, and called all his brethren to come and see her; —
第七个看到了白雪公主,就叫来了他的兄弟们过来看。 —

and they cried out with wonder and astonishment and brought their lamps to look at her, and said, ‘Good heavens! —
他们惊奇地喊着,带着灯笼过来观看她,说道:“天啊! —

what a lovely child she is! —
这孩子多可爱!” —

’ And they were very glad to see her, and took care not to wake her; —
他们非常高兴见到她,小心翼翼地不想吵醒她。 —

and the seventh dwarf slept an hour with each of the other dwarfs in turn, till the night was gone.
最后一个小矮人按顺序和其他的小矮人每人睡了一个小时,直到夜晚过去。

In the morning Snowdrop told them all her story; —
第二天早上, —

and they pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would take good care of her. —
白雪公主向他们讲述了自己的故事;他们都对她表示同情,说如果她能整理好一切、为他们煮饭、洗衣、织布、纺线,她就可以留在这里,他们会照顾好她。 —

Then they went out all day long to their work, seeking for gold and silver in the mountains: —
于是他们整天外出工作,在山里寻找金银; —

but Snowdrop was left at home; —
而白雪公主则被留在家里。 —

and they warned her, and said, ‘The queen will soon find out where you are, so take care and let no one in.’
他们警告她,并说:“皇后很快就会找到你的,所以小心别让任何人进来。”

But the queen, now that she thought Snowdrop was dead, believed that she must be the handsomest lady in the land; —
但是,现在她以为白雪公主已经死了,皇后相信自己一定是全国最美丽的女人; —

and she went to her glass and said:
于是她走到镜子前说道:

‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! —
“告诉我,镜子,告诉我真相! —

Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’
在全国所有女人中,谁才是最美丽的,告诉我,是谁?”

And the glass answered:
镜子回答道:

‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: —
“女王啊,你是这片土地上最美丽的人; —

But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; —
但在山丘的那边,绿林里,七个小矮人居住的地方,白雪公主隐藏着她的头; —

and she Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’
她比你更加可爱,女王!”

Then the queen was very much frightened; —
然后女王非常害怕, —

for she knew that the glass always spoke the truth, and was sure that the servant had betrayed her. —
因为她知道镜子总是说实话,她确信仆人出卖了她。 —

And she could not bear to think that anyone lived who was more beautiful than she was; —
她无法忍受有人比她更美丽的事实; —

so she dressed herself up as an old pedlar, and went her way over the hills, to the place where the dwarfs dwelt. —
所以她装扮成一个老摊贩,走过山丘,来到了小矮人居住的地方。 —

Then she knocked at the door, and cried, ‘Fine wares to sell! —
然后她敲了敲门,喊道:“出售精美商品! —

’ Snowdrop looked out at the window, and said, ‘Good day, good woman! —
”白雪公主从窗户里探出头来,说道,“早上好,好心的老太婆!” —

what have you to sell?’ ‘Good wares, fine wares,’ said she; —
“你有什么好货卖?”她说:“好货, —

‘laces and bobbins of all colours. —
优质货。 —

’ ‘I will let the old lady in; —
彩色花边和花轴。” —

she seems to be a very good sort of body, ’ thought Snowdrop, as she ran down and unbolted the door. —
“她看起来是个很好的人,”白雪公主想,她下楼解开了门闩。“天啊! —

‘Bless me! —
” —

’ said the old woman, ‘how badly your stays are laced! —
“你的紧身衣系得太松了。”老妇人说: —

Let me lace them up with one of my nice new laces. —
“让我用我漂亮的新花边给你系上。” —

’ Snowdrop did not dream of any mischief; —
白雪公主没有想到这有什么坏事, —

so she stood before the old woman; —
所以站在老妇人面前。 —

but she set to work so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tight, that Snowdrop’s breath was stopped, and she fell down as if she were dead. —
但她动作迅速,把花边拉得很紧,白雪公主不能呼吸,跌倒在地,好像她已经死了一样。 —

‘There’s an end to all thy beauty, ’ said the spiteful queen, and went away home.
“你的美貌到此为止了,”恶毒的皇后说,然后回家去了。

In the evening the seven dwarfs came home; —
晚上,七个小矮人回到家, —

and I need not say how grieved they were to see their faithful Snowdrop stretched out upon the ground, as if she was quite dead. —
他们看见忠诚的白雪公主躺在地上,像是完全死了一样,他们多么伤心啊。 —

However, they lifted her up, and when they found what ailed her, they cut the lace; —
然而,他们把她抬起来,当他们发现她的问题时,他们剪断了蕾丝; —

and in a little time she began to breathe, and very soon came to life again. —
不久她就开始呼吸了,很快又活过来了。 —

Then they said, ‘The old woman was the queen herself; —
然后他们说,“老婆婆就是皇后本人, —

take care another time, and let no one in when we are away.’
下次小心,我们离开时不要让任何人进来。”

When the queen got home, she went straight to her glass, and spoke to it as before; —
皇后回到家后,她立刻去照镜子,像以前一样和它说话,但令她非常悲伤的是, —

but to her great grief it still said:
镜子仍然说道:

‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: —
“你,皇后,是这片土地上最美丽的人: —

But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; —
但在山丘的那边,在绿林的阴影中,七个小矮人的住所,那里白雪公主躲藏着头。” —

and she Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’
“她比你更可爱,皇后!”

Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice, to see that Snowdrop still lived; —
看到白雪公主还活着,她的心里冷酷和怨恨。 —

and she dressed herself up again, but in quite another dress from the one she wore before, and took with her a poisoned comb. —
她再次打扮自己,但穿着与之前完全不同的衣服,并带上了一把有毒的梳子。 —

When she reached the dwarfs’ cottage, she knocked at the door, and cried, ‘Fine wares to sell!’ But Snowdrop said, ‘I dare not let anyone in. —
当她到达小矮人的小屋时,她敲了敲门,喊道:“好货出售!” 但白雪公主说:“我不敢让任何人进来。” —

’ Then the queen said, ‘Only look at my beautiful combs! —
然后女王说:“只要看看我的漂亮梳子! —

’ and gave her the poisoned one. —
” 并递给她有毒的梳子。 —

And it looked so pretty, that she took it up and put it into her hair to try it; —
这看起来如此漂亮,她拿起来放到头发里试试; —

but the moment it touched her head, the poison was so powerful that she fell down senseless. —
但它一碰到她的头,毒药立刻发挥作用,她失去了知觉。 —

‘There you may lie,’ said the queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs came in very early that evening; —
“你就躺在那里吧,”女王说着,离开了。但好在小矮人们那天傍晚回来得很早; —

and when they saw Snowdrop lying on the ground, they thought what had happened, and soon found the poisoned comb. —
当他们看到白雪公主躺在地上时,他们知道发生了什么,并很快找到了有毒的梳子。 —

And when they took it away she got well, and told them all that had passed; —
当他们拿走它时,她恢复了健康,并告诉他们所发生的一切; —

and they warned her once more not to open the door to anyone.
他们再次警告她不要向任何人开门。

Meantime the queen went home to her glass, and shook with rage when she read the very same answer as before; —
与此同时,女王回到了她的玻璃门前,当她读到和之前一样的回答时,她怒不可遏地摇了摇。 —

and she said, ‘Snowdrop shall die, if it cost me my life. —
她说:“就算要付出我的生命,白雪公主也必须死。 —

’ So she went by herself into her chamber, and got ready a poisoned apple: —
”于是她一个人走进了她的房间,并准备了一颗有毒的苹果。 —

the outside looked very rosy and tempting, but whoever tasted it was sure to die. —
苹果的外表看起来很红润、很诱人,但任何尝过它的人都必定会死去。 —

Then she dressed herself up as a peasant’s wife, and travelled over the hills to the dwarfs’ cottage, and knocked at the door; —
然后,她打扮成一个农妇,穿过山丘来到了小矮人的小屋门前,敲响了门。 —

but Snowdrop put her head out of the window and said, ‘I dare not let anyone in, for the dwarfs have told me not. —
但白雪公主从窗户探出头,说:“我不能让任何人进来,因为小矮人们告诉过我不要这样做。 —

’ ‘Do as you please,’ said the old woman, ‘but at any rate take this pretty apple; —
’’ ‘你爱怎样就怎样,’’老妇人说,“但无论如何你要接受这个漂亮的苹果; —

I will give it you. —
我会给你。 —

’ ‘No,’ said Snowdrop, ‘I dare not take it.’ ‘You silly girl! —
‘’ ‘不行,’’白雪公主说,“我不能接受。” ’你这个傻姑娘! —

’ answered the other, ‘what are you afraid of? —
’’另一个人回答,‘’你在害怕什么? —

Do you think it is poisoned? Come! —
你认为这是有毒的吗? —

do you eat one part, and I will eat the other. —
来吧!你吃一半,我吃一半。 —

’ Now the apple was so made up that one side was good, though the other side was poisoned. —
苹果做得很好,一面是好的,而另一面被毒死了。 —

Then Snowdrop was much tempted to taste, for the apple looked so very nice; —
然后,白雪公主非常想尝一口,因为苹果看起来非常好吃; —

and when she saw the old woman eat, she could wait no longer. —
当她看到老婆婆吃了以后,她再也等不及了。 —

But she had scarcely put the piece into her mouth, when she fell down dead upon the ground. —
但是她刚把一块苹果放进嘴里,就倒在地上死了。 —

‘This time nothing will save thee, ’ said the queen; and she went home to her glass, and at last it said:
“这次你再也逃不掉了,”皇后说着回到了她的魔镜面前,结果魔镜还是说:

‘Thou, queen, art the fairest of all the fair.’
“你,皇后,是最美丽的。”

And then her wicked heart was glad, and as happy as such a heart could be.
然后她邪恶的心欢喜了起来,尽管这样的心无法真正快乐。

When evening came, and the dwarfs had gone home, they found Snowdrop lying on the ground: —
晚上到了,矮人们回到家发现白雪公主躺在地上: —

no breath came from her lips, and they were afraid that she was quite dead. —
她的嘴唇没有呼吸,他们担心她已经死了。 —

They lifted her up, and combed her hair, and washed her face with wine and water; —
他们把她扶起来,梳理了她的头发,用酒和水洗了她的脸, —

but all was in vain, for the little girl seemed quite dead. —
但都徒劳无功,小女孩看起来完全死了。 —

So they laid her down upon a bier, and all seven watched and bewailed her three whole days; —
于是他们将她放在一张灵柩上,七个小矮人守着她,哀悼她整整三天; —

and then they thought they would bury her: —
然后他们想要埋葬她: —

but her cheeks were still rosy; —
但她的脸颊依然红润; —

and her face looked just as it did while she was alive; —
她的脸看起来就像她活着时一样;于是他们说, —

so they said, ‘We will never bury her in the cold ground. —
“我们决不会将她埋葬在寒冷的土地中。” —

’ And they made a coffin of glass, so that they might still look at her, and wrote upon it in golden letters what her name was, and that she was a king’s daughter. —
他们制作了一个玻璃棺材,这样他们就可以继续看着她,并且用金色的字母写上她的名字,以及她是一位国王的女儿。 —

And the coffin was set among the hills, and one of the dwarfs always sat by it and watched. —
棺材被放在山丘上,一个小矮人总是坐在旁边守望。 —

And the birds of the air came too, and bemoaned Snowdrop; —
空中的鸟儿也来为白雪公主哀悼;首先来的是一只猫头鹰, —

and first of all came an owl, and then a raven, and at last a dove, and sat by her side.
然后是一只乌鸦,最后是一只鸽子,它们都坐在她的身旁。

And thus Snowdrop lay for a long, long time, and still only looked as though she was asleep; —
这样白雪公主躺了很久,看起来就像是在睡觉一样; —

for she was even now as white as snow, and as red as blood, and as black as ebony. —
因为她仍然如同雪一般洁白,如同鲜血一般红润,如同乌木一样黑暗。 —

At last a prince came and called at the dwarfs’ house; —
最后一位王子前来到了小矮人们的家中; —

and he saw Snowdrop, and read what was written in golden letters. —
然后他看到了小雪花,并阅读了用金色字母写的东西。 —

Then he offered the dwarfs money, and prayed and besought them to let him take her away; —
然后他给了矮人们钱,恳求他们让他带走她; —

but they said, ‘We will not part with her for all the gold in the world. —
但他们说:“就算给我们全世界的黄金,我们也不会离开她。 —

’ At last, however, they had pity on him, and gave him the coffin; —
” 然而,最后他们怜悯他,给了他棺材; —

but the moment he lifted it up to carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from between her lips, and Snowdrop awoke, and said, ‘Where am I? —
但是当他抬起棺材准备带回家的时候,苹果的一块从她的嘴唇间掉落,雪花醒来了,她说:“我在哪里? —

’ And the prince said, ‘Thou art quite safe with me.’
” 王子说:“你和我在一起是非常安全的。”

Then he told her all that had happened, and said, ‘I love you far better than all the world; —
然后他告诉她发生了什么事情,并说:“我比世界上任何人都更爱你; —

so come with me to my father’s palace, and you shall be my wife. —
所以和我一起回到我父亲的宫殿,你将成为我的妻子。 —

’ And Snowdrop consented, and went home with the prince; —
” 雪花同意了,和王子一起回家; —

and everything was got ready with great pomp and splendour for their wedding.
为他们的婚礼准备了盛大而豪华的一切。

To the feast was asked, among the rest, Snowdrop’s old enemy the queen; —
在宴会上,邀请了雪花的老敌人,即王后; —

and as she was dressing herself in fine rich clothes, she looked in the glass and said:
当她穿着华丽的衣服时,她照镜子说:

‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! —
‘告诉我,镜子啊,告诉我真相! —

Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’
在全国所有的女人中,谁最美丽,告诉我,她是谁?’

And the glass answered:
镜子回答说:

‘Thou, lady, art loveliest here, I ween; —
‘女士,你是这里最美丽的,我相信; —

But lovelier far is the new-made queen.’
但最美丽的却是那新成为王后的人.’

When she heard this she started with rage; —
听到这话,她愤怒地蹦了起来; —

but her envy and curiosity were so great, that she could not help setting out to see the bride. —
但是她的嫉妒和好奇心非常强烈,她禁不住还是出发去看那新娘。 —

And when she got there, and saw that it was no other than Snowdrop, who, as she thought, had been dead a long while, she choked with rage, and fell down and died: —
当她到达那里,看到新娘竟然是她认为早已死去的白雪公主时,她气得窒息,跌倒在地,气息断绝而死: —

but Snowdrop and the prince lived and reigned happily over that land many, many years; —
但白雪公主和王子却幸福地生活和统治了那个国度多年,很多年; —

and sometimes they went up into the mountains, and paid a visit to the little dwarfs, who had been so kind to Snowdrop in her time of need.
有时他们去山上拜访那些曾在白雪公主需求帮助时对她慈善的小矮人们。