There was once a king’s son who had a bride whom he loved very much. —
曾经有个国王的儿子，他非常爱他的新娘。 —

And when he was sitting beside her and very happy, news came that his father lay sick unto death, and desired to see him once again before his end. —
当他坐在她身边非常幸福的时候，传来消息说他的父亲病得要死了，他希望在临终前再见一次他。 —

Then he said to his beloved: —
然后他对他心爱的人说： —

‘I must now go and leave you, I give you a ring as a remembrance of me. —
“我现在必须离开你，我给你一枚戒指作为我对你的纪念。 —

When I am king, I will return and fetch you. —
当我成为国王时，我会回来接你。” —

’ So he rode away, and when he reached his father, the latter was dangerously ill, and near his death. He said to him: —
于是他骑马离开了，当他到达他父亲那里时，后者病得非常严重，临近死亡。他对他说： —

‘Dear son, I wished to see you once again before my end, promise me to marry as I wish, ’ and he named a certain king’s daughter who was to be his wife. —
“亲爱的儿子，我希望在我的生命结束前再见你一次，答应我按照我的心愿结婚吧。”他提到了某个国王的女儿，将成为他的妻子。 —

The son was in such trouble that he did not think what he was doing, and said: —
儿子非常困扰以至于没有考虑清楚自己在做什么，他说： —

‘Yes, dear father, your will shall be done, ’ and thereupon the king shut his eyes, and died.
“是的，亲父，您的意愿将得到遵守，” 于是国王闭上了眼睛，去世了。

When therefore the son had been proclaimed king, and the time of mourning was over, he was forced to keep the promise which he had given his father, and caused the king’s daughter to be asked in marriage, and she was promised to him. —
于是儿子被宣布为国王，并且哀悼的时间过去后，他被迫遵守他对父亲的承诺，请求国王的女儿嫁给他，并且她答应了。 —

His first betrothed heard of this, and fretted so much about his faithfulness that she nearly died. —
他的初婚对象听说了这个消息，因为对他的忠诚感到不安，差点因此而死去。 —

Then her father said to her: —
于是她的父亲对她说： —

‘Dearest child, why are you so sad? —
“亲爱的孩子，你为什么这么伤心？ —

You shall have whatsoever you will. —
你可以得到你想要的一切。” —

’ She thought for a moment and said: —
她思考了一会儿，然后说： —

‘Dear father, I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size.’ The father said: —
“亲爱的爸爸，我希望有十一个与我长相、体型和身材完全相同的女孩。” 父亲说： —

‘If it be possible, your desire shall be fulfilled, ’ and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face, figure, and size.
“如果可能的话，你的愿望将会实现。” 于是他在整个王国中进行搜寻，直到找到了十一个年轻女孩，她们与他的女儿在长相、体型和身材上完全一样。

When they came to the king’s daughter, she had twelve suits of huntsmen’s clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put on the huntsmen’s clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit. —
当他们来到国王的女儿面前时，她制作了十二套猎人服装，全部相同，十一个女孩不得不穿上猎人的衣服，而她自己穿上第十二套。 —

Thereupon she took her leave of her father, and rode away with them, and rode to the court of her former betrothed, whom she loved so dearly. —
于是她向父亲告别，和他们一起离开，前往她以前的未婚夫的宫廷，她深爱着他。 —

Then she asked if he required any huntsmen, and if he would take all of them into his service. —
然后她问他是否需要猎人，是否愿意将他们全部纳为仆人。 —

The king looked at her and did not know her, but as they were such handsome fellows, he said: —
国王看着她，不认识她，但因为他们都是英俊的小伙子，他说：“是的”，他很愿意接纳他们，于是他们成为国王的十二个猎人。 —

‘Yes,’ and that he would willingly take them, and now they were the king’s twelve huntsmen.
然而，国王有一只狮子，它是一只奇特的动物，因为它知道所有隐秘和秘密的事情。

The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew all concealed and secret things. —
有一天晚上，它对国王说：“你以为你有十二个猎人？” —

It came to pass that one evening he said to the king: —
国王说：“是的，他们是十二个猎人。”狮子接着说： —

‘You think you have twelve huntsmen? —
“你错了，他们是十二个女孩。”国王说： —

’ ‘Yes,’ said the king, ‘they are twelve huntsmen. —
“怎么可能呢？他们穿着猎人的衣服。 —

’ The lion continued: ‘You are mistaken, they are twelve girls. —
”狮子回答道：”这只是外表，实际上，这些人都是女孩。 —

’ The king said: —
” —

‘That cannot be true! —
‘那不可能是真的！ —

How will you prove that to me?’ ‘Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the ante-chamber, ’ answered the lion, ‘and then you will soon see. —
你怎么证明给我看？’‘哦，只要在前厅撒几颗豌豆，你很快就会看到。’ —

Men have a firm step, and when they walk over peas none of them stir, but girls trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about. —
男人走路稳健，当他们走过豌豆时不会有任何动静，但女孩子却会绊倒和跳跃，拖着脚，豌豆会滚到四处。 —

’ The king was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn.
国王对这个建议非常满意，就洒下了豌豆。

There was, however, a servant of the king’s who favoured the huntsmen, and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went to them and repeated everything, and said: —
然而，国王有一个娘娘腔的仆人，他偏袒猎人们。当他听说他们要接受这个考验时，就去告诉他们一切，并说： —

‘The lion wants to make the king believe that you are girls. —
“狮子想让国王相信你们是女孩。 —

’ Then the king’s daughter thanked him, and said to her maidens: —
” 国王的女儿感谢他，并对她的侍女们说： —

‘Show some strength, and step firmly on the peas. —
‘展示一些力量，在豌豆上踩得稳稳的。 —

’ So next morning when the king had the twelve huntsmen called before him, and they came into the ante-chamber where the peas were lying, they stepped so firmly on them, and had such a strong, sure walk, that not one of the peas either rolled or stirred. —
’因此，第二天早上，国王将十二名猎人召见他，他们走进了豌豆所在的前厅，他们踩得如此稳健，步履坚定，以至于没有一颗豌豆滚动或动弹。 —

Then they went away again, and the king said to the lion: —
然后他们再次离开，国王对狮子说： —

‘You have lied to me, they walk just like men. —
“你对我撒谎了，他们走起来就像人一样。 —

’ The lion said: —
”狮子说： —

‘They have been informed that they were going to be put to the test, and have assumed some strength. —
‘他们被告知他们将接受考验，所以他们假装有一些力量。 —

Just let twelve spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber, and they will go to them and be pleased with them, and that is what no man would do. —
让十二个纺车带到前厅，他们会去看它们并对它们感到满意，这是没有人会做的事情。 —

’ The king liked the advice, and had the spinning-wheels placed in the ante-chamber.
’国王喜欢这个建议，于是把纺车放在了前厅。

But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to them, and disclosed the project. —
然而，那个对猎人们有好感的仆人去找了他们，并透露了这个计划。 —

So when they were alone the king’s daughter said to her eleven girls: —
所以当她们独处时，国王的女儿对她的十一个女儿们说： —

‘Show some constraint, and do not look round at the spinning-wheels. —
“保持克制，不要回头看纺车。” —

’ And next morning when the king had his twelve huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never once looked at the spinning-wheels. —
第二天早上，当国王召集了他的十二个猎人时，他们走过门厅，没有一次看向纺车。 —

Then the king again said to the lion: —
然后国王又对狮子说： —

‘You have deceived me, they are men, for they have not looked at the spinning-wheels. —
“你欺骗了我，他们是人，因为他们没有看过纺车。 —

’ The lion replied: —
狮子回答说： —

‘They have restrained themselves.’ The king, however, would no longer believe the lion.
“他们克制了自己。”然而，国王不再相信狮子。

The twelve huntsmen always followed the king to the chase, and his liking for them continually increased. —
这十二个猎人总是跟随国王一起狩猎，他对他们的喜爱不断增加。 —

Now it came to pass that once when they were out hunting, news came that the king’s bride was approaching. —
现在有一次，他们正在外面打猎，收到了国王的新娘即将到来的消息。 —

When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground. —
当真正的新娘听到这个消息时，她非常伤心，她的心几乎要碎了，她晕倒在地上。 —

The king thought something had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to him, wanted to help him, and drew his glove off. —
国王以为他的亲爱猎户遭遇了什么事情，跑到他那里，想要帮助他并揭下了手套。 —

Then he saw the ring which he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face he recognized her. —
然后他看见了他给他的第一个新娘的戒指，当他看着她的脸时，他认出了她。 —

Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and when she opened her eyes he said: —
然后他的心被深深触动，他吻了她，当她睁开眼睛时，他说道： —

‘You are mine, and I am yours, and no one in the world can alter that. —
‘你是我的，我是你的，世界上没有人能改变这一点。 —

’ He sent a messenger to the other bride, and entreated her to return to her own kingdom, for he had a wife already, and someone who had just found an old key did not require a new one. —
‘他派信使去找另一个新娘，并请求她回到自己的王国，因为他已经有了妻子，而刚找到一把旧钥匙的人不需要一把新的。 —

Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again taken into favour, because, after all, he had told the truth.
于是婚礼举行了，狮子再次得到宠爱，因为毕竟他说了实话。