FIRST STORY
第一故事

There was once upon a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to put her to the test. —
从前有一只有九条尾巴的老狐狸，他认为他的妻子对他不忠，希望对她进行测试。 —

He stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he were stone dead. —
他躺在长凳下，一动不动，表现得像一块石头般死去。 —

Mrs Fox went up to her room, shut herself in, and her maid, Miss Cat, sat by the fire, and did the cooking. —
狐狸夫人上楼去了，关上门，她的女仆猫小姐坐在火炉旁，做饭。 —

When it became known that the old fox was dead, suitors presented themselves. —
当得知老狐狸死了的消息后，追求者们纷纷前来。 —

The maid heard someone standing at the house-door, knocking. —
女仆听见有人在家门口敲门。 —

She went and opened it, and it was a young fox, who said:
她去开门，是一只年轻的狐狸，他说：

‘What may you be about, Miss Cat? —
“猫小姐，你在忙什么呢？ —

Do you sleep or do you wake?’
你是在睡觉还是在醒着？”

She answered:
她回答说：

‘I am not sleeping, I am waking, Would you know what I am making? —
“我不在睡觉，我在醒着。你想知道我在做什么吗？ —

I am boiling warm beer with butter, Will you be my guest for supper?’
我正在煮加了黄油的热啤酒，你愿意来吃晚餐吗？”

‘No, thank you, miss,’ said the fox, ‘what is Mrs Fox doing? —
“不用了，谢谢，小姐，那么狐狸夫人在做什么？ —

’ The maid replied:
”女仆回答道：

‘She is sitting in her room, Moaning in her gloom, Weeping her little eyes quite red, Because old Mr Fox is dead.’
“她坐在自己的房间里，抱怨着自己的不幸，眼泪把她的小眼睛弄得通红，因为老狐狸先生已经死了。”

‘Do just tell her, miss, that a young fox is here, who would like to woo her. —
“请告诉她，小姐，有一只年轻的狐狸在这儿，想要追求她。” “当然， —

’ ‘Certainly, young sir.’
年轻的先生。”

The cat goes up the stairs trip, trap, The door she knocks at tap, tap, tap, ‘Mistress Fox, are you inside? —
猫咪上了楼梯嗒嗒嗒地走着，敲了敲门咚咚咚，“福克斯夫人，你在家吗？” —

’ ‘Oh, yes, my little cat,’ she cried. —
“哦，是的，亲爱的猫咪，”她喊道。” —

‘A wooer he stands at the door out there. —
门外有一位追求者站在那儿.” —

’ ‘What does he look like, my dear?’
“他长得什么样子，亲爱的？”

‘Has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr Fox? —
“他有像老狐狸那样的九条漂亮的尾巴吗？ —

’ ‘Oh, no,’ answered the cat, ‘he has only one.’ ‘Then I will not have him.’
” “哦，不，”猫咪回答，“他只有一条。” “那我不要他。”

Miss Cat went downstairs and sent the wooer away. —
猫咪下楼把追求者送走了。 —

Soon afterwards there was another knock, and another fox was at the door who wished to woo Mrs Fox. He had two tails, but he did not fare better than the first. —
不久之后又有人敲门，另一只狐狸来追求福克斯夫人。他有两条尾巴，但他的命运也不比第一只好。 —

After this still more came, each with one tail more than the other, but they were all turned away, until at last one came who had nine tails, like old Mr Fox. When the widow heard that, she said joyfully to the cat:
在这之后，还有更多的人都来了，每个人的尾巴都比前一个多一条，但他们都被拒之门外，直到最后一个拥有九条尾巴的人来了，就像老狐狸先生一样。当寡妇听说这个消息时，她高兴地对猫说：

‘Now open the gates and doors all wide, And carry old Mr Fox outside.’
‘现在打开大门和门窗吧，让老狐狸先生出去吧。’

But just as the wedding was going to be solemnized, old Mr Fox stirred under the bench, and cudgelled all the rabble, and drove them and Mrs Fox out of the house.
但就在婚礼要举行的时候，老狐狸先生在长凳下动了一下，把所有的人都打散了，把他们和狐狸夫人赶出了房子。

SECOND STORY
第二个故事

When old Mr Fox was dead, the wolf came as a suitor, and knocked at the door, and the cat who was servant to Mrs Fox, opened it for him. —
当老狐狸先生死后，狼来求亲，敲门的时候，作为狐狸夫人的仆人的猫为他开了门。 —

The wolf greeted her, and said:
狼向她打招呼，说：

‘Good day, Mrs Cat of Kehrewit, How comes it that alone you sit? —
‘你好，凯瑞维特的猫夫人，你为什么独自一人坐在这里？ —

What are you making good?’
你在做什么呢？’

The cat replied:
猫回答说：

‘In milk I’m breaking bread so sweet, Will you be my guest, and eat?’
‘我在喝着甜蜜的牛奶，吃着面包。你愿意做我的客人吗？’

‘No, thank you, Mrs Cat, ’ answered the wolf. —
‘不，谢谢，凯瑞维特的猫夫人，’狼回答道。 —

‘Is Mrs Fox not at home?’
‘狐狸夫人不在家吗？’

The cat said:
猫说：

‘She sits upstairs in her room, Bewailing her sorrowful doom, Bewailing her trouble so sore, For old Mr Fox is no more.’
“她坐在楼上的房间里，为悲伤的命运而哀叹，为她那么痛苦的麻烦而哀叹，因为老狐狸先生不再存在。”

The wolf answered:
狼回答道：

‘If she’s in want of a husband now, Then will it please her to step below? —
“如果她现在想要一个丈夫，那她愿意下去吗？ —

’ The cat runs quickly up the stair, And lets her tail fly here and there, Until she comes to the parlour door. —
“猫迅速跑上楼梯，让她的尾巴到处飞扬，直到她来到客厅门口。 —

With her five gold rings at the door she knocks: —
“她敲了五个金戒指的门： —

‘Are you within, good Mistress Fox? —
‘好夫人狐狸，你在吗？ —

If you’re in want of a husband now, Then will it please you to step below?
如果你现在想要一个丈夫，那你愿意下去吗？

Mrs Fox asked: ‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has he a pointed mouth?’ ‘No, ’ answered the cat. —
狐狸夫人问道：“那个先生腿上穿红色袜子，嘴巴尖吗？” “不是的，”猫回答说： —

‘Then he won’t do for me.’
“那样的人对我不合适。”

When the wolf was gone, came a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, a lion, and all the beasts of the forest, one after the other. —
狼走后，接连不断地来了一只狗，一只鹿，一只兔子，一只熊，一只狮子和森林中的所有动物。 —

But one of the good qualities which old Mr Fox had possessed, was always lacking, and the cat had continually to send the suitors away. —
但是老狐狸先生所拥有的好品质之一，总是缺乏，猫不得不不断地将追求者们送走。 —

At length came a young fox. Then Mrs Fox said: —
最后来了一只年轻的狐狸。然后狐狸太太说： —

‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has a little pointed mouth? —
“那位先生穿红袜子，有一个小尖嘴吗？ —

’ ‘Yes,’ said the cat, ‘he has. —
是的，猫说，他穿着。 —

’ ‘Then let him come upstairs, ’ said Mrs Fox, and ordered the servant to prepare the wedding feast.
然后让他上楼，狐狸太太说，并命令仆人准备婚宴。

‘Sweep me the room as clean as you can, Up with the window, fling out my old man! —
把房间打扫得尽可能干净，把窗户打开，把我那个老伴扔出去！ —

For many a fine fat mouse he brought, Yet of his wife he never thought, But ate up every one he caught.’
他曾经带来了许多又饱又肥的老鼠，却从不为他的妻子想，却吃掉了他抓住的每一只。

Then the wedding was solemnized with young Mr Fox, and there was much rejoicing and dancing; —
然后与小狐狸先生举行了盛大的婚礼，有许多欢乐和舞蹈； —

and if they have not left off, they are dancing still.
如果他们没有停下来，他们仍然在跳舞。