There was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. —
曾有一位国王拥有十二位美丽的公主， —

They slept in twelve beds all in one room; —
她们每晚都在同一个房间里睡觉； —

and when they went to bed, the doors were shut and locked up; —
当她们上床睡觉时，门就会被关闭和上锁； —

but every morning their shoes were found to be quite worn through as if they had been danced in all night; —
然而每天早上她们的鞋子都会被发现穿破了，好像她们整晚都在跳舞； —

and yet nobody could find out how it happened, or where they had been.
但是却没有人能够发现是怎么发生的，她们到底去了哪里；

Then the king made it known to all the land, that if any person could discover the secret, and find out where it was that the princesses danced in the night, he should have the one he liked best for his wife, and should be king after his death; —
于是国王就向全国宣布，如果有人能够发现这个秘密，找出公主们晚上去跳舞的地方，他就可以娶他最喜欢的公主为妻，并在国王死后继承王位； —

but whoever tried and did not succeed, after three days and nights, should be put to death.
但是任何尝试却没有成功的人，在三天三夜之后就会被处死；

A king’s son soon came. He was well entertained, and in the evening was taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses lay in their twelve beds. —
很快就有一位国王的儿子来到了。他受到了热情的招待，晚上被安排在与公主们所在的房间相邻的一个房间里。 —

There he was to sit and watch where they went to dance; —
他坐在那里看他们去跳舞的地方； —

and, in order that nothing might pass without his hearing it, the door of his chamber was left open. —
为了不让他听不到任何事情，他的房间的门敞开着。 —

But the king’s son soon fell asleep; —
但是王子很快就睡着了； —

and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. —
当他早上醒来时，他发现公主们都在跳舞，因为她们的鞋子底部都磨破了。 —

The same thing happened the second and third night: so the king ordered his head to be cut off. —
第二和第三天晚上也发生了同样的事情：于是国王下令砍掉了他的头。 —

After him came several others; —
之后又来了几个人； —

but they had all the same luck, and all lost their lives in the same manner.
但是他们都有同样的运气，都以同样的方式丧命。

Now it chanced that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king reigned: —
现在碰巧有一个老兵，他在战斗中受了伤，无法再打仗，经过了这个国王统治的地方： —

and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. —
当他穿越一片树林时，他遇到一个老妇人，她问他要去哪里。 —

‘I hardly know where I am going, or what I had better do, ’ said the soldier; —
“我几乎不知道我要去哪里，或者我该做什么，”士兵说。 —

‘but I think I should like very well to find out where it is that the princesses dance, and then in time I might be a king. —
‘但我想我应该很想知道公主们跳舞的地方在哪里，然后我也许能成为国王。 —

’ ‘Well,’ said the old dame, ‘that is no very hard task: —
’‘嗯，’老妇人说，‘这并不是非常困难的任务： —

only take care not to drink any of the wine which one of the princesses will bring to you in the evening; —
只要小心不要喝到晚上一个公主会给你带来的酒。 —

and as soon as she leaves you pretend to be fast asleep.’
当她离开你的时候立刻假装熟睡。

Then she gave him a cloak, and said, ‘As soon as you put that on you will become invisible, and you will then be able to follow the princesses wherever they go. —
’然后她给了他一件披风，并说，‘一旦你穿上它，你将变得无形，然后你就能跟着公主们去任何地方。 —

’ When the soldier heard all this good counsel, he determined to try his luck: —
’当士兵听到这一切好的建议后，他决定尝试一下运气： —

so he went to the king, and said he was willing to undertake the task.
所以他去找国王，说他愿意接受这个任务。

He was as well received as the others had been, and the king ordered fine royal robes to be given him; —
他受到了和其他人一样的好接待，国王命令给他提供华丽的王室礼服； —

and when the evening came he was led to the outer chamber. —
当晚上来临时，他被领到外厅。 —

Just as he was going to lie down, the eldest of the princesses brought him a cup of wine; —
就在他准备躺下的时候，大公主给他端来一杯酒； —

but the soldier threw it all away secretly, taking care not to drink a drop. —
但士兵悄悄地把酒都倒掉了，小心翼翼地没有喝一口。 —

Then he laid himself down on his bed, and in a little while began to snore very loud as if he was fast asleep. —
然后他躺在床上，不一会儿就打起了呼噜声，好像熟睡了一样。 —

When the twelve princesses heard this they laughed heartily; —
当十二位公主听到这个，他们都开心地笑了起来； —

and the eldest said, ‘This fellow too might have done a wiser thing than lose his life in this way! —
大姐说：“这个家伙本来可以比这样白白丢掉性命要聪明得多！” —

’ Then they rose up and opened their drawers and boxes, and took out all their fine clothes, and dressed themselves at the glass, and skipped about as if they were eager to begin dancing. —
然后她们起身打开抽屉和盒子，拿出他们所有的漂亮衣服，在镜子前穿上，跳着舞好像迫不及待。 —

But the youngest said, ‘I don’t know how it is, while you are so happy I feel very uneasy; —
但最小的说：“我不知道怎么回事，当你们这么开心的时候，我却感到很不安； —

I am sure some mischance will befall us. —
我敢肯定我们会遭遇不幸。” —

’ ‘You simpleton,’ said the eldest, ‘you are always afraid; —
“你这个傻瓜，”大姐说，“你总是害怕； —

have you forgotten how many kings’ sons have already watched in vain? —
难道你忘了多少王子们已经白白守了夜吗？ —

And as for this soldier, even if I had not given him his sleeping draught, he would have slept soundly enough.’
至于这个士兵，即使我没有给他安眠药，他也会睡得很好。”

When they were all ready, they went and looked at the soldier; —
当她们都准备好了，她们去看那位士兵； —

but he snored on, and did not stir hand or foot: —
但他依然打着呼噜，手脚一动不动， —

so they thought they were quite safe; —
所以她们以为自己很安全； —

and the eldest went up to her own bed and clapped her hands, and the bed sank into the floor and a trap-door flew open. —
大女儿走到她自己的床边，拍手一响，床便陷入地板，一个活门飞开。 —

The soldier saw them going down through the trap-door one after another, the eldest leading the way; —
士兵看着她们一个接一个地走下陷阱门，大女儿走在前面； —

and thinking he had no time to lose, he jumped up, put on the cloak which the old woman had given him, and followed them; —
可他也觉得自己没有时间可以浪费，于是他跳了起来，披上那个老妇给他的斗篷，跟着她们走了； —

but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the gown of the youngest princess, and she cried out to her sisters, ‘All is not right; —
但是在楼梯中间，他踩到了小公主的长裙上，她对她姐姐们喊道：“不对劲了；有人抓住了我的裙子。” “你这个傻瓜！”大女儿说，“那只是墙上的一根钉子。” —

someone took hold of my gown. —
然后她们全都下了楼， —

’ ‘You silly creature!’ said the eldest, ‘it is nothing but a nail in the wall. —
在底下找到了一片最美妙的花园； —

’ Then down they all went, and at the bottom they found themselves in a most delightful grove of trees; —
在那片花园里，他们发现自己到了一个非常愉快的树林里。 —

and the leaves were all of silver, and glittered and sparkled beautifully. —
树上的叶子都是银色的，闪闪发光非常美丽。 —

The soldier wished to take away some token of the place; —
士兵希望带走一些纪念物； —

so he broke off a little branch, and there came a loud noise from the tree. —
于是他折断一小枝，树上突然发出了巨大的噪音。 —

Then the youngest daughter said again, ‘I am sure all is not right–did not you hear that noise? —
随后，最小的女儿说：“我敢肯定有问题了——你没有听到那声音吗？ —

That never happened before. —
以前从来没有遇到过这种情况。” —

’ But the eldest said, ‘It is only our princes, who are shouting for joy at our approach.’
而最大的女儿说：“那只是我们的王子为我们的到来而欢呼。”

Then they came to another grove of trees, where all the leaves were of gold; —
接着他们来到另一片树林，树上的叶子都是金色的； —

and afterwards to a third, where the leaves were all glittering diamonds. —
然后来到第三片树林，树上的叶子都是闪闪发光的钻石。 —

And the soldier broke a branch from each; —
士兵从每片树上都折下了一枝， —

and every time there was a loud noise, which made the youngest sister tremble with fear; —
每次都会有巨大的噪音，使最小的妹妹因恐惧而颤抖。 —

but the eldest still said, it was only the princes, who were crying for joy. —
但是最大的女儿仍然说，这只是王子因为高兴而喊叫。于是他们继续前行， —

So they went on till they came to a great lake; —
直到来到一个巨大的湖。 —

and at the side of the lake there lay twelve little boats with twelve handsome princes in them, who seemed to be waiting there for the princesses.
湖边停着十二只小船，每只船上都有一个英俊的王子，他们似乎在等待着公主们。

One of the princesses went into each boat, and the soldier stepped into the same boat with the youngest. —
每位公主都上了一只船，士兵和最小的公主上了同一只船。 —

As they were rowing over the lake, the prince who was in the boat with the youngest princess and the soldier said, ‘I do not know why it is, but though I am rowing with all my might we do not get on so fast as usual, and I am quite tired: —
当他们划过湖面时，和最小公主一起的王子和士兵说道：“我不知道为什么，虽然我全力划着，但我们进展不如往常快，而且我很累。” —

the boat seems very heavy today. —
“今天船看起来很沉。 —

’ ‘It is only the heat of the weather, ’ said the princess: —
” “只是天气炎热而已，”公主说道。 —

‘I feel it very warm too.’
“我也觉得很热。”

On the other side of the lake stood a fine illuminated castle, from which came the merry music of horns and trumpets. —
湖的另一边有一座美丽的灯光闪烁的城堡，从中传来欢乐的号角和喇叭声。 —

There they all landed, and went into the castle, and each prince danced with his princess; —
他们都在那里登陆，进入了城堡，每个王子都与自己的公主跳舞； —

and the soldier, who was all the time invisible, danced with them too; —
那个士兵一直处于隐形状态下，也与他们一起跳舞； —

and when any of the princesses had a cup of wine set by her, he drank it all up, so that when she put the cup to her mouth it was empty. —
当公主们放下一杯酒时，他就把它全部喝光了，所以当她把杯子放到嘴边时，杯子是空的。 —

At this, too, the youngest sister was terribly frightened, but the eldest always silenced her. —
对此，最年幼的妹妹非常害怕，但年长的妹妹总是让她安静下来。 —

They danced on till three o’clock in the morning, and then all their shoes were worn out, so that they were obliged to leave off. —
他们一直跳舞到凌晨三点，然后所有的鞋子都磨烂了，所以他们不得不停下来。 —

The princes rowed them back again over the lake (but this time the soldier placed himself in the boat with the eldest princess); —
王子们把她们划回湖对岸（但这次士兵与最年长的公主一起坐在船上）； —

and on the opposite shore they took leave of each other, the princesses promising to come again the next night.
在对岸，她们告别，公主们答应第二天再来。

When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the princesses, and laid himself down; —
当她们走上楼梯时，士兵在公主们前面跑着，躺了下来； —

and as the twelve sisters slowly came up very much tired, they heard him snoring in his bed; —
当十二位公主们慢慢疲惫地上来时，他们听到他在床上打鼾；于是她们说： —

so they said, ‘Now all is quite safe’; —
“现在一切安全了”； —

then they undressed themselves, put away their fine clothes, pulled off their shoes, and went to bed. —
然后她们脱下衣服，收拾好漂亮的衣服，脱下鞋子，上床睡觉。 —

In the morning the soldier said nothing about what had happened, but determined to see more of this strange adventure, and went again the second and third night; —
第二天早上，士兵什么都没有说发生了什么事，但决定再看看这个奇怪的冒险，他又去了第二个和第三个晚上； —

and every thing happened just as before; —
一切发生的都和以前一样； —

the princesses danced each time till their shoes were worn to pieces, and then returned home. —
公主们每次跳舞直到鞋子磨破为止，然后回家。 —

However, on the third night the soldier carried away one of the golden cups as a token of where he had been.
然而，第三天晚上，士兵带走了一个金杯作为他去过的证明。

As soon as the time came when he was to declare the secret, he was taken before the king with the three branches and the golden cup; —
当他宣布这个秘密的时候，他被带到了国王面前，带着三根树枝和金杯。 —

and the twelve princesses stood listening behind the door to hear what he would say. —
十二位公主并排站在门后偷听，想听听他会说什么。 —

And when the king asked him. —
当国王问他时。 —

‘Where do my twelve daughters dance at night? —
‘我的十二位公主在晚上跳舞的地方在哪里？ —

’ he answered, ‘With twelve princes in a castle under ground. —
’他回答说，‘在地下的一座城堡里，与十二位王子一起。 —

’ And then he told the king all that had happened, and showed him the three branches and the golden cup which he had brought with him. —
然后他告诉国王发生的一切，并展示了他带来的三根树枝和金杯。 —

Then the king called for the princesses, and asked them whether what the soldier said was true: —
然后国王叫来公主们，问她们士兵所说的是否属实： —

and when they saw that they were discovered, and that it was of no use to deny what had happened, they confessed it all. —
当她们看到自己被发现，否认已经没有用了，她们都承认了一切。 —

And the king asked the soldier which of them he would choose for his wife; —
国王问士兵要选择其中哪位作为妻子； —

and he answered, ‘I am not very young, so I will have the eldest. —
他回答说，‘我年纪也不小了，所以我选择最大的那位。 —

’–And they were married that very day, and the soldier was chosen to be the king’s heir.
– 他们当天就结婚了，士兵还被选为国王的继承人。