书城教材教辅新课标英语学习资源库-井边的牧鹅女
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第11章 The Golden Bird(3)

With a heavy heart the youth set out, yet luckily for him he soon found the trusty fox. “I ought only to leave you to your illluck,” said the fox, “but I pity you, and will help you once more out of your trouble. This road takes you straight to the golden castle, you will reach it by eventideeventide n.[古或诗]黄昏, 日暮, and at night when everything is quiet the beautiful princess goes to the bathinghouse to bathe. When she enters it, run up to her and give her a kiss, then she will follow you, and you can take her away with you, only do not allow her to take leave of her parents first, or it will go ill with you.” Then the fox stretched out his tail, the kings son seated himself upon it, and away went the fox, over stock and stone, till his hair whistled in the wind. When he reached the golden castle it was just as the fox had said. He waited until midnight, when everything lay in deep sleep, and the beautiful princess was going to the bathinghouse. Then he sprang out and gave her a kiss. She said that she would like to go with him, but she asked him pitifully, and with tears, to allow her first to take leave oftake leave of v.不辞劳苦,十分尽力 her parents. At first he withstood her prayer, but when she wept more and more, and fell at his feet, he at last gave in. But no sooner had the maiden reached the bedside of her father than he and all the rest in the castle awoke, and the youth was laid hold of and put into prison.

小伙子心情沉重地上了路,幸好很快又找到那只忠诚的狐狸。“我本来该让你自己倒霉喽,”狐狸说,“不过我还是同情你,准备再解你一次危。你这么一直走就会走到那座金宫殿。你傍晚时分到达,等夜深入静了,美丽的公主就会去浴室里洗澡。她一走进来,你立刻冲上去吻她一下,她便跟着你,你于是可以带她走了。只是千万别允许她走之前去与父母亲道别,否则你要遭殃!”狐狸说完伸长尾巴,小王子骑上去,它便越过树桩跃过岩石,直到毛在风中飕飕直响。到了金宫殿,情况跟狐狸说的一样。他等到半夜,所有人都睡熟了,美丽的公主果然走进浴室,他便跳上去给了她一个吻。公主说,她乐意跟他一块儿走,只是眼泪汪汪地恳求他允许她先和父母亲告一下别。小王子起初不肯答应,可她越哭越厉害,哭得跪在了他的脚下,他终于让步了。哪知公主一走到父亲床前,国王和宫里的所有人就全醒了,小伙子被抓住投进了监狱。

The next morning the king said to him, “Your life is forfeitedforfeit adj.丧失了的, and you can only find mercy if you take away the hill which stands in front of my windows, and prevents my seeing beyond it, and you must finish it all within eight days. If you do that you shall have my daughter as your reward.”

第二天国王对他讲:“你的命是完啦,要想我饶恕你,除非你把我窗前这座山搬掉,它挡住了我的视线;而且,你必须在八天内干完。你要成功了,我就把女儿赏给你。”

The kings son began, and dug and shoveled without stopping, but when after seven days he saw how little he had done, and how all his work was as good as nothing, he fell into great sorrow and gave up all hope. But on the evening of the seventh day the fox appeared and said, “You do not deservedeserve vt.应受, 值得 that I should take my trouble about you, but just go away and lie down to sleep, and I will do the work for you.” The next morning when he awoke and looked out of the window the hill had gone. The youth ran, full of joy, to the king, and told him that the task was fulfilledfulfil vt.实践, 履行, 实行, 结束, 满足, 完成, 达到, and whether he liked it or not, the king had to hold to his word and give him his daughter.

王子动手挖起来,铲起来,一刻也不停息。可是过了七天,他看成绩那么少,所有辛劳都跟白费了似的,不禁非常难过,放弃了一切希望。幸亏第七天晚上,狐狸来对他说:“你本来呢不值得我同情,不过去睡你的大觉吧,活儿由我来替你干。”第二天早晨,他醒来一瞧窗外,山没有啦,小伙子非常高兴,急忙去报告国王,事情办到了,国王呢乐意也罢不乐意也罢,都只好兑现诺言,把女儿赏给他。

So the two set forth together, and it was not long before the trusty fox came up with them. “You have certainly got what is best,”said he, “but the golden horse also belongs to the maiden of the golden castle.”“How shall I get it.” asked the youth. “That I will tell you,” answered the fox, “first take the beautiful maiden to the king who sent you to the golden castle. There will be unheardof rejoicing, they will gladly give you the golden horse, and will bring it out to you. Mount it as soon as possible, and offer your hand to all in farewellfarewell n.辞别, 再见, 再会, last of all to the beautiful maiden. And as soon as you have taken her hand swing her up on to the horse, and gallopgallop vi.飞驰, 急速进行, 急急忙忙地说 away, and no one will be able to bring you back, for the horse runs faster than the wind.”

眼下他俩一起往回走,没走多久又碰见了忠心的狐狸。狐狸对他说:“你虽然得到了最珍贵的东西,可是,金宫殿的公主,还必须有金马来匹配。”“我怎样才能得到金马呢?”王子问。“这个嘛,我愿意告诉你,”狐狸回答,“你先把漂亮的少女带给派你去金宫殿的那位国王。他一定高兴得要命,乐意赏给你金马,并让人牵它到你面前,你马上骑上去,跟大家握手告别,最后也把手伸给美丽的公主。可是,你一抓住她,便猛地拉她到马上,飞快跑掉。没谁能追上你的,因为这匹马跑得比风还快。”

All was carried out successfully, and the kings son carried off the beautiful princess on the golden horse. The fox did not remain behind, and he said to the youth, “Now I will help you to get the golden bird. When you come near to the castle where the golden bird is to be found, let the maiden get down, and I will take her into my care. Then ride with the golden horse into the castleyard, there will be great rejoicing at the sight, and they will bring out the golden bird for you. As soon as you have the cage in your hand gallop back to us, and take the maiden away again.” When the plan had succeeded, and the kings son was about to ride home with his treasures, the fox said, “Now you shall reward me for my help.”“What do you require for it?” asked the youth. “When you get into the wood yonderyonder adv.在那边, shoot me dead, and chop offchop off 砍掉 my head and feet.”“That would be fine gratitude,”said the kings son,“I cannot possibly do that for you.” The fox said, “If you will not do it I must leave you, but before I go away I will give you a piece of good advice. Be careful about two things. Buy no gallowsflesh, and do not sit at the edge of any well.” And then he ran into the wood.