The cook，who slept in the next room，heard this and sat up in bed，and listened. The thieves，however，had in their fright run some distance away，but at last they took courage，and thought，The little rascalrascal n.流氓，无赖，坏蛋，淘气鬼 wants to mock us. They came back and whispered to him，“come be serious，and reach something out to us.” Then thumbling again cried as loudly as he could，“I really will give you everything，just put your hands in.” The maid who was listening，heard this quite distinctlydistinctly adv.清楚地，显然，and jumped out of bed and rushed to the door. The thieves took flight，and ran as if the wild huntsman were behind them，but as the maid could not see anything，she went to strike a light. When she came to the place with it，Thumbling，unperceived，betook himself to the granarygranary n.壳仓，and the maid after she had examined every corner and found nothing，lay down in her bed again，and believed that，after all，she had only been dreaming with open eyes and ears. Thumbling had climbed up among the hay and found a beautiful place to sleep in. There he intended to rest until day，and then go home again to his parents. But there were other things in store for him. Truly，there is much worry and afflictionaffliction n.痛苦，苦恼 in this world. When the day dawned，the maid arose from her bed to feed the cows. Her first walk was into the barn，where she laid hold of an armful of hay，and preciselyprecisely adv.正好 that very one in which poor Thumbling was lying asleep. He，however，was sleeping so soundly that he was aware of nothing，and did not awake until he was in the mouth of the cow，who had picked him up with the hay. “Ah，heavens，” cried he，“how have I got into the fulling mill.” But he soon discovered where he was. Then he had to take care not to let himself go between the teeth and be dismembereddismember v.肢解，but he was subsequently forced to slip downslip down 失足 into the stomach with the hay. “In this little room the windows are forgotten，” said he，“and no sun shines in，neither will a candle be brought.” His quarters were especially unpleasing to him，and the worst was that more and more hay was always coming in by the door，and the space grew less and less. When at length in his anguish，he cried as loud as he could，“Bring me no more fodder，bring me no more fodder.” The maid was just milking the cow，and when she heard some one speaking，and saw no one，and perceived that it was the same voice that she had heard in the night，she was so terrified that she slipped off her stool，and spilt the milk. She ran in great haste to her master，and said，“Oh heavens，pastor，the cow has been speaking.” “You are mad.” replied the pastor，but he went himself to the byrebyre n.牛栏 to see what was there. Hardly，however had he set his foot inside when Thumbling again cried，“Bring me no more fodder，bring me no more fodderfodder n.饲料，草料，（创作的）素材，弹药。” Then the pastor himself was alarmed，and thought that an evil spirit had gone into the cow，and ordered her to be killed.She was killed，but the stomach，in which Thumbling was，was thrown on the dunghilldunghill n.粪堆，堆肥，污秽物，脏物，卑贱的地位。 Thumbling had great difficulty in working his way out. However，he succeeded so far as to get some room，but just as he was going to thrust his head out，a new misfortune occurred. A hungry wolf ran thither，and swallowed the whole stomach at one gulpgulp n.吞咽。 Thumbling did not lose courage. Perhaps，thought he，“The wolf will listen to what I have got to say.” And he called to him from out of his bellybelly n.腹部，胃，“Dear wolf，I know of a magnificent feast for you.”
睡在小屋里的厨娘听见叫声，从床上坐起来侧耳细听。两小偷害怕了，从房前退回去一段路，最后又大起胆来，心里想：小家伙是拿咱们开开心罢了。他们回到房前，悄声对大拇指说：“该动真格的啦，快递东西吧！” “我把什么都递给你们，只管伸手进来好了。” 大拇指又喊，嗓门能多大就有多大。厨娘听得清清楚楚，一下子跳下床来，磕磕碰碰地冲出了房门。两小偷慌忙逃跑，就像被猎人狂追猛赶的兔子似的。厨娘在房中什么也没发现，就去点了一盏灯。等她端着灯走回房来，大拇指已经溜进外边的谷仓，没被任何人发现。厨娘搜遍了所有屋角，什么也没搜到，终于又上床睡觉去。她以为，她只是眼睁睁地做了一场梦来着。大拇指在干草堆中翻来爬去，找到了一个睡觉的好地方。他打算一觉睡到大天亮，然后回爸爸妈妈那里去。可他注定了还要经历另外一些事情！可不是吗，在这世界上困苦和磨难多着呐！天蒙蒙亮，女仆已经起床来喂牲口。她走进草料棚，抱起一抱干草，可怜的大拇指不巧偏偏就睡在这抱草里面，而且他睡得那么沉，竟一点儿不知道。等他醒来时，已经让母牛和着草料一起衔在嘴里。“天啊，” 他惊叫，“我怎么掉进碾米机里来啦！” 可他很快发现事实上在哪里，就提醒自己当心别滑到母牛的牙齿之间去，被磨得粉身碎骨。可是，他没能逃脱滚落进牛胃中的命运。“这个小斗室忘记开窗子了，” 他说，“既没阳光射进来，也不点灯。” 他压根儿讨厌住在这破地方，而最糟不过的，是不断有新的草料从门外塞进来，而且里边越来越挤。终于，因为恐惧，他拼命地喊起来：“别再给我送草啦！别再给我送草啦！” 厨娘正在挤奶，听到了喊声却不见人，而且又是她昨天夜里听见过的声音，吓得从她坐的小凳子上摔了下来，挤奶桶也打翻了。她慌慌张张跑到主人面前，惊呼：“上帝啊，牧师先生，母牛说话啦！” “你疯了吧？” 牧师回答，不过仍走进牛圈，要亲自看个究竟。他刚跨一只脚进圈门，大拇指重新叫起来：“别再给我送草啦！别再给我送草啦！” 牧师自己也吓了一跳，认为牛肚子里钻进了妖怪，忙吩咐把牛杀掉。母牛被宰了，可大拇指栖身的牛胃呢，却被扔进了垃圾堆。为了往外爬，可费了大拇指的老力喽。不过呢，他的努力还是达到了目的，终于开出来一条通路。谁知祸不单行，他刚探出小脑袋，一头饿狼已跑过来，一口吞掉了整个儿牛胃。大拇指并不灰心，他想，狼也许是通商量的吧，就从肚子里对它喊：“亲爱的狼，我知道你有机会美美地吃一顿。”
“Where is it to be had？” said the wolf. “In such and such a house. You must creep into it through the kitchensink，and will find cakes，and baconbacon n.咸肉，熏肉，and sausagessausage n.香肠，腊肠，and as much of them as you can eat.” And he described to him exactly his fathers house. The wolf did not require to be told this twice，squeezedsqueeze v.压榨，挤，挤榨 himself in at night through the sink，and ate to his hearts content in the larder. When he had eaten his fill，he wanted to go out again，but he had become so big that he could not go out by the same way. Thumbling had reckonedreckon vi.数，计算，估计，依赖，料想 on this，and now began to make a violent noise in the wolfs body，and ragedrage vi.大怒，狂吹，风行 and screamed as loudly as he could. “Will you be quiet，” said the wolf，“you will waken up the people.” “What do I care，” replied the little fellow，“you have eaten your fill，and I will make merry likewise.” And began once more to scream with all his strength. At last his father and mother were aroused by it，and ran to the room and looked in through the opening in the door. When they saw that a wolf was inside，they ran away，and the husband fetched his axe，and the wife the scythescythe n.长柄镰刀，镰（古兵器）。 “Stay behind.” said the man，when they entered the room. “When I have given the blow，if he is not killed by it，you must cut him down and hew his body to pieces.” Then Thumbling heard his parents，voices and cried，“Dear father，I am here，I am in the wolfs body.” Said the father，“Full of joy，thank God，our dear child has found us again.” And bade the woman take away her scythe，that Thumbling might not be hurt with it. After that he raised his arm，and struck the wolf such a blow on his head that he fell down dead，and then they got knives and scissorsscissors n.剪刀 and cut his body open and drew the little fellow forth. “Ah，” said the father，“what sorrow we have gone through for your sake.” “Yes father，I have gone about the world a great deal. Thank heaven，I breathe fresh air again.” “Where have you been，then？” “Ah，father，I have been in a mouses hole，in a cows belly，and then in a wolfs paunchpaunch n.腹，瘤胃，大肚子。 Now I will stay with you.” “And we will not sell you again，no not for all the riches in the world.” said his parents，and they embraced and kissed their dear thumbling. They gave him to eat and to drink，and had some new clothes made for him，for his own had been spoiledspoil v.扰乱 on his journey.
“在什么地方？” 狼问。“在一所房子里，你得从阴沟爬进去，然后就可以找到糕饼、猪油和香肠——你想吃多少有多少啊！” 接着，他给狼详详细细描绘了父亲家的情况。狼才用不着一劝再劝哩，当晚就从阴沟硬钻进贮藏室，开心地大吃了一顿。吃饱了，它想溜走，可是肚子胀鼓鼓的，从原路出不去。这情况大拇指早已料到，这会儿便在狼肚子内拼命大喊大叫，大吵大闹起来。“请你安静一点，” 狼说，“别把人全给吵醒啦。” “什么话！” 小家伙回答，“你已吃得饱饱的，我也想开心开心嘛。” 说完，又开始拼命叫喊起来。他的父母亲终于被吵醒，跑到贮藏室外，透过门缝往里瞅。他们看见一头狼；赶忙跑回去，父亲抓起一把斧头，母亲拿了一把镰刀。“跟在后边，” 在跨进贮藏室的时候，父亲说，“如果我砍它一斧头它还没死，你就得再砍一镰刀，把狼的身子砍断！” “爸爸，爸爸！” 大拇指听见父亲的声音，马上喊，“我在这儿！我藏在狼的肚皮里！” “感谢上帝！” 父亲甭提多高兴，说，“咱们亲爱的孩子回来了！” 马上叫妻子放下镰刀，别伤着大拇指。接着，他抡起斧头，朝狼脑袋猛地一劈，狼就倒下去死了。然后他们找来刀子和剪子，剖开狼的肚皮，把小儿子拖了出来。“嗨，” 父亲说，“我们为你好担心啊！” “是啊，爸爸，我在世界上到处流浪；感谢上帝，现在又呼吸到了新鲜空气！” “你到底去过哪些地方？” “唉，爸爸，我到过一个老鼠洞，一头母牛的胃里和一只狼的肚皮里。从现在起，我要永远留在你们身边。” “我们也不再卖掉你，即使给我们世界上的全部财富！” 父母亲说，同时拥抱和亲吻了他们心爱的大拇指。他们给他吃的和喝的，叫裁缝给他缝新衣服；他原来的衣服呢，已在旅途中穿旧磨破了。