白新娘和黑新娘
A woman was walking about the fields with her daughter and her stepdaughter cutting fodder,when the Lord came towards them in the form of a poor man,and asked,“Which is the way into the village?” “If you want to know,” said the mother,“seek it for yourself.” And the daughter added,“If you are afraid you will not find it,take a guide with you.” But the stepdaughter said,“Poor man,I will take you there,come with me.” Then God was angry with the mother and daughter,and turned his back on them,and wished that they should become as black as night and as ugly as sin. To the poor stepdaughter,however,God was graciousgracious adj.亲切的,高尚的,and went with her,and when they were near the village,he said a blessing over her,and spoke,“Choose three things for yourself,and I will grant them to you.” Then said the maiden,“I should like to be as beautiful and fair as the sun.” and instantly she was white and fair as day. “Then I should like to have a purse of money which would never grow empty.” That the Lord gave her also,but he said,“Do not forget what is best of all.” Said she,“For my third wish,I desire,after my death,to inhabit the eternaleternal adj.永恒的,永远的,不灭的,没完没了的 kingdom of heaven.” That also was granted unto her,and then the Lord left her.
一个女人带着自己亲生的女儿和养女去野外割喂牲口的草,这时亲爱的上帝变成一个穷人,走来问她们:“去村里的路怎么走?” “你要想知道,就得自己找。” 那位母亲回答。她的女儿还加了一句:“你要是担心找不着,就该带个向导嘛。” 只有她的养女说:“可怜的人呵,我愿意给你领路,跟我来吧。” 亲爱的上帝生那母女俩的气了,背转身去诅咒她们,使她们模样变成黑得像夜晚,丑得像罪孽。相反,对可怜的养女却很仁慈,跟她走到村子附近给了她祝福,还对她讲:“你可以任选三件事,我将满足你的愿望。” 姑娘于是说:“我希望美丽纯洁得像太阳。” 话音刚落,她已洁白妩媚得如白昼一样了。“我还想要一个永远不会空的钱包。” 仁慈的上帝也把钱包给了她,但对她说:“别忘了最好的东西。” “第三,我希望死后在天国获得永生。” 上帝也答应满足她这个愿望,然后和她分了手。
When the stepmother came home with her daughter,and they saw that they were both as black as coal and ugly,but that the stepdaughter was white and beautiful,wickedness increased still more in their hearts,and they thought of nothing else but how they could do her an injury. The stepdaughter,however,had a brother called Reginer,whom she loved much,and she told him all that had happened. And Reginer said to her,“Dear sister,I will paint your portrait,that I may continually see you before my eyes,for my love for you is so great that I should like always to look at you.” Then she answered,“But,I pray you,let no one see the picture.” So he painted his sister and hung up the picture in his room,he,however,dwelt in the kings palace,for he was his coachman. Every day he went and stood before the picture,and thanked God for the happiness of having such a dear sister. Now it happened that the king whom he served,had just lost his wife,who had been so beautiful that no one could be found to compare with her,and on this account the king was in deep grief. The attendants about the court,however,noticed that the coachman stood daily before this beautiful picture,and they were jealousjealous adj.妒忌的,猜疑的,警惕的,嫉妒的 of him,so they informed the king. Then the latter ordered the picture to be brought to him,and when he saw that it was like his lost wife in every respect,except that it was still more beautiful,he fell mortallymortally adv.致命地,凡人般地 in love with it He caused the coachman to be brought before him,and asked whom the portrait represented. The coachman said it was his sister,so the king resolved to take no one but her as his wife,and gave him a carriage and horses and splendid garments of cloth of gold,and sent him forth to fetch his chosen bride. When Reginer came on this erranderrand n.差事,差使,使命,his sister was glad,but the black maiden was jealous of her good fortune,and grew angry above all measure,and said to her mother,“Of what use are all your arts to us now when you cannot procureprocure v.获得,取得 such a piece of luck for me.” “Be quiet,” said the old woman,“I will soon divertdivert v.转移,转向,使高兴 it to you.” and by her arts of witchcraftwitchcraft n.魔法,魔力,she so troubled the eyes of the coachman that he was halfblind,and she stopped the ears of the white maiden so that she was halfdeaf. Then they got into the carriage,first the bride in her noble royal apparelwitchcraft n.魔法,魔力,then the stepmother with her daughter,and Reginer sat on the box to drive. When they had been on the way for some time the coachman cried,“Cover thee well,my sister dear,That the rain may not wet thee,That the wind may not load thee with dust,That thou mayst be fair and beautiful When thou appearest before the king.”
继母和自己女儿回到家里,发现她俩都已变得像煤一般黑而丑陋,相反,她的养女却又美又白,心中不禁增加了恶意,于是啥也不考虑,一门心思只想加害于她。然而养女有个哥哥,名叫雷吉纳,她很爱他哥哥,对他讲了发生的一切事情。一天,雷吉纳对她说:“亲爱的妹妹,我想把你画下来,以便在眼前经常见到你。我真是太爱你啦,恨不得每时每刻都看见你的模样。” “不过呢,” 她回答,“我求你别叫任何人看见画像。” 于是,雷吉纳把自己的妹妹画下来,把画像挂在了他的小卧室里。可是,他住在王宫中,因为他是国王的车夫。他每天都站在像前,感谢上帝赐给他亲爱的妹妹幸福。这时节,正好他服侍的国王死了妻子,因为她美丽绝伦,再也找不出第二个来啦,国王深感悲痛。不想他的侍从们却发现,他那车夫每天都站在一张美女的像前发呆,认为他不对劲儿,便报告了国王。国王叫他把画像送去,一见画中人竟与自己死去的王后一模一样,要说有不同只是更加美貌,不由得爱上了她,爱得死去活来。他让人叫去车夫,问他画中人是谁。车夫回答是他妹妹,于是国王下决心非她不娶,马上吩咐给车夫车马和华丽的衣服,打发他去接来他自己挑中的新娘子。当雷吉纳带着使命回到家,他妹妹非常高兴;只是那黑丫头嫉妒她的福分,因此气恼得要命,对她母亲说:“你所有的法术都不管用,你不能为我创造这样的幸福!” “别吭声,” 老婆子讲,“我一定把它弄给你。” 说着,她便用巫术弄浑了车夫的双眼,使他差不多成了盲人,又塞住白皮肤少女的耳朵,使她差不多成了聋子。接着,他们上了车,先是穿着王室华丽衣裙的新娘子,然后是继母和她女儿,雷吉纳则坐在前边高高的座位上赶车。他们走了一会儿,车夫叫起来:“我的小妹妹,快盖住身体,
别让雨淋湿了你呵,
别让风吹脏了你呵,
见到国王,你要洁白又美丽!”