童话故事•格林童话：韩赛尔与格蕾特 - 6

It was now 3 mornings since they had left their father's house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness.

离家的第三天早上,他们又开始走,但是每次都走到森林更深处。要是再得不到帮助,他们又饿又累,恐怕必死无疑。

When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it.

正午时分,他们突然看见一只美丽而雪白的小鸟,它立在一根树枝上唱歌,歌声如此动听,以至于兄妹俩听得入了神,站在原地一动不动。

And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted.

鸟儿唱完歌就张开翅膀在他们面前飞走了,他们跟着小鸟来到了一栋小房子前,鸟儿就停在屋顶上。

And when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.

他们靠近房子后才发现这栋房子是用面包做成的,屋顶是用蛋糕做的,而窗户则是用透明的糖果做的。

"We will set to work on that," said Hansel, "and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet."

韩赛尔说:“我们快开动吧,好好吃上一顿。我要吃一部分屋顶。格蕾特,你可以去尝尝窗户,窗户的味道一定很甜。”

Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.

韩赛尔伸手够到了屋顶,掰下一小块尝了尝味道,格蕾特则站在窗户旁咬起了窗玻璃。

Then a soft voice cried from the parlor –

这时,只听见房子里传出一个温柔的声音:

"nibble, nibble, gnaw"

咬啊,咬啊,咬,

"who is nibbling at my little house?"

是谁在咬我的小房子?

The children answered –

孩子们回答道:

"the wind, the wind,"

是风呢,是风,

"the heaven-born wind,"

是来自天上的风。

and went on eating without disturbing themselves.

说完又继续专心地吃起来。

Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it.

韩赛尔很喜欢屋顶的味道,于是掰下一大块屋顶,格蕾特则干脆抠下一整块圆形的窗玻璃,坐在地上慢慢享用。

Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out.

突然门开了,一位苍老的婆婆拄着拐杖颤巍巍地从里面走出来。

Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands.

韩赛尔和格蕾特一时受到惊吓,手里的食物也掉在了地上。

The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, "oh, you dear children, who has brought you here. Do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you."

然而老婆婆点点头说:“好孩子,是谁带你们来这儿的啊?进来屋子里吧,和我待在一起,没人会伤害你们的。”

She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.

她牵着孩子的手走进小房子,替他们准备了一桌丰盛的美食,包括牛奶、煎饼、糖果、苹果和坚果,还为他们铺好了两张漂亮的小床,床单干净又洁白。韩赛尔和格蕾特躺在床上,感觉自己身在天堂。

…… to be continued.

未完待续