格林童話:the Three Little Men in the Woods森林中的三個小矮人

the Three Little Men in the Woods

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

there was a man whose wife died, and a woman whose husband died. The man had a daughter, and the woman also had a daughter. The girls were acquainted with each other and went for a walk together. Afterwards they came to the woman in her house.

the woman said to the man's daughter, "Listen, tell your father that I would like to marry him, and then you shall wash yourself in milk every morning and drink wine, but my own daughter shall wash herself in water and drink water."

　　the girl went home and told her father what the woman had said.

the man said, "What shall I do? Marriage is a joy, but also a torment."

Finally, being unable to reach a decision, he pulled off his boot and said, "Take this boot. It has a hole in its sole. Take it to the attic, hang it on the big nail, and then pour water into it. If it holds the water, then I shall again take a wife, but if the water runs through it, then I shall not."

the girl did as she was told, but the water pulled the hole shut, and the boot filled up to the top. She told her father what had happened. Then he himself went up, and when he saw that she was right, he went to the widow and wooed her, and the wedding was held.

the next morning when the two girls got up, there was milk for the man's daughter to wash in and wine for her to drink, but there was water for the woman's daughter to wash herself with and water for her to drink. On the second morning there was water for washing and water to drink for the man's daughter as well as for the woman's daughter. And on the third morning there was water for washing and water to drink for the man's daughter, and milk for washing and wine to drink for the woman's daughter, and so it continued.

the woman became her stepdaughter's worst enemy, and from one day to the next she did whatever she could to make the stepdaughter's life more miserable. Furthermore, she was envious because her stepdaughter was beautiful and kind, while her own daughter was ugly and disgusting.

Once in winter, when everything was frozen as hard as a stone, and the hills and valleys were covered with snow, the woman made a dress of paper, called her stepdaughter, and said, "Here, put this dress on and go out into the woods and fetch me a basketful of strawberries. I have a longing for some."

"Good heaven." said the girl. "Strawberries don't grow in the winter. The ground is frozen, and furthermore the snow has covered everything. And why am I to go out in this paper dress? It is so cold outside that one's breath freezes. The wind will blow through the dress, and the thorns will tear it from my body."

"Will you contradict me?" said the stepmother. "Be on your way, and do not let me see you again until you have the basketful of strawberries." Then she gave her a little piece of hard bread and said, "You can eat from this all day," while thinking, "You will freeze and starve to death out there, and I shall never see you again."

the girl obeyed and put on the paper dress and went out with the basket. There was nothing but snow far and wide, and not a GREen blade was to be seen. After coming into the woods she saw a small house. Three little dwarfs peeped out. She greeted them and gently knocked on the door.

they shouted, "Come in," and she went into the room and sat down on the bench by the stove to warm herself and eat her breakfast.

the dwarfs said, "Give us some of it, too."

"Gladly," she said, and broke her piece of bread in two, giving them half."

they asked, "What are you doing here in the woods in the wintertime and in your thin dress."

"Oh," she answered, "I am supposed to gather a basketful of strawberries, and am not allowed to go home until I have them."

When she had eaten her bread they gave her a broom and said, "Sweep away the snow next to the back door."

Once she was outside, the three little men said to one another, "What shall we give her for being so polite and good and sharing her bread with us."

the first one said, "I grant her that every day she shall grow more beautiful."

the second one said, "I grant her that gold pieces shall fall from her mouth every time she speaks a word."

the third one said, "I grant her that a king shall come and take her to wife."

the girl did what the dwarfs told her to, and with the broom she swept the snow away from behind the little house, and what do you think she found? Nothing other than ripe strawberries, which came up out of the snow quite dark red. Joyfully she gathered her basketful, thanked the little men, shook hands with each of them, then ran home to take her stepmother what she had demanded.

Upon entering she said, "Good-evening," and a piece of gold fell out of her mouth. then she told what had happened to her in the woods, but with every word she spoke gold pieces fell from her mouth, and soon the whole room was covered with them.

"Just look at her arrogance," shouted the stepsister, "to throw gold about in such a manner." But she was secretly envious, and she too wanted to go into the woods to look for strawberries.

the mother said, "No, my dear little daughter, it is too cold. You could freeze to death."

However, her daughter gave no peace, so finally the mother gave in. She sewed a magnificent fur coat for her and had her put it on. She gave her buttered bread and cake for her journey.

the girl went into the woods and straight up to the little house. The three little dwarfs peeped out again, but she did not GREet them. Without looking at them and without greeting them, she stumbled into the room, sat down by the stove, and began to eat her buttered bread and cake.

"Give us some of it," shouted the little men.

She replied, "there is not enough for me myself. How can I give some of it to others?"

When she was finished eating they said, "Here is a broom for you. Sweep in front of the back door."

"Sweep for yourselves," she answered. "I am not your maid."

Seeing that they were not going to give her anything, she walked out the door.

then the little men said to one another, "What shall we give her for being so impolite and having a wicked and envious heart that will never let her give a thing to anyone?"

the first one said, "I grant that every day she shall grow uglier."

the second one said, "I grant that a toad shall jump out of her mouth with every word she says."

the third one said, "I grant that she shall die an unfortunate death."

the girl looked outside for strawberries, but finding none, she went home angrily. And when she opened her mouth to tell her mother what had happened to her in the woods, a toad jumped out of her mouth with every word she said, so that everyone was repulsed by her.

the stepmother now became even more angry, and she could think of nothing else but how she could torment the man's daughter, who nonetheless GREw more beautiful every day. Finally she took a kettle, set it on the fire, and boiled yarn in it. When it was boiled, she hung it on the poor girl's shoulder, gave her an ax, and told her to go to the frozen river, chop a hole in the ice, and rinse the yarn. She obeyed, went to the river and chopped a hole in the ice. While she was chopping, a splendid carriage approached, with the king seated inside.

the carriage stopped, and the king asked, "My child, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I am a poor girl, and I am rinsing yarn."

the king felt compassion, and when he saw how very beautiful she was, he said to her, "Will you ride with me?"

"Gladly," she answered, for she was happy to get away from the mother and sister.

So she got into the carriage and rode away with the king. When they arrived at his palace their wedding was celebrated with GREat pomp, just as the little men had promised the girl.

A year later the young queen gave birth to a son, and when the stepmother heard of her good fortune, she came with her daughter to the palace, pretending that she wanted to pay her a visit. But when the king went out, and no one else was present, the wicked woman seized the queen by the head, and her daughter seized her by the feet, and lifting her out of her bed, they threw her out the window into the stream that flowed by.

After that the ugly daughter lay down in the bed, and the old woman covered her up over her head. When the king returned and wanted to speak to his wife, the old woman said, "Quiet. Quiet. You cannot talk to her now. She has a very high fever. You must let her rest today."

the king suspected no evil, and did not return until the next morning. As he then talked with his wife, and she answered him, a toad jumped out with every word, whereas previously a piece of gold had fallen out. When he asked what was the matter, the old woman said that it came from her high fever, and that she would soon lose it.

During the night the kitchen boy saw a duck swimming along the gutter, and it said, "King, what are you doing? Are you awake or are you asleep?"

Receiving no answer, it said, "What are my guests doing?"

then the kitchen boy answered, "They are fast asleep."

She asked further, "What is my little baby doing?"

He answered, "He is sound asleep in his cradle."

then, in the form of the queen, she went upstairs, nursed the baby, fluffed up his cover, tucked him in, and then she swam off through the gutter as a duck.

She came in the same manner for two nights. On the third night, she said to the kitchen boy, "Go and tell the king to take his sword and on the threshold to swing it over me three times."

the kitchen boy ran and told this to the king, who came with his sword and swung it over the spirit three times, and after the third time, his wife was standing before him, vigorous, alive, and healthy, as she had been before.

the king was elated, but he kept the queen hidden in a room until the Sunday when the baby was to be baptized. At the baptism he said, "What does a person deserve who drags someone out of bed and throws him into the water?"

the old woman answered, "The scoundrel deserves nothing better than to be put into a barrel stuck full of nails, and then rolled downhill into the water."

then the king said, "You have pronounced your own sentence."

He ordered such a barrel to be brought. the old woman and her daughter were put into it, and the top was hammered shut. Then the barrel was rolled downhill until it fell into the river.

從前，有個男人死了妻子，有個女人死了丈夫。這個男人有個女兒，這個女人也有個女兒。兩個小姑娘互相認識，經常一起出去散步。有一天，她們散完步後一起來到女人的家裏，女人對男人的女兒說：「聽着，告訴你爸爸，說我願意嫁給他，從此你天天早晨都能用牛奶洗臉，還能喝上葡萄酒，而我自己的女兒只能用水洗臉，也只能喝清水。」小姑娘回到家中，把女人的話告訴了她爸爸。男人說：「我該怎麼辦呢？結婚是喜事，可也會帶來痛苦。」他遲遲拿不定主意，最後脫下一隻靴子，說：「這隻靴子的底上有個洞。你把它拎到閣樓上去，把它掛在一根大釘子上，然後往裏面灌些水。要是水沒有漏出來，我就再娶個妻子；可要是水漏了出來，我就不娶。」姑娘按她父親所說的辦了。可是水使得洞脹攏了，靴子裏灌滿了水也沒有漏出來。她把結果告訴了她父親，父親又親自上來察看，看到情況果然如此，便去向那寡婦求婚，然後舉行了婚禮。

第一天早晨，兩個姑娘起來後，在男人的女兒的面前果然放着洗臉的牛奶和喝的葡萄酒，而在女人的女兒的面前放着的只有洗臉的清水和喝的清水。第二天早晨，男人的女兒和女人的女兒的面前都放着洗臉的清水和喝的清水。到了第三天早晨，男人的女兒的面前放着洗臉用的清水和喝的清水，而女人的女兒的面前卻放着洗臉用的牛奶和喝的葡萄酒。以後天天都是這樣。那女人成了她繼女的死敵，對她一天壞似一天，她還萬分嫉妒她的繼女，因爲她的繼女美麗可愛，而她自己的女兒又醜又令人討厭。

冬天到了，一切都凍得像石頭一樣硬，山頂和山谷都被大雪覆蓋着。一天，女人用紙做了件衣服，把她的繼女叫過來，說：「聽着，你穿上這件衣服，到森林裏去給我採一籃草莓，我很想吃。」「天哪！」姑娘說，「冬天怎麼會有草莓呢？地上都結了冰，大雪把一切都蓋住了，再說，我怎麼能穿着這身紙衣服出去呢？外面冷得連呼出的氣都能凍起來。風會往這衣服裏面吹，荊棘也會把它掛破的。」「你敢跟我頂嘴？」繼母說，「你快給我去！要是沒有採到一籃草莓，你就別想回來！」然後她又給姑娘一小塊硬梆梆的麵包，說：「這是你一天的口糧，」心裏卻在想：「你在外面不會凍死也會餓死的，別想再回來煩我。」

姑娘只好順從地穿上紙衣服，提着籃子走了出去。外面一片冰天雪地，連一棵綠草都找不到。她來到森林裏後，看到一座小房子，裏面有三個小矮人在向外張望。她向他們問好，然後輕輕地敲了敲門。他們叫「進來」，她便走進屋，坐在爐子旁的長凳上烤火，吃她的早飯。小矮人們說：「也分一點給我們吧。」「好的，」她說着便把麵包掰成兩半，給了他們一半。他們問：「你大冬天穿着這身薄薄的衣服到森林裏來幹嗎？」「唉，」她回答，「我得採一籃草莓，否則我就回不了家了。」等她吃完麵包後，他們遞給她一把掃帚，說：「去幫我們把後門的雪掃掉吧。」可等她出去後，三個小矮人卻商量了起來：「她這麼可愛，又把麵包分給了我們，我們送她甚麼好呢？」第一個矮人說：「我送給她的禮物是：她一天比一天更美麗。」第二個矮人說：「我送給她的禮物是：她一開口說話就吐出金子來。」第三個矮人說：「我送給她的禮物是：一個國王娶她當王后。」

姑娘這時正按照他們的吩咐，用掃帚把小屋後面的雪掃掉。她看到了甚麼？雪下面露出了紅彤彤的草莓！她高興極了，趕緊裝了滿滿一籃子，謝了小矮人，還和他們一一握手道別，然後帶着她繼母垂涎的東西跑回家去了。誰知，她進門剛說了聲「晚上好」，嘴裏就掉出來一塊金子！於是，她把自己在森林裏遇到的事情講了出來，而且每講一句，嘴裏就掉出來一塊金子，弄得家裏很快就堆滿了金子。「瞧她那副德行！」繼母的女兒嚷道，「就這樣亂扔金子！」她心裏嫉妒得要命，也渴望着到森林裏去採草莓。她母親卻說：「不行，我的好女兒，外面太冷了，你會凍死的。」可是她女兒纏着不放，她最後只好讓步。她給女兒縫了件皮襖，硬要她穿上；然後又給她抹了黃油的麵包和蛋糕，讓她帶着路上吃。

這個姑娘進了森林之後，逕直向小屋走去。三個小矮人又在屋裏向外張望，可是她根本不和他們打招呼，既不看他們，也不和他們說話，大搖大擺地走進屋，一屁股坐到爐子旁，吃起自己的麵包和蛋糕來。「分一點給我們吧，」小矮人們說；可是她卻回答：「這都不夠我自己吃的，怎麼能分給別人呢？」等她吃完，他們又說：「這裏有把掃帚，把後門的雪掃乾淨。」她回答：「我又不是你們的傭人。」看到他們不會給她任何禮物了，她便自己衝出了屋子。三個小矮人商量道：「像她這種壞心腸的小懶鬼，又不肯施捨給別人東西，我們該送她甚麼呢？」第一個矮人說：「我讓她長得一天比一天醜！」第二個矮人說：「我讓她一開口說話就從嘴裏跳出一隻癩蛤蟆！」第三個矮人說：「我讓她不得好死！」姑娘在屋外找草莓，可一個也找不到，只好氣鼓鼓地回家去了。她開口給母親講自己在森林裏的遭遇，可是，她每講一句話，嘴裏就跳出來一隻癩蛤蟆，把大家都嚇壞了。

這一來繼母更是氣壞了，千方百計地盤算着怎麼折磨丈夫的女兒，可是這姑娘卻長得一天比一天更美。終於，繼母取出一隻鍋子，架在火堆上，在裏面煮線團。線團煮過之後，她把它撈出來，搭在姑娘的肩膀上，然後又給姑娘一把斧頭，讓她去結冰的小河，在冰面上鑿一個洞，在洞裏漂洗線團。姑娘順從地來到河邊，走到河中央鑿冰。她正鑿着，岸上駛來了一輛華麗的馬車，裏面坐着國王。馬車停了下來，國王問：「姑娘，你是誰？在這裏幹甚麼？」「我是個可憐的女孩，在這裏漂洗線團。」國王很同情她，而且又看到她長得這麼美麗，便對她說：「你願意和我一起走嗎？」「當然願意啦。」她回答，因爲她非常高興能離開繼母和繼母的女兒。姑娘坐到國王的馬車上，和國王一起回到宮中。他倆立刻就舉行了婚禮，正像三個小矮人許諾過的一樣。一年後，年輕的王后生下了一個兒子。她的繼母早已聽說她交上了好運，這時也帶着親生女兒來到王宮，假裝是來看王后的。可是看到國王剛出去，而且旁邊又沒有別人，這壞心腸的女人就抓住王后的頭，她的女兒抓住王后的腳，把她從牀上擡下來，從窗口把她扔進了外面的大河裏。然後，繼母的醜女兒躺在牀上，老婆子從頭到腳把她蓋了起來。當國王回到房間，想和他的妻子說話的時候，老婆子叫了起來：「噓，唬，不要打攪她，她現在正在發汗。今天不要打攪她。」國王絲毫沒有懷疑，一直等到第二天早晨纔過來。他和妻子說話，誰知她剛開口，嘴裏就跳出來一隻癩蛤蟆，而不像從前那樣掉出金子來。國王問這是怎麼回事，老婆子便說這是發汗發出來的，很快就會好的。但是當天夜裏，王宮裏的小幫工看見一隻鴨子從下水道里遊了出來，而且聽見它說：

「國王，你在做甚麼？

你是睡着了還是醒着？」

看到小幫工沒有回答，它又說：

「我的兩位客人在做甚麼？」

小幫工說：

「她們睡熟了。」

鴨子又問：

「我的小寶寶在做甚麼？」

小幫工回答：

「他在搖籃裏睡得好好的。」

鴨子變成了王后的模樣，上去給孩子餵奶，搖着他的小牀，給他蓋好被子，然後又變成鴨子，從下水道遊走了。她這樣一連來了兩個晚上，第三天晚上，她對小幫工說：「你去告訴國王，讓他帶上他的寶劍，站在門檻上，在我的頭上揮舞三下。」小幫工趕緊跑去告訴國王，國王提着寶劍來了，在那幽靈的頭頂上揮舞了三下。他剛舞到第三下，她的妻子就站在了他的面前，像以前一樣健康強壯。國王高興極了，可他仍然把王后藏進密室，等着禮拜天嬰兒受洗的日子到來。洗禮結束之後，他說：「要是有人把別人從牀上拖下來，並且扔進河裏，這個人該受到甚麼樣的懲罰？」老婆子說：「對這樣壞心腸的人，最好的懲罰是把他裝進裏面插滿了釘子的木桶，從山坡上滾到河裏去。」「那麼，」國王說，「你已經爲自己做出了判決。」國王命令搬來一隻這樣的木桶，把老婆子和她的女兒裝進去，並且把桶蓋釘死，把桶從山坡上滾了下去，一直滾到河心。