1. Some children were at play in their playground one day, when a herald rode through the town, blowing a trumpet, and crying aloud, “The King! the King passes by this road today. Make ready for the King!”
一天，一些孩子正在游樂場玩耍時，一個傳令官騎著馬穿過小鎮，他一邊吹著喇叭，一邊大聲喊道：“國王！國王今天要經過這條路。大家為國王的到來做好準備！”
2. Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden. The children stopped their play, and looked at one another. “Did you hear that?” they said. “The King is coming. He may look over the wall and see our playground; who knows? We must put it in order.”
孩子們每天下午放學后，常常會來到這個“偉人花園”玩耍。此時，孩子們停下了玩耍，互相看著對方?！澳銈兟牭搅藛?？”他們說?！皣跻獊砹恕Ｋ赡軙膰鷫ι戏娇吹轿覀兊挠螛穲?。誰知道呢？反正，我們必須讓這里變得井井有條?！?br />3. The playground was sadly dirty, and in the corners were scraps of paper and broken toys, for these were careless children. But now, one brought a hoe, and another a rake, and a third ran to fetch the wheelbarrow from behind the garden gate. They laboured hard, till at length all was clean and tidy.
游樂場到處都很臟，角落里散落著紙屑和破損的玩具，因為這些孩子們都很粗心大意。但，現在不同了，他們中的一個人拿來了一把鋤頭，另一個人取來了一個耙子，還有一個孩子跑去從花園的大門后推來了獨輪手推車。他們干得可帶勁了，直到游樂場的每個角落都變得干凈整潔。
4. “Now it is clean!” they said; “but we must make it pretty, too, for kings are used to fine things; maybe he would not notice mere cleanness, for he may have it all the time.” Then one brought sweet rushes and strewed them on the ground; and others made garlands of oak leaves and pine tassels and hung them on the walls; and the littlest one pulled marigold buds and threw them all about the playground, “to look like gold,” he said.
“終于干凈了！”他們說，“但，現在我們還必須讓這里變得漂亮些，因為國王們都習慣于美好的事物。也許僅僅干凈不會引起他的注意，因為他所在的環境始終都很干凈?！比缓?，一個孩子拿來了香甜的燈心草，并把它們撒在了地上；其他孩子們用橡樹葉和松樹穗制作了花環，并把花環掛在了圍墻上；個子最小的那個孩子拉來了許多萬壽菊花蕾，然后把它們撒在了整個游樂場上，“這樣看起來像撒滿了金子一樣，”他說。
5. When all was done the playground was so beautiful that the children stood and looked at it, and clapped their hands with pleasure. “Let us keep it always like this!” said the littlest one; and the others cried, “Yes! yes! that is what we will do.” They waited all day for the coming of the King, but he never came; only, towards sunset, a man with travel-worn clothes, and a kind, tired face passed along the road, and stopped to look over the wall.
全部完成后，游樂場已經變得非常漂亮了，孩子們全都站在那里，看著煥然一新的游樂場，然后高興地拍起手來。“我們以后就始終讓這里保持這個樣子！”個子最小的孩子說。其他孩子喊道：“同意！同意！我們以后就讓這里保持這個樣子?！彼麄円徽於嫉却鴩醯牡絹?，但國王始終沒有出現。直到將近日落時分，一個穿著破舊的旅行裝的男子沿著道路走來，他面容和善但看上去很疲憊。他停下了腳步，從圍墻上方朝游樂場看去。

6. “What a pleasant place!” said the man. “May I come in and rest, dear children?” The children brought him in gladly, and set him on the seat that they had made out of an old cask. They had covered it with the old red cloak to make it look like a throne, and it made a very good one.
“真是個令人愉快的地方！”男子說。“親愛的孩子們，我可以進去休息一下嗎？”孩子們高興地把他帶了進來，讓他在他們用舊木桶制作的椅子上坐了下來。 他們之前已經用一件舊的紅色斗篷蓋在了這把椅子上，使它看起來像一個王座——一個非常氣派的王座。
7. “It is our playground!” they said. “We made it pretty for the King, but he did not come, and now we mean to keep it so for ourselves.” “That is good!” said the man. “Because we think pretty and clean is nicer than ugly and dirty!” said another. “That is better!” said the man. “And for tired people to rest in!” said the littlest one. “That is best of all!” said the man.
“這里是我們的游樂場！”孩子們說?！拔覀円驗閲跻獊?，把這里弄漂亮了。但國王沒來，現在我們想為了我們自己讓這里一直保持現在的樣子?！薄昂芎冒?！”男子說?！耙驗槲覀冇X得漂亮和干凈比丑陋和骯臟更好！”另一個孩子說?！澳歉冒?！”男子說?！斑€能讓疲憊的人在這里休息！”個子最小的孩子說?！斑@是最好的！”男子說。
8. He sat and rested, and looked at the children with such kind eyes that they came about him, and told him all they knew; about the five puppies in the barn, and the thrush’s nest with four blue eggs, and the shore where the gold shells grew; and the man nodded and understood all about it.
他一邊坐著休息，一邊用他那雙和善的眼睛看著孩子們。孩子們來到他的面前，開始向他訴說他們所知道的一切—— 關于谷倉里的五只小狗；里面有四顆藍色蛋的畫眉鳥巢；以及有金色貝殼的海岸。男子邊聽邊點頭，表示完全了解了他們所說的。
9. By and by he asked for a cup of water, and they brought it to him in the best cup, with the gold sprigs on it: then he thanked the children, and rose and went on his way; but before he went he laid his hand on their heads for a moment, and the touch went warm to their hearts.
過了一會兒，他向孩子們要杯水喝，然后孩子們用裝飾有金色圖釘的最好的杯子給他送來了一杯水。他感謝了孩子們，然后起身繼續他的行程。在他離開之前，他用手撫摸了孩子們的頭好一陣，通過撫摸將溫暖傳遞到了孩子們的心里。
10. The children stood by the wall and watched the man as he went slowly along. The sun was setting, and the light fell in long slanting rays across the road. “He looks so tired!” said one of the children. “But he was so kind!” said another. “See!” said the littlest one. “How the sun shines on his hair! it looks like a crown of gold.”
孩子們站在圍墻邊上，看著男子沿著道路慢慢遠去。太陽正在落山，光線照射在男子的身上在路上留下了長長的影子?！八雌饋砗芷v！”其中一個孩子說?！暗芎吞@！”另一個孩子說。“看！”個子最小的孩子說，“陽光照在他的頭發上了！看起來像戴著一頂金色的王冠！”