Frau Trude

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　Once upon a time there was a small girl who was strong willed and forward, and whenever her parents said anything to her, she disobeyed them. How could anything go well with her?

　　One day she said to her parents: "I have heard so much about Frau Trude. Someday I want to go to her place. People say such amazing things are seen there, and such strange things happen there, that I have become very curious.

　　Her parents strictly forbade her, saying: "Frau Trude is a wicked woman who commits godless acts. If you go there, you will no longer be our child.

　　But the girl paid no attention to her parents and went to Frau Trude's place anyway.

　　When she arrived there, Frau Trude asked: "Why are you so pale?"

　　"Oh," she answered, trembling all over, "I saw something that frightened me."

　　"What did you see?"

　　"I saw a black man on your steps."

　　"That was a charcoal burner."

　　"then I saw a GREen man."

　　"That was a huntsman."

　　"then I saw a blood-red man."

　　"That was a butcher."

　　"Oh, Frau Trude, it frightened me when I looked through your window and could not see you, but instead saw the devil with a head of fire."

　　"Aha!" she said. "So you saw the witch properly outfitted. I have been waiting for you and wanting you for a long time. Light the way for me now!"

　　With that she turned to girl into a block of wood and threw it into the fire. When it was thoroughly aglow she sat down next to it, and warmed herself by it, saying: "It gives such a bright light!"

從前，有個又固執好奇心又強的小姑娘，無論她父母要她干甚么她總是不服從。這樣的孩子會有甚么好結果呢？

　　有一天她問父母：「我總聽人們說起特魯得太太，說她的一切都與眾不同，她家里盡是些希奇古怪的東西。我太好奇了，哪天我一定得去看看。」她父母堅決反對，說：「特魯得是個壞女人，盡干壞事。你要是去了就不是我們的孩子了。」可是姑娘并沒因父母的阻止而回心轉意。當她來到特魯得太太家時，特魯得問她：「你的臉色怎么這么蒼白啊？」「唉呀，」她渾身發抖地回答說，「我被見到的那些東西嚇壞了。」「你看到什么了？」「我在臺階上看到一個黑色的人。」「那是燒炭的。」「后來看到一個綠色的人。」「那是獵人。」「后來還看到一個血紅血紅的人。」「那是屠夫。」「唉呀，特魯得太太，我從窗口望進來，看到的不是你，而是火頭魔鬼本人。我不會看錯的，真嚇死了！」

　　「哦！」特魯得說，「看來你的確看到了穿著平常服飾的巫婆了。我早就想要你了，已等了這么久，你可以讓我這兒亮一點呢。」說罷將姑娘變成了一段木頭，扔進了火堆。木頭熊熊燃燒起來，巫婆靠近火堆取暖，說：「它亮一陣子就會熄滅的。」