評論
打印
Here is an old fairy story that thousands of people in many parts of the world have read.
這是一則古老的童話故事，世界各地成千上萬的人都讀過。
It was first written by Jacob and William Grimm, two famous German story-tellers, about one hundred years ago.
大約100年前，德國兩位知名的故事講述人——雅各布·格林和威廉·格林首次寫下這個故事。
But long before they wrote it down on paper, people told it to one another.
但早在他們動筆寫之前，人們就已經傳開了。
No one knows who first made it up.
沒人知道是誰先創作出來的。
THE MILLER'S BOAST
米勒的自夸
Once upon a time there was a poor miller who had a beautiful daughter.
從前，有一個貧窮的磨坊主，他有一個漂亮的女兒。
He loved her dearly, and was so proud of her that he could never keep from boasting of her beauty.
他深愛著自己的女兒，為她感到驕傲，以至于他總是止不住夸贊她的美貌。
One morning a stranger came to the mill with a sack of corn to be ground,
一天早晨，一個陌生人帶著一袋玉米來到磨坊。
and he saw the miller's daughter standing by the clattering mill-wheel in the sunshine.
他看見坊主的女兒正站在陽光下，旁邊的車輪吱吱呀呀地響。
He looked at her and said he wished that he had a daughter as beautiful as she.
陌生人看著她說道，他希望自己能有一個像她一樣漂亮的女兒。
The miller rubbed his mealy hands together and looked at her, too;
磨坊主搓搓滿是粉的手，也看著女兒；
and, seeing the sunbeams shining in her hair, answered, almost without thinking:
看到女兒的頭發在陽光下閃閃發光，幾乎想都沒想，回答道，
"Yes! She's a lass in a thousand. She can spin straw into gold."
“是??！她是百年難遇能把稻草紡成金子的姑娘。”
Now this saying was quickly spread around, and at last reached the ears of the king.
這話立刻就傳開了，最后傳到國王的耳朵里。
He at once sent for the miller and bade him bring his daughter with him.
國王立刻派人去請磨坊主，讓他帶上女兒。
"It has been told me" said the king, "that this maid can spin straw into gold.
國王說：“有人告訴我，這個丫頭能把稻草紡成金子，
So she shall. But if she fails, then look to it! You shall hang from your own mill."
她能做到嗎，如果她失敗了，以后不能出門！你將被吊死在自己的磨坊里。”
The miller was so shaken with fear of the king that his tongue stuck in his throat,
聽了國王的話，磨坊主嚇得渾身發抖，舌頭卡在喉嚨里，
and he could make no answer.
一句話沒說出來。
