双语格林童话:池中水妖
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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

  Once upon a time there was a miller1. He lived contentedly2 with his wife. They had money and land, and their prosperity increased from year to year. But misfortune comes overnight. Just as their wealth had increased, so did it decrease from year to year, until finally the miller scarcely owned even the mill where he lived. He was in great distress4, and when he lay down after a day's work, he found no rest, but tossed and turned in his bed, filled with worries.

  One morning he got up before daybreak and went outside, thinking that the fresh air would lighten his heart. As he was walking across the mill dam, the first sunbeam was just appearing, and he heard something rippling5 in the pond.

  Turning around, he saw a beautiful woman rising slowly out of the water. Her long hair, which she was holding above her shoulders with her soft hands, flowed down on both sides, and covered her white body. He saw very well that she was the nixie of the pond, and he was so frightened that he did not know whether to run away or stay where he was. But the nixie, speaking with a soft voice, called him by name and asked him why he was so sad.

  At first the miller was speechless, but when he heard her speak so kindly6, he took heart and told her how he had lived with good fortune and wealth, but that now he was so poor that he did not know what to do.

  "Be at ease," answered the nixie. "I will make you richer and happier than you have ever been before. You must only promise to give me that which has just been born in your house."

  "What else can that be," thought the miller, "but a young dog or a young cat," and he promised her what she demanded.

  The nixie descended7 into the water again, and consoled and in good spirits he hurried back to his mill. He had not yet arrived there when the maid came out of the front door and called out to him that he should rejoice, for his wife had given birth to a little boy.

  The miller stood there as though he had been struck by lightning. He saw very well that the cunning nixie had known this and had cheated him. With his head lowered he went to his wife's bed. When she said, "Why are you not happy with the beautiful boy?" he told her what had happened to him, and what kind of a promise he had given to the nixie.

  "What good to me are good fortune and prosperity," he added, "if I am to lose my child? But what can I do?"

  Even the relatives who had come to congratulate them did not have any advice for him.

  In the meantime, good fortune returned to the miller's house. He succeeded in everything that he undertook. It was as though the trunks and strongboxes filled themselves of their own accord, and as though money in a chest multiplied overnight. Before long his wealth was greater than it had ever been before. However, it did not bring him happiness without concern, for his agreement with the nixie tormented8 his heart. Whenever he passed the pond he feared she might appear and demand payment of his debt.

  He never allowed the boy himself to go near the water. "Beware!" he said to him. "If you touch the water a hand will appear, take hold of you, and pull you under."

  However, year after year passed, and the nixie made no further appearance, so the miller began to feel at ease.

  The boy grew up to be a young man and was apprenticed9 to a huntsman. When he had learned this trade and had become a skilled huntsman, the lord of the village took him into his service. In the village there lived a beautiful and faithful maiden10 whom the huntsman liked, and when his master noticed this, he gave him a little house. The two were married, lived peacefully and happily, and loved each other sincerely.

  One day the huntsman was pursuing a deer. When the animal ran out of the woods and into an open field he followed it and finally brought it down with a single shot.

  He did not notice that he was in the vicinity of the dangerous millpond, and after he had dressed out the deer, he went to the water in order to wash his blood-stained hands. However, he had scarcely dipped them into the water when the nixie emerged. Laughing, she wrapped her wet arms around him, then pulled him under so quickly that waves splashed over him.#p#副标题#e#

       

  When it was evening and the huntsman did not return home, his wife became frightened. She went out to look for him. He had often told her that he had to be on his guard against the nixie's snares11, and that he did not dare to go near the millpond, so she already suspected what had happened. She hurried to the water, and when she found his hunting bag lying on the bank, she could no longer have any doubt of the misfortune. Crying and wringing12 her hands, she called her beloved by name, but to no avail. She hurried across to the other side of the millpond, and called him anew. She cursed the nixie with harsh words, but no answer followed. The surface of the water remained calm; only the moon's half face stared steadily13 back up at her.

  The poor woman did not leave the pond. With fast strides, never stopping to rest, she walked around it again and again, sometimes in silence, sometimes crying out loudly, sometimes sobbing14 softly. Finally her strength gave out, and she sank down to the ground, falling into a heavy sleep. She was soon immersed in a dream.

  She was fearfully climbing upwards15 between large rocky cliffs. Thorns and briers were hacking16 at her feet. Rain was beating into her face. The wind was billowing her long hair about. When she reached the top a totally different sight presented itself to her. The sky was blue, a soft breeze was blowing, the ground sloped gently downwards17, and in a green meadow, dotted with colorful flowers, stood a neat cottage. She walked up to it and opened the door. There sat an old woman with white hair, who beckoned18 to her kindly.

  At that moment, the poor woman awoke. It was already daylight, and she decided19 at once to follow her dream. With difficulty she climbed the mountain, and everything was just as she had seen it during the night. The old woman received her kindly, showing her a chair where she was to sit.

  "You must have met with misfortune," she said, "having sought out my lonely cottage."

  The woman related with tears what had happened to her.

  "Be comforted," said the old woman. "I will help you. Here is a golden comb for you. Wait until the full moon has risen, then go to the millpond, sit down on the bank and comb your long black hair with this comb. When you are finished set it down on the bank, and you will see what will happen."

  The woman returned home, but the time passed slowly for her until the full moon came. Finally the shining disk appeared in the heaven, and she went out to the millpond, sat down, and combed her long black hair with the golden comb. When she was finished she set it down at the water's edge. Before long there came a motion from beneath the water. A wave arose, rolled onto the bank, and carried the comb away with it. In not more time than it took for the comb to sink to the bottom, the surface of the water parted, and the huntsman's head emerged. He said nothing, only looking at his wife with sorrowful glances. That same instant a second wave rushed up and covered her husband's head. Then everything vanished. The millpond lay as peaceful as before, with only the face of the full moon shining on it.

  Filled with sorrow, the woman returned, but she saw the old woman's cottage in a dream.

  The next morning she again set out and told her sorrows to the wise woman. The old woman gave her a golden flute20, and said, "Wait until the full moon comes again, then take this flute. Sit on the bank and play a beautiful tune3 on it. When you are finished set it in the sand. Then you will see what will happen."

  The woman did what the old woman had told her to do. No sooner was the flute lying in the sand than there was a motion from beneath the water, and a wave rushed up and carried the flute away with it. Immediately afterwards the water parted, and not only her husband's head, but half of his body emerged as well. He stretched out his arms longingly21 towards her, but a second wave rushed up, covered him, and pulled him down again.

      

  "Oh, what does it help me," said the unhappy woman, "for me only to see my beloved and then to lose him again?"

  Despair filled her heart anew, but a dream led her a third time to the old woman's house. She went there, and the wise woman gave her a golden spinning wheel, comforted her, and said, "Everything is not yet fulfilled. Wait until the full moon comes, then take the spinning wheel, sit on the bank, and spin the spool23 full. When you have done this place the spinning wheel at the water's edge, and you will see what will happen."

  The woman did everything exactly as she had been told. As soon as the full moon appeared she carried the golden spinning wheel to the bank, and span diligently24 until she was out of flax, and the spool was completely filled with thread. She had scarcely placed the wheel on the bank when there was a more violent motion than before from the water's depth. Then a powerful wave rushed up and carried the wheel away with it.

  Immediately the head and the whole body of her husband emerged in a waterspout. He quickly jumped to the bank, caught his wife by the hand, and fled. They had gone only a little distance when the entire millpond arose with a terrible roar, then with terrible force streamed out across the countryside. The fugitives25 saw death before their eyes, when the wife in her terror called out for the old woman to help them, and they were instantly transformed, she into a toad26, he into a frog.

  The flood which had overtaken them could not destroy them, but it separated them and carried them far away. When the water receded27 and they both reached dry land again, their human forms returned again, but neither knew where the other one was. They found themselves among strange people who did not know their native land. High mountains and deep valleys lay between them. In order to earn a living, they both had to herd28 sheep. For long years they drove their flocks through fields and woods, and were filled with sorrow and longing22.

  One day when spring had once again broken forth29 on the earth, they both went out with their flocks, and as chance would have it, they moved toward one another. He saw a herd on a distant mountainside and drove his sheep toward it. They met in a valley but did not recognize one another, but they were happy that they were no longer so alone. From then on every day they drove their flocks next to each other. They did not speak much, but they did feel comforted.

  One evening when the full moon was shining in the sky, and the sheep were already at rest, the shepherd took his flute out of his pocket and played on it a beautiful but sorrowful tune. When he had finished he saw that the shepherdess was crying bitterly.

  "Why are you crying? he asked.

  "Oh," she answered, " the full moon was shining like this when I played that tune on the flute for the last time, and my beloved's head emerged out of the water."

  He looked at her, and it was as though a veil fell from his eyes. He recognized his beloved wife, and when she looked at him, with the moon shining on his face, she recognized him as well. They embraced and kissed one another, and no one needs to ask if they were happy.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 miller ZD6xf     
n.磨坊主
参考例句:
  • Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
  • The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。
2 contentedly a0af12176ca79b27d4028fdbaf1b5f64     
adv.心满意足地
参考例句:
  • My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe.父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。
  • "This is brother John's writing,"said Sally,contentedly,as she opened the letter.
3 tune NmnwW     
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整
参考例句:
  • He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子,并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
  • The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
4 distress 3llzX     
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛
参考例句:
  • Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
  • Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
5 rippling b84b2d05914b2749622963c1ef058ed5     
起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的
参考例句:
  • I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
  • The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
6 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
7 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
8 tormented b017cc8a8957c07bc6b20230800888d0     
饱受折磨的
参考例句:
  • The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。
  • He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠,深受嫉妒的折磨。
9 apprenticed f2996f4d2796086e2fb6a3620103813c     
学徒,徒弟( apprentice的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I was apprenticed to a builder when I was fourteen. 14岁时,我拜一个建筑工人为师当学徒。
  • Lucius got apprenticed to a stonemason. 卢修斯成了石匠的学徒。
10 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
参考例句:
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
11 snares ebae1da97d1c49a32d8b910a856fed37     
n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 );圈套;诱人遭受失败(丢脸、损失等)的东西;诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉,诱陷,陷害( snare的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He shoots rabbits and he sets snares for them. 他射杀兔子,也安放陷阱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I am myself fallen unawares into the snares of death. 我自己不知不觉跌进了死神的陷阱。 来自辞典例句
12 wringing 70c74d76c2d55027ff25f12f2ab350a9     
淋湿的,湿透的
参考例句:
  • He was wringing wet after working in the field in the hot sun. 烈日下在田里干活使他汗流满面。
  • He is wringing out the water from his swimming trunks. 他正在把游泳裤中的水绞出来。
13 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
14 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。
15 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上,在更高处...以上
参考例句:
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
16 hacking KrIzgm     
n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动
参考例句:
  • The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
  • We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。
17 downwards MsDxU     
adj./adv.向下的(地),下行的(地)
参考例句:
  • He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
  • As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。
18 beckoned b70f83e57673dfe30be1c577dd8520bc     
v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
  • The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
19 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
20 flute hj9xH     
n.长笛;v.吹笛
参考例句:
  • He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
  • There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
21 longingly 2015a05d76baba3c9d884d5f144fac69     
adv. 渴望地 热望地
参考例句:
  • He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。
  • Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情,一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。
22 longing 98bzd     
n.(for)渴望
参考例句:
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
23 spool XvgwI     
n.(缠录音带等的)卷盘(轴);v.把…绕在卷轴上
参考例句:
  • Can you wind this film back on to its spool?你能把这胶卷卷回到卷轴上去吗?
  • Thomas squatted on the forward deck,whistling tunelessly,polishing the broze spool of the anchor winch.托马斯蹲在前甲板上擦起锚绞车的黄铜轴,边擦边胡乱吹着口哨。
24 diligently gueze5     
ad.industriously;carefully
参考例句:
  • He applied himself diligently to learning French. 他孜孜不倦地学法语。
  • He had studied diligently at college. 他在大学里勤奋学习。
25 fugitives f38dd4e30282d999f95dda2af8228c55     
n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分
26 toad oJezr     
n.蟾蜍,癞蛤蟆
参考例句:
  • Both the toad and frog are amphibian.蟾蜍和青蛙都是两栖动物。
  • Many kinds of toad hibernate in winter.许多种蟾蜍在冬天都会冬眠。
27 receded a802b3a97de1e72adfeda323ad5e0023     
v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 );向后倾斜;自原处后退或避开别人的注视;尤指问题
参考例句:
  • The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。
  • The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。
28 herd Pd8zb     
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见,只是人云亦云。
29 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
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