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格林童话英文版:Cinderella
添加时间:2014-03-06 14:36:29 浏览次数: 作者:Grimms
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  • Cinderella The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, dear child, be good and pious1, and then the good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you. Thereupon she closed her eyes and departed. Every day the maiden2 went out to her mother's grave, and wept, and she remained pious and good. When winter came the snow spread a white sheet over the grave, and by the time the spring sun had drawn3 it off again, the man had taken another wife.

    The woman had brought with her into the house two daughters, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile4 and black of heart. Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor5 with us, they said. He who wants to eat bread must earn it. Out with the kitchen-wench. They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old grey bedgown on her, and gave her wooden shoes. Just look at the proud princess, how decked out she is, they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash.

    Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury - they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the hearth6 in the cinders7. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her cinderella. It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them. Beautiful dresses, said one, pearls and jewels, said the second. And you, cinderella, said he, what will you have.

    Father break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home. So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket8, a hazel twig9 brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it.

    And it grew and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for. It happened, however, that the king gave orders for a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride.

    When the two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called cinderella and said, comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles10, for we are going to the wedding at the king's palace. Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so. You go, cinderella, said she, covered in dust and dirt as you are, and would go to the festival. You have no clothes and shoes, and yet would dance.

    As, however, cinderella went on asking, the step-mother said at last, I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in two hours, you shall go with us. The maiden went through the back-door into the garden, and called, you tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the good into the pot, the bad into the crop. Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the dish.

    Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again. Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival. But the step-mother said, no, cinderella, you have no clothes and you can not dance. You would only be laughed at. And as cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go with us.

    And she thought to herself, that she most certainly cannot do again. When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and cried, you tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the good into the pot, the bad into the crop. Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes.

    And the doves nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out again. Then the maiden was delighted, and believed that she might now go with them to the wedding. But the step-mother said, all this will not help.

    You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can not dance. We should be ashamed of you. On this she turned her back on cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters. As no one was now at home, cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried - shiver and quiver, little tree, silver and gold throw down over me. Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers12 embroidered13 with silk and silver.

    She put on the dress with all speed, and went to the wedding. Her step-sisters and the step-mother however did not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of cinderella, and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The prince approached her, took her by the hand and danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and never let loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, this is my partner. She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home.

    But the king's son said, I will go with you and bear you company, for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him, however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The king's son waited until her father came, and then he told him that the unknown maiden had leapt into the pigeon-house. The old man thought, can it be cinderella. And they had to bring him an axe14 and a pickaxe that he might hew15 the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it.

    And when they got home cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, for cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house and had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and the bird had taken them away again, and then she had seated herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her grey gown. Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the step-sisters had gone once more, cinderella went to the hazel-tree and said - shiver and quiver, my little tree, silver and gold throw down over me.

    Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding day. And when cinderella appeared at the wedding in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty. The king's son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her. When others came and invited her, he said, this is my partner. When evening came she wished to leave, and the king's son followed her and wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house.

    Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly between the branches like a squirrel that the king's son did not know where she was gone. He waited until her father came, and said to him, the unknown maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree. The father thought, can it be cinderella. And had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it.

    And when they got into the kitchen, cinderella lay there among the ashes, as usual, for she had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her grey gown. On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, cinderella went once more to her mother's grave and said to the little tree - shiver and quiver, my little tree, silver and gold throw down over me. And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and magnificent than any she had yet had, and the slippers were golden. And when she went to the festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak for astonishment16. The king's son danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said this is my partner.

    When evening came, cinderella wished to leave, and the king's son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly that he could not follow her. The king's son, however, had employed a ruse17, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared18 with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left slipper11 remained stuck. The king's son picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden. Next morning, he went with it to the father, and said to him, no one shall be my wife but she whose foot this golden slipper fits. Then were the two sisters glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest19 went with the shoe into her room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by.

    But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her. Then her mother gave her a knife and said, cut the toe off, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot. The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. Then he took her on his his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were obliged, however, to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried - turn and peep, turn and peep, there's blood within the shoe, the shoe it is too small for her, the true bride waits for you.

    Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was trickling20 from it. He turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe on. Then this one went into her chamber21 and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife and said, cut a bit off your heel, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot.

    The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they passed by the hazel-tree, the two pigeons sat on it and cried - turn and peep, turn and peep, there's blood within the shoe, the shoe it is too small for her, the true bride waits for you. He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking quite red. Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home again. This also is not the right one, said he, have you no other daughter.

    No, said the man, there is still a little stunted22 kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride. The king's son said he was to send her up to him, but the mother answered, oh, no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself. But he absolutely insisted on it, and cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the king's son, who gave her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a glove.

    And when she rose up and the king's son looked at her face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, that is the true bride. The step-mother and the two sisters were horrified23 and became pale with rage, he, however, took cinderella on his horse and rode away with her.

    As they passed by the hazel-tree, the two white doves cried - turn and peep, turn and peep, no blood is in the shoe, the shoe is not too small for her, the true bride rides with you, and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed themselves on cinderella's shoulders, one on the right, the other on the left, and remained sitting there. When the wedding with the king's son was to be celebrated24, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with cinderella and share her good fortune.

    When the betrothed25 couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye from each of them. Afterwards as they came back the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other eye from each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness all their days.



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    1 pious [ˈpaɪəs] KSCzd   第9级
    adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的
    参考例句:
    • Alexander is a pious follower of the faith. 亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。
    • Her mother was a pious Christian. 她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。
    2 maiden [ˈmeɪdn] yRpz7   第7级
    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。
    3 drawn [drɔ:n] MuXzIi   第11级
    v.(draw的过去式)拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
    参考例句:
    • All the characters in the story are drawn from life. 故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
    • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside. 她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
    4 vile [vaɪl] YLWz0   第10级
    adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的
    参考例句:
    • Who could have carried out such a vile attack? 会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢?
    • Her talk was full of vile curses. 她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。
    5 parlor ['pɑ:lə] v4MzU   第9级
    n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
    参考例句:
    • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor. 她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
    • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood? 附近有没有比萨店?
    6 hearth [hɑ:θ] n5by9   第9级
    n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面
    参考例句:
    • She came and sat in a chair before the hearth. 她走过来,在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
    • She comes to the hearth, and switches on the electric light there. 她走到壁炉那里,打开电灯。
    7 cinders ['sɪndəz] cinders   第10级
    n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 );炭渣;煤渣路;煤渣跑道
    参考例句:
    • This material is variously termed ash, clinker, cinders or slag. 这种材料有不同的名称,如灰、炉渣、煤渣或矿渣。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • Rake out the cinders before you start a new fire. 在重新点火前先把煤渣耙出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    8 thicket [ˈθɪkɪt] So0wm   第10级
    n.灌木丛,树林
    参考例句:
    • A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in. 丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
    • We were now at the margin of the thicket. 我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。
    9 twig [twɪg] VK1zg   第8级
    n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解
    参考例句:
    • He heard the sharp crack of a twig. 他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
    • The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away. 细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。
    10 buckles [ˈbʌklz] 9b6f57ea84ab184d0a14e4f889795f56   第8级
    搭扣,扣环( buckle的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • She gazed proudly at the shiny buckles on her shoes. 她骄傲地注视着鞋上闪亮的扣环。
    • When the plate becomes unstable, it buckles laterally. 当板失去稳定时,就发生横向屈曲。
    11 slipper [ˈslɪpə(r)] px9w0   第7级
    n.拖鞋
    参考例句:
    • I rescued the remains of my slipper from the dog. 我从那狗的口中夺回了我拖鞋的残留部分。
    • The puppy chewed a hole in the slipper. 小狗在拖鞋上啃了一个洞。
    12 slippers ['slɪpəz] oiPzHV   第7级
    n. 拖鞋
    参考例句:
    • a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
    • He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋,倒在床上。
    13 embroidered [im'brɔidəd] StqztZ   第9级
    adj.绣花的
    参考例句:
    • She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
    • She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。
    14 axe [æks] 2oVyI   第7级
    n.斧子;vt.用斧头砍,削减
    参考例句:
    • Be careful with that sharp axe. 那把斧子很锋利,你要当心。
    • The edge of this axe has turned. 这把斧子卷了刃了。
    15 hew [hju:] t56yA   第9级
    vt.&vi.砍;伐;削
    参考例句:
    • Hew a path through the underbrush. 在灌木丛中砍出一条小路。
    • Plant a sapling as tall as yourself and hew it off when it is two times high of you. 种一棵与自己身高一样的树苗,长到比自己高两倍时砍掉它。
    16 astonishment [əˈstɒnɪʃmənt] VvjzR   第8级
    n.惊奇,惊异
    参考例句:
    • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment. 他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
    • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action. 我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
    17 ruse [ru:z] 5Ynxv   第12级
    n.诡计,计策;诡计
    参考例句:
    • The children thought of a clever ruse to get their mother to leave the house so they could get ready for her surprise. 孩子们想出一个聪明的办法使妈妈离家,以便他们能准备给她一个惊喜。It is now clear that this was a ruse to divide them. 现在已清楚这是一个离间他们的诡计。
    18 smeared [smiəd] c767e97773b70cc726f08526efd20e83   第9级
    弄脏; 玷污; 涂抹; 擦上
    参考例句:
    • The children had smeared mud on the walls. 那几个孩子往墙上抹了泥巴。
    • A few words were smeared. 有写字被涂模糊了。
    19 eldest [ˈeldɪst] bqkx6   第8级
    adj.最年长的,最年老的
    参考例句:
    • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne. 国王的长子是王位的继承人。
    • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son. 城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
    20 trickling ['trɪklɪŋ] 24aeffc8684b1cc6b8fa417e730cc8dc   第8级
    n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动
    参考例句:
    • Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
    • The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    21 chamber [ˈtʃeɪmbə(r)] wnky9   第7级
    n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
    参考例句:
    • For many, the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber. 对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
    • The chamber was ablaze with light. 会议厅里灯火辉煌。
    22 stunted ['stʌntid] b003954ac4af7c46302b37ae1dfa0391   第8级
    adj.矮小的;发育迟缓的
    参考例句:
    • the stunted lives of children deprived of education 未受教育的孩子所过的局限生活
    • But the landed oligarchy had stunted the country's democratic development for generations. 但是好几代以来土地寡头的统治阻碍了这个国家民主的发展。
    23 horrified ['hɔrifaid] 8rUzZU   第8级
    a.(表现出)恐惧的
    参考例句:
    • The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
    • We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
    24 celebrated [ˈselɪbreɪtɪd] iwLzpz   第8级
    adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
    参考例句:
    • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England. 不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
    • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience. 观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
    25 betrothed [bɪˈtrəʊðd] betrothed   第12级
    n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词
    参考例句:
    • She is betrothed to John. 她同约翰订了婚。
    • His daughter was betrothed to a teacher. 他的女儿同一个教师订了婚。

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