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当前位置:首页 -> 10级英语阅读 - > 格林童话英文版:Ferdinand the Faithful
格林童话英文版:Ferdinand the Faithful
添加时间:2014-03-14 14:39:04 浏览次数: 作者:Grimms
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  • Once upon a time lived a man and a woman who so long as they were rich had no children, but when they were poor they got a little boy. They could find no godfather for him, so the man said he would just go to another village to see if he could get one there. On his way he met a poor man, who asked him where he was going. He said he was going to see if he could get a godfather, because he was so poor that no one would stand as godfather for him. "Oh," said the poor man, "you are poor, and I am poor. I will be godfather for you, but I am so badly off I can give the child nothing. Go home and tell the midwife that she is to come to the church with the child." When they all got to the church together, the beggar was already there, and he gave the child the name of Ferdinand the Faithful.

    When he was going out of the church, the beggar said, "Now go home, I can give you nothing, and you likewise ought to give me nothing." But he gave a key to the midwife, and told her when she got home she was to give it to the father, who was to take care of it until the child was fourteen years old, and then he was to go on the heath where there was a castle which the key would fit, and that all which was therein should belong to him.

    Now when the child was seven years old and had grown very big, he once went to play with some other boys, and each of them boasted that he had got more from his godfather than the other, but the child could say nothing, and was vexed1, and went home and said to his father, "Did I get nothing at all, then, from my godfather?" "Oh, yes," said the father, "you have a key. If there is a castle standing2 on the heath, just go to it and open it." Then the boy went thither3, but no castle was to be seen, or heard of.

    After seven years more, when he was fourteen years old, he again went thither, and there stood the castle. When he had opened it, there was nothing within but a horse, - a white one. Then the boy was so full of joy because he had a horse, that he mounted on it and galloped4 back to his father. "Now I have a white horse, and I will travel," said he.

    So he set out, and as he was on his way, a pen was lying on the road. At first he thought he would pick it up, but then again he thought to himself, "You should leave it lying there, you will easily find a pen where you are going, if you have need of one." As he was thus riding away, a voice called after him, "Ferdinand the Faithful, take it with you." He looked around, but saw no one, so he went back again and picked it up.

    When he had ridden a little way farther, he passed by a lake, and a fish was lying on the bank, gasping6 and panting for breath, so he said, "Wait, my dear fish, I will help you to get into the water," and he took hold of it by the tail, and threw it into the lake. Then the fish put its head out of the water and said, "As you have helped me out of the mud I will give you a flute7. When you are in any need, play on it, and then I will help you, and if ever you let anything fall in the water, just play and I will reach it out to you."

    Then he rode away, and there came to him a man who asked him where he was going. "Oh, to the next place." "What is your name?" "Ferdinand the Faithful." "So, then we have almost the same name, I am called Ferdinand the Unfaithful." And they both set out to the inn in the nearest place.

    Now it was unfortunate that Ferdinand the Unfaithful knew everything that the other had ever thought and everything he was about to do. He knew it by means of all kinds of wicked arts. There was in the inn an honest girl, who had a bright face and behaved very prettily8. She fell in love with Ferdinand the Faithful because he was a handsome man, and she asked him whither he was going. "Oh, I am just traveling round about," said he. Then she said he ought to stay there, for the king of that country wanted an attendant or an outrider, and he ought to enter his service. He answered he could not very well go to any one like that and offer himself. Then said the maiden9, "Oh, but I will soon do that for you." And so she went straight to the king, and told him that she knew of an excellent servant for him. He was well pleased with that, and had Ferdinand the Faithful brought to him, and wanted to make him his servant. He, however, liked better to be an outrider, for where his horse was, there he also wanted to be, so the king made him an outrider.

    When Ferdinand the Unfaithful learnt that, he said to the girl, "What? Do you help him and not me?" "Oh," said the girl, "I will help you too." She thought, I must keep friends with that man, for he is not to be trusted. She went to the king, and offered him as a servant, and the king was willing.

    Now when the king met his lords in the morning, he always lamented10 and said, "Oh, if I only had my love with me." Ferdinand the Unfaithful, however, was always hostile to Ferdinand the Faithful. So once, when the king was complaining thus, he said, "You have the outrider, send him away to get her, and if he does not do it, his head must be struck off." Then the king sent for Ferdinand the Faithful, and told him that there was, in this place or in that place, a girl he loved, and that he was to bring her to him, and if he did not do it he should die. Ferdinand the Faithful went into the stable to his white horse, and complained and lamented, "Oh, what an unhappy man am I." Then someone behind him cried, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why do you weep?" He looked round but saw no one, and went on lamenting12. "Oh, my dear little white horse, now must I leave you, now I must die." Then someone cried once more, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why do you weep?" Then for the first time he was aware that it was his little white horse who was putting that question. "Do you speak, my little white horse? Can you do that?" And again, he said, "I am to go to this place and to that, and am to bring the bride. Can you tell me how I am to set about it?" Then answered the white horse, "Go to the king, and say if he will give you what you must have, you will get her for him. If he will give you a ship full of meat, and a ship full of bread, it will succeed. Great giants dwell on the lake, and if you take no meat with you for them, they will tear you to pieces, and there are the large birds which would pluck the eyes out of your head if you had no bread for them. Then the king made all the butchers in the land kill, and all the bakers13 bake, that the ships might be filled."

    When they were full, the little white horse said to Ferdinand the Faithful, "Now mount me, and go with me into the ship, and then when the giants come, say - peace, peace, my dear little giants, I have had thought of ye, something I have brought for ye. And when the birds come, you shall again say - peace, peace, my dear little birds, I have had thought of ye, something I have brought for ye. Then they will do nothing to you, and when you come to the castle, the giants will help you. Then go up to the castle, and take a couple of giants with you. There the princess lies sleeping. You must, however, not awaken14 her, but the giants must lift her up, and carry her in her bed to the ship." And now everything took place as the little white horse had said, and Ferdinand the Faithful gave the giants and the birds what he had brought with him for them, and that made the giants willing, and they carried the princess in her bed to the king. And when she came to the king, she said she could not live, she must have her writings, they had been left in her castle.

    Then by the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, Ferdinand the Faithful was called, and the king told him he must fetch the writings from the castle, or he should die. Then he went once more into the stable, and bemoaned15 himself and said, "Oh, my dear little white horse, now I am to go away again, how am I to do it?" Then the little white horse said he was just to load the ships full again. So it happened again as it had happened before, and the giants and the birds were satisfied, and made gentle by the meat. When they came to the castle, the white horse told Ferdinand the Faithful that he must go in, and that on the table in the princess's bed-room lay the writings. And Ferdinand the Faithful went in, and fetched them. When they were on the lake, he let his pen fall into the water. Then said the white horse, "Now I cannot help you at all." But he remembered his flute, and began to play on it, and the fish came with the pen in its mouth, and gave it to him. So he took the writings to the castle, where the wedding was celebrated16.

    The queen, however, did not love the king because he had no nose, but she would have much liked to love Ferdinand the Faithful. Once, therefore, when all the lords of the court were together, the queen said she could do feats17 of magic, that she could cut off anyone's head and put it on again, and that one of them ought just to try it. But none of them would be the first, so Ferdinand the Faithful, again at the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, undertook it and she hewed18 off his head, and put it on again for him, and it healed together directly, so that it looked as if he had a red thread round his throat. Then the king said to her, "My child, and where have you learnt that?" "Oh," she said, "I understand the art. Shall I just try it on you also." "Oh, yes," said he. So she cut off his head, but did not put it on again, and pretended that she could not get it on, and that it would not stay. Then the king was buried, but she married Ferdinand the Faithful.

    He, however, always rode on his white horse, and once when he was seated on it, it told him that he was to go on to the heath which he knew, and gallop5 three times round it. And when he had done that, the white horse stood up on its hind11 legs, and was changed into a king's son.



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    1 vexed [vekst] fd1a5654154eed3c0a0820ab54fb90a7   第8级
    adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论
    参考例句:
    • The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
    • He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
    2 standing [ˈstændɪŋ] 2hCzgo   第8级
    n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
    参考例句:
    • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing. 地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
    • They're standing out against any change in the law. 他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
    3 thither [ˈðɪðə(r)] cgRz1o   第12级
    adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的
    参考例句:
    • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate. 他逛来逛去找玩伴。
    • He tramped hither and thither. 他到处流浪。
    4 galloped [ˈɡæləpt] 4411170e828312c33945e27bb9dce358   第7级
    (使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事
    参考例句:
    • Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。
    • The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。
    5 gallop [ˈgæləp] MQdzn   第7级
    v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展
    参考例句:
    • They are coming at a gallop towards us. 他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
    • The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop. 那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。
    6 gasping ['gæspɪŋ] gasping   第7级
    adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
    参考例句:
    • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
    • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗?”“我巴不得能喝点!”
    7 flute [flu:t] hj9xH   第7级
    n.长笛;vi.吹笛;vt.用长笛吹奏
    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。
    8 prettily ['prɪtɪlɪ] xQAxh   第12级
    adv.优美地;可爱地
    参考例句:
    • It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美,背面有花饰图案。
    • She pouted prettily at him. 她冲他撅着嘴,样子很可爱。
    9 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。
    10 lamented [ləˈmentɪd] b6ae63144a98bc66c6a97351aea85970   第7级
    adj.被哀悼的,令人遗憾的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫
    • We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    11 hind [haɪnd] Cyoya   第8级
    adj.后面的,后部的
    参考例句:
    • The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs. 这种动物能够用后肢站立。
    • Don't hind her in her studies. 不要在学业上扯她后腿。
    12 lamenting [lə'mentɪŋ] 6491a9a531ff875869932a35fccf8e7d   第7级
    adj.悲伤的,悲哀的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的现在分词 )
    参考例句:
    • Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
    • Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢,后悔自己没有毁了那张字条,把钱昧下来! 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡
    13 bakers [ˈbeɪkəz] 1c4217f2cc6c8afa6532f13475e17ed2   第7级
    n.面包师( baker的名词复数 );面包店;面包店店主;十三
    参考例句:
    • The Bakers have invited us out for a meal tonight. 贝克一家今晚请我们到外面去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • The bakers specialize in catering for large parties. 那些面包师专门负责为大型宴会提供食品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    14 awaken [əˈweɪkən] byMzdD   第8级
    vi.醒,觉醒;vt.唤醒,使觉醒,唤起,激起
    参考例句:
    • Old people awaken early in the morning. 老年人早晨醒得早。
    • Please awaken me at six. 请于六点叫醒我。
    15 bemoaned [bɪˈməʊnd] dc24be61c87ad3bad6f9c1fa818f9ce1   第11级
    v.为(某人或某事)抱怨( bemoan的过去式和过去分词 );悲悼;为…恸哭;哀叹
    参考例句:
    • The farmer bemoaned his loss. 农夫抱怨他所受到的损失。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • He only bemoaned his fate. 他忍受了。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
    16 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。
    17 feats ['fi:ts] 8b538e09d25672d5e6ed5058f2318d51   第7级
    功绩,伟业,技艺( feat的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance. 过去,他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
    • His heroic feats made him a legend in his own time. 他的英雄业绩使他成了他那个时代的传奇人物。
    18 hewed [hju:d] 6d358626e3bf1f7326a844c5c80772be   第9级
    v.(用斧、刀等)砍、劈( hew的过去式和过去分词 );砍成;劈出;开辟
    参考例句:
    • He hewed a canoe out of a tree trunk. 他把一根树干凿成独木舟。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • He hewed out an important position for himself in the company. 他在公司中为自己闯出了要职。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

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