The Iron Stove

In the days when wishing was still of some use, a King’s son was bewitched by an old witch, and shut up in an iron stove in a forest. There he passed many years, and no one could deliver him. Then a King’s daughter came into the forest, who had lost herself, and could not find her father’s kingdom again. After she had wandered about for nine days, she at length came to the iron stove.

在许愿还有些用处的年代，一位王子被一个老巫婆施了魔法，关进了森林里的一个铁炉子。他在那里度过了许多年，没有人能够救他。后来，一位国王的女儿走进了森林，她迷了路，再也找不到回父亲王国的路了。她漫无目的地走了九天之后，终于来到了那个铁炉子跟前。

Then a voice came forth from it, and asked her, “Whence comest thou, and whither goest, thou?” She answered, “I have lost my father’s kingdom, and cannot get home again.” Then a voice inside the iron stove said, “I will help thee to get home again, and that indeed most swiftly, if thou wilt promise to do what I desire of thee. I am the son of a far greater King than thy father, and I will marry thee.”

这时，炉子里传出一个声音，问她：“你从哪里来，又要到哪里去？”她回答说：“我迷失了通往父亲王国的路，再也回不了家了。”于是铁炉子里的声音说：“我会帮你回家，而且会非常迅速，只要你答应替我做一件事。我是一位比你父亲还要伟大得多的国王的儿子，我要娶你为妻。”

Then was she afraid, and thought, “Good heavens! What can I do with an iron stove?” But as she much wished to get home to her father, she promised to do as he desired. But he said, “Thou shalt return here, and bring a knife with thee, and scrape a hole in the iron.” Then he gave her a companion who walked near her, but did not speak, but in two hours he took her home; there was great joy in the castle when the King’s daughter came home, and the old King fell on her neck and kissed her.

她听了十分害怕，心想：“天哪！我要一个铁炉子有什么用？”可是她太想回到父亲身边了，于是答应照他所说的去做。他又说：“你必须回到这里来，带一把刀，在铁皮上刮出一个洞。”于是他派了一个同伴陪她走，那同伴一句话也不说，但两个小时内就把她送回了家；公主回到城堡时，全城一片欢腾，老国王搂住她的脖子亲吻她。

She, however, was sorely troubled, and said, “Dear father, what I have suffered! I should never have got home again from the great wild forest, if I had not come to an iron stove, but I have been forced to give my word that I will go back to it, set it free, and marry it.” Then the old King was so terrified that he all but fainted, for he had but this one daughter. They therefore resolved they would send, in her place, the miller’s daughter, who was very beautiful. They took her there, gave her a knife, and said she was to scrape at the iron stove.

然而她心里十分不安，说道：“亲爱的父亲，我吃了多少苦啊！要不是遇见一个铁炉子，我恐怕永远也走不出那片荒凉的大森林了，可是我已经被迫许下诺言，说我会回去，把它释放出来，还要嫁给它。”老国王听了大为惊恐，几乎要昏厥过去，因为他只有这一个女儿。于是他们商议决定，派磨坊主的女儿代替公主前去，因为那姑娘长得十分美丽。他们把她带到那里，给她一把刀，叫她去刮那铁炉子。

So she scraped at it for four-and-twenty hours, but could not bring off the least morsel of it. When day dawned, a voice in the stove said, “It seems to me it is day outside.” Then she answered, “It seems so to me too; I fancy I hear the noise of my father’s mill.”

于是她刮了整整二十四个小时，却连一丁点铁皮也刮不下来。天快亮时，炉子里的声音说：“我觉得外面天亮了。”她回答说：“我也这么觉得，我好像听见了我父亲磨坊的响声。”

“So thou art a miller’s daughter! Then go thy way at once, and let the King’s daughter come here.” Then she went away at once, and told the old King that the man outside there, would have none of her he wanted the King’s daughter.

“这么说你是磨坊主的女儿！那就赶快走吧，让国王的女儿来这里。”于是她立刻离开，回去告诉老国王，说外面那个人根本不要她，他要的是公主。

They, however, still had a swine-herd’s daughter, who was even prettier than the miller’s daughter, and they determined to give her a piece of gold to go to the iron stove instead of the King’s daughter. So she was taken thither, and she also had to scrape for four-and-twenty hours. She, however, made nothing of it. When day broke, a voice inside the stove cried, “It seems to me it is day outside!” Then answered she, “So it seems to me also; I fancy I hear my father’s horn blowing.”

不过，他们还有一个牧猪人的女儿，比磨坊主的女儿还要俊俏，他们便决定给她一块金子，让她代替公主到铁炉子那里去。于是她也被带了去，同样要刮上二十四个小时。可是她也毫无所获。天亮时，炉子里的声音喊道：“我觉得外面天亮了！”她回答说：“我也这么觉得，我好像听见了父亲吹响的号角。”

“Then thou art a swine-herd’s daughter! Go away at once, and tell the King’s daughter to come, and tell her all must be done as promised, and if she does not come, everything in the kingdom shall be ruined and destroyed, and not one stone be left standing on another.” When the King’s daughter heard that she began to weep, but now there was nothing for it but to keep her promise. So she took leave of her father, put a knife in her pocket, and went forth to the iron stove in the forest.

“这么说你是牧猪人的女儿！赶快走吧，去告诉国王的女儿来这里，告诉她一切都必须照约定办，如果她不来，整个王国都将被毁灭殆尽，一块石头也不会留在另一块石头上面。”公主听了这话开始哭泣，可如今除了信守诺言，别无他法。于是她辞别了父亲，把一把刀放进口袋，动身前往森林里的铁炉子。

When she got there, she began to scrape, and the iron gave way, and when two hours were over, she had already scraped a small hole. Then she peeped in, and saw a youth so handsome, and so brilliant with gold and with precious jewels, that her very soul was delighted. Now, therefore, she went on scraping, and made the hole so large that he was able to get out.

她到了那里便开始刮起来，铁皮竟渐渐松动了，两个小时过去，她已经刮出了一个小洞。她朝里面窥视，看见一个如此英俊的青年，浑身闪耀着黄金与珍贵宝石的光芒，令她心醉神迷。于是她越发起劲地刮下去，把洞刮得越来越大，直到他能够从里面出来。

Then said he, “Thou art mine, and I am thine; thou art my bride, and hast released me.” He wanted to take her away with him to his kingdom, but she entreated him to let her go once again to her father, and the King’s son allowed her to do so, but she was not to say more to her father than three words, and then she was to come back again. So she went home, but she spoke more than three words, and instantly the iron stove disappeared, and was taken far away over glass mountains and piercing swords; but the King’s son was set free, and no longer shut up in it.

他说道：“你是我的人，我是你的人；你是我的新娘，你救出了我。”他想立刻带她一同回到自己的王国，可她恳求他让她再回去见一次父亲，王子答应了，但叮嘱她对父亲说的话不得超过三句，说完就要立刻回来。于是她回了家，可她说的话超过了三句，铁炉子顷刻间消失了，被带到了遥远的地方，越过了玻璃山和锋利的刀剑；而王子也已获释，不再被关在里面了。

After this she bade good-bye to her father, took some money with her, but not much, and went back to the great forest, and looked for the iron stove, but it was nowhere to be found. For nine days she sought it, and then her hunger grew so great that she did not know what to do, for she could no longer live.

此后，她向父亲告别，带上一些钱财，却不多，又回到那片大森林，去寻找那铁炉子，可它已经无处可寻。她找了整整九天，饥饿变得难以忍受，她不知该如何是好，因为她再也支撑不下去了。

When it was evening, she seated herself in a small tree, and made up her mind to spend the night there, as she was afraid of wild beasts. When midnight drew near she saw in the distance a small light, and thought, “Ah, there I should be saved!” She got down from the tree, and went towards the light, but on the way she prayed.

到了傍晚，她爬上一棵小树，打算在那里过夜，因为她害怕野兽。将近半夜时，她远远望见一点微光，心想：“啊，那里也许能救我！”她从树上下来，朝着灯光走去，一路上不住地祈祷。

Then she came to a little old house, and much grass had grown all about it, and a small heap of wood lay in front of it. She thought, “Ah, whither have I come,” and peeped in through the window, but she saw nothing inside but toads, big and little, except a table well covered with wine and roast meat, and the plates and glasses were of silver. Then she took courage, and knocked at the door. The fat toad cried,

于是她来到一座破旧的小屋前，屋子四周长满了野草，屋前堆着一小堆柴。她心想：“啊，我这是到了什么地方？”便从窗口向里张望，却只看见大大小小的癞蛤蟆，此外便是一张摆满了美酒和烤肉的桌子，盘子和杯子都是银制的。她于是鼓起勇气，敲了敲门。那只肥胖的癞蛤蟆喊道：

“Little green waiting-maid, Waiting-maid with the limping leg, Little dog of the limping leg, Hop hither and thither, And quickly see who is without:”

“绿色的小侍女， 一瘸一拐的小侍女， 一瘸一拐的小狗， 东跳西跳地过来， 快去看看是谁在外头。”

and a small toad came walking by and opened the door to her. When she entered, they all bade her welcome, and she was forced to sit down. They asked, “Where hast thou come from, and whither art thou going?” Then she related all that had befallen her, and how because she had transgressed the order which had been given her not to say more than three words, the stove, and the King’s son also, had disappeared, and now she was about to seek him over hill and dale until she found him. Then the old fat one said,

一只小癞蛤蟆走过来，为她打开了门。她进屋后，大家都欢迎她，请她坐下。他们问道：“你从哪里来，又要到哪里去？”于是她把自己的遭遇都讲了出来，说自己因为违背了不许多说超过三句话的嘱咐，那铁炉子和王子便一同消失了，如今她正要翻山越岭去寻找他。那只肥胖的老蛤蟆便说：

“Little green waiting-maid, Waiting-maid with the limping leg, Little dog of the limping leg, Hop hither and thither, And bring me the great box.”

“绿色的小侍女， 一瘸一拐的小侍女， 一瘸一拐的小狗， 东跳西跳地过来， 把那口大箱子给我拿来。”

Then the little one went and brought the box. After this they gave her meat and drink, and took her to a well-made bed, which felt like silk and velvet, and she laid herself therein, in God’s name, and slept.

于是那只小蛤蟆便去把箱子取来了。之后他们给她拿来了饮食，又领她到一张做得极好的床前，那床摸上去如丝绸天鹅绒一般柔软，她便奉神之名躺了下去，安然睡去。

When morning came she arose, and the old toad gave her three needles out of the great box which she was to take with her; they would be needed by her, for she had to cross a high glass mountain, and go over three piercing swords and a great lake. If she did all this she would get her lover back again. Then she gave her three things, which she was to take the greatest care of, namely, three large needles, a plough-wheel, and three nuts.

第二天清晨她起身之后，老蛤蟆从那口大箱子里取出三根针交给她，让她随身带着；这些针她一定用得上，因为她还要翻越一座陡峭的玻璃山，越过三把锋利的刀剑和一片大湖。若她能做到这一切，便能重新得回她的爱人。老蛤誤还给了她三样必须小心保管的东西，那便是三根大针、一只犁轮和三颗坚果。

With these she travelled onwards, and when she came to the glass mountain which was so slippery, she stuck the three needles first behind her feet and then before them, and so got over it, and when she was over it, she hid them in a place which she marked carefully. After this she came to the three piercing swords, and then she seated herself on her plough-wheel, and rolled over them.

带着这些东西，她继续前行，来到了那座异常光滑的玻璃山前，她先把三根针插在脚后，再插在脚前，就这样翻越了过去，翻过去之后，她把针小心地藏在一个她牢牢记住的地方。此后她来到了那三把锋利的刀剑前，便坐在犁轮上，翻滚着越了过去。

At last she arrived in front of a great lake, and when she had crossed it, she came to a large and beautiful castle. She went and asked for a place; she was a poor girl, she said, and would like to be hired. She knew, however, that the King’s son whom she had released from the iron stove in the great forest was in the castle. Then she was taken as a scullery-maid at low wages. But, already the King’s son had another maiden by his side whom he wanted to marry, for he thought that she had long been dead.

终于她来到了一片大湖前，渡过湖之后，她来到了一座宏伟美丽的城堡。她走上前去求职，说自己是个穷姑娘，愿意受雇做工。然而她心里明白，她在那片大森林里从铁炉子中救出的王子，正住在这座城堡里。于是她被雇为一个洗碗女佣，工钱十分微薄。可是王子身边此时已另有一位他打算迎娶的姑娘，因为他以为她早已死了。

In the evening, when she had washed up and was done, she felt in her pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She cracked one with her teeth, and was going to eat the kernel when lo and behold there was a stately royal garment in it! But when the bride heard of this she came and asked for the dress, and wanted to buy it, and said, “It is not a dress for a servant-girl.”

到了晚上，她洗完碗，事情做完之后，摸了摸口袋，发现了老蛤蟆给她的那三颗坚果。她用牙咬开一颗，正要吃里面的果仁，忽然发现里面竟藏着一件华贵的王家礼服！新娘听说此事，便前来讨要那件衣裳，想要买下它，说道：“这可不是一件适合女仆穿的衣裳。”

But she said no, she would not sell it, but if the bride would grant her one thing she should have it, and that was, leave to sleep one night in her bridegroom’s chamber. The bride gave her permission because the dress was so pretty, and she had never had one like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom, “That silly girl will sleep in thy room.” “If thou art willing so am I,” said he. She, however, gave him a glass of wine in which she had poured a sleeping-draught. So the bridegroom and the scullery-maid went to sleep in the room, and he slept so soundly that she could not waken him.

可她说不卖，但若新娘肯答应她一件事，她便把衣裳给她，那便是让她在新郎的房间里睡一晚。新娘因为那衣裳实在太美，自己从未有过如此漂亮的一件，便答应了她的请求。到了晚上，她对新郎说：“那个傻姑娘要在你房里睡一晚。”“既然你愿意，我也没有意见。”他说。可是她给他喝了一杯酒，里面掺了安眠药。于是新郎和这位洗碗女佣一同在房里睡下，他睡得极沉，她怎么也叫不醒他。

She wept the whole night and cried, “I set thee free when thou wert in an iron stove in the wild forest, I sought thee, and walked over a glass mountain, and three sharp swords, and a great lake before I found thee, and yet thou wilt not hear me!”

她整夜哭泣，喊道：“你被困在荒野森林里的铁炉子中时，是我救了你，我一路寻你，翻越了玻璃山，越过了三把锋利的刀剑和一片大湖才找到你，可你却不肯听我说话！”

The servants sat by the chamber-door, and heard how she thus wept the whole night through, and in the morning they told it to their lord. And the next evening when she had washed up, she opened the second nut, and a far more beautiful dress was within it, and when the bride beheld it, she wished to buy that also.

仆人们坐在房门外，听见她整夜这样哭泣，第二天早晨便把这事告诉了他们的主人。到了第二天晚上，她洗完碗，打开了第二颗坚果，里面藏着一件更加美丽的衣裳，新娘看见后，也想把它买下来。

But the girl would not take money, and begged that she might once again sleep in the bridegroom’s chamber. The bride, however, gave him a sleeping-drink, and he slept so soundly that he could hear nothing. But the scullery-maid wept the whole night long, and cried, “I set thee free when thou wert in an iron stove in the wild forest, I sought thee, and walked over a glass mountain, and over three sharp swords and a great lake before I found thee, and yet thou wilt not hear me!” The servants sat by the chamber-door and heard her weeping the whole night through, and in the morning informed their lord of it.

可这姑娘不肯要钱，只求能再在新郎的房间里睡一晚。新娘于是又给他喝了安眠药水，他睡得极沉，什么也听不见。可这位洗碗女佣整夜哭泣，喊道：“你被困在荒野森林里的铁炉子中时，是我救了你，我一路寻你，翻越了玻璃山，越过三把锋利的刀剑和一片大湖才找到你，可你却不肯听我说话！”仆人们坐在房门外，听见她整夜这样哭泣，第二天早晨便告诉了他们的主人。

And on the third evening, when she had washed up, she opened the third nut, and within it was a still more beautiful dress which was stiff with pure gold. When the bride saw that she wanted to have it, but the maiden only gave it up on condition that she might for the third time sleep in the bridegroom’s apartment. The King’s son was, however, on his guard, and threw the sleeping-draught away.

到了第三天晚上，她洗完碗，打开了第三颗坚果，里面藏着一件更加华美的衣裳，上面缀满了纯金，硬挺华贵。新娘见了，也想据为己有，可这姑娘只有在能第三次到新郎房间里睡一晚的条件下，才肯把衣裳给她。而这一次，王子早有防备，把安眠药悄悄倒掉了。

Now, therefore, when she began to weep and to cry, “Dearest love, I set thee free when thou wert in the iron stove in the terrible wild forest,” the King’s son leapt up and said, “Thou art the true one, thou art mine, and I am thine.” Thereupon, while it was still night, he got into a carriage with her, and they took away the false bride’s clothes so that she could not get up.

于是，当她又开始哭泣喊道：“最亲爱的人啊，你被困在那可怕的荒野森林里的铁炉子中时，是我救了你，”王子一跃而起，说道：“你才是真正的那一个，你是我的人，我是你的人。”说罢，趁着夜色未尽，他便与她一同登上马车，还带走了那个假新娘的衣物，使她无法起身追赶。

When they came to the great lake, they sailed across it, and when they reached the three sharp-cutting swords they seated themselves on the plough-wheel, and when they got to the glass mountain they thrust the three needles in it, and so at length they got to the little old house; but when they went inside that, it was a great castle, and the toads were all disenchanted, and were King’s children, and full of happiness.

他们来到那片大湖时，便乘船渡了过去；到了那三把锋利的刀剑前，便坐上犁轮翻滚而过；到了那座玻璃山前，便把三根针插进山中，终于来到了那座破旧的小屋前；可他们一进屋，那里竟变成了一座宏伟的城堡，所有的癞蛤蟆都恢复了原形，原来都是国王的儿女，个个满心欢喜。

Then the wedding was celebrated, and the King’s son and the princess remained in the castle, which was much larger than the castles of their fathers. As, however, the old King grieved at being left alone, they fetched him away, and brought him to live with them, and they had two kingdoms, and lived in happy wedlock.

于是婚礼隆重举行，王子和公主便留在这座城堡里，这座城堡比他们双方父亲的城堡都要大得多。然而老国王独自留守，心中悲伤，他们便把他接了过来，一同居住，从此他们拥有了两个王国，过着幸福美满的婚姻生活。

A mouse did run, This story is done.

一只老鼠跑过来， 这个故事就此完。