The Swineherd

There was once a poor Prince, who had a kingdom. His kingdom was very small, but still quite large enough to marry upon; and he wished to marry.

从前有个穷王子，拥有一个王国。他的王国很小，可拿来结婚倒也绰绰有余；他一心想要成亲。

It was certainly rather cool of him to say to the Emperor's daughter, “Will you have me?” But so he did; for his name was renowned far and wide; and there were a hundred princesses who would have answered, “Yes!” and “Thank you kindly.” We shall see what this princess said.

他对皇帝的女儿说“你愿意嫁给我吗？”这话说得可真够大胆的；可他偏偏这么说了，因为他的名声远近皆知；换作别的一百位公主，都会答应说“愿意！”还会“万分感激”呢。我们且看看这位公主怎么说。

Listen!

听好了！

It happened that where the Prince's father lay buried, there grew a rose tree—a most beautiful rose tree, which blossomed only once in every five years, and even then bore only one flower, but that was a rose! It smelt so sweet that all cares and sorrows were forgotten by him who inhaled its fragrance.

事情是这样的：在王子父亲的墓地上，长着一棵玫瑰树——一棵极其美丽的玫瑰树，每五年才开一次花，而且每次也只开一朵，可那却是一朵真正的玫瑰！它散发的香气，能让闻到它的人忘却一切忧愁烦恼。

And furthermore, the Prince had a nightingale, who could sing in such a manner that it seemed as though all sweet melodies dwelt in her little throat. So the Princess was to have the rose, and the nightingale; and they were accordingly put into large silver caskets, and sent to her.

此外，王子还养着一只夜莺，它歌唱起来的模样，仿佛所有甜美的旋律都藏在它那小小的喉咙里似的。于是公主便要得到这玫瑰与夜莺，两样东西被装进了大大的银匣子，送到了公主那里。

The Emperor had them brought into a large hall, where the Princess was playing at “Visiting,” with the ladies of the court; and when she saw the caskets with the presents, she clapped her hands for joy.

皇帝命人把匣子送进了一间大厅，公主正和宫廷里的女官们玩“做客”的游戏；她一见那装着礼物的匣子，便高兴得拍起手来。

“Ah, if it were but a little pussy-cat!” said she; but the rose tree, with its beautiful rose came to view.

“啊，要是里头是只小猫咪该多好！”她说道；可是那玫瑰树连同那朵美丽的玫瑰花，便映入了眼帘。

“Oh, how prettily it is made!” said all the court ladies.

“哦，做得可真精巧啊！”宫廷女官们都这样说道。

“It is more than pretty,” said the Emperor, “it is charming!”

“不只是精巧，”皇帝说道，“简直是迷人极了！”

But the Princess touched it, and was almost ready to cry.

可公主一摸，差点没哭出来。

“Fie, papa!” said she. “It is not made at all, it is natural!”

“呸，父皇！”她说道。“这根本不是人工做的，是天然长的呀！”

“Let us see what is in the other casket, before we get into a bad humor,” said the Emperor. So the nightingale came forth and sang so delightfully that at first no one could say anything ill-humored of her.

“咱们先看看另一个匣子里是什么，别急着不高兴，”皇帝说道。于是夜莺现身了，唱得如此动听，起初谁也说不出半句不满的话来。

“Superbe! Charmant!” exclaimed the ladies; for they all used to chatter French, each one worse than her neighbor.

“太美了！迷人极了！”女官们纷纷用法语惊叹道；她们个个都爱说法语，可一个比一个说得蹩脚。

“How much the bird reminds me of the musical box that belonged to our blessed Empress,” said an old knight. “Oh yes! These are the same tones, the same execution.”

“这鸟儿的歌声，多像我们已故皇后陛下那台音乐盒啊，”一位老骑士说道。“哦，是啊！同样的音调，同样的演绎手法。”

“Yes! yes!” said the Emperor, and he wept like a child at the remembrance.

“是啊！是啊！”皇帝说道，一想起往事便像孩子似的哭了起来。

“I will still hope that it is not a real bird,” said the Princess.

“我还是希望它不是一只真的鸟，”公主说道。

“Yes, it is a real bird,” said those who had brought it. “Well then let the bird fly,” said the Princess; and she positively refused to see the Prince.

“它确实是只真的鸟，”送礼的人说道。“那好，就让这鸟飞走吧，”公主说道；她坚决不肯见王子。

However, he was not to be discouraged; he daubed his face over brown and black; pulled his cap over his ears, and knocked at the door.

不过王子并不气馁；他把脸涂成了棕黑色，把帽子拉得低低盖住耳朵，跑去敲了敲宫门。

“Good day to my lord, the Emperor!” said he. “Can I have employment at the palace?”

“陛下您好啊！”他说道。“我可以在宫里谋个差事吗？”

“Why, yes,” said the Emperor. “I want some one to take care of the pigs, for we have a great many of them.”

“哦，可以，”皇帝说道。“我正需要个人来照看猪呢，因为我们养的猪多得很。”

So the Prince was appointed “Imperial Swineherd.” He had a dirty little room close by the pigsty; and there he sat the whole day, and worked. By the evening he had made a pretty little kitchen-pot. Little bells were hung all round it; and when the pot was boiling, these bells tinkled in the most charming manner, and played the old melody,

于是王子便被任命为“御用牧猪人”。他有一间紧挨着猪圈的肮脏小屋，整天都坐在那儿忙活。到了晚上，他做出了一只精巧的小厨壶。壶的四周挂满了小铃铛，壶一煮沸，这些铃铛便叮叮当当地响起来，动听极了，奏出的正是那首古老的曲子，

“Ach! du lieber Augustin, Alles ist weg, weg, weg!”*

“啊！亲爱的奥古斯丁， 一切都完了，完了，完了！”

* “Ah! dear Augustine! All is gone, gone, gone!”

*“啊！亲爱的奥古斯丁！ 一切都完了，完了，完了！”

But what was still more curious, whoever held his finger in the smoke of the kitchen-pot, immediately smelt all the dishes that were cooking on every hearth in the city—this, you see, was something quite different from the rose.

不过更奇妙的是，无论谁把手指伸进厨壶冒出的烟里，立刻就能闻出城里每户人家灶上正在煮着什么菜——这可跟那朵玫瑰完全是两码事了。

Now the Princess happened to walk that way; and when she heard the tune, she stood quite still, and seemed pleased; for she could play “Lieber Augustine”; it was the only piece she knew; and she played it with one finger.

这时恰好公主路过那儿，她一听见这曲调，便立刻站住了，神情十分欢喜；因为她会弹《亲爱的奥古斯丁》，那是她唯一会弹的曲子，还是用一根手指弹的呢。

“Why there is my piece,” said the Princess. “That swineherd must certainly have been well educated! Go in and ask him the price of the instrument.”

“咦，这不正是我会弹的那首曲子嘛，”公主说道。“这牧猪人想必是受过良好教养的呀！进去问问他这乐器要卖多少钱。”

So one of the court-ladies must run in; however, she drew on wooden slippers first.

于是有一位宫廷女官便得跑进去打听打听；不过她先换上了一双木拖鞋。

“What will you take for the kitchen-pot?” said the lady.

“你这厨壶要多少钱才肯卖？”那女官问道。

“I will have ten kisses from the Princess,” said the swineherd.

“我要公主给我十个吻，”牧猪人说道。

“Yes, indeed!” said the lady.

“这可真是的！”那女官说道。

“I cannot sell it for less,” rejoined the swineherd.

“少了这个价，我可不卖，”牧猪人答道。

“He is an impudent fellow!” said the Princess, and she walked on; but when she had gone a little way, the bells tinkled so prettily

“真是个厚脸皮的家伙！”公主说着便继续往前走；可才走了没几步，那铃铛又叮叮当当地响起了那动听的曲调

“Ach! du lieber Augustin, Alles ist weg, weg, weg!”

“啊！亲爱的奥古斯丁， 一切都完了，完了，完了！”

“Stay,” said the Princess. “Ask him if he will have ten kisses from the ladies of my court.”

“等等，”公主说道。“去问问他，愿不愿意要我宫里女官们给的十个吻。”

“No, thank you!” said the swineherd. “Ten kisses from the Princess, or I keep the kitchen-pot myself.”

“不，谢谢！”牧猪人说道。“要公主给的十个吻，不然我就自己留着这厨壶了。”

“That must not be, either!” said the Princess. “But do you all stand before me that no one may see us.”

“这可万万使不得！”公主说道。“不过你们都站到我面前来，别让人瞧见。”

And the court-ladies placed themselves in front of her, and spread out their dresses—the swineherd got ten kisses, and the Princess—the kitchen-pot.

于是宫廷女官们便站到她跟前，把裙子撑开挡住视线——牧猪人得到了十个吻，公主得到了那只厨壶。

That was delightful! The pot was boiling the whole evening, and the whole of the following day. They knew perfectly well what was cooking at every fire throughout the city, from the chamberlain's to the cobbler's; the court-ladies danced and clapped their hands.

那可真是妙极了！那壶整整煮了一晚上，第二天也一直煮着。她们清清楚楚地知道城里每户人家的灶上正煮着什么，从内侍大臣家到鞋匠家全都一清二楚；宫廷女官们又是跳舞又是拍手。

“We know who has soup, and who has pancakes for dinner to-day, who has cutlets, and who has eggs. How interesting!”

“我们知道今天谁家喝汤，谁家吃薄煎饼，谁家吃肉排，谁家吃鸡蛋。真有意思呀！”

“Yes, but keep my secret, for I am an Emperor's daughter.”

“是啊，不过你们可要替我保密，因为我毕竟是皇帝的女儿呀。”

The swineherd—that is to say—the Prince, for no one knew that he was other than an ill-favored swineherd, let not a day pass without working at something; he at last constructed a rattle, which, when it was swung round, played all the waltzes and jig tunes, which have ever been heard since the creation of the world.

这牧猪人——也就是那位王子，因为谁也不知道他其实并非什么其貌不扬的牧猪人——他没有一天不忙着做点什么；最后他做出了一个拨浪鼓，转动起来时，便能奏出自开天辟地以来世上所有听过的华尔兹舞曲和吉格舞曲。

“Ah, that is superbe!” said the Princess when she passed by. “I have never heard prettier compositions! Go in and ask him the price of the instrument; but mind, he shall have no more kisses!”

“啊，这也太美妙了！”公主路过时说道。“我从没听过这么动听的曲子！进去问问他这乐器要卖多少钱；不过记住了，这回可不许再给他吻了！”

“He will have a hundred kisses from the Princess!” said the lady who had been to ask.

“他要公主给他一百个吻！”那位去打听的女官回来说道。

“I think he is not in his right senses!” said the Princess, and walked on, but when she had gone a little way, she stopped again. “One must encourage art,” said she, “I am the Emperor's daughter. Tell him he shall, as on yesterday, have ten kisses from me, and may take the rest from the ladies of the court.”

“我看他是脑子不清醒了！”公主说着便继续往前走，可才走了没几步，她又停下了脚步。“咱们总得鼓励一下艺术嘛，”她说道，“我毕竟是皇帝的女儿。告诉他，就跟昨天一样，他可以得到我给的十个吻，剩下的可以找宫廷女官们要。”

“Oh—but we should not like that at all!” said they. “What are you muttering?” asked the Princess. “If I can kiss him, surely you can. Remember that you owe everything to me.” So the ladies were obliged to go to him again.

“哦——可我们才不愿意呢！”女官们说道。“你们在嘀咕些什么呀？”公主问道。“我都能吻他，你们当然也可以。别忘了，你们的一切都是靠我才有的。”于是女官们只得又去找他了。

“A hundred kisses from the Princess,” said he, “or else let everyone keep his own!”

“要公主给的一百个吻，”他说道，“不然大家就各自留着自己的东西吧！”

“Stand round!” said she; and all the ladies stood round her whilst the kissing was going on.

“都站到我周围来！”公主说道；于是女官们全都围在她身边，一边接吻一边遮挡视线。

“What can be the reason for such a crowd close by the pigsty?” said the Emperor, who happened just then to step out on the balcony; he rubbed his eyes, and put on his spectacles. “They are the ladies of the court; I must go down and see what they are about!” So he pulled up his slippers at the heel, for he had trodden them down.

“猪圈边上怎么围了这么一大堆人呀？”皇帝正巧走到阳台上，说道；他揉了揉眼睛，戴上眼镜。“是宫廷的女官们呀；我得下去瞧瞧她们在干什么！”于是他把那双踩塌了后跟的拖鞋提了提。

As soon as he had got into the court-yard, he moved very softly, and the ladies were so much engrossed with counting the kisses, that all might go on fairly, that they did not perceive the Emperor. He rose on his tiptoes.

他一进院子，便放轻了脚步，女官们正忙着数吻的数目，好让一切公平进行，压根没留意到皇帝。他踮起脚尖走了过去。

“What is all this?” said he, when he saw what was going on, and he boxed the Princess's ears with his slipper, just as the swineherd was taking the eighty-sixth kiss.

“这是怎么回事？”他一看清眼前的情形，便说道，随即用拖鞋打了公主一记耳光，那时正好牧猪人得到第八十六个吻。

“March out!” said the Emperor, for he was very angry; and both Princess and swineherd were thrust out of the city.

“都给我滚出去！”皇帝气得说道；于是公主和牧猪人双双被赶出了城。

The Princess now stood and wept, the swineherd scolded, and the rain poured down.

公主这时站在那儿哭泣，牧猪人骂骂咧咧，雨又下个不停。

“Alas! Unhappy creature that I am!” said the Princess. “If I had but married the handsome young Prince! Ah! how unfortunate I am!”

“唉！我这可怜的人啊！”公主说道。“要是我当初嫁给了那位英俊的年轻王子该多好！唉！我可真是不幸啊！”

And the swineherd went behind a tree, washed the black and brown color from his face, threw off his dirty clothes, and stepped forth in his princely robes; he looked so noble that the Princess could not help bowing before him.

牧猪人这时走到一棵树后面，洗去了脸上的黑棕颜色，脱掉了那身脏衣裳，换上了他那身王子的礼袍走了出来；他看起来是那样高贵，公主见了不由自主地朝他行了个礼。

“I am come to despise thee,” said he. “Thou would'st not have an honorable Prince! Thou could'st not prize the rose and the nightingale, but thou wast ready to kiss the swineherd for the sake of a trumpery plaything. Thou art rightly served.”

“我这是来鄙视你的，”他说道。“你不愿嫁给一位光明正大的王子！你不懂得珍惜那玫瑰与夜莺，却肯为了一个不值钱的小玩意儿去亲吻一个牧猪人。这全是你自作自受。”

He then went back to his own little kingdom, and shut the door of his palace in her face. Now she might well sing,

说罢他便回到了自己那小小的王国，当着她的面关上了宫门。这下她大可以唱起那首歌来了，

“Ach! du lieber Augustin, Alles ist weg, weg, weg!”

“啊！亲爱的奥古斯丁， 一切都完了，完了，完了！”