英文童话故事

【经典】英文童话故事15篇

　　在平时的学习、工作或生活中，大家都经常接触到童话吧，童话故事的主旨是教人勇敢、热情、善良、乐观、慈爱，反对卑鄙、怯懦、邪恶、虚伪。还记得都学过哪些童话故事吗？以下是小编为大家收集的英文童话故事，仅供参考，欢迎大家阅读。

英文童话故事1

　　格林童话故事英文版1：The Bronze Ring

　　In a certain country there lived a king whose palace was surrounded by a spacious garden. But, though the gardeners were many and the soil was good, this garden yielded neither flowers nor fruits, not even grass or shady trees.

　　The King was in despair about it, when a wise old man said to him:

　　"Your gardeners do not understand their business: but what can you expect of men whose fathers were cobblers and carpenters? How should they have learned to cultivate your garden?"

　　"You are quite right," cried the King.

　　"Therefore," continued the old man, "you should send for a gardener whose father and grandfather have been gardeners before him, and very soon your garden will be full of green grass and gay flowers, and you will enjoy its delicious fruit."

　　So the King sent messengers to every town, village, and hamlet in his dominions, to look for a gardener whose forefathers had been gardeners also, and after forty days one was found.

　　"Come with us and be gardener to the King," they said to him.

　　"How can I go to the King," said the gardener, "a poor wretch like me?"

　　"That is of no consequence," they answered. "Here are new clothes for you and your family."

　　"But I owe money to several people."

　　"We will pay your debts," they said.

　　So the gardener allowed himself to be persuaded, and went away with the messengers, taking his wife and his son with him; and the King, delighted to have found a real gardener, entrusted him with the care of his garden. The man found no difficulty in making the royal garden produce flowers and fruit, and at the end of a year the park was not like the same place, and the King showered gifts upon his new servant.

　　The gardener, as you have heard already, had a son, who was a very handsome young man, with most agree- able manners, and every day he carried the best fruit of the garden to the King, and all the prettiest flowers to his daughter. Now this princess was wonderfully pretty and was just sixteen years old, and the King was beginning to think it was time that she should be married.

　　"My dear child," said he, "you are of an age to take a husband, therefore I am thinking of marrying you to the son of my prime minister.

　　"Father," replied the Princess, "I will never marry the son of the minister."

　　"Why not?" asked the King.

　　"Because I love the gardener's son," answered the Princess.

　　On hearing this the King was at first very angry, and then he wept and sighed, and declared that such a husband was not worthy of his daughter; but the young Princess was not to be turned from her resolution to marry the gardener's son.

　　Then the King

　　consulted his ministers. "This is what you must do," they said. "To get rid of the gardener you must send both suitors to a very distant country, and the one who returns first shall marry your daughter."

　　The King followed this advice, and the minister's son was presented with a splendid horse and a purse full of gold pieces, while the gardener's son had only an old lame horse and a purse full of copper money, and every one thought he would never come back from his journey.

　　The day before they started the Princess met her lover and said to him:

　　"Be brave, and remember always that I love you. Take this purse full of jewels and make the best use you can of them for love of me, and come back quickly and demand my hand."

　　The two suitors left the town together, but the minister's son went off at a gallop on his good horse, and very soon was lost to sight behind the most distant hills. He travelled on for some days, and presently reached a fountain beside which an old woman all in rags sat upon a stone.

　　"Good-day to you, young traveller," said she.

　　But the minister's son made no reply.

　　"Have pity upon me, traveller," she said again. "I am dying of hunger, as you see, and three days have I been here and no one has given me anything."

　　"Let me alone, old witch," cried the young man; "I can do nothing for you," and so saying he went on his way.

　　That same evening the gardener's son rode up to the fountain upon his lame grey horse.

　　"Good-day to you, young traveller," said the beggar- woman.

　　"Good-day, good woman," answered he.

　　"Young traveller, have pity upon me."

　　Take my purse, good woman," said he, "and mount behind me, for your legs can't be very strong."

　　The old woman didn't wait to be asked twice, but mounted behind him, and in this style they reached the chief city of a powerful kingdom. The minister's son was lodged in a grand inn, the gardener's son and the old woman dismounted at the inn for beggars.

　　The next day the gardener's son heard a great noise in the street, and the King's heralds passed, blowing all kinds of instruments, and crying:

　　The King, our master, is old and infirm. He will give a great reward to whoever will cure him and give him back the strength of his youth."

　　Then the old beggar-woman said to her benefactor:

　　"This is what you must do to obtain the reward which the King promises. Go out of the town by the south gate, and there you will find three little dogs of different colours; the first will be white, the second black, the third red. You must kill them and then burn them separately, and gather up the ashes. Put the ashes of each dog into a bag of its own colour, then go before the door of the palace a

　　nd cry out, `A celebrated physician has come from Janina in Albania. He alone can cure the King and give him back the strength of his youth.' The King's physicians will say, This is an impostor, and not a learned man,' and they will make all sorts of difficulties, but you will overcome them all at last, and will present yourself before the sick King. You must then demand as much wood as three mules can carry, and a great cauldron, and must shut yourself up in a room with the Sultan, and when the cauldron boils you must throw him into it, and there leave him until his flesh is completely separated from his bones. Then arrange the bones in their proper places, and throw over them the ashes out of the three bags. The King will come back to life, and will be just as he was when he was twenty years old. For your reward you must demand the bronze ring which has the power to grant you everything you desire. Go, my son, and do not forget any of my instructions."

　　The young man followed the old beggar-woman's directions. On going out of the town he found the white, red, and black dogs, and killed and burnt them, gathering the ashes in three bags. Then he ran to the palace and cried:

　　"A celebrated physician has just come from Janina in Albania. He alone can cure the King and give him back the strength of his youth."

　　The King's physicians at first laughed at the unknown wayfarer, but the Sultan ordered that the stranger should be admitted. They brought the cauldron and the loads of wood, and very soon the King was boiling away. Toward mid-day the gardener's son arranged the bones in their places, and he had hardly scattered the ashes over them before the old King revived, to find himself once more young and hearty.

　　"How can I reward you, my benefactor?" he cried. "Will you take half my treasures?"

　　"No," said the gardener's son.

　　"My daughter's hand?"

　　"No!"

　　"Take half my kingdom."

　　"No. Give me only the bronze ring which can instantly grant me anything I wish for."

　　"Alas!" said the King, "I set great store by that marvellous ring; nevertheless, you shall have it." And he gave it to him.

　　The gardener's son went back to say good-by to the old beggar-woman; then he said to the bronze ring:

　　"Prepare a splendid ship in which I may continue my journey. Let the hull be of fine gold, the masts of silver, the sails of brocade; let the crew consist of twelve young men of noble appearance, dressed like kings. St. Nicholas will be at the helm. As to the cargo, let it be diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and carbuncles."

　　And immediately a ship appeared upon the sea which resembled in every particular the description given by the gardener's son, and, stepping on board, he continued his journey. Presently he arrived at a great t

　　own and established himself in a wonderful palace. After several days he met his rival, the minister's son, who had spent all his money and was reduced to the disagreeable employment of a carrier of dust and rubbish. The gardener's son said to him:

　　"What is your name, what is your family, and from what country do you come?"

　　"I am the son of the prime minister of a great nation, and yet see what a degrading occupation I am reduced to."

　　"Listen to me; though I don't know anything more about you, I am willing to help you. I will give you a ship to take you back to your own country upon one condition."

　　"Whatever it may be, I accept it willingly."

　　"Follow me to my palace."

　　The minister's son followed the rich stranger, whom he had not recognized. When they reached the palace the gardener's son made a sign to his slaves, who completely undressed the new-comer.

　　"Make this ring red-hot," commanded the master, "and mark the man with it upon his back."

　　The slaves obeyed him.

　　"Now, young man," said the rich stranger, "I am going to give you a vessel which will take you back to your own country."

　　And, going out, he took the bronze ring and saidBronze ring, obey thy master. Prepare me a ship of which the half-rotten timbers shall be painted black, let the sails be in rags, and the sailors infirm and sickly. One shall have lost a leg, another an arm, the third shall be a hunchback, another lame or club-footed or blind, and most of them shall be ugly and covered with scars. Go, and let my orders be executed."

　　The minister's son embarked in this old vessel, and thanks to favourable winds, at length reached his own country. In spite of the pitiable condition in which he returned they received him joyfully.

　　"I am the first to come back," said he to the King; now fulfil your promise, and give me the princess in marriage.

　　So they at once began to prepare for the wedding festivities. As to the poor princess, she was sorrowful and angry enough about it.

　　The next morning, at daybreak, a wonderful ship with every sail set came to anchor before the town. The King happened at that moment to be at the palace window.

　　"What strange ship is this," he cried, "that has a golden hull, silver masts, and silken sails, and who are the young men like princes who man it? And do I not see St. Nicholas at the helm? Go at once and invite the captain of the ship to come to the palace."

　　His servants obeyed him, and very soon in came an enchantingly handsome young prince, dressed in rich silk, ornamented with pearls and diamonds.

　　"Young man," said the King, "you are welcome, whoever you may be. Do me the favor to be my guest as long as you remain in

　　my capital."

　　"Many thanks, sire," replied the captain, "I accept your offer."

　　"My daughter is about to be married," said the King; "will you give her away?"

　　"I shall be charmed, sire."

　　Soon after came the Princess and her betrothed.

　　"Why, how is this?" cried the young captain; "would you marry this charming princess to such a man as that?"

　　"But he is my prime minister's son!"

　　"What does that matter? I cannot give your daughter away. The man she is betrothed to is one of my servants."

　　"Your servant?"

　　"Without doubt. I met him in a distant town reduced to carrying away dust and rubbish from the houses. I had pity on him and engaged him as one of my servants."

　　"It is impossible!" cried the King.

　　"Do you wish me to prove what I say? This young man returned in a vessel which I fitted out for him, an unsea-worthy ship with a black battered hull, and the sailors were infirm and crippled."

　　"It is quite true," said the King.

　　"It is false," cried the minister's son. "I do not know this man!"

　　"Sire," said the young captain, "order your daughter's betrothed to be stripped, and see if the mark of my ring is not branded upon his back."

　　The King was about to give this order, when the minister's son, to save himself from such an indignity, admitted that the story was true.

　　"And now, sire," said the young captain, "do you not recognize me?"

　　"I recognize you," said the Princess; "you are the gardener's son whom I have always loved, and it is you I wish to marry."

　　"Young man, you shall be my son-in-law," cried the King. "The marriage festivities are already begun, so you shall marry my daughter this very day."

　　And so that very day the gardener's son married the beautiful Princess.

　　Several months passed. The young couple were as happy as the day was long, and the King was more and more pleased with himself for having secured such a son- in-law.

　　But, presently, the captain of the golden ship found it necessary to take a long voyage, and after embracing his wife tenderly he embarked.

　　Now in the outskirts of the capital there lived an old man, who had spent his life in studying black arts-- alchemy, astrology, magic, and enchantment. This man found out that the gardener's son had only succeeded in marrying the Princess by the help of the genii who obeyed the bronze ring.

　　"I will have that ring," said he to himself. So he went down to the sea-shore and caught some little red fishes. Really, they were quite wonderfully pretty. Then he came back, and, passing before the Pri

　　ncess's window, he began to cry out:

　　"Who wants some pretty little red fishes?"

　　The Princess heard him, and sent out one of her slaves, who said to the old peddler:

　　"What will you take for your fish?"

　　"A bronze ring."

　　"A bronze ring, old simpleton! And where shall I find one?"

　　"Under the cushion in the Princess's room."

　　The slave went back to her mistress.

　　The old madman will take neither gold nor silver," said she.

　　"What does he want then?"

　　"A bronze ring that is hidden under a cushion."

　　Find the ring and give it to him," said the Princess.

　　And at last the slave found the bronze ring, which the captain of the golden ship had accidentally left behind and carried it to the man, who made off with it instantly.

　　Hardly had he reached his own house when, taking the ring, he said, "Bronze ring, obey thy master. I desire that the golden ship shall turn to black wood, and the crew to hideous negroes; that St. Nicholas shall leave the helm and that the only cargo shall be black cats."

　　And the genii of the bronze ring obeyed him.

　　Finding himself upon the sea in this miserable condition, the young captain understood that some one must have stolen the bronze ring from him, and he lamented his misfortune loudly; but that did him no good.

　　"Alas!" he said to himself, "whoever has taken my ring has probably taken my dear wife also. What good will it do me to go back to my own country?" And he sailed about from island to island, and from shore to shore, believing that wherever he went everybody was laughing at him, and very soon his poverty was so great that he and his crew and the poor black cats had nothing to eat but herbs and roots. After wandering about a long time he reached an island inhabited by mice. The captain landed upon the shore and began to explore the country. There were mice everywhere, and nothing but mice. Some of the black cats had followed him, and, not having been fed for several days, they were fearfully hungry, and made terrible havoc among the mice.

　　Then the queen of the mice held a council.

　　"These cats will eat every one of us," she said, "if the captain of the ship does not shut the ferocious animals up. Let us send a deputation to him of the bravest among us."

　　Several mice offered themselves for this mission and set out to find the young captain.

　　"Captain," said they, "go away quickly from our island, or we shall perish, every mouse of us."

　　"Willingly," replied the young captain, "upon one condition. That is that you shall first bring me back a bronze ring which some clever magician has stolen from me. If you do not do this I will land all my cats

　　upon your island, and you shall be exterminated."

　　The mice withdrew in great dismay. "What is to be done?" said the Queen. "How can we find this bronze ring?" She held a new council, calling in mice from every quarter of the globe, but nobody knew where the bronze ring was. Suddenly three mice arrived from a very distant country. One was blind, the second lame, and the third had her ears cropped.

　　"Ho, ho, ho!" said the new-comers. "We come from a far distant country."

　　"Do you know where the bronze ring is which the genii obey?"

　　"Ho, ho, ho! we know; an old sorcerer has taken possession of it, and now he keeps it in his pocket by day and in his mouth by night."

　　"Go and take it from him, and come back as soon as possible."

　　So the three mice made themselves a boat and set sail for the magician's country. When they reached the capital they landed and ran to the palace, leaving only the blind mouse on the shore to take care of the boat. Then they waited till it was night. The wicked old man lay down in bed and put the bronze ring into his mouth, and very soon he was asleep.

　　"Now, what shall we do?" said the two little animals to each other.

　　The mouse with the cropped ears found a lamp full of oil and a bottle full of pepper. So she dipped her tail first in the oil and then in the pepper, and held it to the sorcerer's nose.

　　"Atisha! atisha!" sneezed the old man, but he did not wake, and the shock made the bronze ring jump out of his mouth. Quick as thought the lame mouse snatched up the precious talisman and carried it off to the boat.

　　Imagine the despair of the magician when he awoke and the bronze ring was nowhere to be found!

　　But by that time our three mice had set sail with their prize. A favouring breeze was carrying them toward the island where the queen of the mice was awaiting them. Naturally they began to talk about the bronze ring.

　　"Which of us deserves the most credit?" they cried all at once.

　　"I do," said the blind mouse, "for without my watchfulness our boat would have drifted away to the open sea."

　　"No, indeed," cried the mouse with the cropped ears; "the credit is mine. Did I not cause the ring to jump out of the man's mouth?"

　　"No, it is mine," cried the lame one, "for I ran off with the ring."

　　And from high words they soon came to blows, and, alas! when the quarrel was fiercest the bronze ring fell into the sea.

　　"How are we to face our queen," said the three mice "when by our folly we have lost the talisman and condemned our people to be utterly exterminated? We cannot go back to our country; let us land on this desert island and there end our miserable lives." No sooner

　　said than done. The boat reached the island, and the mice landed.

　　The blind mouse was speedily deserted by her two sisters, who went off to hunt flies, but as she wandered sadly along the shore she found a dead fish, and was eating it, when she felt something very hard. At her cries the other two mice ran up.

　　"It is the bronze ring! It is the talisman!" they cried joyfully, and, getting into their boat again, they soon reached the mouse island. It was time they did, for the captain was just going to land his cargo of cats, when a deputation of mice brought him the precious bronze ring.

　　"Bronze ring," commanded the young man, "obey thy master. Let my ship appear as it was before."

　　Immediately the genii of the ring set to work, and the old black vessel became once more the wonderful golden ship with sails of brocade; the handsome sailors ran to the silver masts and the silken ropes, and very soon they set sail for the capital.

　　Ah! how merrily the sailors sang as they flew over the glassy sea!

　　At last the port was reached.

　　The captain landed and ran to the palace, where he found the wicked old man asleep. The Princess clasped her husband in a long embrace. The magician tried to escape, but he was seized and bound with strong cords.

　　The next day the sorcerer, tied to the tail of a savage mule loaded with nuts, was broken into as many pieces as there were nuts upon the mule's back.

　　格林童话故事英文版2:The Brave Little Tailor

　　One summer's day a little tailor sat on his table by the window in the best of spirits, and sewed for dear life. As he was sitting thus a peasant woman came down the street, calling out: "Good jam to sell, good jam to sell." This sounded sweetly in the tailor's ears; he put his frail little head out of the window, and shouted: "up here, my good woman, and you'll find a willing customer." The woman climbed up the three flights of stairs with her heavy basket to the tailor's room, and he made her spread out all the pots in a row before him.

　　He examined them all, lifted them up and smelled them, and said at last: "This jam seems good, weigh me four ounces of it, my good woman; and even if it's a quarter of a pound I won't stick at it." The woman, who had hoped to find a good market, gave him what he wanted, but went away grumbling wrathfully. "Now heaven shall bless this jam for my use," cried the little tailor, "and it shall sustain and strengthen me." He fetched some bread out of a cupboard, cut a round off the loaf, and spread the jam on it. "That won't taste amiss," he said; "but I'll finish that waistcoat first before I take a bite." He placed the bread beside him, went on sewing, and out of the lightness of his heart kept on making his stitches bigger and bigger. In the meantime the smell of the sweet jam rose to the ceiling, where heaps of flies were sitting, and attracted them to such an extent that they swarmed on to it in masses. "Ha! who invited you?" said the tailor, and chased the unwelcome guests away. But the flies, who didn't understand English, refused to let themselves be warned off, and returned again in even greater numbers.

　　At last the little tailor, losing all patience, reached out of his chimney corner for a duster, and exclaiming: "Wait, and I'll give it to you," he beat them mercilessly with it. When he left off he counted the slain, and no fewer than seven lay dead before him with outstretched legs. "What a desperate fellow I am!" said he, and was filled with admiration at his own courage. "The whole town must know about this"; and in great haste the little tailor cut out a girdle, hemmed it, and embroidered on it in big letters, "Seven at a blow." "What did I say, the town? no, the whole world shall hear of it," he said; and his heart beat for joy as a lamb wags his tail.

　　The tailor strapped the girdle round his waist and set out into the wide world, for he considered his workroom too small a field for his prowess. Before he set forth he looked round about him, to see if there was anything in the house he could take with him on his journey; but he found nothing except an old cheese, which he took possession of. In front of the house he observed a bird that had bee

　　n caught in some bushes, and this he put into his wallet beside the cheese.

　　Then he went on his way merrily, and being light and agile he never felt tired. His way led up a hill, on the top of which sat a powerful giant, who was calmly surveying the landscape. The little tailor went up to him, and greeting him cheerfully said: "Good- day, friend; there you sit at your ease viewing the whole wide world. I'm just on my way there. What do you say to accompanying me?" The giant looked contemptuously at the tailor, and said: "What a poor wretched little creature you are!" "That's a good joke," answered the little tailor, and unbuttoning his coat he showed the giant the girdle. "There now, you can read what sort of a fellow I am." The giant read: "Seven at a blow"; and thinking they were human beings the tailor had slain, he conceived a certain respect for the little man. But first he thought he'd test him, so taking up a stone in his hand, he squeezed it till some drops of water ran out. "Now you do the same," said the giant, "if you really wish to be thought strong." "Is that all?" said the little tailor; "that's child's play to me," so he dived into his wallet, brought out the cheese, and pressed it till the whey ran out. "My squeeze was in sooth better than yours," said he. The giant didn't know what to say, for he couldn't have believed it of the little fellow. To prove him again, the giant lifted a stone and threw it so high that the eye could hardly follow it. "Now, my little pigmy, let me see you do that." "Well thrown," said the tailor; "but, after all, your stone fell to the ground; I'll throw one that won't come down at all." He dived into his wallet again, and grasping the bird in his hand, he threw it up into the air. The bird, enchanted to be free, soared up into the sky, and flew away never to return. "Well, what do you think of that little piece of business, friend?" asked the tailor. "You can certainly throw," said the giant; "but now let's see if you can carry a proper weight." With these words he led the tailor to a huge oak tree which had been felled to the ground, and said: "If you are strong enough, help me to carry the tree out of the wood." "Most certainly," said the little tailor: "just you take the trunk on your shoulder; I'll bear the top and branches, which is certainly the heaviest part."

　　The giant laid the trunk on his shoulder, but the tailor sat at his ease among the branches; and the giant, who couldn't see what was going on behind him, had to carry the whole tree, and the little tailor into the bargain. There he sat behind in the best of spirits, lustily whistling a tune, as if carrying the tree were mere sport. The giant, after dragging the heavy weight for some time, could get

　　on no further, and shouted out: "Hi! I must let the tree fall." The tailor sprang nimbly down, seized the tree with both hands as if he had carried it the whole way and said to the giant: "Fancy a big lout like you not being able to carry a tree!"

　　They continued to go on their way together, and as they passed by a cherry tree the giant grasped the top of it, where the ripest fruit hung, gave the branches into the tailor's hand, and bade him eat. But the little tailor was far too weak to hold the tree down, and when the giant let go the tree swung back into the air, bearing the little tailor with it. When he had fallen to the ground again without hurting himself, the giant said: "What! do you mean to tell me you haven't the strength to hold down a feeble twig?" "It wasn't strength that was wanting," replied the tailor; "do you think that would have been anything for a man who has killed seven at a blow? I jumped over the tree because the huntsmen are shooting among the branches near us. Do you do the like if you dare." The giant made an attempt, but couldn't get over the tree, and stuck fast in the branches, so that here too the little tailor had the better of him.

　　"Well, you're a fine fellow, after all," said the giant; "come and spend the night with us in our cave." The little tailor willingly consented to do this, and following his friend they went on till they reached a cave where several other giants were sitting round a fire, each holding a roast sheep in his hand, of which he was eating. The little tailor looked about him, and thought: "Yes, there's certainly more room to turn round in here than in my workshop." The giant showed him a bed and bade him lie down and have a good sleep. But the bed was too big for the little tailor, so he didn't get into it, but crept away into the corner.

　　At midnight, when the giant thought the little tailor was fast asleep, he rose up, and taking his big iron walking-stick, he broke the bed in two with a blow, and thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper. At early dawn the giants went off to the wood, and quite forgot about the little tailor, till all of a sudden they met him trudging along in the most cheerful manner. The giants were terrified at the apparition, and, fearful lest he should slay them, they all took to their heels as fast as they could.

　　The little tailor continued to follow his nose, and after he had wandered about for a long time he came to the courtyard of a royal palace, and feeling tired he lay down on the grass and fell asleep. While he lay there the people came, and looking him all over read on his girdle: "Seven at a blow." "Oh!" they said, "what can this great hero of a hundred fights want in our peaceful land? He must indeed be a mighty man of valor." They went and told the King about him, and said what a

　　weighty and useful man he'd be in time of war, and that it would be well to secure him at any price. This counsel pleased the King, and he sent one of his courtiers down to the little tailor, to offer him, when he awoke, a commission in their army. The messenger remained standing by the sleeper, and waited till he stretched his limbs and opened his eyes, when he tendered his proposal. "That's the very thing I came here for," he answered; "I am quite ready to enter the King's service." So he was received with all honor, and given a special house of his own to live in.

　　But the other officers resented the success of the little tailor, and wished him a thousand miles away. "What's to come of it all?" they asked each other; "if we quarrel with him, he'll let out at us, and at every blow seven will fall. There'll soon be an end of us." So they resolved to go in a body to the King, and all to send in their papers. "We are not made," they said, "to hold out against a man who kills seven at a blow." The King was grieved at the thought of losing all his faithful servants for the sake of one man, and he wished heartily that he had never set eyes on him, or that he could get rid of him. But he didn't dare to send him away, for he feared he might kill him along with his people, and place himself on the throne.

　　He pondered long and deeply over the matter, and finally came to a conclusion. He sent to the tailor and told him that, seeing what a great and warlike hero he was, he was about to make him an offer. In a certain wood of his kingdom there dwelled two giants who did much harm; by the way they robbed, murdered, burned, and plundered everything about them; "no one could approach them without endangering his life. But if he could overcome and kill these two giants he should have his only daughter for a wife, and half his kingdom into the bargain; he might have a hundred horsemen, too, to back him up." "That's the very thing for a man like me," thought the little tailor; "one doesn't get the offer of a beautiful princess and half a kingdom every day." "Done with you," he answered; "I'll soon put an end to the giants. But I haven't the smallest need of your hundred horsemen; a fellow who can slay seven men at a blow need not be afraid of two."

　　The little tailor set out, and the hundred horsemen followed him. When he came to the outskirts of the wood he said to his followers: "You wait here, I'll manage the giants by myself"; and he went on into the wood, casting his sharp little eyes right and left about him. After a while he spied the two giants lying asleep under a tree, and snoring till the very boughs bent with the breeze. The little tailor lost no time in filling his wallet with stones, and then climbed up the tree under which they lay. When he got to about the middle of it he slipped alo

　　ng a branch till he sat just above the sleepers, when he threw down one stone after the other on the nearest giant.

　　The giant felt nothing for a long time, but at last he woke up, and pinching his companion said: "What did you strike me for?" "I didn't strike you," said the other, "you must be dreaming." They both lay down to sleep again, and the tailor threw down a stone on the second giant, who sprang up and cried: "What's that for? Why did you throw something at me?" "I didn't throw anything," growled the first one. They wrangled on for a time, till, as both were tired, they made up the matter and fell asleep again. The little tailor began his game once more, and flung the largest stone he could find in his wallet with all his force, and hit the first giant on the chest. "This is too much of a good thing!" he yelled, and springing up like a madman, he knocked his companion against the tree till he trembled. He gave, however, as good as he got, and they became so enraged that they tore up trees and beat each other with them, till they both fell dead at once on the ground. Then the little tailor jumped down. "It's a mercy," he said, "that they didn't root up the tree on which I was perched, or I should have had to jump like a squirrel on to another, which, nimble though I am, would have been no easy job." He drew his sword and gave each of the giants a very fine thrust or two on the breast, and then went to the horsemen and said: "The deed is done, I've put an end to the two of them; but I assure you it has been no easy matter, for they even tore up trees in their struggle to defend themselves; but all that's of no use against one who slays seven men at a blow." "Weren't you wounded?" asked the horsemen.

　　"No fear," answered the tailor; "they haven't touched a hair of my head." But the horsemen wouldn't believe him till they rode into the wood and found the giants weltering in their blood, and the trees lying around, torn up by the roots.

　　The little tailor now demanded the promised reward from the King, but he repented his promise, and pondered once more how he could rid himself of the hero. "Before you obtain the hand of my daughter and half my kingdom," he said to him, "you must do another deed of valor. A unicorn is running about loose in the wood, and doing much mischief; you must first catch it." "I'm even less afraid of one unicorn than of two giants; seven at a blow, that's my motto." He took a piece of cord and an axe with him, went out to the wood, and again told the men who had been sent with him to remain outside. He hadn't to search long, for the unicorn soon passed by, and, on perceiving the tailor, dashed straight at him as though it were going to spike him on the spot. "Gently, gently," said he, "not so fast, my friend&qu

　　ot;; and standing still he waited till the beast was quite near, when he sprang lightly behind a tree; the unicorn ran with all its force against the tree, and rammed its horn so firmly into the trunk that it had no strength left to pull it out again, and was thus successfully captured. "Now I've caught my bird," said the tailor, and he came out from behind the tree, placed the cord round its neck first, then struck the horn out of the tree with his axe, and when everything was in order led the beast before the King.

　　Still the King didn't want to give him the promised reward and made a third demand. The tailor was to catch a wild boar for him that did a great deal of harm in the wood; and he might have the huntsmen to help him. "Willingly," said the tailor; "that's mere child's play." But he didn't take the huntsmen into the wood with him, and they were well enough pleased to remain behind, for the wild boar had often received them in a manner which did not make them desire its further acquaintance. As soon as the boar perceived the tailor it ran at him with foaming mouth and gleaming teeth, and tried to knock him down; but our alert little friend ran into a chapel that stood near, and got out of the window again with a jump.

　　The boar pursued him into the church, but the tailor skipped round to the door, and closed it securely. So the raging beast was caught, for it was far too heavy and unwieldy to spring out of the window. The little tailor summoned the huntsmen together, that they might see the prisoner with their own eyes. Then the hero betook himself to the King, who was obliged now, whether he liked it or not, to keep his promise, and hand him over his daughter and half his kingdom. Had he known that no hero-warrior, but only a little tailor stood before him, it would have gone even more to his heart. So the wedding was celebrated with much splendor and little joy, and the tailor became a king.

　　After a time the Queen heard her husband saying one night in his sleep: "My lad, make that waistcoat and patch these trousers, or I'll box your ears." Thus she learned in what rank the young gentleman had been born, and next day she poured forth her woes to her father, and begged him to help her to get rid of a husband who was nothing more nor less than a tailor. The King comforted her, and said: "Leave your bedroom door open to-night, my servants shall stand outside, and when your husband is fast asleep they shall enter, bind him fast, and carry him on to a ship, which shall sail away out into the wide ocean."

　　The Queen was well satisfied with the idea, but the armor-bearer, who had overheard everything, being much attached to his young master, went straight to him and revealed the whole plot. "I'll soon put a stop to the business," said the tailor. That night he and his wife went to bed at the usual time; and when

　　she thought he had fallen asleep she got up, opened the door, and then lay down again. The little tailor, who had only pretended to be asleep, began to call out in a clear voice: "My lad, make that waistcoat and patch those trousers, or I'll box your ears. I have killed seven at a blow, slain two giants, led a unicorn captive, and caught a wild boar, then why should I be afraid of those men standing outside my door?" The men, when they heard the tailor saying these words, were so terrified that they fled as if pursued by a wild army, and didn't dare go near him again. So the little tailor was and remained a king all the days of his life.

　　格林童话故事英文版3:The Black Bull of Norroway

　　In Norroway, langsyne, there lived a certain lady, and she had three dochters. The auldest o' them said to her mither: "Mither, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I'm gaun awa' to seek my fortune." Her mither did sae; and the dochter gaed awa' to an auld witch washerwife and telled her purpose. The auld wife bade her stay that day, and gang and look out o' her back door, and see what she could see. She saw nocht the first day. The second day she did the same, and saw nocht. On the third day she looked again, and saw a coach-and-six coming along the road. She ran in and telled the auld wife what she saw. "Aweel," quo' the auld wife, "yon's for you." Sae they took her into the coach, and galloped aff.

　　The second dochter next says to her mither: "Mither, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, fur I'm gaun awa' to seek my fortune." Her mither did sae; and awa' she gaed to the auld wife, as her sister had dune. On the third day she looked out o' the back door, and saw a coach-and-four coming along the road. "Aweel," quo' the auld wife, "yon's for you." Sae they took her in, and aff they set.

　　The third dochter says to her mither: "Mither, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I'm gaun awa' to seek my fortune." Her mither did sae; and awa' she gaed to the auld witch-wife. She bade her look out o' her back door, and see what she could see. She did sae; and when she came back said she saw nocht. The second day she did the same, and saw nocht. The third day she looked again, and on coming back said to the auld wife she saw nocht but a muckle Black Bull coming roaring alang the road. "Aweel," quo' the auld wife, "yon's for you." On hearing this she was next to distracted wi' grief and terror; but she was lifted up and set on his back, and awa' they went.

　　Aye they traveled, and on they traveled, till the lady grew faint wi' hunger. "Eat out o' my right lug," says the Black Bull, "and drink out o' my left lug, and set by your leavings." Sae she did as he said, and was wonderfully refreshed. And lang they gaed, and sair they rade, till they came in sight o' a very big and bonny castle. "Yonder we maun be this night," quo' the • "for my auld brither lives yonder"; and presently they were at the place. They lifted her aff his back, and took her in, and sent him away to a park for the night. In the morning, when they brought the bull hame, they took the lady into a fine shining parlor, and gave her a beautiful apple, telling her no to break it till she was in the greatest strait ever mortal was in in the world, and that wad bring her o't. Again she was lifted on the bull's back, and after she had ridden far, and farer than I can tell, they came in sight o' a far bonnier castle, and far farther awa' than the last. Says the bull t

　　ill her: "Yonder we maun be the night, for my second brither lives yonder"; and they were at the place directly. They lifted her down and took her in, and sent the bull to the field for the night. In the morning they took the lady into a fine and rich room, and gave her the finest pear she had ever seen, bidding her no to break it till she was in the greatest strait ever mortal could be in, and that wad get her out o't. Again she was lifted and set on his back, and awa' they went. And lang they gaed, and sair they rade, till they came in sight o' the far biggest castle, and far farthest aff, they had yet seen. "We maun be yonder the night," says the bull, "for my young brither lives yonder"; and they were there directly. They lifted her down, took her in, and sent the bull to the field for the night. In the morning they took her into a room, the finest of a', and gied her a plum, telling her no to break it till she was in the greatest strait mortal could be in, and that wad get her out o't. Presently they brought hame the bull, set the lady on his back, and awa' they went.

　　And aye they gaed, and on they rade, till they came to a dark and ugsome glen, where they stopped, and the lady lighted down. Says the bull to her: "Here ye maun stay till I gang and fight the deil. Ye maun seat yoursel' on that stane, and move neither hand nor fit till I come back, else I'll never find ye again. And if everything round about ye turns blue I hae beated the deil; but should a' things turn red he'll hae conquered me." She set hersel' down on the stane, and by-and-by a' round her turned blue. O'ercome wi' joy, she lifted the ae fit and crossed it owre the ither, sae glad was she that her companion was victorious. The bull returned and sought for but never could find her.

　　Lang she sat, and aye she grat, till she wearied. At last she rase and gaed awa', she kedna whaur till. On she wandered till she came to a great hill o' glass, that she tried a' she could to climb, bat wasna able. Round the bottom o' the hill she gaed, sabbing and seeking a passage owre, till at last she came to a smith's house; and the smith promised, if she wad serve him seven years, he wad make her iron shoon, wherewi' she could climb owre the glassy hill. At seven years' end she got her iron shoon, clamb the glassy hill, and chanced to come to the auld washerwife's habitation. There she was telled of a gallant young knight that had given in some bluidy sarks to wash, and whaever washed thae sarks was to be his wife. The auld wife had washed till she was tired, and then she set to her dochter, and baith washed, and they washed, and they better washed, in hopes of getting the young knight; but a' they could do they couldna bring out a stain. At length they set the stranger damosel to wark; and whenever she began the stains came out pure and clean, but the auld wife made the knight believe it was her dochter had washed the sarks. So th

　　e knight and the eldest dochter were to be married, and the stranger damosel was distracted at the thought of it, for she was deeply in love wi' him. So she bethought her of her apple, and breaking it, found it filled with gold and precious jewelry, the richest she had ever seen. "All these," she said to the eldest dochter, "I will give you, on condition that you put off your marriage for ae day, and allow me to go into his room alone at night." So the lady consented; but meanwhile the auld wife had prepared a sleeping-drink, and given it to the knight, wha drank it, and never wakened till next morning. The lee-lang night ther damosel sabbed and sang:

　　"Seven lang years I served for thee, The glassy hill I clamb for thee, The bluidy shirt I wrang for thee; And wilt thou no wauken and turn to me?"

　　Next day she kentna what to do for grief. She then brak the pear, and found it filled wi' jewelry far richer than the contents o' the apple. Wi' thae jewels she bargained for permission to be a second night in the young knight's chamber; but the auld wife gied him anither sleeping-drink, and he again sleepit till morning. A' night she kept sighing and singing as before:

　　"Seven lang years I served for thee," &c. Still he sleepit, and she nearly lost hope a'thegither. But that day when he was out at the hunting, somebody asked him what noise and moaning was yon they heard all last night in his bedchamber. He said he heardna ony noise. But they assured him there was sae; and he resolved to keep waking that night to try what he could hear. That being the third night, and the damosel being between hope and despair, she brak her plum, and it held far the richest jewellry of the three. She bargained as before; and the auld wife, as before, took in the sleeping-drink to the young knight's chamber; but he telled her he couldna drink it that night without sweetening. And when she gaed awa' for some honey to sweeten it wi', he poured out the drink, and sae made the auld wife think he had drunk it. They a' went to bed again, and the damosel began, as before, singing:

　　"Seven lang years I served for thee, The glassy hill I clamb for thee, The bluidy shirt I wrang for thee; And wilt thou no wauken and turn to me?"

　　He heard, and turned to her. And she telled him a' that had befa'en her, and he telled her a' that had happened to him. And he caused the auld washerwife and her dochter to be burned. And they were married, and he and she are living happy till this day, for aught I ken.

英文童话故事2

　　In the past, the little white rabbit's body and eyes were brown, and all the people looked down upon them, but they were very united, and there was no one in the family who did not know each other. But they were so afraid of humans that they lived in seclusion in the mountains.
　　One day, people discovered them and led a group of people to surround them and catch them. It turns out that a few days ago, the village came a monster, monster command people, every year to offer tribute, otherwise, will kill the people in the village, this year, they unexpectedly found a rabbit, decided to let them do a tribute, so they go back.
　　At last it was time to give the monster a tribute, two strong boys, carrying these heavy rabbits, and quickly sent them to the monster. On the way, a little rabbit came to the world and asked her mother, "mom, where are we going?" The mother did not answer, and soon they came to the monster's palace. The two young men put the offerings on the door, and they ran away.
　　Monster came out at this moment, he looks terrible, with the sting of the scorpion in his head, and it has three face, a face has an eye, have three eyes and a face another face has 10 eyes! He had five hands, covered with blood, and shuddered.
　　Only the newborn rabbit was not sensible, and was still happily playing around, when the monster mumbled in a terrible voice: "hungry, which one to eat first? Eat the small one first." So he reached out his hand and just wanted to catch the rabbit, and his mother suddenly stopped in front of him and said, "you can't touch my child!" The monster say: "I don't eat it what do I eat?" With that, he waved his mother to the wall, and she cried out, "eat me before you eat! Don't move my child! At this time, a robust rabbit said: "no, or eat me first! You have a good health. The monster has a kind to eat me first!" "Yes, eat me first!" Other rabbits rush to say. The monster roar way: "I nobody eat, I eat small!"
　　Monster go catch a rabbit, the rabbit was afraid, loudly call mother, rabbits and other rabbits mother rushed forward, hit a monster, the monster was knocked down, and immediately stood up, snapped roared: "I'll eat you all!" "Stop!" A stern voice came out, ah! God came, he said solemnly, "you this monster, in the world for evil, see how I punish you!" With a monster down the god waved, the rabbit body turned white, his eyes became red, god delighted to say again: "the white for you have a holy heart, and red represent your solidarity."
　　Then god disappeared, just as it had come.

英文童话故事3

　　Lord Ye’s Love of the Dragon

　　叶公好龙

　　There is a young man, Lord Ye. He likes dragons vey much. He draws many dragons in his house. The house becomes a world of dragon.

　　有个年轻人，姓叶，非常喜欢龙。他在屋里面画了许多许多龙。这屋子都快成了龙的世界。

　　A red dragon hears of Lord Ye, and is deeply moved. He wants to visit Lord Ye and makes a friend with him.

　　一龙真龙听说了叶公的事，很受感动，就想去拜访叶公，和他交个朋友。

　　“Hi, Mr. Ye! Nice to meet you,” the real dragon comes to visit Mr. Ye.

　　“嘿。叶先生！很高兴见到你。”这条真龙拜访叶先生了。

　　Ye runs away as fast as he can. “Oh, my God! Help! Help!” He runs and shouts.

　　可是叶先生飞快地逃了。还边跑边喊：“啊，我的天啊！救命！救命！”

　　词义解析：

　　1.young：年轻的'

　　2.dragon：龙

　　3.draw：画

　　4.house：房子

　　5.deeply：深深地

　　6.moved：感动的

　　7.visit：拜访

　　8.shout：喊叫

英文童话故事4

　　One morning a fox sees a cock.He think,"This is my breakfast.''

　　He comes up to the cock and says,"I know

　　you can sing very well.Can you sing for me?''The cock is glad.He closes his eyes and begins

　　to sing.The fox sees that and caches him in his mouth and carries him away. The people in the field see the fox.They cry,"Look,look!The fox is carrying the cock away.''The cock says to the fox,"Mr Fox,do you understand?The people say you are carrying their cock away.Tell them it is yours.Not theirs.'' The fox opens his mouth ang says,"The cock is mine,not yours.''Just then the cock runs away from the fox and flies into the tree.

英文童话故事5

　　One morning, grandpa told the rabbit rabbit defeat the true story of a rabbit family, said that when the running champion flag fall on the turtle family, the small rabbit never could resist anger in my heart, suddenly stood up and said, I want to get him back! He rushed out to the turtle house and said, "I want to run with you." "Better than that! "It's a deal! "It's just an island! It's only better than rowing." "I am a sportsman, more than anything else." The little rabbit pat on the chest, indeed the rabbit sports score is the first in the island. They each made a boat out to sea. "I'm a turtle, but I don't need a boat." The turtle kept muttering to himself. "Wait a minute, ref." "Cried the rabbit. Then grandpa rabbit came. Needless to say, he was the only judge. "Ready... The two ships started almost at the same time, and their boat sailed into the sea, when the waves surged, "not good." It was just trying to turn the bow back. But it was late, their ship was struck by the waves mercilessly...
　　"Are you all right? "Good." When they woke up, they found themselves on a deserted island. There was no one on the island, but the fruit trees were much better. They found a treasure map below. "this is a treasure island. The treasure is hidden on the mountain. Let's go up the hill!" "Set off!
　　They climbed up the hill and found a voice on the mountain. There were two people in front of them. "it's a bear gang, the world knows it." One of the two was as strong as an ox, and a crafty man. "It must have been for the treasure." "We will find them before them." At that time, the little turtle was lazy, and he stayed there. Suddenly, a door opened slowly behind the turtle, and the little turtle crept into it with curiosity. The inside was so dark that the rabbit chased it in. The door was closed and the hole lit up, and there was a treasure chest in front of them. The little turtle ran forward, and there was a blanket and a golden pot in the box. "what is it for?" The two men threw themselves on the blankets and sat up and said, "this blanket will fly." The blanket started slowly. "I am a blanket, and I can change any vehicle." "Screamed the rabbit." it's a treasure!"
　　The bear gang is on a helicopter, chasing the turtles, "the wanghu carpet fighter." The kaleidoscope turned into a fighter jet. A missile flew to the helicopter. The helicopter shot down. What's the use of this pot?" "I am the lamp, can realize your three wishes." "We want some food." There was a lot of food in front of them. "We're going home." Soon they were back home. "We have no bad people in the world." After a while, all the bad guys disappeared. Since then the world has become more peaceful, and they have not only become good friends, but also the warriors of the world, and a magic carpet to send them to school.

英文童话故事6

　　Two madmen were talking in the mental hospital, and one said, "I have decided to give my sister to you in marriage once we are out of here."　　The other man said, "No, thank you. It cannot be so."　　He asked, "Why？" The man answered , "Because,according to our family tradition only relatives get married. We cannot marry an outsider."　　The other man asked, "How come there is such a family custom？" He said, "You see, my grandmother married my grandfather. My mother married my father, my sister married my brother—in—law, and so on. How can I marry your sister？"

英文童话故事7

　　A little pig named Wilbur became friends with a spider named charlotte. The fate of the pig was to become a Christmas dinner, and the sad result scared Wilbur. It tried to escape, but it was only a pig. The small charlotte said: let me help you. So charlotte with its net weave pigs in the pig shed, chuck's pig, good words, who is seen as a miracle in human eyes let Wilbur the fate of the whole net words reversal, finally got the name pig contest first prize and a share the destiny of the future. But at this moment, spider charlotte's destiny came to an end.
　　This is the story of a kind and weak person, but apart from love, friendship, this lyrical fairy tale, and a love of life itself.
　　Here's a dialogue:
　　Why are you doing this for me? He asked. I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.
　　You are my friend. Charlotte replied that life itself was a great thing. I weave the net for you, because I like you. What is life itself? We were born, lived for a while, and then died. A spider's life is a bit of an indecent prey. By helping you, it may make my life more noble. God knows that anyone's life can add a little meaning. More fairy tale composition 400 words.
　　Oh, said Wilbur, I can't speak, I don't have the genius of your words, but you saved me, charlotte, and I'd rather die for you -- I'd rather.
　　I trust you and thank you for your generosity.

英文童话故事8

The Iron Stove

　　Once upon a time when wishes came true there was a king's son who was enchanted by an old witch, so that he was obliged to sit in a large iron stove in a wood. There he lived for many years, and no one could free him. At last a king's daughter came into the wood; she had lost her way, and could not find her father's kingdom again. She had been wandering round and round for nine days, and she came at last to the iron case. A voice came from within and asked her, 'Where do you come from, and where do you want to go?' She answered, 'I have lost my way to my father's kingdom, and I shall never get home again.' Then the voice from the iron stove said, 'I will help you to find your home again, and that in a very short time, if you will promise to do what I ask you. I am a greater prince than you are a princess, and I will marry you.' Then she grew frightened, and thought, 'What can a young lassie do with an iron stove?' But as she wanted very much to go home to her father, she promised to do what he wished.

　　He said, 'You must come again, and bring a knife with you to scrape a hole in the iron.'

　　Then he gave her someone for a guide, who walked near her and said nothing, but he brought her in two hours to her house. There was great joy in the castle when the Princess came back, and the old King fell on her neck and kissed her. But she was very much troubled, and said, 'Dear father, listen to what has befallen me! I should never have come home again out of the great wild wood if I had not come to an iron stove, to whom I have had to promise that I will go back to free him and marry him!' The old King was so frightened that he nearly fainted, for she was his only daughter. So they consulted together, and determined that the miller's daughter, who was very beautiful, should take her place. They took her there, gave her a knife, and said she must scrape at the iron stove. She scraped for twenty-four hours, but did not make the least impression. When the day broke, a voice called from the iron stove, 'It seems to me that it is day outside.' Then she answered, 'It seems so to me; I think I hear my father's mill rattling.'

　　'So you are a miller's daughter! Then go away at once, and tell the King's daughter to come.'

　　Then she went away, and told the old King that the thing inside the iron stove would not have her, but wanted the Princess. The old King was frightened, and his daughter wept. But they had a swineherd's daughter who was even more beautiful than the miller's daughter, and they gave her a piece of gold to go to the iron stove instead of the Princess. Then she was taken out, and had to scrape for four-and-twenty hours, but she could make no impression. As soon as the day broke the voice from the stove called out, 'It seems to be daylight outside.' Then she answered, ' It seems so to me too; I think I hear my father blowing his horn.' 'So you are a swineherd'

　　s daughter! Go away at once, and let the King's daughter come. And say to her that what I foretell shall come to pass, and if she does not come everything in the kingdom shall fall into ruin, and not one stone shall be left upon another.' When the Princess heard this she began to cry, but it was no good; she had to keep her word. She took leave of her father, put a knife in her belt, and went to the iron stove in the wood. As soon as she reached it she began to scrape, and the iron gave way and before two hours had passed she had made a little hole. Then she peeped in and saw such a beautiful youth all shining with gold and precious stones that she fell in love with him on the spot. So she scraped away harder than ever, and made the hole so large that he could get out. Then he said, 'You are mine, and I am thine; you are my bride and have set me free!' He wanted to take her with him to his kingdom, but she begged him just to let her go once more to her father; and the Prince let her go, but told her not to say more than three words to her father, then to come back again. So she went home, but alas! she said MORE THAN THREE WORDS; and immediately the iron stove vanished and went away over a mountain of glass and sharp swords. But the Prince was free, and was no longer shut up in it. Then she said good-bye to her father, and took a little money with her, and went again into the great wood to look for the iron stove; but she could not find it. She sought it for nine days, and then her hunger became so great that she did not know how she could live any longer. And when it was evening she climbed a little tree and wished that the night would not come, because she was afraid of the wild beasts. When midnight came she saw afar off a little light, and thought, 'Ah! if only I could reach that!' Then she got down from the tree and went towards the light. She came to a little old house with a great deal of grass growing round, and stood in front of a little heap of wood. She thought, 'Alas! what am I coming to?' and peeped through the window; but she saw nothing inside except big and little toads, and a table beautifully spread with roast meats and wine, and all the dishes and drinking-cups were of silver. Then she took heart and knocked. Then a fat toad called out:

　　'Little green toad with leg like crook, Open wide the door, and look Who it was the latch that shook.'

　　And a little toad came forward and let her in. When she entered they all bid her welcome, and made her sit down. They asked her how she came there and what she wanted. Then she told everything that had happened to her, and how, because she had exceeded her permission only to speak three words, the stove had disappeared with the Prince; and how she had searched a very long time, and must wander over mountain and valley till she found him.

　　Then the old toad said:

　　'Little green toad whose leg doth twist, Go to the corner of which you wist, And bring to m

　　e the large old kist.'

　　And the little toad went and brought out a great chest. Then they gave her food and drink, and led her to a beautifully made bed of silk and samite, on which she lay down and slept soundly. When the day dawned she arose, and the old toad gave her three things out of the huge chest to take with her. She would have need of them, for she had to cross a high glass mountain, three cutting swords, and a great lake. When she had passed these she would find her lover again. So she was given three large needles, a plough-wheel, and three nuts, which she was to take great care of. She set out with these things, and when she came to the glass mountain which was so slippery she stuck the three needles behind her feet and then in front, and so got over it, and when she was on the other side put them carefully away.

　　Then she reached the three cutting swords, and got on her plough-wheel and rolled over them. At last she came to a great lake, and, when she had crossed that, arrived at a beautiful castle. She went in and gave herself out as a servant, a poor maid who would gladly be engaged. But she knew that the Prince whom she had freed from the iron stove in the great wood was in the castle. So she was taken on as a kitchen-maid for very small wages. Now the Prince was about to marry another princess, for he thought she was dead long ago.

　　In the evening, when she had washed up and was ready, she felt in her pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She cracked one and was going to eat the kernel, when behold! there was a beautiful royal dress inside it! When the bride heard of this, she came and begged for the dress, and wanted to buy it, saying that it was not a dress for a serving-maid. Then she said she would not sell it unless she was granted one favour--namely, to sleep by the Prince's door. The bride granted her this, because the dress was so beautiful and she had so few like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom, 'That stupid maid wants to sleep by your door.'

　　'If you are contented, I am,' he said. But she gave him a glass of wine in which she had poured a sleeping-draught. Then they both went to his room, but he slept so soundly that she could not wake him. The maid wept all night long, and said, 'I freed you in the wild wood out of the iron stove; I have sought you, and have crossed a glassy mountain, three sharp swords, and a great lake before I found you, and will you not hear me now?' The servants outside heard how she cried the whole night, and they told their master in the morning.

　　When she had washed up the next evening she bit the second nut, and there was a still more beautiful dress inside. When the bride saw it she wanted to buy it also. But the maid did not want money, and asked that she should sleep again by the Prince's door. The bride, however, gave him a sleeping-draught, and he slept so soundly that he heard nothing. But t

　　he kitchen-maid wept the whole night long, and said, 'I have freed you in a wood and from an iron stove; I sought you and have crossed a glassy mountain, three sharp swords, and a great lake to find you, and now you will not hear me!' The servants outside heard how she cried the whole night, and in the morning they told their master.

　　And when she had washed up on the third night she bit the third nut, and there was a still more beautiful dress inside that was made of pure gold. When the bride saw it she wanted to have it, but the maid would only give it her on condition that she should sleep for the third time by the Prince's door. But the Prince took care not to drink the sleeping-draught. When she began to weep and to say, 'Dearest sweetheart, I freed you in the horrible wild wood, and from an iron stove,' he jumped up and said, 'You are right. You are mine, and I am thine.' Though it was still night, he got into a carriage with her, and they took the false bride's clothes away, so that she could not follow them. When they came to the great lake they rowed across, and when they reached the three sharp swords they sat on the plough-wheel, and on the glassy mountain they stuck the three needles in. So they arrived at last at the little old house, but when they stepped inside it turned into a large castle. The toads were all freed, and were beautiful King's children, running about for joy. There they were married, and they remained in the castle, which was much larger than that of the Princess's father's. But because the old man did not like being left alone, they went and fetched him. So they had two kingdoms and lived in great wealth.

　　A mouse has run, My story's done.

英文童话故事9

　　Once there was a boy who lived on a farm. Every day he had to take his father’s sheep to a hill. One day he tried to play a trick on the other people. He said to himself. I will call “wolf. wolf.” then everyone come to help me. It will be fun when they find out there is no wolf after all. So he cried: “wolf .wolf.” and everyone ran to help him. When they came he just said: “there is no wolf. It was only a joke.” He did this three times.

　　Then one day a wolf really came. “Help! Help! The wolf is here.” called the boy. But everyone said: “No you know that there is no wolf. He is just calling us for fun. There is no danger.” So they did not go to help the boy. The wolf killed all the sheep then.

英文童话故事10

　　THE ELFIN HILL

　　A FEW large lizards were running nimbly about in the clefts of an old tree. They could understand one another very well, for they spoke the lizard language. "What a buzzing and a rumbling there is in the elfin hill," said one of the lizards.

　　"I have not been able to close my eyes for two nights on account of the noise; I might just as well have had the toothache, for that always keeps me awake."

　　"There is something going on within there," said the other lizard; "they propped up the top of the hill with four red posts, till cockcrowthis morning, so that it is thoroughly aired, and the elfin girls have learnt new dances; there is something."

　　"I spoke about it to an earthworm of my acquaintance," said a third lizard; "the earthworm had just come from the elfin hill, where he has been groping about in the earth day and night. He has heard a great deal; although he cannot see, poor miserable creature, yet he understands very well how to wriggle and lurk about. They expect friends in the elfin hill, grand company, too; but who they are the earthworm would not say, or, perhaps, he really did not know. All the willo'thewisps are ordered to be there to hold a torch dance, as it is called. The silver and gold which is plentiful in the hill will be polished and placed out in the moonlight."

　　"Who can the strangers be?" asked the lizards; "what can the matter be? Hark, what a buzzing and humming there is!"

　　Just at this moment the elfin hill opened, and an old elfin maiden, hollow behind, came tripping out; she was the old elf king's housekeeper, and a distant relative of the family; therefore she wore an amber heart on the middle of her forehead. Her feet moved very fast, "trip, trip;" good gracious, how she could trip right down to the sea to the nightraven.

　　"You are invited to the elf hill for this evening," said she; "but will you do me a great favor and undertake the invitations? you oughtto do something, for you have no housekeeping to attend to as I have. We are going to have some very grand people, conjurors, who have always something to say; and therefore the old elf king wishes to make a great display."

　　"Who is to be invited?" asked the raven.

　　"All the world may come to the great ball, even human beings, if they can only talk in their sleep, or do something after our fashion. But for the feast the company must be carefully selected; we can only admit persons of high rank; I have had a dispute myself with the elf king, as he thought we could not admit ghosts. The merman and his daughter must be invited first, although it may not be agreeable to them to remain so long on dry land, but they shall have a wet stone to sit on, or perhaps something better; so I think they will not refuse this time. We must have all the old demons of the first class, with tails, and the hobgoblins and imps; and then I think we ought not to leave out the deathhorse, or the gravepig, or even the church dwarf, although they do belong to the clergy, and are not reckoned among our people; but that is merely their office, they are nearly related to us, and visit us very frequently."

　　"Croak," said the nightraven as he flew away with the invitations.

　　The elfin maidens we're already dancing on the elf hill, and they danced in shawls woven from moonshine and mist, which look very pretty to those who like such things. The large hall within the elf hill was splendidly decorated; the floor had been washed with moonshine, and the walls had been rubbed with magic ointment, so that they glowed like tulipleaves in the light. In the kitchen were frogs roasting on the spit, and dishes preparing of snail skins, with children's fingers in them, salad of mushroom seed, hemlock, noses and marrow of mice, beer from the marsh woman's brewery, and sparkling saltpetre wine from the grave cellars. These were all substantial food. Rusty nails and churchwindow glass formed the dessert. The old elf king had his gold crown polished up with powdered slatepencil; it was like that used by the first form, and very difficult for an elf king to obtain. In the bedrooms, curtains were hung up and fastened with the slime of snails; there was, indeed, a buzzing and humming everywhere.

　　"Now we must fumigate the place with burnt horsehair and pig's bristles, and then I think I shall have done my part," said the elf manservant.

　　"Father, dear," said the youngest daughter, "may I now hear who our highborn visitors are?"

　　"Well, I suppose I must tell you now," he replied; "two of my daughters must prepare themselves to be married, for the marriages certainly will take place. The old goblin from Norway, who lives in the ancient Dovre mountains, and who possesses many castles built of rock and freestone, besides a gold mine, which is better than all, so it is thought, is coming with his two sons, who are both seeking a wife. The old goblin is a truehearted, honest, old Norwegian graybeard; cheerful and straightforward. I knew him formerly, when we used to drink together to our good fellowship: he came here once to fetch his wife, she is dead now. She was the daughter of the king of the chalkhills at Moen. They say he took his wife from chalk; I shall be delighted to see him again. It is said that the boys are illbred, forward lads, but perhaps that is not quite correct, and they will become better as they grow older. Let me see that you know how to teach them good manners."

　　"And when are they coming?" asked the daughter.

　　"That depends upon wind and weather," said the elf king; "they travel economically. They will come when there is the chance of a ship. I wanted them to come over to Sweden, but the old man was not inclined to take my advice. He does not go forward with the times, and that I do not like."

　　Two willo'thewisps came jumping in, one quicker than the other, so of course, one arrived first. "They are coming! they are coming!" he cried.

　　"Give me my crown," said the elf king, "and let me stand in the moonshine."

　　The daughters drew on their shawls and bowed down to the ground. There stood the old goblin from the Dovre mountains, with his crown of hardened ice and polished fircones. Besides this, he wore a bearskin, and great, warm boots, while his sons went with their throats bare and wore no braces, for they were strong men.

　　"Is that a hill?" said the youngest of the boys, pointing to the elf hill, "we should call it a hole in Norway."

　　"Boys," said the old man, "a hole goes in, and a hill stands out; have you no eyes in your heads?"

　　Another thing they wondered at was, that they were able without trouble to understand the language.

　　"Take care," said the old man, "or people will think you have not been well brought up."

　　Then they entered the elfin hill, where the select and grand company were assembled, and so quickly had they appeared that they seemed to have been blown together. But for each guest the neatest and pleasantest arrangement had been made. The sea folks sat at table in great watertubs, and they said it was just like being at home. All behaved themselves properly excepting the two young northern goblins; they put their legs on the table and thought they were all right.

　　"Feet off the tablecloth!" said the old goblin. They obeyed, but not immediately. Then they tickled the ladies who waited at table, with the fircones, which they carried in their pockets. They took off their boots, that they might be more at ease, and gave them to the ladies to hold. But their father, the old goblin, was very different; he talked pleasantly about the stately Norwegian rocks, and told fine tales of the waterfalls which dashed over them with a clattering noise like thunder or the sound of an organ, spreading their white foam on every side. He told of the salmon that leaps in the rushing waters, while the watergod plays on his golden harp. He spoke of the bright winter nights, when the sledge bells are ringing, and the boys run with burning torches across the smooth ice, which is so transparent that they can see the fishes dart forward beneath their feet. He described everything so clearly, that those who listened could see it all; they could see the sawmills going, the menservants and the maidens singing songs, and dancing a rattling dance, when all at once the old goblin gave the old elfin maiden a kiss, such a tremendous kiss, and yet they were almost strangers to each other.

　　Then the elfin girls had to dance, first in the usual way, and then with stamping feet, which they performed very well; then followed the artistic and solo dance. Dear me, how they did throw their legs about! No one could tell where the dance begun, or where it ended, nor indeed which were legs and which were arms, for they were all flying about together, like the shavings in a sawpit! And then they spun round so quickly that the deathhorse and the gravepig became sick and giddy, and were obliged to leave the table.

　　"Stop!" cried the old goblin," is that the only housekeeping they can perform? Can they do anything more than dance and throw about their legs, and make a whirlwind?"

　　"You shall soon see what they can do," said the elf king. And then he called his youngest daughter to him. She was slender and fair as moonlight, and the most graceful of all the sisters. She took a white chip in her mouth, and vanished instantly; this was her accomplishment. But the old goblin said he should not like his wife to have such an accomplishment, and thought his boys would have the same objection. Another daughter could make a figure like herself follow her, as if she had a shadow, which none of the goblin folk ever had. The third was of quite a different sort; she had learnt in the brewhouse of the moor witch how to lard elfin puddings with glowworms.

　　"She will make a good housewife," said the old goblin, and then saluted her with his eyes instead of drinking her health; for he did not drink much.

　　Now came the fourth daughter, with a large harp to play upon; and when she struck the first chord, every one lifted up the left leg (for the goblins are leftlegged), and at the second chord they found they must all do just what she wanted.

　　"That is a dangerous woman," said the old goblin; and the two sons walked out of the hill; they had had enough of it. "And what can the next daughter do?" asked the old goblin.

　　"I have learnt everything that is Norwegian," said she; "and I will never marry, unless I can go to Norway."

　　Then her youngest sister whispered to the old goblin, "That is only because she has heard, in a Norwegian song, that when the world shall decay, the cliffs of Norway will remain standing like monuments; and she wants to get there, that she may be safe; for she is so afraid of sinking."

　　"Ho! ho!" said the old goblin, "is that what she means? Well, what can the seventh and last do?"

　　"The sixth comes before the seventh," said the elf king, for he could reckon; but the sixth would not come forward.

　　"I can only tell people the truth," said she. "No one cares for me, nor troubles himself about me; and I have enough to do to sew my grave clothes."

　　So the seventh and last came; and what could she do? Why, she could tell stories, as many as you liked, on any subject.

英文童话故事11

　　IT was bitterly cold, the sky glittered with stars, and not a breeze stirred. "Bump" an old pot was thrown at a neighbor's door; and "bang, bang," went the guns, for they were greeting the New Year.

　　It was New Year's Eve, and the church clock was striking twelve.

　　"Tantarara, tantarara," sounded the horn, and the mailcoach came lumbering up. The clumsy vehicle stopped at the gate of the town; all the places had been taken, for there were twelve passengers in the coach.

　　"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried the people in the town; for in every house the New Year was being welcomed; and as the clock struck, they stood up, the full glasses in their hands, to drink success to the new comer. "A happy New Year," was the cry; "a pretty wife, plenty of money, and no sorrow or care."

　　The wish passed round, and the glasses clashed together till they rang again; while before the towngate the mail coach stopped with the twelve strange passengers. And who were these strangers? Each of them had his passport and his luggage with him; they even brought presents for me, and for you, and for all the people in the town. "Who were they? what did they want? and what did they bring with them?"

　　"Goodmorning," they cried to the sentry at the towngate.

　　"Goodmorning," replied the sentry; for the clock had struck twelve. "Your name and profession?" asked the sentry of the one who alighted first from the carriage.

　　"See for yourself in the passport," he replied. "I am myself;" and a famous fellow he looked, arrayed in bearskin and fur boots.

　　"I am the man on whom many persons fix their hopes. Come to me tomorrow, and I'll give you a New Year's present. I throw shillings and pence among the people; I give balls, no less than thirtyone; indeed, that is the highest number I can spare for balls. My ships are often frozen in, but in my offices it is warm and comfortable. My name is JANUARY. I'm a merchant, and I generally bring my accounts with me."

　　Then the second alighted. He seemed a merry fellow. He was a director of a theatre, a manager of masked balls, and a leader of all the amusements we can imagine. His luggage consisted of a great cask.

　　"We'll dance the bung out of the cask at carnival time," said he;

　　"I'll prepare a merry tune for you and for myself too. Unfortunately I have not long to live the shortest time, in fact, of my whole family only twentyeight days. Sometimes they pop me in a day extra; but I trouble myself very little about that. Hurrah!"

　　"You must not shout so," said the sentry.

　　"Certainly I may shout," retorted the man; "I'm Prince Carnival, travelling under the name of FEBRUARY."

　　The third now got out. He looked a personification of fasting; but he carried his nose very high, for he was related to the "forty (k)nights," and was a weather prophet. But that is not a very lucrative office, and therefore he praised fasting. In his buttonhole he carried a little bunch of violets, but they were very small.

　　"MARCH, March," the fourth called after him, slapping him on the shoulder, "don't you smell something? Make haste into the guard room; they're drinking punch there; that's your favorite drink. I can smell it out here already. Forward, Master March." But it was not true; the speaker only wanted to remind him of his name, and to make an APRIL fool of him; for with that fun the fourth generally began his career. He looked very jovial, did little work, and had the more holidays. "If the world were only a little more settled," said he: "but sometimes I'm obliged to be in a good humor, and sometimes a bad one, according to circumstances; now rain, now sunshine. I'm kind of a house agent, also a manager of funerals. I can laugh or cry, according to circumstances. I have my summer wardrobe in this box here, but it would be very foolish to put it on now. Here I am. On Sundays I go out walking in shoes and white silk stockings, and a muff."

　　After him, a lady stepped out of the coach. She called herself Miss MAY. She wore a summer dress and overshoes; her dress was a light green, and she wore anemones in her hair. She was so scented with wildthyme, that it made the sentry sneeze.

　　"Your health, and God bless you," was her salutation to him.

　　How pretty she was! and such a singer! not a theatre singer, nor a ballad singer; no, but a singer of the woods; for she wandered through the gay green forest, and had a concert there for her own amusement.

　　"Now comes the young lady," said those in the carriage; and out stepped a young dame, delicate, proud, and pretty. It was Mistress JUNE, in whose service people become lazy and fond of sleeping for hours. She gives a feast on the longest day of the year, that there may be time for her guests to partake of the numerous dishes at her table. Indeed, she keeps her own carriage; but still she traveled by the mail, with the rest, because she wished to show that she was not highminded. But she was not without a protector; her younger brother, JULY, was with her. He was a plump young fellow, clad in summer garments and wearing a straw hat. He had but very little luggage with him, because it was so cumbersome in the great heat; he had, however, swimmingtrousers with him, which are nothing to carry. Then came the mother herself, in crinoline, Madame AUGUST, a wholesale dealer in fruit, proprietress of a large number of fish ponds and a land cultivator. She was fat and heated, yet she could use her hands well, and would herself carry out beer to the laborers in the field. "In the sweat of the face shalt thou eat bread," said she; "it is written in the Bible." After work, came the recreations, dancing and playing in the Greenwood, and the "harvest homes." She was a thorough housewife.

　　After her a man came out of the coach, who is a painter; he is the great master of colors, and is named SEPTEMBER. The forest, on his arrival, had to change its colors when he wished it; and how beautiful are the colors he chooses! The woods glow with hues of red and gold and brown. This great master painter could whistle like a blackbird. He was quick in his work, and soon entwined the tendrils of the hop plant around his beer jug. This was an ornament to the jug, and he has a great love for ornament. There he stood with his color pot in his hand, and that was the whole of his luggage. A landowner followed, who in the month for sowing seed attended to the ploughing and was fond of field sports. Squire OCTOBER brought his dog and his gun with him, and had nuts in his game bag. "Crack, crack." He had a great deal of luggage, even an English plough. He spoke of farming, but what he said could scarcely be heard for the coughing and gasping of his neighbor. It was NOVEMBER, who coughed violently as he got out. He had a cold, which caused him to use his pockethandkerchief continually; and yet he said he was obliged to accompany servant girls to their new places, and initiate them into their winter service. He said he thought his cold would never leave him when he went out woodcutting, for he was a master sawyer, and had to supply wood to the whole parish. He spent his evenings preparing wooden soles for skates, for he knew, he said, that in a few weeks these shoes would be wanted for the amusement of skating. At length the last passenger made her appearance, old Mother DECEMBER, with her firestool. The dame was very old, but her eyes glistened like two stars. She carried on her arm a flowerpot, in which a little firtree was growing.

　　"This tree I shall guard and cherish," she said, "that it may grow large by Christmas Eve, and reach from the ground to the ceiling, to be covered and adorned with flaming candles, golden apples, and little figures. The firestool will be as warm as a stove, and I shall then bring a story book out of my pocket, and read aloud till all the children in the room are quite quiet. Then the little figures on the tree will become lively, and the little waxen angel at the top spread out his wings of goldleaf, and fly down from his green perch. He will kiss every one in the room, great and small; yes, even the poor children who stand in the passage, or out in the street singing a carol about the 'Star of Bethlehem.'"

　　"Well, now the coach may drive away," said the sentry; "we have the whole twelve. Let the horses be put up."

　　"First, let all the twelve come to me," said the captain on duty, "one after another. The passports I will keep here. Each of them isavailable for one month; when that has passed, I shall write the behavior of each on his passport. Mr. JANUARY, have the goodness to come here." And Mr. January stepped forward.

　　When a year has passed, I think I shall be able to tell you what the twelve passengers have brought to you, to me, and to all of us. Now I do not know, and probably even they don't know themselves, for we live in strange times.

英文童话故事12

　　Snow-white ate the red side of the apple. When the powder was in her mouth, she fell down dead. The Queen went back to her house. She went into her room. she looked into the glass and said, "Tell me, glass upon the wall, who is most beautiful of all?" The glass said, "The Queen is most beautiful of all." Then the Queen know that Snow-white was dead.

　　The Little Men came back to the hut. When they saw that Snow-white was dead, the poor Little Men cried. Then they put Snow-white in a box made of glass. They took the glass box to a hill and put it there, and said, "Everyone who goes by will see how beautiful she was." Then each Little Man put one white flower on the box, and they went away.

　　Just as they were going away, a Prince came by. He saw the glass box and said, "What is that?" Then he saw Snow-white in the box. He said, "She was very beautiful: but do not put her there. There is a hall in the garden of my father's house. It is all made of white stone. We will take the glass box and put it in the hall of beautiful white stone."

　　白雪公主吃了苹果红的一半,当粉末进入她嘴里时,她倒下去死了。王后回到家,进了自己的房间,对着镜子说:“告诉我,墙上的魔镜,谁是世界上最漂亮的。”魔镜说:“王后是世界上最漂亮的。”于是,王后知道白雪公主已经死了。小矮人们回到小屋,发现白雪公主死了。可怜的小矮人们全都哭了。然后,他们把白雪公主放进玻璃棺材里,并把它抬到山坡上,安放在那里,说:“每位经过这里的人都会看见她是多么美丽。”接着每个小矮人在棺材上放了一朵白花,然后离开了。

　　他们刚刚要离开,一位王子从此经过,他看着玻璃棺材说:“那是什么?”这时,他发现白雪公主躺在里面,他说:“她太美丽了,不能把她放在这里,在父亲的`王宫里有一座大厅,整个大厅都是用白石头砌成,我们把玻璃棺材搬到那所漂亮的白石大厅里。”

英文童话故事13

　　It happened that the cat met Mr. Fox in the woods. She thought, "He is intelligent and well experienced, and is highly regarded in the world," so she spoke to him in a friendly manner, "Good-day, my dear Mr. Fox. How is it going? How are you? How are you getting by in these hard times?"

　　The fox, filled with arrogance, examined the cat from head to feet, and for a long time did not know whether he should give an answer. At last he said, "Oh, you poor beard-licker, you speckled fool, you hungry mouse hunter, what are you thinking? Have you the nerve to ask how I am doing? What do you know? How many tricks do you understand?"

　　"I understand but one," answered the cat, modestly.

　　"What kind of a trick is it?" asked the fox.

　　"When the dogs are chasing me, I can jump into a tree and save myself."

　　"Is that all?" said the fox. "I am master of a hundred tricks, and in addition to that I have a sackful of cunning. I feel sorry for you. Come with me, and I will teach you how one escapes from the dogs."

　　Just then a hunter came by with four dogs. The cat jumped nimbly up a tree, and sat down at its top, where the branches and foliage completely hid her.

　　"Untie your sack, Mr. Fox, untie your sack," the cat shouted to him, but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast.

　　"Oh, Mr. Fox," shouted the cat. "You and your hundred tricks are left in the lurch. If you been able to climb like I can, you would not have lost your life."

　　一只猫在森林里遇到一只狐狸，心想：“他又聪明，经验又丰富，挺受人尊重的。”於是它很友好地和狐狸打招呼：“日安，尊敬的狐狸先生，您好吗?这些日子挺艰难的，您过得怎么样?”

　　狐狸傲慢地将猫从头到脚地打量了一番，半天拿不定主意是不是该和它说话。最后它说：“哦，你这个倒霉的长着鬍子、满身花纹的傻瓜、饥肠辘辘地追赶老鼠的'傢伙，你会啥?有甚么资格问我过得怎么样?你都学了点甚么本事?”

　　“我只有一种本领。”猫谦虚地说。

　　“甚么本领?”狐狸问。

　　“有人追我的时候，我会爬到树上去藏起来保护自己。”

　　“就这本事?”狐狸不屑地说，“我掌握了上百种本领，而且还有满口袋计谋。我真觉得你可怜，跟着我吧，我教你怎么从追捕中逃生。”

　　就在这时，猎人带着四条狗走近了。猫敏捷地窜到一棵树上，在树顶上蹲伏下来，茂密的树叶把它遮挡得严严实实。

　　“快打开你的计谋口袋，狐狸先生，快打开呀!”猫冲着狐狸喊道。可是猎狗已经将狐狸扑倒咬住了。“哎呀，狐狸先生，”猫喊道，“你的千百种本领就这么给扔掉了!假如你能像我一样爬树就不至於丢了性命了!”

英文童话故事14

　　Mr. Carrisford was rich. He had diamond mines. "I caught brain fever when the diamond mines seemed to go wrong. Before long I recovered. But my best friend was already dead. I must find my friend's daughter. She must be alive somewhere. She may be penniless now. Oh, it is through my fault," Mr. Carrisford said to Ram Dass. "How about helping the little girl in the attic, Sir? "That will make you feel better," said Ram Dass. "That's a good idea. It will make her happy, too," said Mr. Carrisford with a smile. Sara was crossing the muddy street. Just then she found something shining in the mud. It was a four-penny piece! Then she saw a little girl with a dirty face and big, hungry eyes. "Are you hungry?" asked Sara

英文童话故事15

　　战国时期，楚襄王统治楚国时，国势不振。楚王和重要的大臣都荒淫无能。他们一直沉溺于奢侈享乐之中。大臣庄辛预见到楚国会发生危险。一天他劝谏楚王说：" 陛下，无论你走到哪儿，身旁总是那些奉承你的人，他们想尽办法让您高兴，您就忘了处理国事。长此以往，国家迟早会灭亡的。"

　　楚王大怒："大胆！你居然用这样恶毒的话来诅咒我的国家，蓄意挑起人民的不满！" 庄辛解释说："我不敢诅咒楚国，但我可以预言楚国正面临着巨大的危险。" 庄辛见楚王如此宠信那些腐败的大臣，相信楚国必定要亡国。于是他向楚王请求离开楚国，到赵国居住一段时候。

　　楚王同意了，他便到赵国去了。五个月之后，秦君果然派军入侵楚国，占领了大片土地。楚王被迫流亡。这时，他想起了庄辛的`劝谏，于是派人接庄辛回来。楚王见了庄辛，便问："现在我该怎么办呢？"

　　庄辛回答说："丢了羊，就把羊圈修好，不算迟。" 然后他提出许多如何重振国家，收复失地的好谋略。楚王非常高兴。

　　成语"亡羊补牢"就是由庄辛对楚王的回答而来的。比喻事情出了差错，有了损失，如果及时补救，还能够弥补，吸取教训。

　　Mend the fold after a sheep is lost

　　During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC)， the State of Chu not very powerful. The king and the important court officials were dissolute and incompetent. They indulged in luxury and excessive pleasure all the time. Zhuang Xin, one of the ministers foresaw that the country was in danger. One day he remonstrated with the king: "Your Majesty, wherever you go, you’re always surrounded by people who flatter you with what you like. They try everything to make you happy so that you forgot to tend to state affairs. If you go on like this, no doubt, the country will perish sooner or later."

　　The King of Chu flew into a rage. "How dare you! You even use such vicious words to curse my country and mean to arouse resentment among the people!" Zhuang Xin explained, "I dare not curse the State of Chu. But I really have a premonition that Chu is facing great danger." Seeing that the king is especially fond of those corrupt officials and trust them in everything, the minister thought Chu is bound to extinct. So he asked the king to let him leave Chu. He wanted to go to the State of Zhao and stay there for a while.

　　The king gave him the leave.

　　Five months later, the King of Qin sent his troops to invade Chu and occupied a large tract of its territory. The King of Chu himself went into exile. Now, the king remembered Zhuang Xin’s words. He sent his men to fetch him. When the king saw Zhuang Xin again, he asked him, "What can I do now?"

　　Zhuang Xin replied, "It’s not too late if you mend the sheepfold when you find a sheep is missing." He then made some good suggestions to rehabilitate the state and recover the lost land. The king was very much pleased.

　　The idiom "Mend the fold after a sheep is lost" has developed from Zhuang Xin’s answer to the king.

　　We still use this metaphor to advise someone that even when he has made a mistake and suffered losses, he can still remedy it by drawing lessons from the mistake.

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