下面是小编为大家整理的童话英语作文，本文共20篇，仅供参考，大家一起来看看吧。
篇1：英语作文童话
In the past, an official celebrated1 his birthday.
A small official under him heard that he was born in the year of “the rat”. To curry2 the official's favour, he had a gold rat cast as a birthday present and went to the official's house to congratulate him on his birthday.
The official was very pleased at the sight of the gold rat and said: “Do you know? In a few days my wife will celebrate her birthday too. She was born in the year of 'the ox'”.
从前，有个官员过生日。
他手下的一个小官听说他属“鼠”，为了巴结他，铸了一只金鼠作为寿礼，登门祝寿。
这个官员一见金鼠，很是高兴，说：“你们知道吗?过几天，我的夫人也要过生日了，她是属‘牛’”。
篇2：英语作文童话
Towards the end of the Age of Bronze the human world became very cruel.
Men grew hungry,impolite and ungodly.Neither rightn or law was respected any longer,and the rule of hospitality was forgotten.Dressed up in human form,Zeus visited Arcadia andThessaly,and disliked the deadly wrongs of men .He decidedto clear the earth of them all.Without hesitation he released therainy south wind and called upon the heartless Poseidon to help.Soon the whole world sank in a vast ocean, and the entire humanrace disappeared in the unheard of flood,all but two poor Thessalians .
These were an old childless couple,kind and faithful and contented with life.The man was called Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha.Son of Prometheus,Deucalion had been warned beforehand by his father of the coming flood and made himself a hugechest.When the roaring flood came the couple hid themselves init and floated for nine days until it touched land again on Mt Parnassus.
The once active world presented a frightening sight.It was all death and ruin.Feeling lonely and unsafe,the old coupleprayed to the gods for help.A sage instructed them to cast the bones of their mother about .The son of the wise Titan, havingguessed the true meaning of the mysterious command, started throwing stones behind him. A miracle occurred. The stonesthat the man cast became men;the stones that the woman threwturned into women.Since then,people appeared on the land again.The Heroic Age had begun.
洪水
到了青铜期末代,人类世界变得非常残忍,人类也变得贪婪、粗鲁且不虔诚。公理与法律不再受到尊重。殷勤好客的风俗被遗忘。宙斯装扮成凡人的样子查看了阿卡迪亚和色萨利两地。他不喜欢凡人极度的罪恶,决心将他们从地球上铲除。他毫不犹豫地释放了夹雨的南风,并召来冷酷无情的波塞冬协助他。很快整个人类世界被淹没在一片汪洋之中。除了两名恭顺的色萨利人幸免于难外,人类被史无前例的洪水吞噬。
这对老夫妻没有孩子。他们善良、虔诚、对生活心满意足。丈夫是普罗米修斯的儿子,名叫丢卡利翁,妻子名为皮拉。丢卡利翁的父亲事先就警告他会爆发洪水,因此,他制了个巨大的箱子。当咆哮的洪水涌来时,夫妻俩就躲藏在箱中,这样漂泊了九天,最终漂到了帕那萨斯山。
曾经生机勃勃的大地呈现出恐怖的`景象。死亡与毁灭四处可见。老夫妻深感孤独和危险。他们就向上帝祈祷,乞求帮助。一位圣人指示他们把母亲的遗骨掷向四周。这位聪明的泰坦的后代,马上悟出了这个神秘指示所隐含的意义。他们开始将石头抛向身后。奇迹出现了。男人抛出的石头变成成了男人,女人抛的则变成了女人。从此人类再次在陆地上出现,英雄时代来临。
篇3：英语作文童话
Once upon a time, there was a bird-catcher who liked to cast1 a net to catch birds.
One day, seeing that birds would fly past, he immediately cast his net and waited patiently.
After a while, a bird came as expected, and was caught by him at once.
The bird-catcher drew in the net and found that the bird had been caught in one mesh2. He thought that, such being the case, one mesh would be enough. Therefore, he especially made a net with only one mesh, cast it in the same place and waited in high spirits.
However, he never caught another bird thereafter3.
古时候，有个捕鸟的人，喜欢张网捕鸟。
一天，他看见鸟儿将要从这里飞过，于是立刻布下了罗网，耐心地等待。
一会儿，鸟儿果然飞来了，一下子就被他捕获了。
捕鸟人收网一看，发现鸟被缚在一只网眼里。他想，原来只要一个网眼就行了。于是，他就专门制作了一张只有一个眼孔的网，再拿到原处张起网来，兴致勃勃地等待着。
然而，从此以后，他再也没有捕到过一只鸟。
篇4：动物童话作文英语
动物童话作文英语
A goat is the grass grass to eat with appetite. Suddenly, a lion rushed over, with sharp teeth,hungry eyes scared Stigmata goat, goat. But the goat is very smart, very flexible, it will soon calmdown. It wants to turn on the lion said: “I have eaten ten elephants, thirty tigers, the taste is not to my liking. Do not know how the water. ” Lion heard run, running all the way.
Along the way she met a wolf, the wolf asked: “lion brother, in such a hurry to go to you?” The lion says: “escape ah!” The wolf was very surprised and asked: “Hey, you usually are chasing others,what was changed when other people chasing you?” The lion said: “there is a super creepy goat, it ate ten elephants and thirty tigers, now have to eat me. You are the best, quickly escape it,otherwise it will come to eat you.” After listening to the wolf, smiled, said: “the eldest brother, you took it when! It is ah, didn't you say so dramatically. The goat is not carnivorous animal, otherwise, itdid eat those very unpalatable grass? Usually the wolf to eat it. It even we have to beat, you can winthe lion? Well, you think that is impossible! ” Lion half-believe in, asked: “really?” Wolf replied: “is true, I won't lie to you. Do not believe, we'll see a goat. ”
The wolf walked in front of the lion, tightly behind the wolf, afraid of wolves cheat it. The goat goatsaw there, two of them, unhurried said: “wolf, I told you to bring thirty lions, you stupid, light one, not enough for my teeth.” Oh, I was a lion, you are the only the cunning wolf to cheat. It immediately jumped on the wolves to eat.
A few days later, the lion came to the trouble of goat. It can be thought of a goat said, did not dare to annoy the goat, hiding in the side secretly observe the goat. Unexpectedly, clever goat ready, itearly in their own surroundings quietly dug a pit, there are many. Goat eyes turn, had an idea, itautomatic speaking said: “this day my body hurt, my hands are tiger bite, the lion can never come.”A lion was delighted, suddenly jumped out from behind the rock, “ha ha, you may be dead!” Lion attacked make threatening gestures to goats. Only to hear “the head” of a sound, just fell into thetrap of goats. The mighty lion was stabbed to death.
Since then, goats are having a pleasant time together.
篇5：小学英语作文：童话
童话故事是每一个小朋友都喜欢的，童话世界是美好的，是充满了想象的。用英语讲童话故事是不是很有创意呢？
Since I was a little baby, my parents read simple stories for me. They bought me many cartoon books with stories. They were my bedtime stories. Among all the interesting stories, I like fairy tales most, because they are often beautiful love stories between prince and princes or Cinderella. They are so moved and full of love. Besides, in fairy tales, no matter how much they suffer, they will always live a happy life in the end. The happy endings bring hope and satisfaction to people, making us hopeful to our own lives. Every time I read fairy tales, I put myself into the story, imagining I am one of them. That’s wonderful.
篇6：小学英语童话小作文-英语
小学英语童话小作文-英语
Eros（Cupid）eros was the god of love，better known by hislatin name cupid.son of aphrodite by ares，he took his place among the small gods of olympus.
he was represented asa little naked boy，with sparkling wings，and he carried his bowand arrows wherever he wandered.shooting his thrilling arrows in evils，he inspired the passion of love and provided all nature with life and power of reproduction.
the lovely，naughty god had two kinds of arrows：the gold tipped arrows used to quicken the pulse of love and the lead tipped ones to palsy it.
besides，he had a torch to light hearts with. though sometimes he was blindfolded，no man nor god，zeus himself included，was safe from his evils.
at one time the little naughty god was wounded by his own arrows and such burning love was awakened in him for the human maiden psyche that he disregarded the constant interference of his mother and plucked up his courage to beg zeus for justice.
another famous story where eros played an important part was the argonautic expedition.medea，daughter of king aeetes，was wounded by eros'' arrows，took jason''s part in recovering the golden fleece and eventually became the hero''s wife.
译文：
厄洛斯（丘比特）厄洛斯是爱神，它的拉丁名称丘比特更为人熟知。他是阿瑞斯和阿芙罗狄蒂的儿子，是一位小奥林波斯山神。
他的形象是一个裸体的小男孩，有一对闪闪发光的'翅膀。他带着弓箭漫游。他恶作剧地射出令人震颤的神箭，唤起爱的激情。给自然界带来生机，授予万物繁衍的能力。
这位可爱而又淘气的小精灵有两种神箭：加快爱情产生的金头神箭和中止爱情的铅头神箭。
另外，他还有一束照亮心灵的火炬。尽管有时他被蒙着眼睛，但没有任何人或神，包括宙斯在内，能逃避他的恶作剧。
有一次这位淘气的精灵被自己的箭射中。对人间少女普赛克炽热的爱在他心中复苏，以致于他不顾他母亲的干预，鼓起勇气让宙斯给予公正评判。
厄洛斯起了重大作用的另一个著名的故事是亚尔古英雄的远征。美狄亚，国王埃厄忒斯的女儿，被厄洛斯的神箭射中，和伊阿宋一起寻觅金羊毛，最后成为这位英雄的妻子。
篇7：童话 Fairy Tales-英语作文
童话 Fairy Tales-英语作文
Everybody grows up with fairy tales Fairy tales have great influence on many people’s career, especially the directors and writers These fictional world brings something positive to people In the imaginary world, children can find a lot things that they have never seen in the real life All of these provide the young people a wide vision of life, which gives them the passion and inspiration to create new things In the stories, family love and friendship are always the main themes They win in the end and grow up as the strong people.
童话故事最重要的意义在于给孩子们展示看世界的方式。在故事中，亲情和友谊总是主题。主人公对抗邪恶力量，最后在家人和朋友的帮助下取得胜利，成长为强大的人。这给孩子们展示了只要不放弃，成功就会到来。
篇8：秋天的童话大学英语作文
秋天的童话大学英语作文
A Fairy Tale in Fall
roaming on the path among the trees， i threw my sentiment into the blue sky， which landed on the ground of my alma mater，and brought me back to the day three years ago.
that was a day in fall， that was a fall in my heart. shatters swung in the air， just like golden butterflies dancing in the breeze. the sunset cast her afterglow on the ground， as well as on her dazzling pink face. after a long silence， i looked into her clear eyes， whispered to her that i wondered whether i had a position in her future. she thought it for a while， walking back and forth. i noticed she trembled lips several times and let out no words. finally， she turned to me and flashed a wry smile：“sorfy， i feel that distance makes beauty， lets just be good friends.” i could never forget that sentence， just like a bolt from the blue. it hit me like a thousand knives stabbing all over my body. i couldnt breathe， i couldnt think， at least not about anything but the pain. gazing at her receding figure， i couldnt stop tears wetting my pale cheeks. the tale ended with the girls disappearance from my sight.
now fall comes again. i left myself nothing but the broken memories.
篇9：秋天的童话大学英语作文
秋天的童话大学英语作文
roaming on the path among the trees， i threw my sentiment into the blue sky， which landed on the ground of my alma mater，and brought me back to the day three years ago.
that was a day in fall， that was a fall in my heart. shatters swung in the air， just like golden butterflies dancing in the breeze. the sunset cast her afterglow on the ground， as well as on her dazzling pink face. after a long silence， i looked into her clear eyes， whispered to her that i wondered whether i had a position in her future. she thought it for a while， walking back and forth. i noticed she trembled lips several times and let out no words. finally， she turned to me and flashed a wry smile：“sorfy， i feel that distance makes beauty， lets just be good friends.” i could never forget that sentence， just like a bolt from the blue. it hit me like a thousand knives stabbing all over my body. i couldnt breathe， i couldnt think， at least not about anything but the pain. gazing at her receding figure， i couldnt stop tears wetting my pale cheeks. the tale ended with the girls disappearance from my sight.
now fall es again. i left myself nothing but the broken memories.
篇10：读书童话书的英语作文
关于读书童话书的英语作文
I like reading very much. The fairy tales are my favorites, such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales,Anderson’s Fairy Talesand so on.But I like Zheng Yuanjie’s fairy tales most, such as Shuke and Beita and many other books.The roles in his fairy tales are so funny. Sometimes, I think they are around me. They are my classmates or my friends.Therefore, these stories are also my own stories.And, his books also teach me to be a good kid.
我很喜欢读书，童话故事是我最喜欢的比如说格林童话，安徒生童话等等。但是我最喜欢的是郑渊洁童话，比如说《舒克和贝塔》还有很多其他书本。他的童话故事里的角色十分有趣，有时候我会觉得他们就在我身边，他们是我的同学或者朋友。因此，这些故事也是我的故事。另外，他的书也教我成为一个好孩子。
篇11：短篇英语童话
(Kangaroos and the Cage)
One day the staff members of a zoo called a meeting to discuss the problem--how to deal with the kangaroos that were found out of the cage. They came to the conclusion that the cage was placed too low and decided to raise it from one to two meters high. But the next day the kangaroos were still at large and they again raised the cage to three meters.
有一天，动物园的管理员们发现袋鼠从笼子里跑出来了， 于是开会讨论，一致认为是笼子的高度过低，所以他们决定将笼子的高度由原来的1米加高到2米。结果第二天他们发现，袋鼠还是跑到外面来，所以他们又决定再将高度加高到3米。
Quite beyond their expectation the next morning they saw the kangaroos still free to go about. They were alarmed and determined to go to all the length by raising the cage to the height of ten meters.
没想到隔天居然又看到袋鼠全跑到外面，于是管理 员们大为紧张，决定一不做二不休，将笼子的高度加高到10米。
Later a giraffe, while chatting with some kangaroos, asked them, “Do you think they will go on raising your cage?”
一天，长颈鹿和几只袋鼠在闲聊，“你们看，这些人 会不会再继续加高你们的笼子?”长颈鹿问。
“Hard to say,” said a kangaroo, “if they continue forgetting to fasten the cage door.”
“很难说。”袋鼠说，“如果他们再继续忘记关门的.话!”
篇12：短篇英语童话
(The Wind And The Sun)
One day the wind said to the sun, “Look at that man walking along the road. I can get his cloak off more quickly than you can.”
(有一天风跟太阳说: “看看那个沿着路上走的人.我可以比你快让他把披风脱下来.)
“We will see about that,” said the sun. “I will let you try first.”
(“我们等着看吧,”太阳说, “我让你先试.)
So the wind tried to make the man take off his cloak. He blew and blew, but the man only pulled his cloak more closely around himself.
(因此风尝试让那个人把披风脱下来.他用力地吹,可是那个人把披风拉得更紧.)
“I give up,” said the wind at last. “I cannot get his cloak off.” Then the sun tried. He shone as hard as he could. The man soon became hot and took off his cloak.
(“我放弃了,”风最后说, “我无法让他把披风脱下来.”然后由太阳试试看.他尽可能地晒他.不久,那个人很热就把披风脱下来了.)
篇13：短篇英语童话
两个朋友在荒漠里穿行，途中他们发上了争执;其中一个人单了另一位一个耳光。被达的人非常伤心，但他什么也没说，只是在沙地上写到：“今天，我最好的朋友打了我一个耳光。”
他们继续往前走，发现了一片绿洲，他们决定在那里洗个澡。结果，被打的那位陷进了泥潭，眼看就要被淹死，结果他的朋友救了他。恢复过来都他在石头上写到：“今天，我最好的朋友救了我的命。”
那位打他并救了他的朋友问：“为什么我伤害你时，你在沙地上写下来，而现在却在石头上刻下来呢?”
被救的那位答到：“受到伤害时，我们应该把他写在沙地上，宽恕之风会将它抹平。可是受人恩惠时，我们应该把它刻在石头上，任何风雨也不会把它擦掉。”
学会将所受的伤害写在沙子上，把所的的恩德刻在石头上。有人这样说，找到一个特别的人只需要用一分钟，欣赏他需要用一小时，喜欢他需要用一天，但忘掉他却需要用一生的时间。
把这句话送给那些你永远无法忘记的人吧。这段短短的话能让他们知道你永远不会忘记他们。
此生不忘。
Sand and stone
The story goes that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the said:” Today my best friend slapped me in the face.”
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on stone: Today my best friend saved my life.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on a stone.why?
The other friend replied: When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away .But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind ever erases it.
Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate him, a day to love him, but an entire life to forget him.
Send this phrase to the people you will never forget .It is a short message to let them know that you will never forget them.
Take the time to live.
篇14：英语小童话
An old cock and a foxIt is evening.An old cock is sitting in a tree.A fox comes to the tree and looks up at the cock.“Hello,Mr Cock,I have good news for you,”says the fox.“Oh”says thecock,“What good news for me?”“All the animals are friends now.”says the fox.“Fine!”says the cock.“I'm very glad to know that.”Then he looks up、
“Look!A dog ia coming this way.”“What?A dog?”says the fox.“Well....well,I must go now.Goodbye,Mr Cock!”“Wait,Mr Fox,Don't you like dogs?”Don't you like playing with the dog?Dogs are our friends now.“”But,...but they may not know the news yet.“Then he runs away.”I see,I see,“says the cock.He smiles and goes to sleep
.翻译：一只老公鸡和一只狐狸是夜。一只老公鸡呆在树上。一只狐狸走向大树要拜访公鸡。”你好，公鸡先生，我有一个关于你的好消息。“狐狸说。”噢，“公鸡说，”是什么关于我的好消息?“”所有动物现在都是朋友了。“狐狸说。”好，“公鸡说，”我听到那非常高兴!“然后他看到了。
”看，一只狗正在往这边来。“”什么?一只狗?“狐狸问。”好的好的，现在我该走了，再见，公鸡先生!“”等等，狐狸先生，你难道不喜欢狗吗?难道你不喜欢和狗玩么?狗现在是我们的朋友。“”但是，但是它们现在可能还不知道。“然后他跑走了。”我知道了，我知道了，“公鸡说。他微笑着然后去睡觉了。
篇15：英语童话：各得其所
英语童话：各得其所
IT is more than a hundred years ago! At the border of the wood， near a large lake， stood the old mansion： deep ditches surrounded it on every side， in which reeds and bulrushes grew. Close by the drawbridge， near the gate， there was an old willow tree， which bent over the reeds.
From the narrow pass came the sound of bugles and the trampling of horses’ feet; therefore a little girl who was watching the geese hastened to drive them away from the bridge， before the whole hunting party came galloping up; they came， however， so quickly， that the girl， in order to avoid being run over， placed herself on one of the high corner-stones of the bridge. She was still half a child and very delicately built; she had bright blue eyes， and a gentle， sweet expression. But such things the baron did not notice; while he was riding past the little goose-girl， he reversed his hunting crop， and in rough play gave her such a push with it that she fell backward into the ditch.
“Everything in the right place!” he cried. “Into the ditch with you.”
Then he burst out laughing， for that he called fun; the others joined in—the whole party shouted and cried， while the hounds barked.
While the poor girl was falling she happily caught one of the branches of the willow tree， by the help of which she held herself over the water， and as soon as the baron with his company and the dogs had disappeared through the gate， the girl endeavoured to scramble up， but the branch broke off， and she would have fallen backward among the rushes， had not a strong hand from above seized her at this moment. It was the hand of a pedlar; he had witnessed what had happened from a short distance， and now hastened to assist her.
“Everything in the right place，” he said， imitating the noble baron， and pulling the little maid up to the dry ground. He wished to put the branch back in the place it had been broken off， but it is not possible to put everything in the right place; therefore he stuck the branch into the soft ground.
“Grow and thrive if you can， and produce a good flute for them yonder at the mansion，” he said; it would have given him great pleasure to see the noble baron and his companions well thrashed. Then he entered the castle—but not the banqueting hall; he was too humble for that. No; he went to the servants’ hall. The men-servants and maids looked over his stock of articles and bargained with him; loud crying and screaming were heard from the master’s table above： they called it singing—indeed， they did their best. Laughter and the howls of dogs were heard through the open windows： there they were feasting and revelling; wine and strong old ale were foaming in the glasses and jugs; the favourite dogs ate with their masters; now and then the squires kissed one of these animals， after having wiped its mouth first with the tablecloth. They ordered the pedlar to come up， but only to make fun of him. The wine had got into their heads， and reason had left them. They poured beer into a stocking that he could drink with them， but quick. That’s what they called fun， and it made them laugh. Then meadows， peasants， and farmyards were staked on one card and lost.
“Everything in the right place!” the pedlar said when he had at last safely got out of Sodom and Gomorrah， as he called it. “The open high road is my right place; up there I did not feel at ease.”
The little maid， who was still watching the geese， nodded kindly to him as he passed through the gate.
Days and weeks passed， and it was seen that the broken willow-branch which the peddlar had stuck into the ground near the ditch remained fresh and green—nay， it even put forth fresh twigs; the little goose-girl saw that the branch had taken root， and was very pleased; the tree， so she said， was now her tree. While the tree was advancing， everything else at the castle was going backward， through feasting and gambling， for these are two rollers upon which nobody stands safely. Less than six years afterwards the baron passed out of his castle-gate a poor beggar， while the baronial seat had been bought by a rich tradesman. He was the very pedlar they had made fun of and poured beer into a stocking for him to drink; but honesty and industry bring one forward， and now the pedlar was the possessor of the baronial estate. From that time forward no card-playing was permitted there.
“That’s a bad pastime，” he said; “when the devil saw the Bible for the first time he wanted to produce a caricature in opposition to it， and invented card-playing.”
The new proprietor of the estate took a wife， and whom did he take?—The little goose-girl， who had always remained good and kind， and who looked as beautiful in her new clothes as if she had been a lady of high birth. And how did all this come about? That would be too long a tale to tell in our busy time， but it really happened， and the most important events have yet to be told.
It was pleasant and cheerful to live in the old place now： the mother superintended the household， and the father looked after things out-of-doors， and they were indeed very prosperous.
Where honesty leads the way， prosperity is sure to follow. The old mansion was repaired and painted， the ditches were cleaned and fruit-trees planted; all was homely and pleasant， and the floors were as white and shining as a pasteboard. In the long winter evenings the mistress and her maids sat at the spinning-wheel in the large hall; every Sunday the counsellor—this title the pedlar had obtained， although only in his old days—read aloud a portion from the Bible. The children (for they had children) all received the best education， but they were not all equally clever， as is the case in all families.
In the meantime the willow tree near the drawbridge had grown up into a splendid tree， and stood there， free， and was never clipped. “It is our genealogical tree，” said the old people to their children， “and therefore it must be honoured.”
A hundred years had elapsed. It was in our own days; the lake had been transformed into marsh land; the whole baronial seat had， as it were， disappeared. A pool of water near some ruined walls was the only remainder of the deep ditches; and here stood a magnificent old tree with overhanging branches—that was the genealogical tree. Here it stood， and showed how beautiful a willow can look if one does not interfere with it. The trunk， it is true， was cleft in the middle from the root to the crown; the storms had bent it a little， but it still stood there， and out of every crevice and cleft， in which wind and weather had carried mould， blades of grass and flowers sprang forth. Especially above， where the large boughs parted， there was quite a hanging garden， in which wild raspberries and hart’s-tongue ferns throve， and even a little mistletoe had taken root， and grew gracefully in the old willow branches， which were reflected in the dark water beneath when the wind blew the chickweed into the corner of the pool. A footpath which led across the fields passed close by the old tree. High up， on the woody hillside， stood the new mansion. It had a splendid view， and was large and magnificent; its window panes were so clear that one might have thought there were none there at all. The large flight of steps which led to the entrance looked like a bower covered with roses and broad-leaved plants. The lawn was as green as if each blade of grass was cleaned separately morning and evening. Inside， in the hall， valuable oil paintings were hanging on the walls. Here stood chairs and sofas covered with silk and velvet， which could be easily rolled about on castors; there were tables with polished marble tops， and books bound in morocco with gilt edges. Indeed， well-to-do and distinguished people lived here; it was the dwelling of the baron and his family. Each article was in keeping with its surroundings. “Everything in the right place” was the motto according to which they also acted here， and therefore all the paintings which had once been the honour and glory of the old mansion were now hung up in the passage which led to the servants’ rooms. It was all old lumber， especially two portraits—one representing a man in a scarlet coat with a wig， and the other a lady with powdered and curled hair holding a rose in her hand， each of them being surrounded by a large wreath of willow branches. Both portraits had many holes in them， because the baron’s sons used the two old people as targets for their crossbows. They represented the counsellor and his wife， from whom the whole family descended. “But they did not properly belong to our family，” said one of the boys; “he was a pedlar and she kept the geese. They were not like papa and mamma.” The portraits were old lumber， and “everything in its right place.” That was why the great-grandparents had been hung up in the passage leading to the servants’ rooms.
The son of the village pastor was tutor at the mansion. One day he went for a walk across the fields with his young pupils and their elder sister， who had lately been confirmed. They walked along the road which passed by the old willow tree， and while they were on the road she picked a bunch of field-flowers. “Everything in the right place，” and indeed the bunch looked very beautiful. At the same time she listened to all that was said， and she very much liked to hear the pastor’s son speak about the elements and of the great men and women in history. She had a healthy mind， noble in thought and deed， and with a heart full of love for everything that God had created. They stopped at the old willow tree， as the youngest of the baron’s sons wished very much to have a flute from it， such as had been cut for him from other willow trees; the pastor’s son broke a branch off. “Oh， pray do not do it!” said the young lady; but it was already done. “That is our famous old tree. I love it very much. They often laugh at me at home about it， but that does not matter. There is a story attached to this tree.” And now she told him all that we already know about the tree—the old mansion， the pedlar and the goose-girl who had met there for the first time， and had become the ancestors of the noble family to which the young lady belonged.
“They did not like to be knighted， the good old people，” she said; “their motto was ’everything in the right place，’ and it would not be right， they thought， to purchase a title for money. My grandfather， the first baron， was their son. They say he was a very learned man， a great favourite with the princes and princesses， and was invited to all court festivities. The others at home love him best; but， I do not know why， there seemed to me to be something about the old couple that attracts my heart! How homely， how patriarchal， it must have been in the old mansion， where the mistress sat at the spinning-wheel with her maids， while her husband read aloud out of the Bible!”
“They must have been excellent， sensible people，” said the pastor’s son. And with this the conversation turned naturally to noblemen and commoners; from the manner in which the tutor spoke about the significance of being noble， it seemed almost as if he did not belong to a commoner’s family.
“It is good fortune to be of a family who have distinguished themselves， and to possess as it were a spur in oneself to advance to all that is good. It is a splendid thing to belong to a noble family， whose name serves as a card of admission to the highest circles. Nobility is a distinction; it is a gold coin that bears the stamp of its own value. It is the fallacy of the time， and many poets express it， to say that all that is noble is bad and stupid， and that， on the contrary， the lower one goes among the poor， the more brilliant virtues one finds. I do not share this opinion， for it is wrong. In the upper classes one sees many touchingly beautiful traits; my own mother has told me of such， and I could mention several. One day she was visiting a nobleman’s house in town; my grandmother， I believe， had been the lady’s nurse when she was a child. My mother and the nobleman were alone in the room， when he suddenly noticed an old woman on crutches come limping into the courtyard; she came every Sunday to carry a gift away with her.
“’There is the poor old woman，’ said the nobleman; ’it is so difficult for her to walk.’
“My mother had hardly understood what he said before he disappeared from the room， and went downstairs， in order to save her the troublesome walk for the gift she came to fetch. Of course this is only a little incident， but it has its good sound like the poor widow’s two mites in the Bible， the sound which echoes in the depth of every human heart; and this is what the poet ought to show and point out—more especially in our own time he ought to sing of this; it does good， it mitigates and reconciles! But when a man， simply because he is of noble birth and possesses a genealogy， stands on his hind legs and neighs in the street like an Arabian horse， and says when a commoner has been in a room： ’Some people from the street have been here，’ there nobility is decaying; it has become a mask of the kind that Thespis created， and it is amusing when such a person is exposed in satire.”
Such was the tutor’s speech; it was a little long， but while he delivered it he had finished cutting the flute.
There was a large party at the mansion; many guests from the neighbourhood and from the capital had arrived. There were ladies with tasteful and with tasteless dresses; the big hall was quite crowded with people. The clergymen stood humbly together in a corner， and looked as if they were preparing for a funeral， but it was a festival—only the amusement had not yet begun. A great concert was to take place， and that is why the baron’s young son had brought his willow flute with him; but he could not make it sound， nor could his father， and therefore the flute was good for nothing.
There was music and songs of the kind which delight most those that perform them; otherwise quite charming!
“Are you an artist?” said a cavalier， the son of his father; “you play on the flute， you have made it yourself; it is genius that rules—the place of honour is due to you.”
“Certainly not! I only advance with the time， and that of course one can’t help.”
“I hope you will delight us all with the little instrument—will you not?” Thus saying he handed to the tutor the flute which had been cut from the willow tree by the pool; and then announced in a loud voice that the tutor wished to perform a solo on the flute. They wished to tease him—that was evident， and therefore the tutor declined to play， although he could do so very well. They urged and requested him， however， so long， that at last he took up the flute and placed it to his lips.
That was a marvellous flute! Its sound was as thrilling as the whistle of a steam engine; in fact it was much stronger， for it sounded and was heard in the yard， in the garden， in the wood， and many miles round in the country; at the same time a storm rose and roared; “Everything in the right place.” And with this the baron， as if carried by the wind， flew out of the hall straight into the shepherd’s cottage， and the shepherd flew—not into the hall， thither he could not come—but into the servants’ hall， among the smart footmen who were striding about in silk stockings; these haughty menials looked horror-struck that such a person ventured to sit at table with them. But in the hall the baron’s daughter flew to the place of honour at the end of the table—she was worthy to sit there; the pastor’s son had the seat next to her; the two sat there as if they were a bridal pair. An old Count， belonging to one of the oldest families of the country， remained untouched in his place of honour; the flute was just， and it is one’s duty to be so. The sharp-tongued cavalier who had caused the flute to be played， and who was the child of his parents， flew headlong into the fowl-house， but not he alone.
The flute was heard at the distance of a mile， and strange events took place. A rich banker’s family， who were driving in a coach and four， were blown out of it， and could not even find room behind it with their footmen. Two rich farmers who had in our days shot up higher than their own corn-fields， were flung into the ditch; it was a dangerous flute. Fortunately it burst at the first sound， and that was a good thing， for then it was put back into its owner’s pocket—“its right place.”
The next day， nobody spoke a word about what had taken place; thus originated the phrase， “to pocket the flute.” Everything was again in its usual order， except that the two old pictures of the peddlar and the goose-girl were hanging in the banqueting-hall. There they were on the wall as if blown up there; and as a real expert said that they were painted by a master’s hand， they remained there and were restored. “Everything in the right place，” and to this it will come. Eternity is long， much longer indeed than this story.
篇16：童话英语故事
Once upon a time...
In the days when the fairies lived, there was a king who had three daughters, who were all young, and clever, and beautiful; but the youngest of the three, who was called Miranda, was the prettiest and the most beloved.
The King, her father, gave her more dresses and jewels in a month than he gave the others in a year; but she was so generous that she shared everything with her sisters, and they were all as happy and as fond of one another as they could be.
Now, the King had some quarrelsome neighbours, who, tired of leaving him in peace, began to make war upon him so fiercely that he feared he would be altogether beaten if he did not make an effort to defend himself. So he collected a great army and set off to fight them, leaving the Princesses with their governess in a castle where news of the war was brought every day--sometimes that the King had taken a town, or won a battle, and, at last, that he had altogether overcome his enemies and chased them out of his kingdom, and was coming back to the castle as quickly as possible, to see his dear little Miranda whom he loved so much.
The three Princesses put on dresses of satin, which they had had made on purpose for this great occasion, one green, one blue, and the third white; their jewels were the same colours. The eldest wore emeralds, the second turquoises, and the youngest diamonds, and thus adorned they went to meet the King, singing verses which they had composed about his victories.
When he saw them all so beautiful and so gay he embraced them tenderly, but gave Miranda more kisses than either of the others.
Presently a splendid banquet was served, and the King and his daughters sat down to it, and as he always thought that there was some special meaning in everything, he said to the eldest:
”Tell me why you have chosen a green dress.“
”Sire,“ she answered, ”having heard of your victories I thought that green would signify my joy and the hope of your speedy return.“
”That is a very good answer,“ said the King; ”and you, my daughter,“ he continued, ”why did you take a blue dress?“
”Sire,“ said the Princess, ”to show that we constantly hoped for your success, and that the sight of you is as welcome to me as the sky with its most beautiful stars.“
”Why,“ said the King, ”your wise answers astonish me, and you, Miranda. What made you dress yourself all in white?
“Because, sire,” she answered, “white suits me better than anything else.”
“What!” said the King angrily, “was that all you thought of, vain child?”
“I thought you would be pleased with me,” said the Princess; “that was all.”
The King, who loved her, was satisfied with this, and even
pretended to be pleased that she had not told him all her reasons at first.
“And now,” said he, “as I have supped well, and it is not time yet to go to bed, tell me what you dreamed last night.”
The eldest said she had dreamed that he brought her a dress, and the precious stones and gold embroidery on it were brighter than the sun.
The dream of the second was that the King had brought her a spinning wheel and a distaff, that she might spin him some shirts.
But the youngest said: “I dreamed that my second sister was to be married, and on her wedding-day, you, father, held a golden ewer and said: `Come, Miranda, and I will hold the water that you may dip your hands in it.'”
The King was very angry indeed when he heard this dream, and frowned horribly; indeed, he made such an ugly face that everyone knew how angry he was, and he got up and went off to bed in a great hurry; but he could not forget his daughter's dream.
“Does the proud girl wish to make me her slave?” he said to himself. “I am not surprised at her choosing to dress herself in white satin without a thought of me. She does not think me worthy of her consideration! But I will soon put an end to her pretensions!”
He rose in a fury, and although it was not yet daylight, he sent for the Captain of his Bodyguard, and said to him:
“You have heard the Princess Miranda's dream? I consider that it means strange things against me, therefore I order you to take her away into the forest and kill her, and, that I may be sure it is done, you must bring me her heart and her tongue. If you attempt to deceive me you shall be put to death!”
The Captain of the Guard was very much astonished when he heard this barbarous order, but he did not dare to contradict the King for fear of making him still more angry, or causing him to send someone else, so he answered that he would fetch the Princess and do as the King had said. When he went to her room they would hardly let him in, it was so early, but he said that the King had sent for Miranda, and she got up quickly and came out; a little black girl called Patypata held up her train, and her pet monkey and her little dog ran after her. The monkey was called Grabugeon, and the little dog Tintin.
The Captain of the Guard begged Miranda to come down into the garden where the King was enjoying the fresh air, and when they got there, he pretended to search for him, but as he was not to be found, he said:
“No doubt his Majesty has strolled into the forest,” and he opened the little door that led to it and they went through.
By this time the daylight had begun to appear, and the Princess, looking at her conductor, saw that he had tears in his eyes and seemed too sad to speak.
“What is the matter?” she said in the kindest way. “You seem very sor
rowful.”
“Alas! Princess,” he answered, “who would not be sorrowful who was ordered to do such a terrible thing as I am? The King has commanded me to kill you here, and carry your heart and your tongue to him, and if I disobey I shall lose my life.”
The poor Princess was terrified, she grew very pale and began to cry softly.
Looking up at the Captain of the Guard with her beautiful eyes, she said gently:
Will you really have the heart to kill me? I have never done you any harm, and have always spoken well of you to the King. If I had deserved my father's anger I would suffer without a murmur, but, alas! he is unjust to complain of me, when I have always treated him with love and respect.“
”Fear nothing, Princess,“ said the Captain of the Guard. ”I would far rather die myself than hurt you; but even if I am killed you will not be safe: we must find some way of making the King believe that you are dead.“
”What can we do?“ said Miranda; ”unless you take him my heart and my tongue he will never believe you.“
The Princess and the Captain of the Guard were talking so earnestly that they did not think of Patypata, but she had overheard all they said, and now came and threw herself at Miranda's feet
”Madam,“ she said, ”I offer you my life; let me be killed, I shall be only too happy to die for such a kind mistress.“
”Why, Patypata,“ cried the Princess, kissing her, ”that would never do; your life is as precious to me as my own, especially after such a proof of your affection as you have just given me.“
”You are right, Princess,“ said Grabugeon, coming forward, ”to love such a faithful slave as Patypata; she is of more use to you than I am, I offer you my tongue and my heart most willingly, especially as I wish to make a great name for myself in Goblin Land.“
”No, no, my little Grabugeon,“ replied Miranda, ”I cannot bear the thought of taking your life.“
”Such a good little dog as I am,“ cried Tintin, could not think of letting either of you die for his mistress. If anyone is to die for her it must be me.”
And then began a great dispute between Patypata, Grabugeon, and Tintin, and they came to high words, until at last Grabugeon, who was quicker than the others, ran up to the very top of the nearest tree, and let herself fall, head first, to the ground, and there she lay--quite dead!
The Princess was very sorry, but as Grabugeon was really dead, she allowed the Captain of the Guard to take her tongue; but, alas! it was such a little one--not bigger than the Princess's thumb that they decided sorrowfully that it was of no use at all: the King would not have been taken in by it for a moment!
“Alas! my little monkey,” cried
the Princess, “I have lost you, and yet I am no better off than I was before.”
“The honor of saving your life is to be mine,” interrupted Patypata, and, before they could prevent her, she had picked up a knife and cut her head off in an instant.
But when the Captain of the Guard would have taken her tongue it turned out to be quite black, so that would not have deceived the King either.
“Am I not unlucky?” cried the poor Princess; “I lose everything I love, and am none the better for it.”
“If you had accepted my offer,” said Tintin, “you would only have had me to regret, and I should have had all your gratitude.”
Miranda kissed her little dog, crying so bitterly, that at last she could bear it no longer, and turned away into the forest. When she looked back the Captain of the Guard was gone, and she was alone, except for Patypata, Grabugeon, and Tintin, who lay upon the ground. She could not leave the place until she had buried them in a pretty little mossy grave at the foot of a tree, and she wrote their names upon the bark of the tree, and how they had all died to save her life. And then she began to think where she could go for safety--for this forest was so close to her father's castle that she might be seen and recognized by the first passer-by, and, besides that, it was full of lions and wolves, who would have snapped up a princess just as soon as a stray chicken. So she began to walk as fast as she could, but the forest was so large and the sun was so hot that she nearly died of heat and terror and fatigue; look which way she would there seemed to be no end to the forest, and she was so frightened that she fancied every minute that she heard the King running after her to kill her. You may imagine how miserable she was, and how she cried as she went on, not knowing which path to follow, and with the thorny bushes scratching her dreadfully and tearing her pretty frock to pieces.
At last she heard the bleating of a sheep, and said to herself:
“No doubt there are shepherds here with their flocks; they will show me the way to some village where I can live disguised as a peasant girl. Alas! it is not always kings and princes who are the happiest people in the world. Who could have believed that I should ever be obliged to run away and hide because the King, for no reason at all, wishes to kill me?”
So saying she advanced toward the place where she heard the bleating, but what was her surprise when, in a lovely little glade quite surrounded by trees, she saw a large sheep; its wool was as white as snow, and its horns shone like gold; it had a garland of flowers round its neck, and strings of great pearls about its legs, and a collar of diamonds; it lay upon a bank of orange-flowers, under a canopy of cloth of gold which protected it from the heat of the sun. Nearly a hundred other sheep were
scattered about, not eating the grass, but some drinking coffee, lemonade, or sherbet, others eating ices, strawberries and cream, or sweetmeats, while others, again, were playing games. Many of them wore golden collars with jewels, flowers, and ribbons.
Miranda stopped short in amazement at this unexpected sight, and was looking in all directions for the shepherd of this surprising flock, when the beautiful sheep came bounding toward her.
“Approach, lovely Princess,” he cried; “have no fear of such gentle and peaceable animals as we are.”
“What a marvel!” cried the Princess, starting back a little. “Here is a sheep that can talk.”
“Your monkey and your dog could talk, madam,” said he; “are you more astonished at us than at them?”
“A fairy gave them the power to speak,” replied Miranda. “So I was used to them.”
“Perhaps the same thing has happened to us,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “But, Princess, what can have led you here?”
“A thousand misfortunes, Sir Sheep,” she answered.
“I am the unhappiest princess in the world, and I am seeking a shelter against my father's anger.”
“Come with me, madam,” said the Sheep; “I offer you a hiding-place which you only will know of, and where you will be mistress of everything you see.”
“I really cannot follow you,” said Miranda, “for I am too tired to walk another step.”
The Sheep with the golden horns ordered that his chariot should be fetched, and a moment after appeared six goats, harnessed to a pumpkin, which was so big that two people could quite well sit in it, and was all lined with cushions of velvet and down. The Princess stepped into it, much amused at such a new kind of carriage, the King of the Sheep took his place beside her, and the goats ran away with them at full speed, and only stopped when they reached a cavern, the entrance to which was blocked by a great stone. This the King touched with his foot, and immediately it fell down, and he invited the Princess to enter without fear. Now, if she had not been so alarmed by everything that had happened, nothing could have induced her to go into this frightful cave, but she was so afraid of what might be behind her that she would have thrown herself even down a well at this moment. So, without hesitation, she followed the Sheep, who went before her, down, down, down, until she thought they must come out at the other side of the world indeed, she was not sure that he wasn't leading her into Fairyland. At last she saw before her a great plain, quite covered with all sorts of flowers, the scent of which seemed to her nicer than anything she had ever smelled before; a broad river of orange-flower water flowed round it and fountains of wine of every kind ran in all directions a
nd made the prettiest little cascades and brooks. The plain was covered with the strangest trees, there were whole avenues where partridges, ready roasted, hung from every branch, or, if you preferred pheasants, quails, turkeys, or rabbits, you had only to turn to the right hand or to the left and you were sure to find them. In places the air was darkened by showers of lobster-patties, white puddings, sausages, tarts, and all sorts of sweetmeats, or with pieces of gold and silver, diamonds and pearls. This unusual kind of rain, and the pleasantness of the whole place, would, no doubt, have attracted numbers of people to it, if the King of the Sheep had been of a more sociable disposition, but from all accounts it is evident that he was as grave as a judge.
As it was quite the nicest time of the year when Miranda arrived in this delightful land the only palace she saw was a long row of orange trees, jasmines, honeysuckles, and musk-roses, and their interlacing branches made the prettiest rooms possible, which were hung with gold and silver gauze, and had great mirrors and candlesticks, and most beautiful pictures. The Wonderful Sheep begged that the Princess would consider herself queen over all that she saw, and assured her that, though for some years he had been very sad and in great trouble, she had it in her power to make him forget all his grief.
“You are so kind and generous, noble Sheep,” said the Princess, “that I cannot thank you enough, but I must confess that all I see here seems to me so extraordinary that I don't know what to think of it.”
As she spoke a band of lovely fairies came up and offered her amber baskets full of fruit, but when she held out her hands to them they glided away, and she could feel nothing when she tried to touch them.
“Oh!” she cried, “what can they be? Whom am I with?” and she began to cry.
At this instant the King of the Sheep came back to her, and was so distracted to find her in tears that he could have torn his wool.
“What is the matter, lovely Princess?” he cried. “Has anyone failed to treat you with due respect?”
“Oh! no,” said Miranda; “only I am not used to living with sprites and with sheep that talk, and everything here frightens me. It was very kind of you to bring me to this place, but I shall be even more grateful to you if you will take me up into the world again.”
“Do not be afraid,” said the Wonderful Sheep; “I entreat you to have patience, and listen to the story of my misfortunes. I was once a king, and my kingdom was the most splendid in the world. My subjects loved me, my neighbours envied and feared me. I was respected by everyone, and it was said that no king ever deserved it more.
”I was very fond of hunting, and one day, while chasing a stag, I left my attendants far behind; suddenly I saw t
he animal leap into a pool of water, and I rashly urged my horse to follow it, but before we had gone many steps I felt an extraordinary heat, instead of the coolness of the water; the pond dried up, a great gulf opened before me, out of which flames of fire shot up, and I fell helplessly to the bottom of a precipice.
“I gave myself up for lost, but presently a voice said: `Ungrateful Prince, even this fire is hardly enough to warm your cold heart!'
”`Who complains of my coldness in this dismal place?' I cried.
“`An unhappy being who loves you hopelessly,' replied the voice, and at the same moment the flames began to flicker and cease to burn, and I saw a fairy, whom I had known as long as I could remember, and whose ugliness had always horrified me. She was leaning upon the arm of a most beautiful young girl, who wore chains of gold on her wrists and was evidently her slave.
”`Why, Ragotte,' I said, for that was the fairy's name, `what is the meaning of all this? Is it by your orders that I am here?'
“`And whose fault is it,' she answered, `that you have never understood me until now? Must a powerful fairy like myself condescend to explain her doings to you who are no better than an ant by comparison, though you think yourself a great king?'
”`Call me what you like,' I said impatiently; `but what is it that you want--my crown, or my cities, or my treasures?'
“`Treasures!' said the fairy, disdainfully. `If I chose I could make any one of my scullions richer and more powerful than you. I do not want your treasures, but,' she added softly, `if you will give me your heart if you will marry me I will add twenty kingdoms to the one you have already; you shall have a hundred castles full of gold and five hundred full of silver, and, in short, anything you like to ask me for.'
”`Madam Ragotte,' said I, `when one is at the bottom of a pit where one has fully expected to be roasted alive, it is impossible to think of asking such a charming per- son as you are to marry one! I beg that you will set me at liberty, and then I shall hope to answer you fittingly.'
“`Ah!' said she, `if you really loved me you would not care where you were--a cave, a wood, a fox-hole, a desert, would please you equally well. Do not think that you can deceive me; you fancy you are going to escape, but I assure you that you are going to stay here and the first thing I shall give you to do will be to keep my sheep--they are very good company and speak quite as well as you do.
”As she spoke she advanced, and led me to this plain where we now stand, and showed me her flock, but I paid little attention to it or to her.
“To tell the truth, I was so lost in admiration of her beautiful slave that I forgot everything else, and the cruel Ragotte, perceiving this, turned upon her so furious and terrible a look that she
fell lifeless to the ground.
”At this dreadful sight I drew my sword and rushed at Ragotte, and should certainly have cut off her head had she not by her magic arts chained me to the spot on which I stood; all my efforts to move were useless, and at last, when I threw myself down on the ground in despair, she said to me, with a scornful smile:
“`I intend to make you feel my power. It seems that you are a lion at present, I mean you to be a sheep.'
”So saying, she touched me with her wand, and I became what you see. I did not lose the power of speech, or of feeling the misery of my present state.
“`For five years,' she said, `you shall be a sheep, and lord of this pleasant land, while I, no longer able to see your face, which I loved so much, shall be better able to hate you as you deserve to be hated.'
”She disappeared as she finished speaking, and if I had not been too unhappy to care about anything I should have been glad that she was gone.
“The talking sheep received me as their king, and told me that they, too, were unfortunate princes who had, in different ways, offended the revengeful fairy, and had been added to her flock for a certain number of years; some more, some less. From time to time, indeed, one regains his own proper form and goes back again to his place in the upper world; but the other beings whom you saw are the rivals or the enemies of Ragotte, whom she has imprisoned for a hundred years or so; though even they will go back at last. The young slave of whom I told you about is one of these; I have seen her often, and it has been a great pleasure to me. She never speaks to me, and if I were nearer to her I know I should find her only a shadow, which would be very annoying. However, I noticed that one of my companions in misfortune was also very attentive to this little sprite, and I found out that he had been her lover, whom the cruel Ragotte had taken away from her long before; since then I have cared for, and thought of, nothing but how I might regain my freedom. I have often been in the forest; that is where I have seen you, lovely Princess, sometimes driving your chariot, which you did with all the grace and skill in the world; sometimes riding to the chase on so spirited a horse that it seemed as if no one but yourself could have managed it, and sometimes running races on the plain with the Princesses of your Court--running so lightly that it was you always who won the prize. Oh! Princess, I have loved you so long, and yet how dare I tell you of my love! what hope can there be for an unhappy sheep like myself?”
Miranda was so surprised and confused by all that she had heard that she hardly knew what answer to give to the King of the Sheep, but she managed to make some kind of little speech, which certainly did not forbid him to hope, and said that she should not be afraid of the shadows now she knew that they wo
uld some day come to life again. “Alas!” she continued, “if my poor Patypata, my dear Grabugeon, and pretty little Tintin, who all died for my sake, were equally well off, I should have nothing left to wish for here!”
Prisoner though he was, the King of the Sheep had still some powers and privileges.
“Go,” said he to his Master of the Horse, “go and seek the shadows of the little black girl, the monkey, and the dog: they will amuse our Princess.”
And an instant afterward Miranda saw them coming toward her, and their presence gave her the greatest pleasure, though they did not come near enough for her to touch them.
The King of the Sheep was so kind and amusing, and loved Miranda so dearly, that at last she began to love him too. Such a handsome sheep, who was so polite and considerate, could hardly fail to please, especially if one knew that he was really a king, and that his strange imprisonment would soon come to an end. So the Princess's days passed very gaily while she waited for the happy time to come. The King of the Sheep, with the help of all the flock, got up balls, concerts, and hunting parties, and even the shadows joined in all the fun, and came, making believe to be their own real selves.
One evening, when the couriers arrived (for the King sent most carefully for news and they always brought the very best kinds), it was announced that the sister of the Princess Miranda was going to be married to a great Prince, and that nothing could be more splendid than all the preparations for the wedding.
“Ah!” cried the young Princess, “how unlucky I am to miss the sight of so many pretty things! Here am I imprisoned under the earth, with no company but sheep and shadows, while my sister is to be adorned like a queen and surrounded by all who love and admire her, and everyone but myself can go to wish her joy!”
“Why do you complain, Princess?” said the King of the Sheep. “Did I say that you were not to go to the wedding? Set out as soon as you please; only promise me that you will come back, for I love you too much to be able to live without you.”
Miranda was very grateful to him, and promised faithfully that nothing in the world should keep her from coming back. The King caused an escort suitable to her rank to be got ready for her, and she dressed herself splendidly, not forgetting anything that could make her more beautiful. Her chariot was of mother-of-pearl, drawn by six dun-collared griffins just brought from the other side of the world, and she was attended by a number of guards in splendid uniforms, who were all at least eight feet high and had come from far and near to ride in the Princess's train.
Miranda reached her father's palace just as the wedding ceremony began, and everyone, as soon as she came in, was struck with surprise at her beauty and the splendo
ur of her jewels. She heard exclamations of admiration on all sides; and the King her father looked at her so attentively that she was afraid he must recognize her; but he was so sure that she was dead that the idea never occurred to him.
However, the fear of not getting away made her leave before the marriage was over. She went out hastily, leaving behind her a little coral casket set with emeralds. On it was written in diamond letters: “Jewels for the Bride,” and when they opened it, which they did as soon as it was found, there seemed to be no end to the pretty things it contained. The King, who had hoped to join the unknown Princess and find out who she was, was dreadfully disappointed when she disappeared so suddenly, and gave orders that if she ever came again the doors were to be shut that she might not get away so easily. Short as Miranda's absence had been, it had seemed like a hundred years to the King of the Sheep. He was waiting for her by a fountain in the thickest part of the forest, and the ground was strewn with splendid presents which he had prepared for her to show his joy and gratitude at her coming back.
As soon as she was in sight he rushed to meet her, leaping and bounding like a real sheep. He caressed her tenderly, throwing himself at her feet and kissing her hands, and told her how uneasy he had been in her absence, and how impatient for her return, with an eloquence which charmed her.
After some time came the news that the King's second daughter was going to be married. When Miranda heard it she begged the King of the Sheep to allow her to go and see the wedding as before. This request made him feel very sad, as if some misfortune must surely come of it, but his love for the Princess being stronger than anything else he did not like to refuse her.
“You wish to leave me, Princess,” said he; “it is my unhappy fate you are not to blame. I consent to your going, but, believe me, I can give you no stronger proof of my love than by so doing.”
The Princess assured him that she would only stay a very short time, as she had done before, and begged him not to be uneasy, as she would be quite as much grieved if anything detained her as he could possibly be.
So, with the same escort, she set out, and reached the palace as the marriage ceremony began. Everybody was delighted to see her; she was so pretty that they thought she must be some fairy princess, and the Princes who were there could not take their eyes off her.
The King was more glad than anyone else that she had come again, and gave orders that the doors should all be shut and bolted that very minute. When the wedding was all but over the Princess got up quickly, hoping to slip away unnoticed among the crowd, but, to her great dismay, she found every door fastened.
She felt more at ease when the King came up to her, and with the greatest respect begged her no
t to run away so soon, but at least to honor him by staying for the splendid feast which was prepared for the Princes and Princesses. He led her into a magnificent hall, where all the Court was assembled, and himself taking up the golden bowl full of water, he offered it to her that she might dip her pretty fingers into it.
At this the Princess could no longer contain herself; throwing herself at the King's feet, she cried out:
“My dream has come true after all--you have offered me water to wash my hands on my sister's wedding day, and it has not vexed you to do it.”
The King recognized her at once--indeed, he had already thought several times how much like his poor little Miranda she was.
“Oh! my dear daughter,” he cried, kissing her, “can you ever forget my cruelty? I ordered you to be put to death because I thought your dream portended the loss of my crown. And so it did,” he added, “for now your sisters are both married and have kingdoms of their own--and mine shall be for you.” So saying he put his crown on the Princess's head and cried:
“Long live Queen Miranda!”
All the Court cried: “Long live Queen Miranda!” after him, and the young Queen's two sisters came running up, and threw their arms round her neck, and kissed her a thousand times, and then there was such a laughing and crying, talking and kissing, all at once, and Miranda thanked her father, and began to ask after everyone particularly the Captain of the Guard, to whom she owed so much; but, to her great sorrow, she heard that he was dead. Presently they sat down to the banquet, and the King asked Miranda to tell them all that had happened to her since the terrible morning when he had sent the Captain of the Guard to fetch her. This she did with so much spirit that all the guests listened with breathless interest. But while she was thus enjoying herself with the King and her sisters, the King of the Sheep was waiting impatiently for the time of her return, and when it came and went, and no Princess appeared, his anxiety became so great that he could bear it no longer.
“She is not coming back any more,” he cried. “My miserable sheep's face displeases her, and without Miranda what is left to me, wretched creature that I am! Oh! cruel Ragotte; my punishment is complete.”
For a long time he bewailed his sad fate like this, and then, seeing that it was growing dark, and that still there was no sign of the Princess, he set out as fast as he could in the direction of the town. When he reached the palace he asked for Miranda, but by this time everyone had heard the story of her adventures, and did not want her to go back again to the King of the Sheep, so they refused sternly to let him see her. In vain he begged and prayed them to let him in; though his entreaties might have melted hearts of stone they did not move the guar
ds of the palace, and at last, quite broken-hearted, he fell dead at their feet.
In the meantime the King, who had not the least idea of the sad thing that was happening outside the gate of his palace, proposed to Miranda that she should be driven in her chariot all round the town, which was to be illuminated with thousands and thousands of torches, placed in windows and balconies, and in all the grand squares. But what a sight met her eyes at the very entrance of the palace! There lay her dear, kind sheep, silent and motionless, upon the pavement!
She threw herself out of the chariot and ran to him, crying bitterly, for she realized that her broken promise had cost him his life, and for a long, long time she was so unhappy that they thought she would have died too.
So you see that even a princess is not always happy especially if she forgets to keep her word; and the greatest misfortunes often happen to people just as they think they have obtained their heart's desires
篇17：童话英语故事
Once upon a time...
Long, long ago, there were two brothers, the one rich and the other poor. When Christmas Eve came, the poor one had not a bite in the house, either of meat or bread; so he went to his brother, and begged him, in God's name, to give him something for Christmas Day. It was by no means the first time that the brother had been forced to give something to him, and he was not better pleased at being asked now than he generally was.
“If you will do what I ask you, you shall have a whole ham,” said he. The poor one immediately thanked him, and promised this.
“Well, here is the ham, and now you must go straight to Dead Man's Hall,” said the rich brother, throwing the ham to him.
“Well, I will do what I have promised,” said the other, and he took the ham and set off. He went on and on for the livelong day, and at nightfall he came to a place where there was a bright light.
“I have no doubt this is the place,” thought the man with the ham.
An old man with a long white beard was standing in the outhouse, chopping Yule logs.
“Good-evening,” said the man with the ham.
“Good-evening to you. Where are you going at this late hour?” said the man.
“I am going to Dead Man's Hall, if only I am on the right track,” answered the poor man.
“Oh! yes, you are right enough, for it is here,” said the old man. “When you get inside they will all want to buy your ham, for they don't get much meat to eat there; but you must not sell it unless you can get the hand-mill which stands behind the door for it. When you come out again I will teach you how to stop the hand-mill, which is useful for almost everything.”
So the man with the ham thanked the other for his good advice, and rapped at the door.
When he got in, everything happened just as the old man had said it would: all the people, great and small, came round him like ants on an ant-hill, and each tried to outbid the other for the ham.
“By rights my old woman and I ought to have it for our Christmas dinner, but, since you have set your hearts upon it, I must just give it up to you,” said the man. “But, if I sell it, I will have the hand-mill which is standing there behind the door.”
At first they would not hear to this, and haggled and bargained with the man, but he stuck to what he had said, and the people were forced to give him the hand-mill. When the man came out again into the yard, he asked the old wood-cutter how he was to stop the hand-mill, and when he had learned that, he thanked him and set off home with all the speed he could, but did not get there until after the clock had struck twelve on Christmas Eve.
“Where in the world have you been?” said the old woman. “Here I have sat waiting hour
after hour, and have not even two sticks to lay across each other under the Christmas porridge-pot.”
“Oh! I could not come before; I had something of importance to see about, and a long way to go, too; but now you shall just see!” said the man, and then he set the hand-mill on the table, and bade it first grind light, then a table-cloth, and then meat, and beer, and everything else that was good for a Christmas Eve's supper; and the mill ground all that he ordered. “Bless me!” said the old woman as one thing after another appeared; and she wanted to know where her husband had got the mill from, but he would not tell her that.
“Never mind where I got it; you can see that it is a good one, and the water that turns it will never freeze,” said the man. So he ground meat and drink, and all kinds of good things, to last all Christmas-tide, and on the third day he invited all his friends to come to a feast.
Now when the rich brother saw all that there was at the banquet and in the house, he was both vexed and angry, for he grudged everything his brother had. “On Christmas Eve he was so poor that he came to me and begged for a trifle, for God's sake, and now he gives a feast as if he were both a count and a king!” thought he. “But, for heaven's sake, tell me where you got your riches from,” said he to his brother.
“From behind the door,” said he who owned the mill, for he did not choose to satisfy his brother on that point; but later in the evening, when he had taken a drop too much, he could not refrain from telling how he had come by the hand-mill. “There you see what has brought me all my wealth!” said he, and brought out the mill, and made it grind first one thing and then another. When the brother saw that, he insisted on having the mill, and after a great deal of persuasion got it; but he had to give three hundred dollars for it, and the poor brother was to keep it till the haymaking was over, for he thought: “If I keep it as long as that, I can make it grind meat and drink that will last many a long year.” During that time you may imagine that the mill did not grow rusty, and when hay- harvest came the rich brother got it, but the other had taken good care not to teach him how to stop it. It was evening when the rich man got the mill home, and in the morning he bade the old woman go out and spread the hay after the mowers, and he would attend to the house himself that day, he said.
So, when dinner-time drew near, he set the mill on the kitchen-table, and said: “Grind herrings and milk pottage, and do it both quickly and well.”
So the mill began to grind herrings and milk pottage, and first all the dishes and tubs were filled, and then it came out all over the kitchen-floor. The man twisted and turned it, and did all he could to make the mill stop, but, howsoever he turned it and screwed it
, the mill went on grinding, and in a short time the pottage rose so high that the man was like to be drowned. So he threw open the parlour door, but it was not long before the mill had ground the parlour full too, and it was with difficulty and danger that the man could go through the stream of pottage and get hold of the door-latch. When he got the door open, he did not stay long in the room, but ran out, and the herrings and pottage came after him, and it streamed out over both farm and field. Now the old woman, who was out spreading the hay, began to think dinner was long in coming, and said to the women and the mowers: “Though the master does not call us home, we may as well go. It may be that he finds he is not good at making pottage and I should do well to help him.” So they began to straggle homeward, but when they had got a little way up the hill they met the herrings and pottage and bread, all pouring forth and winding about one over the other, and the man himself in front of the flood. “Would to heaven that each of you had a hundred stomachs! Take care that you are not drowned in the pottage!” he cried as he went by them as if Mischief were at his heels, down to where his brother dwelt. Then he begged him, for God's sake, to take the mill back again, and that in an instant, for, said he: “If it grind one hour more the whole district will be destroyed by herrings and pottage.” But the brother would not take it until the other paid him three hundred dollars, and that he was obliged to do. Now the poor brother had both the money and the mill again. So it was not long before he had a farmhouse much finer than that in which his brother lived, but the mill ground him so much money that he covered it with plates of gold; and the farmhouse lay close by the sea-shore, so it shone and glittered far out to sea. Everyone who sailed by there now had to be put in to visit the rich man in the gold farmhouse, and everyone wanted to see the wonderful mill, for the report of it spread far and wide, and there was no one who had not heard tell of it.
After a long, long time came also a skipper who wished to see the mill. He asked if it could make salt. “Yes, it could make salt,” said he who owned it, and when the skipper heard that, he wished with all his might and main to have the mill, let it cost what it might, for, he thought, if he had it, he would get off having to sail far away over the perilous sea for freights of salt. At first the man would not hear of parting with it, but the skipper begged and prayed, and at last the man sold it to him, and got many, many thousand dollars for it. When the skipper had got the mill on his back he did not stay there long, for he was so afraid that the man would change his mind, and he had no time to ask how he was to stop it grinding, but got on board his ship as fast as he could.
When he had gone a little way out to sea he took the mill on deck. “
;Grind salt, and grind both quickly and well,” said the skipper. So the mill began to grind salt, till it spouted out like water, and when the skipper had got the ship filled he wanted to stop the mill, but whatsoever way he turned it, and how much soever he tried, it went on grinding, and the heap of salt grew higher and higher, until at last the ship sank. There lies the mill at the bottom of the sea, and still, day by day, it grinds on; and that is why the sea is salt.
童话英语故事2:The Wonderful Sheep
Once upon a time...
In the days when the fairies lived, there was a king who had three daughters, who were all young, and clever, and beautiful; but the youngest of the three, who was called Miranda, was the prettiest and the most beloved.
The King, her father, gave her more dresses and jewels in a month than he gave the others in a year; but she was so generous that she shared everything with her sisters, and they were all as happy and as fond of one another as they could be.
Now, the King had some quarrelsome neighbours, who, tired of leaving him in peace, began to make war upon him so fiercely that he feared he would be altogether beaten if he did not make an effort to defend himself. So he collected a great army and set off to fight them, leaving the Princesses with their governess in a castle where news of the war was brought every day--sometimes that the King had taken a town, or won a battle, and, at last, that he had altogether overcome his enemies and chased them out of his kingdom, and was coming back to the castle as quickly as possible, to see his dear little Miranda whom he loved so much.
The three Princesses put on dresses of satin, which they had had made on purpose for this great occasion, one green, one blue, and the third white; their jewels were the same colours. The eldest wore emeralds, the second turquoises, and the youngest diamonds, and thus adorned they went to meet the King, singing verses which they had composed about his victories.
When he saw them all so beautiful and so gay he embraced them tenderly, but gave Miranda more kisses than either of the others.
Presently a splendid banquet was served, and the King and his daughters sat down to it, and as he always thought that there was some special meaning in everything, he said to the eldest:
“Tell me why you have chosen a green dress.”
“Sire,” she answered, “having heard of your victories I thought that green would signify my joy and the hope of your speedy return.”
“That is a very good answer,” said the King; “and you, my daughter,” he continued, “why did you take a blue dress?”
“Sire,” said the Princess, “to show that we constantly hoped for your success, and that the sight of you is as welcome to me as the sky with its most beautiful stars.”
“Why,” said the King, “your wise answers astonish me, and you, Miranda. What made you dress yourself all in white?
”Because, sire,“ she answered, ”white suits me better than anything else.“
”What!“ said the King angrily, ”was that all you thought of, vain child?“
”I thought you would be pleased with me,“ said the Princess; ”that was all.“
The King, who loved her, was satisfied with this, and even
pretended to be pleased that she had not told him all her reasons at first.
”And now,“ said he, ”as I have supped well, and it is not time yet to go to bed, tell me what you dreamed last night.“
The eldest said she had dreamed that he brought her a dress, and the precious stones and gold embroidery on it were brighter than the sun.
The dream of the second was that the King had brought her a spinning wheel and a distaff, that she might spin him some shirts.
But the youngest said: ”I dreamed that my second sister was to be married, and on her wedding-day, you, father, held a golden ewer and said: `Come, Miranda, and I will hold the water that you may dip your hands in it.'“
The King was very angry indeed when he heard this dream, and frowned horribly; indeed, he made such an ugly face that everyone knew how angry he was, and he got up and went off to bed in a great hurry; but he could not forget his daughter's dream.
”Does the proud girl wish to make me her slave?“ he said to himself. ”I am not surprised at her choosing to dress herself in white satin without a thought of me. She does not think me worthy of her consideration! But I will soon put an end to her pretensions!“
He rose in a fury, and although it was not yet daylight, he sent for the Captain of his Bodyguard, and said to him:
”You have heard the Princess Miranda's dream? I consider that it means strange things against me, therefore I order you to take her away into the forest and kill her, and, that I may be sure it is done, you must bring me her heart and her tongue. If you attempt to deceive me you shall be put to death!“
The Captain of the Guard was very much astonished when he heard this barbarous order, but he did not dare to contradict the King for fear of making him still more angry, or causing him to send someone else, so he answered that he would fetch the Princess and do as the King had said. When he went to her room they would hardly let him in, it was so early, but he said that the King had sent for Miranda, and she got up quickly and came out; a little black girl called Patypata held up her train, and her pet monkey and her little dog ran after her. The monkey was called Grabugeon, and the little dog Tintin.
The Captain of the Guard begged Miranda to come down into the garden where the King was enjoying the fresh air, and when they got there, he pretended to search for him, but as he was not to be found, he said:
”No doubt his Majesty has strolled into the forest,“ and he opened the little door that led to it and they went through.
By this time the daylight had begun to appear, and the Princess, looking at her conductor, saw that he had tears in his eyes and seemed too sad to speak.
”What is the matter?“ she said in the kindest way. ”You seem very sor
rowful.“
”Alas! Princess,“ he answered, ”who would not be sorrowful who was ordered to do such a terrible thing as I am? The King has commanded me to kill you here, and carry your heart and your tongue to him, and if I disobey I shall lose my life.“
The poor Princess was terrified, she grew very pale and began to cry softly.
Looking up at the Captain of the Guard with her beautiful eyes, she said gently:
Will you really have the heart to kill me? I have never done you any harm, and have always spoken well of you to the King. If I had deserved my father's anger I would suffer without a murmur, but, alas! he is unjust to complain of me, when I have always treated him with love and respect.”
“Fear nothing, Princess,” said the Captain of the Guard. “I would far rather die myself than hurt you; but even if I am killed you will not be safe: we must find some way of making the King believe that you are dead.”
“What can we do?” said Miranda; “unless you take him my heart and my tongue he will never believe you.”
The Princess and the Captain of the Guard were talking so earnestly that they did not think of Patypata, but she had overheard all they said, and now came and threw herself at Miranda's feet
“Madam,” she said, “I offer you my life; let me be killed, I shall be only too happy to die for such a kind mistress.”
“Why, Patypata,” cried the Princess, kissing her, “that would never do; your life is as precious to me as my own, especially after such a proof of your affection as you have just given me.”
“You are right, Princess,” said Grabugeon, coming forward, “to love such a faithful slave as Patypata; she is of more use to you than I am, I offer you my tongue and my heart most willingly, especially as I wish to make a great name for myself in Goblin Land.”
“No, no, my little Grabugeon,” replied Miranda, “I cannot bear the thought of taking your life.”
“Such a good little dog as I am,” cried Tintin, could not think of letting either of you die for his mistress. If anyone is to die for her it must be me.“
And then began a great dispute between Patypata, Grabugeon, and Tintin, and they came to high words, until at last Grabugeon, who was quicker than the others, ran up to the very top of the nearest tree, and let herself fall, head first, to the ground, and there she lay--quite dead!
The Princess was very sorry, but as Grabugeon was really dead, she allowed the Captain of the Guard to take her tongue; but, alas! it was such a little one--not bigger than the Princess's thumb that they decided sorrowfully that it was of no use at all: the King would not have been taken in by it for a moment!
”Alas! my little monkey,“ cried
the Princess, ”I have lost you, and yet I am no better off than I was before.“
”The honor of saving your life is to be mine,“ interrupted Patypata, and, before they could prevent her, she had picked up a knife and cut her head off in an instant.
But when the Captain of the Guard would have taken her tongue it turned out to be quite black, so that would not have deceived the King either.
”Am I not unlucky?“ cried the poor Princess; ”I lose everything I love, and am none the better for it.“
”If you had accepted my offer,“ said Tintin, ”you would only have had me to regret, and I should have had all your gratitude.“
Miranda kissed her little dog, crying so bitterly, that at last she could bear it no longer, and turned away into the forest. When she looked back the Captain of the Guard was gone, and she was alone, except for Patypata, Grabugeon, and Tintin, who lay upon the ground. She could not leave the place until she had buried them in a pretty little mossy grave at the foot of a tree, and she wrote their names upon the bark of the tree, and how they had all died to save her life. And then she began to think where she could go for safety--for this forest was so close to her father's castle that she might be seen and recognized by the first passer-by, and, besides that, it was full of lions and wolves, who would have snapped up a princess just as soon as a stray chicken. So she began to walk as fast as she could, but the forest was so large and the sun was so hot that she nearly died of heat and terror and fatigue; look which way she would there seemed to be no end to the forest, and she was so frightened that she fancied every minute that she heard the King running after her to kill her. You may imagine how miserable she was, and how she cried as she went on, not knowing which path to follow, and with the thorny bushes scratching her dreadfully and tearing her pretty frock to pieces.
At last she heard the bleating of a sheep, and said to herself:
”No doubt there are shepherds here with their flocks; they will show me the way to some village where I can live disguised as a peasant girl. Alas! it is not always kings and princes who are the happiest people in the world. Who could have believed that I should ever be obliged to run away and hide because the King, for no reason at all, wishes to kill me?“
So saying she advanced toward the place where she heard the bleating, but what was her surprise when, in a lovely little glade quite surrounded by trees, she saw a large sheep; its wool was as white as snow, and its horns shone like gold; it had a garland of flowers round its neck, and strings of great pearls about its legs, and a collar of diamonds; it lay upon a bank of orange-flowers, under a canopy of cloth of gold which protected it from the heat of the sun. Nearly a hundred other sheep were
scattered about, not eating the grass, but some drinking coffee, lemonade, or sherbet, others eating ices, strawberries and cream, or sweetmeats, while others, again, were playing games. Many of them wore golden collars with jewels, flowers, and ribbons.
Miranda stopped short in amazement at this unexpected sight, and was looking in all directions for the shepherd of this surprising flock, when the beautiful sheep came bounding toward her.
”Approach, lovely Princess,“ he cried; ”have no fear of such gentle and peaceable animals as we are.“
”What a marvel!“ cried the Princess, starting back a little. ”Here is a sheep that can talk.“
”Your monkey and your dog could talk, madam,“ said he; ”are you more astonished at us than at them?“
”A fairy gave them the power to speak,“ replied Miranda. ”So I was used to them.“
”Perhaps the same thing has happened to us,“ he said, smiling sheepishly. ”But, Princess, what can have led you here?“
”A thousand misfortunes, Sir Sheep,“ she answered.
”I am the unhappiest princess in the world, and I am seeking a shelter against my father's anger.“
”Come with me, madam,“ said the Sheep; ”I offer you a hiding-place which you only will know of, and where you will be mistress of everything you see.“
”I really cannot follow you,“ said Miranda, ”for I am too tired to walk another step.“
The Sheep with the golden horns ordered that his chariot should be fetched, and a moment after appeared six goats, harnessed to a pumpkin, which was so big that two people could quite well sit in it, and was all lined with cushions of velvet and down. The Princess stepped into it, much amused at such a new kind of carriage, the King of the Sheep took his place beside her, and the goats ran away with them at full speed, and only stopped when they reached a cavern, the entrance to which was blocked by a great stone. This the King touched with his foot, and immediately it fell down, and he invited the Princess to enter without fear. Now, if she had not been so alarmed by everything that had happened, nothing could have induced her to go into this frightful cave, but she was so afraid of what might be behind her that she would have thrown herself even down a well at this moment. So, without hesitation, she followed the Sheep, who went before her, down, down, down, until she thought they must come out at the other side of the world indeed, she was not sure that he wasn't leading her into Fairyland. At last she saw before her a great plain, quite covered with all sorts of flowers, the scent of which seemed to her nicer than anything she had ever smelled before; a broad river of orange-flower water flowed round it and fountains of wine of every kind ran in all directions a
nd made the prettiest little cascades and brooks. The plain was covered with the strangest trees, there were whole avenues where partridges, ready roasted, hung from every branch, or, if you preferred pheasants, quails, turkeys, or rabbits, you had only to turn to the right hand or to the left and you were sure to find them. In places the air was darkened by showers of lobster-patties, white puddings, sausages, tarts, and all sorts of sweetmeats, or with pieces of gold and silver, diamonds and pearls. This unusual kind of rain, and the pleasantness of the whole place, would, no doubt, have attracted numbers of people to it, if the King of the Sheep had been of a more sociable disposition, but from all accounts it is evident that he was as grave as a judge.
As it was quite the nicest time of the year when Miranda arrived in this delightful land the only palace she saw was a long row of orange trees, jasmines, honeysuckles, and musk-roses, and their interlacing branches made the prettiest rooms possible, which were hung with gold and silver gauze, and had great mirrors and candlesticks, and most beautiful pictures. The Wonderful Sheep begged that the Princess would consider herself queen over all that she saw, and assured her that, though for some years he had been very sad and in great trouble, she had it in her power to make him forget all his grief.
”You are so kind and generous, noble Sheep,“ said the Princess, ”that I cannot thank you enough, but I must confess that all I see here seems to me so extraordinary that I don't know what to think of it.“
As she spoke a band of lovely fairies came up and offered her amber baskets full of fruit, but when she held out her hands to them they glided away, and she could feel nothing when she tried to touch them.
”Oh!“ she cried, ”what can they be? Whom am I with?“ and she began to cry.
At this instant the King of the Sheep came back to her, and was so distracted to find her in tears that he could have torn his wool.
”What is the matter, lovely Princess?“ he cried. ”Has anyone failed to treat you with due respect?“
”Oh! no,“ said Miranda; ”only I am not used to living with sprites and with sheep that talk, and everything here frightens me. It was very kind of you to bring me to this place, but I shall be even more grateful to you if you will take me up into the world again.“
”Do not be afraid,“ said the Wonderful Sheep; ”I entreat you to have patience, and listen to the story of my misfortunes. I was once a king, and my kingdom was the most splendid in the world. My subjects loved me, my neighbours envied and feared me. I was respected by everyone, and it was said that no king ever deserved it more.
“I was very fond of hunting, and one day, while chasing a stag, I left my attendants far behind; suddenly I saw t
he animal leap into a pool of water, and I rashly urged my horse to follow it, but before we had gone many steps I felt an extraordinary heat, instead of the coolness of the water; the pond dried up, a great gulf opened before me, out of which flames of fire shot up, and I fell helplessly to the bottom of a precipice.
”I gave myself up for lost, but presently a voice said: `Ungrateful Prince, even this fire is hardly enough to warm your cold heart!'
“`Who complains of my coldness in this dismal place?' I cried.
”`An unhappy being who loves you hopelessly,' replied the voice, and at the same moment the flames began to flicker and cease to burn, and I saw a fairy, whom I had known as long as I could remember, and whose ugliness had always horrified me. She was leaning upon the arm of a most beautiful young girl, who wore chains of gold on her wrists and was evidently her slave.
“`Why, Ragotte,' I said, for that was the fairy's name, `what is the meaning of all this? Is it by your orders that I am here?'
”`And whose fault is it,' she answered, `that you have never understood me until now? Must a powerful fairy like myself condescend to explain her doings to you who are no better than an ant by comparison, though you think yourself a great king?'
“`Call me what you like,' I said impatiently; `but what is it that you want--my crown, or my cities, or my treasures?'
”`Treasures!' said the fairy, disdainfully. `If I chose I could make any one of my scullions richer and more powerful than you. I do not want your treasures, but,' she added softly, `if you will give me your heart if you will marry me I will add twenty kingdoms to the one you have already; you shall have a hundred castles full of gold and five hundred full of silver, and, in short, anything you like to ask me for.'
“`Madam Ragotte,' said I, `when one is at the bottom of a pit where one has fully expected to be roasted alive, it is impossible to think of asking such a charming per- son as you are to marry one! I beg that you will set me at liberty, and then I shall hope to answer you fittingly.'
”`Ah!' said she, `if you really loved me you would not care where you were--a cave, a wood, a fox-hole, a desert, would please you equally well. Do not think that you can deceive me; you fancy you are going to escape, but I assure you that you are going to stay here and the first thing I shall give you to do will be to keep my sheep--they are very good company and speak quite as well as you do.
“As she spoke she advanced, and led me to this plain where we now stand, and showed me her flock, but I paid little attention to it or to her.
”To tell the truth, I was so lost in admiration of her beautiful slave that I forgot everything else, and the cruel Ragotte, perceiving this, turned upon her so furious and terrible a look that she
fell lifeless to the ground.
“At this dreadful sight I drew my sword and rushed at Ragotte, and should certainly have cut off her head had she not by her magic arts chained me to the spot on which I stood; all my efforts to move were useless, and at last, when I threw myself down on the ground in despair, she said to me, with a scornful smile:
”`I intend to make you feel my power. It seems that you are a lion at present, I mean you to be a sheep.'
“So saying, she touched me with her wand, and I became what you see. I did not lose the power of speech, or of feeling the misery of my present state.
”`For five years,' she said, `you shall be a sheep, and lord of this pleasant land, while I, no longer able to see your face, which I loved so much, shall be better able to hate you as you deserve to be hated.'
“She disappeared as she finished speaking, and if I had not been too unhappy to care about anything I should have been glad that she was gone.
”The talking sheep received me as their king, and told me that they, too, were unfortunate princes who had, in different ways, offended the revengeful fairy, and had been added to her flock for a certain number of years; some more, some less. From time to time, indeed, one regains his own proper form and goes back again to his place in the upper world; but the other beings whom you saw are the rivals or the enemies of Ragotte, whom she has imprisoned for a hundred years or so; though even they will go back at last. The young slave of whom I told you about is one of these; I have seen her often, and it has been a great pleasure to me. She never speaks to me, and if I were nearer to her I know I should find her only a shadow, which would be very annoying. However, I noticed that one of my companions in misfortune was also very attentive to this little sprite, and I found out that he had been her lover, whom the cruel Ragotte had taken away from her long before; since then I have cared for, and thought of, nothing but how I might regain my freedom. I have often been in the forest; that is where I have seen you, lovely Princess, sometimes driving your chariot, which you did with all the grace and skill in the world; sometimes riding to the chase on so spirited a horse that it seemed as if no one but yourself could have managed it, and sometimes running races on the plain with the Princesses of your Court--running so lightly that it was you always who won the prize. Oh! Princess, I have loved you so long, and yet how dare I tell you of my love! what hope can there be for an unhappy sheep like myself?“
Miranda was so surprised and confused by all that she had heard that she hardly knew what answer to give to the King of the Sheep, but she managed to make some kind of little speech, which certainly did not forbid him to hope, and said that she should not be afraid of the shadows now she knew that they wo
uld some day come to life again. ”Alas!“ she continued, ”if my poor Patypata, my dear Grabugeon, and pretty little Tintin, who all died for my sake, were equally well off, I should have nothing left to wish for here!“
Prisoner though he was, the King of the Sheep had still some powers and privileges.
”Go,“ said he to his Master of the Horse, ”go and seek the shadows of the little black girl, the monkey, and the dog: they will amuse our Princess.“
And an instant afterward Miranda saw them coming toward her, and their presence gave her the greatest pleasure, though they did not come near enough for her to touch them.
The King of the Sheep was so kind and amusing, and loved Miranda so dearly, that at last she began to love him too. Such a handsome sheep, who was so polite and considerate, could hardly fail to please, especially if one knew that he was really a king, and that his strange imprisonment would soon come to an end. So the Princess's days passed very gaily while she waited for the happy time to come. The King of the Sheep, with the help of all the flock, got up balls, concerts, and hunting parties, and even the shadows joined in all the fun, and came, making believe to be their own real selves.
One evening, when the couriers arrived (for the King sent most carefully for news and they always brought the very best kinds), it was announced that the sister of the Princess Miranda was going to be married to a great Prince, and that nothing could be more splendid than all the preparations for the wedding.
”Ah!“ cried the young Princess, ”how unlucky I am to miss the sight of so many pretty things! Here am I imprisoned under the earth, with no company but sheep and shadows, while my sister is to be adorned like a queen and surrounded by all who love and admire her, and everyone but myself can go to wish her joy!“
”Why do you complain, Princess?“ said the King of the Sheep. ”Did I say that you were not to go to the wedding? Set out as soon as you please; only promise me that you will come back, for I love you too much to be able to live without you.“
Miranda was very grateful to him, and promised faithfully that nothing in the world should keep her from coming back. The King caused an escort suitable to her rank to be got ready for her, and she dressed herself splendidly, not forgetting anything that could make her more beautiful. Her chariot was of mother-of-pearl, drawn by six dun-collared griffins just brought from the other side of the world, and she was attended by a number of guards in splendid uniforms, who were all at least eight feet high and had come from far and near to ride in the Princess's train.
Miranda reached her father's palace just as the wedding ceremony began, and everyone, as soon as she came in, was struck with surprise at her beauty and the splendo
ur of her jewels. She heard exclamations of admiration on all sides; and the King her father looked at her so attentively that she was afraid he must recognize her; but he was so sure that she was dead that the idea never occurred to him.
However, the fear of not getting away made her leave before the marriage was over. She went out hastily, leaving behind her a little coral casket set with emeralds. On it was written in diamond letters: ”Jewels for the Bride,“ and when they opened it, which they did as soon as it was found, there seemed to be no end to the pretty things it contained. The King, who had hoped to join the unknown Princess and find out who she was, was dreadfully disappointed when she disappeared so suddenly, and gave orders that if she ever came again the doors were to be shut that she might not get away so easily. Short as Miranda's absence had been, it had seemed like a hundred years to the King of the Sheep. He was waiting for her by a fountain in the thickest part of the forest, and the ground was strewn with splendid presents which he had prepared for her to show his joy and gratitude at her coming back.
As soon as she was in sight he rushed to meet her, leaping and bounding like a real sheep. He caressed her tenderly, throwing himself at her feet and kissing her hands, and told her how uneasy he had been in her absence, and how impatient for her return, with an eloquence which charmed her.
After some time came the news that the King's second daughter was going to be married. When Miranda heard it she begged the King of the Sheep to allow her to go and see the wedding as before. This request made him feel very sad, as if some misfortune must surely come of it, but his love for the Princess being stronger than anything else he did not like to refuse her.
”You wish to leave me, Princess,“ said he; ”it is my unhappy fate you are not to blame. I consent to your going, but, believe me, I can give you no stronger proof of my love than by so doing.“
The Princess assured him that she would only stay a very short time, as she had done before, and begged him not to be uneasy, as she would be quite as much grieved if anything detained her as he could possibly be.
So, with the same escort, she set out, and reached the palace as the marriage ceremony began. Everybody was delighted to see her; she was so pretty that they thought she must be some fairy princess, and the Princes who were there could not take their eyes off her.
The King was more glad than anyone else that she had come again, and gave orders that the doors should all be shut and bolted that very minute. When the wedding was all but over the Princess got up quickly, hoping to slip away unnoticed among the crowd, but, to her great dismay, she found every door fastened.
She felt more at ease when the King came up to her, and with the greatest respect begged her no
t to run away so soon, but at least to honor him by staying for the splendid feast which was prepared for the Princes and Princesses. He led her into a magnificent hall, where all the Court was assembled, and himself taking up the golden bowl full of water, he offered it to her that she might dip her pretty fingers into it.
At this the Princess could no longer contain herself; throwing herself at the King's feet, she cried out:
”My dream has come true after all--you have offered me water to wash my hands on my sister's wedding day, and it has not vexed you to do it.“
The King recognized her at once--indeed, he had already thought several times how much like his poor little Miranda she was.
”Oh! my dear daughter,“ he cried, kissing her, ”can you ever forget my cruelty? I ordered you to be put to death because I thought your dream portended the loss of my crown. And so it did,“ he added, ”for now your sisters are both married and have kingdoms of their own--and mine shall be for you.“ So saying he put his crown on the Princess's head and cried:
”Long live Queen Miranda!“
All the Court cried: ”Long live Queen Miranda!“ after him, and the young Queen's two sisters came running up, and threw their arms round her neck, and kissed her a thousand times, and then there was such a laughing and crying, talking and kissing, all at once, and Miranda thanked her father, and began to ask after everyone particularly the Captain of the Guard, to whom she owed so much; but, to her great sorrow, she heard that he was dead. Presently they sat down to the banquet, and the King asked Miranda to tell them all that had happened to her since the terrible morning when he had sent the Captain of the Guard to fetch her. This she did with so much spirit that all the guests listened with breathless interest. But while she was thus enjoying herself with the King and her sisters, the King of the Sheep was waiting impatiently for the time of her return, and when it came and went, and no Princess appeared, his anxiety became so great that he could bear it no longer.
”She is not coming back any more,“ he cried. ”My miserable sheep's face displeases her, and without Miranda what is left to me, wretched creature that I am! Oh! cruel Ragotte; my punishment is complete.“
For a long time he bewailed his sad fate like this, and then, seeing that it was growing dark, and that still there was no sign of the Princess, he set out as fast as he could in the direction of the town. When he reached the palace he asked for Miranda, but by this time everyone had heard the story of her adventures, and did not want her to go back again to the King of the Sheep, so they refused sternly to let him see her. In vain he begged and prayed them to let him in; though his entreaties might have melted hearts of stone they did not move the guar
ds of the palace, and at last, quite broken-hearted, he fell dead at their feet.
In the meantime the King, who had not the least idea of the sad thing that was happening outside the gate of his palace, proposed to Miranda that she should be driven in her chariot all round the town, which was to be illuminated with thousands and thousands of torches, placed in windows and balconies, and in all the grand squares. But what a sight met her eyes at the very entrance of the palace! There lay her dear, kind sheep, silent and motionless, upon the pavement!
She threw herself out of the chariot and ran to him, crying bitterly, for she realized that her broken promise had cost him his life, and for a long, long time she was so unhappy that they thought she would have died too.
So you see that even a princess is not always happy especially if she forgets to keep her word; and the greatest misfortunes often happen to people just as they think they have obtained their heart's desires
篇18：英语童话名著
One day, a colt(小马，生手) carried a bag of wheat to the mill.
As he was running with the bag on his back, he came to a small river. Water went gurgling(作汩汩声) on. The colt could not decide whether he could cross it. Looking around, he saw a cow grazing1 nearby. He asked, ”Uncle Cow, could you tell me if I can cross the river?“ The cow told him that he could and that the river was not very deep, just to his knees.
The colt was crossing the river when a squirrel2 jumped down a tree and stopped him. The squirrel shouted, ”Colt, stop! You'll be drowned! One of my friends was drowned yesterday just in the river.“ Not knowing what to do, the colt went home to consult his mom.
He told his mom his experience on the way. His mother said, ”My child, don't always listen to others. You'd better go and try yourself. Then you'll know what to do.“
Just at the river, the squirrel stopped the colt again. ”Little horse, it's too dangerous!“ ”No, I want to have a try by myself“, answered the colt. Then he crossed the river carefully. On the other side of the river, the colt realized that the river was neither as shallow as the cow said nor as as deep as the squirrel told him.
篇19：安徒生童话英语读后感
When she heard the thorns if given the warmth of thorns be able to tell his mother holding a child to run the direction of death. Mother did not hesitate to put an icicle hanging from the thorns into the arms tightly hug, thorns, plunging to her chest, the outflow of the blood drop by drop, but she is only to save their children, and does not know the pain.
Ah! Mother, do you love your children, as long as the child happy, you would prefer to heat can be thorns.
Mother went to a lake, no boat on the lake there is no bridge, Lake said: ”If you put your eyes to me, I can take you to death of the greenhouse.“ Immediately burst into tears after listening to her mother and finally his eyes weeping come out to the lake.
How blind painful thing ah! Mother, but you can not hesitate to use both eyes for the road to find the child.
Greenhouse came to the door, an old lady mother, said: ”I can help you, but you take your black to me and took my white hair.“ Heard the mother hurried exchange with her hair.
Mother, mother, ah! You for their own children have lost their eyes, and now also with shortened life expectancy, in exchange for others to find their children help. You're a very loving child.
Mother of the world love their children are like this in my life, my mother has always surrounded me with love.
I remember once, my mother, I came home from school, suddenly a strong wind comes, my mother see me frozen straight tremble, rushed off his coat draped over my body, with her thin arm for me, blocking the whistling of the north wind. I Suzhebozi, eyes closed, feeling very warm. When I opened my eyes and found a strong wind is merciless beating his mother's back. I have frequently asked: ”Mom Are you cold?\" Mom smiled shaking his head, patrol, I quickly move forward.
In my life, bit by bit, the feelings of her mother's great maternal love is also accompanied by my growth.
篇20：安徒生童话英语读后感
This summer holiday, I read a book called Andersen Fairy Tale. The book has many interesting stories. I can't forget one of the story of this book, ugly little duck. It is very ugly, who has been bullied. It was alone, no animals would play with it. In the cold winter , it almost froze to death in the forest. However, it finally frying by its own efforts. It turned into a beautiful swan. It is not an ugly duck anymore. This story tells us: in the face of injustice, it is only through their own efforts, as have happiness and joy.
这个暑假，我读了一本叫《安徒生童话的书》。书里有许多有趣的故事。让我无法忘记的就是《丑小鸭》这个故事。它很丑，从小就一直被欺负。它很孤独，没有人或是动物愿意陪它玩耍。在寒冷的冬天，它在森林里差点冻死。但是，它最后终于靠着自己的努力飞了起来。它变成了美丽的.天鹅。它不再是一只丑陋的小鸭子。这个故事告诉我们：面对生活的种种不公平，只有通过自己的努力，一样能拥有幸福和快乐。
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