The Devil with theThree Golden Hairs
魔鬼的三根金发
There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son，and as he came into the world with a caul(caul n.［解剖］胎膜，大网膜)on，it was predicted that in his fourteenth year he would have the king"s daughter for his wife.It happened that soon afterwards the king came into the village，and no one knew that he was the king，and when he asked the people what news there was，they answered，a child has just been born with a caul on，whatever anyone so born undertakes turns out well.It is prophesied(prophesy v.预言，预报)，too，that in his fourteenth year he will have the king"s daughter for his wife.The king，who had a bad heart，and was angry about the prophecy，went to the parents，and，seeming quite friendly，said，“You poor people，let me have your child，and I will take care of it.”At first they refused，but when the stranger offered them a large amount of gold for it，and they thought，it is a child of good fortune，and everything must turn out well for it，they at last consented，and gave him the child.
从前，一个穷苦的妇人生了一儿子。这孩子出世时头上还包着胎膜，所以有人预言他十四岁时将娶国王的女儿为妻。事有凑巧，没过多久国王就来到了村子里。因为谁都不知道他是国王，当他问有什么新鲜事时，他们说前几天这儿生了一个有胎膜的孩子，这样的孩子将来不管干什么，都一定会如意。还有人预言，他十四岁那年要娶公主作妻子。国王心眼很坏，对这个预言非常生气，就去找到孩子的父母，装得很和善地对他们说：“你俩这么贫苦，把孩子送给我得啦！我会很好照料他的。”一开始夫妇俩不同意，可是当陌生人给了他们许多钱，他们就想，这孩子是个幸运儿，不管怎样也会逢凶化吉的。最后他们同意了，把儿子交给了国王。
The king put it in a box and rode away with it until he came to a deep piece of water，then he threw the box into it and thought，“I have freed my daughter from her undesired suitor.”The box，however，did not sink，but floated like a boat，and not a drop of water made its way into it.And it floated to within two miles of the king"s chief city，where there was a mill，and it came to a halt at the milldam.A miller"s boy，who by good luck was standing there，noticed it and pulled it out with a hook(hook n.钩，吊钩)，thinking that he had found a great treasure，but when he opened it there lay a pretty boy inside，quite fresh and lively.He took him to the miller and his wife，and as they had no children they were glad，and said，“God has given him to us.”They took great care of the foundling(foundling n.弃儿，育婴堂)，and he grew up in all goodness.
国王把孩子放进一只匣子内，骑着马离开村子，来到一条水很深的河边，把匣子扔进河中，心里想：“这下我便帮助女儿摆脱了一个讨厌的求婚者！”可那匣子呢，却并未沉下去，而是像只小船似地浮着，一滴水也没能浸到里边。就这么飘啊飘啊，它一直飘到离国王的京城只有两里远的一座磨坊前，靠在了一条堤上。磨坊的一个小帮工正好站在旁边，发现了匣子就用钩子把它钩过来，以为拣到什么了不起的宝贝了。谁知他打开一看，匣子里却是一个漂亮的小男孩，又健康又活泼。他把小家伙抱去给磨坊主夫妇，他俩正愁没有孩子，真叫喜出望外，说：“是上帝的恩赐，是上帝的恩赐！”因此精心养育这个弃儿，使他成为一个品行完美的人。
It happened that once in a storm，the king went into the mill，and asked the millfolk if the tall youth were their son.“No.”answered they，“He"s a foundling.Fourteen years ago he floated down to the milldam in a box，and the millboy pulled him out of the water.”Then the king knew that it was none other than the child of good fortune which he had thrown into the water，and he said，“My good people，could not the youth take a letter to the queen.I will give him two gold pieces as a reward.”Just as the king commands，answered they，and they told the boy to hold himself in readiness(readiness n.准备就绪).Then the king wrote a letter to the queen，wherein he said，“As soon as the boy arrives with this letter，let him be killed and buried，and all must be done before I come home.”The boy set out with this letter，but he lost his way，and in the evening came to a large forest.In the darkness he saw a small light，he went towards it and reached a cottage.When he went in，an old woman was sitting by the fire quite alone.She started when she saw the boy，and said，“Whence do you come，and whither are you going.”“I come from the mill，”he answered，“and wish to go to the queen，to whom I am taking a letter，but as I have lost my way in the forest I should like to stay here over night.”“You poor boy，”said the woman，“you have come into a den(den n.兽穴，洞穴，(舒适的)私室(作学习或办公用))of thieves，and when they come home they will kill you.”“Let them come，”said the boy，“I am not afraid，but I am so tired that I cannot go any farther.”And he stretched himself upon a bench(bench n.长椅子)and fell asleep.Soon afterwards the robbers came，and angrily asked what strange boy was lying there.“Ah，”said the old woman，“it is an innocent child who has lost himself in the forest，and out of pity I have let him come in，he has to take a letter to the queen.”The robbers opened the letter and read it，and in it was written that the boy as soon as he arrived should be put to death.Then the hardheartedhar(dhearted adj.无情的，冷酷的，心肠硬的)robbers felt pity，and their leader tore up the letter and wrote another，saying，that as soon as the boy came，he should be married at once to the king"s daughter.Then they let him lie quietly on the bench until the next morning，and when he awoke they gave him the letter，and showed him the right way.And the queen，when she had received the letter and read it，did as was written in it，and had a splendid weddingfeast prepared，and the king"s daughter was married to the child of good fortune，and as the youth was handsome and friendly she lived with him in joy and contentment.
突然一场大雨，国王走进磨坊里避雨，问磨坊主夫妇，眼前那个高个子少年是不是他们的儿子。“不，”他们回答，“他是一个育婴，十四年前，他被装在一只匣子里飘来靠在堤埂上，小帮工把他从水里捞了上来。”国王一听，就知道是他扔进河里的那个幸运儿，于是说：“你们是两个善良人。可不可以叫孩子送封信给王后，我想赏他两块金片？”“谨遵陛下的旨意！”磨坊主夫妇回答，并叫孩子作动身的准备，国王给王后写了一封信，信里说：“送这封信的男孩一到，立刻把他杀死埋掉。在我回来之前，必须办好这一切！”少年带着信出发了，可是却迷路了，晚上来到一片大森林中。在黑暗里，他看见一点点儿亮光，便走过去，到了一间小屋跟前。他走进小屋，里面只有孤零零的一个老太婆坐在火炉边上。老太婆看见他吓了一跳，问：“你从哪儿来？想上哪儿去？”“我从磨坊来，”少年回答，“奉命给王后送信去，可我在森林里迷了路，我希望在您这里过夜。”“可怜的孩子，”老太婆说，“你落进强盗窝里啦，他们一回来，就会杀死你，”“让他们来好啦，”他说，“我不害怕。可我累极了，再也支持不住。”说着便躺平在一条长凳上，睡着了。一会儿，强盗们回来果真气势汹汹地问，这是哪儿来的个野小子。“唉，”老太婆回答，“这是个善良纯洁的男孩，在森林里迷了路，出于怜悯，我便收留了他，他奉命要给王后送一封信去。”强盗拆开信读起来，里边写着，男孩一送到信，就把他杀掉。读完信，铁石心肠的强盗们也对少年产生了同情，他们的头儿两把撕碎国王的信，然后另写了一封，信里写着，等少年把信送到，立刻让他与公主结婚。随后，他们让他安安稳稳地在长凳上一直睡到第二天早上，等他醒来便把信给他，并且替他指了正确的路。王后收到信读了，就按信里的要求下令举行豪华的婚礼，把公主嫁给了幸运儿。因为少年又英俊又和善，公主与他生活得挺快乐，挺满意。
