从前，有一个磨坊老板，有一个很漂亮的女儿。随着女儿长大，做父亲的心里开始想："如果有一个能让我满意的人来娶她作妻子，我就把她嫁给他，这样让她也有一个好的归宿。Once upon a time there was a miller who had a beautiful daughter. When she came of age he wished that she was provided for and well married. He thought, "If a respectablesuitor comes and asks for her hand in marriage, I will give her to him."

"不久，来了一个求婚者，看起来很富有，举止也非常得体，磨坊老板从他身上找不到自己不满意的地方，就答应把女儿嫁给他。long afterward a suitor came who appeared to be very rich, and because the miller could find no fault with him, he promised his daughter to him.

但是，女儿并不像新娘爱新郎一样爱他，而且过了不久以后，当她看见他或想到他时，心里总感觉怕得发抖。　Not The girl, however, did not like him as much as a bride should like her bridegroom. She did not trust him, and whenever she saw him or thought about him, she felt within her heart a sense of horror.

　 有一天，他对她说："你是我的未婚妻，为什么不来我家看看呢？　One time he said to her, "You are engaged to marry me, but you have never once paid me a visit."

"姑娘说："我不知道你家在哪儿呀？

"The girl replied, "I don't know where your house is."

她的未婚夫说："我家就在那片茂密的森林里。

"Then the bridegroom said, "My house is out in the dark woods."

姑娘的本意并不想去，又不好直接拒绝，只好找借口说："我不知道去你家的路."

Looking for an excuse, she said that she would not be able to find the way there.

未婚夫说道："这样吧！下周星期天，你一定要来看我，我邀请了一些客人，他们都想看看你。我沿路撒一些灰，你走进森林可以循着灰迹找到我家。"The bridegroom said, "Next Sunday you must come out to me. I have already invited guests. I will make a trail of ashes, so that you can find your way through the woods."

到了第二个星期天，姑娘想了想还是出门了，可她总觉得非常不安，就多了一个心眼，在两个口袋里装了满满的两口袋碗豆和蚕豆。她来到森林边，找到撒了灰烬的路，并循着灰迹走了进去。但她每走一步，就在路的右边扔下一颗碗豆，在左边扔下一颗蚕豆。这样一磨蹭，她用了一整天才走到黑暗森林里的一幢屋子前。进了屋子，她发现整个屋子里静悄悄的，里面空无一人，她正感到有点恐慌，When Sunday came, and it was time for the girl to start on her way, she became frightened, although she herself did not know exactly why. In order to mark the path, she filled both her pockets full of peas and lentils. At the entrance of the forest there was a trail of ashes, which she followed, but at every step she threw a couple of peas to the ground, to the right and to the left. She walked almost the whole day until she came to the middle of the woods, where it was the darkest, and there stood a solitary house. She did not like it, because it looked so dark and sinister. She went inside, but no one was there. It was totally quiet.

突然一个声音传了过来：

　　"转回去，美丽的新娘！

　　转回家里去！

　　快离开这强盗窝，

　　快离开这儿回到家里去！"

Suddenly a voice called out: Turn back, turn back, you young bride. You are in a murderer's house.

　　她转过头一看，发现在门的上方挂着一个鸟笼，笼子里关着一只小鸟，它拍了拍翅膀，接着又叫道：

　　"转回去，美丽的新娘！

　　转回家里去！

　　快离开这强盗窝，

　　快离开这儿回到家里去！"

The girl looked up and saw that the voice came from a bird, which was hanging in a cage on the wall. It cried out again: Turn back, turn back, you young bride. You are in a murderer's house.

姑娘听了以后，仍然走了进去，从一间房子走到另一间房子，她看完了所有的房间，发现里面全是空的。最后来到地下室，才看见一个老态龙钟的老太婆坐在里面。

Then the beautiful bride went from one room to another, walking through the whole house, but it was entirely empty, and not a human soul was to be found. Finally she came to the cellar. A very old woman was sitting there shaking her head.

姑娘开口问道："对不起！老奶奶，您能告诉我，我的未婚夫是住在这里吗？"

"Could you tell me," said the girl, "if my bridegroom lives here?"

老太婆回答说："唉—-！我可爱的孩子，你现在已经落入他们为你设的圈套了，你的婚礼就是你的葬礼。因为那些强盗要夺去你的生命，如果我不救你，你就死定了！"　"Oh, you poor child," replied the old woman, "where did you come from? You are in a murderer's den. You think you are a bride soon to be married, but it is death that you will be marrying. Look, they made me put a large kettle of water on the fire. When they have captured you, they will chop you to pieces without mercy, cook you, and eat you, for they are cannibals. If I do not show you compassion and save you, you are doomed."

说完，她把姑娘藏在一个大木桶里面，然后对她说："千万不要动弹，否则，你就会大祸临头。等强盗们睡着以后，我们再逃走，我早就想离开这儿了。With this the old woman led her behind a large barrel where she could not be seen."Be quiet as a mouse." she said. "Do not make a sound or move, or all will be over with you. Tonight when the robbers are asleep we will escape. I have long waited for an opportunity."

　姑娘刚藏好身子，强盗们就进屋来了，他们还带来了另一个姑娘，那姑娘也是被他们骗来的。进来后，他们开始又吃又喝，对那个姑娘的哭叫和呻吟充耳不闻，无动于衷This had scarcely happened when the godless band came home. They were dragging with them another maiden. They were drunk and paid no attention to her screams and sobs.
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