Some toy soldiers made of brass were standing on a shelf of a toy shop. One of them had only one leg.
在一家玩具店的黄铜架子上摆放着一些玩具士兵。其中的一位士兵只有一条腿。
The shop had also a castle made of paper. A beautiful paper ballerina stood in front of the castle gate.
这家商店也是一座用纸造筑的城堡。城堡门前站着一位纸做的美丽的芭蕾舞女。
The toy soldier with one-leg loved the ballerina. He wanted to dance with her, but he couldn't ask her because he only had one leg.
那位只有一条腿的玩具士兵很喜欢芭蕾舞女。他想邀她共舞,但是因为只有一条腿,他不好意思去邀请。
One day, a little girl bought the ballerina and took her to her house. The toy soldier was so sad. That night, the wind blew very hard. The toy soldier fell down to the street because of the wind. Some naughty boys found the toy soldier.
"Look at him! This toy soldier has only one leg. Let's throw him into the river." The boys threw him in the river. When the toy soldier was drifting down the river, a big fish came over and swallowed him in its mouth.
After a while, the fish was caught by a fisherman's rod. He sold the fish to a woman. She cut the fish while preparing dinner after she came back home. She found the toy soldier inside of the fish. The woman was surprised. "Oh, what is this?" She gave him to her daughter.
The girl took him to her room. At that moment, the toy soldier saw the beautiful paper ballerina. "Toy soldier, How did you come to this house?" They were so happy to meet again. The Ballerina said, "Frankly speaking, I like you. Stay here with me forever."
At that moment, the wind blew and took the paper ballerina to the fireplace, too. The toy soldier and the ballerina were burned together.
就在这时,一阵风吹来,把纸做的芭蕾舞女也吹向了壁炉中。就这样,玩具士兵和芭蕾舞女在烈火中相拥长眠。
The next morning, the woman found a heart-shaped piece of brass in the fireplace. It was the symbol of the toy soldier's and the ballerina's love.
第二天早上,女士在壁炉中发现一块心形的铜块。这象征着玩具士兵和芭蕾舞女美好的爱情。
达蒙和皮西厄斯
A young man whose name was Pythias had done something which the tyrant Dionysius did not like. For this offence he was dragged to prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and friends before he died.
"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love," he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life."
“就让我回去辞别我爱的人吧,”他说,“然后我会回来终结我的生命。”
The tyrant laughed at him.
暴君嘲笑他。
"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only want to cheat
me, and save yourself."
“我怎么知道你会信守诺言?”他说。“你只想欺骗我.救你自己。”
Then a young man whose name was Darmon spoke and said.
这时一位名叫达蒙的年轻男子开口说:
"O king! Put me in prison in place of my friend Pythias, and let him go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his friends farewell. I know that he will come back as he promised, for he is a man who has never gone back on his word. But if he is not here on the day which you have set, then I will die in his stead."
The tyrant was surprised that anybody should make such an offer. He at last agreed to let Pythias go, and gave orders that the young man Damon should be shut up in prison.
暴君很惊,竟然有人提出这样的请求。他终于同意让皮西厄斯回去,并下令把达蒙关进监狱。
Time passed, and by and by the day drew near which had been set for Pythias to die;and he had not come back. The tyrant ordered the jailer to keep close watch upon Darnon, and not let him escape. But Damon did not try to escape. He still had faith in the truth and honor of his friend. He said, "If Pythias does not come back in time, it will not be his fault.It will be because he is hindered against his will."
At last the day came, and then the very hour. Damon was ready to die. His trust in his friend was as firm as ever; and he said that he did not grieve at having to suffer for one whom he loved so much.
Then the jailer came to lead him to his death; but at the same moment Pythias stood in the door. He had been delayed by storms and shipwreck, and he had feared that he was too late. He greeted Damon kindly, and then gave himself into the hands of the jailer. He was happy because he thought that he had come in time, even though it was at the last moment.
Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden.
每天下午,孩子们放学回来,总会去巨人的花园里玩耍。
It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. "How happy we are here!" they cried to each other.
One day the Giant came back. 1-1e had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle.When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.
"What are you doing here?" he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.
“你们在这儿做什么‘!”他非常粗暴地喊道,孩子们跑开了。
"My own garden is my own garden," said the Giant; "any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself." So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.