1、1. The Elves and the ShoemakerThere was once a shoemaker, who, through no fault of his own, became so poor that at last he had nothing left but just enough leather to make one pair of shoes. He cut out the shoes at night, so as to set to work upon them next morning; and as he had a good conscience,
2、he laid himself quietly down in his bed, committed himself to heaven, and fell asleep. In the morning, after he had said his prayers, and was going to get to work, he found the pair of shoes made and finished, and standing on his table. He was very much astonished, and could not tell what to think,
3、and he took the shoes in his hand to examine them more nearly; and they were so well made that every stitch was in its right place, just as if they had come from the hand of a master-workman.Soon after, a purchaser entered, and as the shoes fitted him very well, he gave more than the usual price for
4、 them, so that the shoemaker had enough money to buy leather for two more pairs of shoes.He cut them at night, and intended to set to work the next morning with fresh spirit; when he got up they were already finished, and a customer even was not lacking, who gave him so much money that he was able t
5、o buy leather enough for four new pairs. Early next morning he found the four pairs also finished, and so it always happened; whatever he cut out in the evening was worked up by the morning, so that he was soon in the way of making a gook living, and in the end became very well to do.One night, not
6、long before Christmas, when the shoemaker had finished cutting out, and before he went to bed, he said to his wife,“How would it be if we were to sit up tonight and see who it is that does us this service?”His wife agreed, and set a light to burn. Then they both hid in a corner of the room, behind s
7、ome coats that were hanging up, and then they began to watch. As soon as it was midnight they saw come in two neatly-formed naked little men, who seated themselves before the shoemakers table, and took up the work that was already prepared, and began to stitch, to pierce, and to hammer so cleverly a
8、nd quickly with their little fingers that the shoemakers eyes could scarcely follow them, so full of wonder was he. And they never left off until everything was finished and was standing ready on the table, and then they jumped up and ran off.The next morning the shoemakers wife said to her husband,
9、 “Those little men have made us rich, and we ought to show ourselves grateful. With all their running about, and having nothing to cover them, they must be cold. Ill tell you what: I will make little shirts, coats, waistcoats, and breeches for them, and knit each of them a pair of stockings, and you
10、 shall make each of them a pair of shoes. ”The husband consented willingly, and at night, when everything was finished, they laid the gifts together on the table, instead of the cut-out work, and placed themselves so that they could observe how the little men would behave. When midnight came, they r
11、ushed in, ready to set work, but when they found, instead of the pieces of prepared leather, the neat little garments put ready forthem, they stood a moment in surprise, and then they testified the greatest delight. With the greatest swiftness they took up the pretty garments and slipped them on, si
12、nging,“What spruce and dandy boys are we!No longer cobblers we will be. ”Then they hopped and danced about, jumping over the chairs and tables, and at last danced out at the door.From that time they were never seen again; but it always went well with the shoemaker as long as he lived, and whatever h
13、e took in hand prospered.1. 小精灵和鞋匠以前有个鞋匠. 虽然并不是因为他自己的过错，但是他变得很穷困，最后他只剩下仅够做一双鞋的皮料，别的一无所有. 于是，他在晚上把鞋料裁好，准备第二天上午开始把皮料制成皮鞋. 由于他心安理得，所以能安然躺在床上，把自己的一切托付上苍，然后就入睡了. 第二天早晨，他做过祷告后，准备开始工作，但是发现想要做的那双鞋子已经做好，放在自己的桌上. 他吃惊得目瞪口呆，不知该怎么想. 他把鞋子拿在手里，再加仔细端详. 这双鞋做得好极了，就像是出自一个制鞋大师之手，一针一线的位置都恰到好处.不久，一位买主走进来. 因为那双鞋穿在他脚上大小很服贴
14、，他给了比一般都高的价钱. 这样，鞋匠就有钱买了做两双鞋的皮料. 他在晚上把皮料裁剪好，准备第二天早晨精神焕发地开始工作. 但当他起身时，发现鞋料又已经被做成了鞋子. 甚至连买主也不缺. 那位买主给他很多的钱，使他可以购买做四双皮鞋的皮料. 隔天一大早，他又发现那四双鞋也已有人帮他做好. 如此反复，无论他晚上裁剪了多少双鞋料，到早上这些鞋料必然被做成了鞋子. 如是，他的生活很快得到了改善，最后还是变得十分富有.圣诞节前不久的一个晚上，鞋匠在裁完皮料上床之前对他的妻子说：“今天晚上如果我们熬个夜，看看谁在为我们干活，好吗？”他的妻子同意了. 他们点了一盏灯，然后躲在屋子一角挂了几件上衣的后面，再
15、就开始观察. 一到半夜时，他们发现两个五官端正，但身上赤条条的小人，来到屋内，坐在鞋匠的桌子前，干起为他们准备好的活儿. 他们时儿穿针引线，时儿用锥钉钉子，他们的小手指如此灵敏俐落，连鞋匠的眼光也几乎赶不上，他真是惊叹不已. 他们总是先把活儿干完，把做好的放在桌上，然后才跳跳蹦蹦地离去.第二天早晨，鞋匠的妻子对鞋匠说：“那两个小人使我们发了财，我们也应该对他们表示感激之情. 他们一丝不挂地跑东跑西，一定很冷. 我有个主意. 我会给他们做些小衬衫，小外套，小马甲，小马裤，并且为他们每人织一双长统袜，你再为他们每人做一双鞋子. ”丈夫欣然同意. 晚上，当他们做完所有的事情后，他们把礼物一起放在桌上
16、，而不再放裁剪好的鞋料，然后，他们躲到可以观察小精灵如何行动的地方. 半夜一到，两个小精灵匆匆而来，准备开始工作. 但是他们没有发现裁剪好的皮料，却发现了为他们准备好的整洁的小衣裳，他们呆了一阵子，然后喜形于色，很快地拿起了漂亮的衣服，一面穿在身上，一面唱着：“我们是多么时髦漂亮的小伙子啊!“我们不再是臭皮匠了. ”他们又跳又唱，在屋里的桌子和椅子上跳来跳去，最后跳出了大门.从那以后，再也没有见到过他们，但是鞋匠后来终其一生都过得幸福美满，凡是所经营的事业，无不兴旺发达.2. Snow-White and Rose-RedOnce there was a poor widow who live
17、d alone in her hut with her two little children, who were called Snow-White and Rose-Red, because they were like the flowers which bloomed on two rose-bushes which grew before the cottage. But they were as pious, good, industrious, and amiable children as any that were in the world, only Snow-White
18、was more quiet and gentle than Rose-Red. For Rose-Red would run and jump about the meadows, seeking flowers and catching butterflies, while Snow-White sat at home helping her mother to keep house, or reading to her if there were nothing else to do. The two children loved one another dearly, and alwa
19、ys walked hand in hand when they went out together; and when they talked of it they agreed that they would never separate from each other, and that whatever one had the other should share. Often they ran deep into the forest and gathered wild berries; but no beast ever harmed them. For the hare woul
20、d eat cauliflowers out of their hands, the fawn would graze at their side, the goats would frisk about them in play, and the birds remained perched on the boughs singing as if nobody were near. No accident ever befell them; and if they stayed late in the forest, and night came upon them, they used t
21、o lie down on the moss and sleep till morning; and because their mother knew they would do so, she felt no concern about them. One time when they had thus passed the night in the forest, and the dawn of morning awoke them, they saw a beautiful child dressed in shining white sitting near their couch.
22、 She got up and looked at them kindly, but without saying anything went into the forest. The children saw they had slept close to the edge of a pit, into which they would have certainly fallen had they walked farther in the dark. Their mother told them the figure was doubtless the good angel who wat
23、ches over children.Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their mothers cottage so clean that it was a pleasure to enter it. Every morning in the summer-time Rose-Red would first put the house in order, and then gather a nose gay for her mother, in which she always placed a bud from each rose tree. Every wint
24、ers morning Snow-White would light the fire and put the kettle on to boil, and although the kettle was made of copper it yet shone like gold, because it was scoured so well. In the evening, when the flakes of snow were falling, the mother would say;“Go, Snow White, and bolt the door”;and then they u
25、sed to sit down on the hearth, and the mother would put on her spectacles and read out of a great book while her children sat spinning. By their side, too, lay a little lamb, and on a perch behind them a little white dove reposed with her head under her wing.One evening, when they were thus sitting
26、comfortably together, there came a knock at the door as if somebody wished to come in.“Make haste, Rose-Red,” cried her mother;“make haste and open the door; perhaps there is some traveler outside who needs shelter.”So Rose-Red went and drew the bolt and opened the door, expecting to see some poor m
27、an outside, but instead, a great fat Bear poked his black head in. Rose-Red shrieked out and ran back, the little lamb bleated, the dove fluttered on her perch, and Snow-White hid herself behind her mothers bed. The bear, however, began to speak, and said.“Be not afraid, I will do you no harm; but I
28、 am half frozen, and wish to come in and warm myself.”“Poor Bear!”cried the mother.“Come in and lie down before the fire; but take care you do not burn your skin”; and then she continued:“Come here, Rose-Red and Snow-White, the Bear will not harm you, he means honorably.” So they both came back, and
29、 by degrees the lamb, too, and thedove overcame their fears and welcomed the rough visitor.“You children,”said the Bear, before he entered, “come and knock the snow off my coat.” And they fetched their brooms and swept him clean. Then he stretched himself before the fire and grumbled out his satisfa
30、ction; and in a little while the children became familiar enough to play tricks with the unwildly animal. They pulled his long, shaggy skin, set their feet upon his back and rolled him to and fro, and even ventured to beat him with a hazel stick, laughing when he grumbled. The bear bore all their tr
31、icks good-temperedly, and if they hit him too hard he cried out:“Leave me my life, you children,Snow-White and Rose-Red,Or youll never wed.”When bedtime came and others were gone, the mother said to the Bear:“You may sleep here on the hearth if you like, and you will be safely protected from the col
32、d and bad weather.”As soon as day broke the two children let the Bear out again, and he trotted away over the snow, and ever afterwards he came every evening at a certain hour. He would lie down on the hearth and allow the children to play with him as much as they liked, till by degrees they became
33、so accustomed to him that the door was left unbolted till their black friend arrived.But as soon as spring returned, and everything out of doors was green gagin, the Bear one morning told Snow-White that he must leave her, and could not return during the whole summer.“Where are you going, then, dear
34、 Bear?” asked Snow-White. “ I am obliged to go into the forest and guard my treasures from the evil Dwarfs; for in winter, when ground is hard , they are obliged to keep in their holes, and cannot work through; but now, since the sun has thawed the earth and warmed it, the Dwarfspierce through, and
35、steal all they can find; and what has once passed into their hands, and gets concealed by them in their caves, is not easily brought to light.” Snow-White, however, was very sad at the departure of the Bear, and opened the door so hesitatingly that when he pressed through it he left behind on the la
36、tch a piece of his hairy coat; and through the hole which was made in his coat SnowWhite fancied she saw the glittering of gold; but she was not quite certain of it. The Bear, however, ran hastily away, and was soon hidden behind the trees.Some time afterwards the mother sent the children into the w
37、ood to gather sticks; and while doing so, they came to a tree which was lying across the path, on the trunk of which something kept bobbing up and down from the grass, and they could not imagine what it was. When they came nearer they saw a Dwarf , with an old wrinkled face and a Snow-White beard a
38、yard long. The end of this beard was fixed on a split of the tree, and the little man kept jumping about like a dog tied by a chain, for he did not know how to free himself. He glared at the maidens with his red fiery eyes, and exclaimed, “Why do you stand there? Are you going to pass without offeri
39、ng me any assistance? ” “What have you done, little man?” asked Rose-Red. “You stupid , gaping goose ! ” exclaimed he. “I wanted to have the tree split, in order to get a little wood for my kitchen, for the little wood which we use is soon burned up with great fagots, not like what you rough, greedy
40、 people devour! I had driven the wedge in properly, and everything was going on well, when the smooth wood flew upward, and the tree closed so suddenly together that I could not draw my beautiful beard out, and here it sticks and I cannot get away, There, dont laugh, you milk-faced things! Are you d
41、umbfounded?”The children took all the pains they could to pull the Dwarfs beard out; but without success. “I will run and fetch some help, ”cried Rose-Red at length. “Crack-brained sheepshead that you are!” snarled the Dwarf. “What are you going to call other people for? You are too many now for me;
42、 can you think of nothing else?”“Dont be impatient,” replied Snow-White; “I have thought of something ”; and pulling her scissors out of her pocket she cut off the end of the beard. As soon as the Dwarf found himself at liberty, he snatched up his sack, which lay between the roots of the tree, fille
43、d with gold, and throwing it over his shoulder marched off , grumbling and groaning and crying:“ Stupid people! to cut off a piece of my beautiful beard. Plague take you ! ” and away he went without once looking at the children.Some time afterwards Snow-White and Rose-Red went fishing, and as they n
44、eared the pond they saw something like a great locust hopping about on the bank, as if going to jump into the water.They ran up and recognized the Dwarf. “What are you after?” asked Rose-Red. “You will fall into the water. ” “ I am not quite such a simpleton as that , ” replied the Dwarf ; “ but do
45、you not see this fish will pull me in?” The little man had been sitting there angling, and unfortunately the wind had entangled his beard with the fishing line; and so a great fish bit at the bait, the strength of the weak little fellow was not able to draw it out, and the fish had the best of strug
46、gle. The Dwarf held on by the reeds and rushes which grew near; but to no purpose, for the fish pulled him where it liked, and he must soon have been drawn into the pond. Luckily just then the two maidens arrived , and tried to release the beard of the Dwarf from the fishing line; but both were too
47、closely entangled for it to be done. So the maiden pulled out her scissors again and cut off another piece of the beard. When the Dwarf saw this done he was in a great rage, and exclaimed : “ You donkey ! That is the way to disfigure my face. Was it not enough to cut itonce, but you must now take aw
48、ay the best part of my fine beard? I dare not show myself again now to my own people. I wish you had run the soles off your boots before you had come here ! ” So saying, he took up a bag of pearls which lay among the rushes , and without speaking another word, slipped off and disappeared behind a st
49、one.Not many days after this adventure, it chanced that the mother sent the two maidens to the next town to buy thread, needles and pins, laces and ribbons. Their road passed over a common , on which here and there great pieces of rock were lying about. Just over their heads they saw a great bird flying round and round, and every now and then dropping lower and lower, till at last it flew down behind a rock. Immediately afterwards they heard a piercing shriek, and running up they saw with affright that the eagle had caught their old acquaintance, the Dwarf, and was trying to carry h
