旅伴10 文本已添加

10

Eachprince who came and tried the three guesses, so that he might marry theprincess, had been unable to find them out, and had been hanged or beheaded.

每次一个王子来猜答案，想得到这位公主的时候，他总是失败，结果不是被绞死便是被砍掉脑袋。

Theyhad all been warned in time, and might have left her alone, if they would. Theold king became at last so distressed at all these dreadful circumstances, thatfor a whole day every year he and his soldiers knelt and prayed that theprincess might become good; but she continued as wicked as ever.

的确，他事先并不是没有得到警告的他很可以放弃求婚的念头。老国王对于这种痛苦和悲惨的事情，感到万分难过，所以每年都要花一整天的工夫和他所有的军队跪在地上祈祷，希望这个公主变好，可是她却偏偏不愿意改好。

Theold women who drank brandy would color it quite black before they drank it, toshow how they mourned; and what more could they do?

老太婆在喝白兰地的时候，总是先把它染上黑色②才吞下去，因为她们感到悲哀——的确，她们再也没有其他的办法。

"Whata horrible princess!" said John; "she ought to be well

flogged.If I were the old king, I would have her punished in some way."

“丑恶的公主！”约翰奈斯说；“应该结结实实地把她抽一顿，这样对她才有好处。如果我是老国王的话，我要抽得她全身流血！”

Justthen they heard the people outside shouting, "Hurrah!" and, lookingout, they saw the princess passing by; and she was really so beautiful thateverybody forgot her wickedness, and shouted "Hurrah!"

这时外面有人听到这话，他们都喊“好”！公主正在旁边经过，她的确是非常漂亮的，所以老百姓一时忘记了她的恶毒，也对着她叫：“好！”

 Twelve lovely maidens in white silk dresses,holding golden tulips in their hands, rode by her side on coal-black horses.

十二个美丽的年轻姑娘，穿着白色的绸衣，每人手中拿着一朵金色的郁金香，骑着十二匹漆黑的骏马，在她的两旁护卫。

Theprincess herself had a snow-white steed, decked with diamonds and rubies. Herdress was of cloth of gold, and the whip she held in her hand looked like asunbeam.

公主本人骑着一匹戴着钻石和红玉的白马。她骑马穿的服装是纯金做的，她手中的马鞭亮得像太阳的光线。

Thegolden crown on her head glittered like the stars of heaven, and her mantle wasformed of thousands of butterflies' wings sewn together. Yet she herself wasmore beautiful than all.

她头上戴着的金冠像是从天上摘下来的小星星，她的外衣是用一千多只美丽的蝴蝶翅膀缝成的。但是她本人要比她的衣服美丽得多。

WhenJohn saw her, his face became as red as a drop of blood, and he could scarcelyutter a word. The princess looked exactly like the beautiful lady with thegolden crown, of whom he had dreamed on the night his father died. She appearedto him so lovely that he could not help loving her.

约翰奈斯一看到她的时候，脸上就变得像血一样地鲜红。他一句话也说不出来。公主的样子很像他在父亲死去的那个晚上所梦见的那个戴着金冠的美女子。他觉得她是那么动人，不禁也非常爱起她来。他说，他不相信她是一个恶毒的巫婆，专门把猜不出她的问题的人送上绞架或砍头。

"Itcould not be true," he thought, "that she was really a wicked witch,who ordered people to be hanged or beheaded, if they could not guess herthoughts. Every one has permission to go and ask her hand, even the poorestbeggar. I shall pay a visit to the palace," he said; "I must go, forI cannot help myself."

“她既然准许每个人向她求婚，甚至最穷的乞丐也包括在内，那么我也要到宫殿里去一趟，因为我实在没有别的办法！”

Thenthey all advised him not to attempt it; for he would be sure to share the samefate as the rest. His fellow-traveller also tried to persuade him against it;but John seemed quite sure of success.

大家都劝他不要尝试这件事，因为他所得到的结果一定会跟别人一样。他的旅伴也劝他不要这样做，但是约翰奈斯认为一切都会很顺利的。

Hebrushed his shoes and his coat, washed his face and his hands, combed his softflaxen hair, and then went out alone into the town, and walked to the palace.

他把鞋子和上衣刷了，把脸和手也洗了，把他的美丽的黄头发也梳了。于是他独自进了城，直接向王宫走去。