【英语童话中阶版】The Ice Maiden 冰姑娘(下)附双语文本

.......接上集

The sun’s warm rays shone through the little window of the grandfather’s house on the quiet child. The daughters of the sunbeams kissed him to thaw and melt that ice kiss which the queenly maiden of the glaciers had given him.
Rudy grew up to be brave and cheerful. His cheeks were brown, his teeth white, and his eyes dark and sparkling. The iciest water could not keep him from swimming and no one else could climb as high as he could.
As he climbed high over the mountains one snowy day, there suddenly appeared, close by Rudy’s side, a young maiden. He had not noticed her until she came near him.
Rudy: Hello. Where are you going in such dreary weather as this?
Maiden: I’m climbing over the mountain, same as you.
Rudy: You are climbing alone?
Maiden: Yes, but I’m not taking the long way around. If you keep to the left, the journey is much shorter.
Rudy: Ah, yes, but much more dangerous. The mountain is steeper there and you can easily fall. Do you pretend to be a guide and not know the road better than that?
Maiden: I know every step of the way and I am thinking of the dangers of the mountain. We should always be thinking of the Ice Maiden while we are up here.
Rudy: The Ice Maiden? {Laughing} I do not fear her. Those stories could not even frighten me when I was a child. I will not be tricked by her as a man.
Darkness came, the rain fell, and then it began to snow. The whiteness dazzled the eyes. But, Rudy and the young maiden kept climbing.
Maiden: Give me your hand. I will help you climb.
Rudy: You, help me? I don’t need help to climb.
The drifting snow fell between them, the wind whistled, and behind him, Rudy could hear the maiden laughing and singing. The sound was quite strange to hear in the middle of such a storm.
Rudy: Surely this girl must be a servant of the Ice Maiden herself!
The snow fell thicker than ever and when Rudy looked back, there was no one to be seen, but he heard sounds of mocking laughter.
When Rudy at last reached the highest part of the mountain, the snow had stopped and the stars shone bright in the sky above.
Rudy took his way home along the mountain path. The air was fresh, but cold for here in the deep snow, the Ice Maiden ruled.
Suddenly Rudy found himself at the edge of a steep rock. Rain began to fall and he started to feel sick. He was so tired and thirsty. His head felt hot and his body trembled with cold.
Just then, he saw a doorway to a small house. In the doorway, the
young maiden stood.
Rudy: How did you get here?
Maiden: This is my home. I’m watching my goats.
Rudy: Goats! Where do they eat? There is nothing here but snow and rocks!
Maiden: That shows how much you know about what grows here.
There is beautiful land not too far from here. My goats go there. I tend them carefully. I never miss one.
Rudy: You are bold and daring.
Maiden: So are you.
Rudy: Do you have any milk in the house? If so, please give me some to drink.
Maiden: Alright. [Giving Rudy some milk] This should take care of your thirst.
Rudy: This is good! Thank you.
Rudy’s eyes sparkled with new life as he began to feel better. He still did not know who this girl was or where she came from, but she had helped him so he reached out to shake her hand.
As Rudy felt her cold grasp, the Ice Maiden, for it was she, sent an icecold chill through his whole body. Rudy struggled to get free and stumbled away from her. For a moment, all was dark before his eyes. But, when he opened them again, it was light, and the maiden was gone.
The powers of evil had played their trick. The house was no more to be seen. All that was there were the rocks and snow that laid thickly all around, leaving Rudy unsure of whether it was real or just a dream.

阳光透过爷爷家的小窗户，照在安静的孩子身上。阳光精灵们吻了他，融化了冰姑娘给他的冰吻。
鲁迪长大后变得勇敢开朗。棕色的脸颊，白白的牙齿，眼睛又黑又亮。最冰冷的水都无法阻止他游泳，没有其他人可以爬到他能爬到的高度。
一个下雪天，当他高高翻越山峰时，身边突然出现了一个少女。直到她靠近他，他才注意到她。
鲁迪：你好。这么冷的天气你要去哪里？
少女：我在爬山，和你一样。
鲁迪：你一个人爬？
少女：是的，但我不会走太远的路。如果你一直靠左攀爬，行程会短得多。
鲁迪：啊，是的，但那更危险。那里的山比较陡，很容易掉下来。你是不是假装是个向导，却不知道走哪条路？
少女：我知道每一步，我只在考虑山的危险。当我们在这里时，我们得当心冰姑娘。
鲁迪：冰姑娘？ {笑}我不怕她。当我还是个孩子的时候，那些故事都吓不倒我。作为一个男人，我更不会被她欺骗。
天黑了，下雨了，然后开始下雪。眼前一片白茫茫。但是，鲁迪和少女继续往上爬。
少女：把手给我。我会帮你。
鲁迪：你，帮我？我不需要帮助。
飘雪落在他们之间，风在呼啸，在他身后，鲁迪听到少女的笑声和歌声。在这样的风暴中听到这个声音很奇怪。
鲁迪：这丫头肯定是冰姑娘的仆人！
雪比以往更厚，当鲁迪回头看时，没有人了，但他听到了嘲弄的笑声。
当鲁迪终于到达山的最高处时，雪已经停了，上面的天空中星星闪闪发光。
鲁迪沿着山路回家。冰姑娘统治着这片雪山，空气清新，但寒冷。
突然鲁迪发现自己站在一块陡峭的岩石边缘。下雨了，他开始感到不舒服，又累又渴。他觉得头有点发热，身体颤抖。
就在这时，他看到了一个小房子的门口。在门口，少女站在那里。
鲁迪：你怎么来的？
少女：这是我家。我在照看我的山羊。
鲁迪：山羊！他们在哪吃草？这里除了雪和岩石什么都没有！
少女：这证明你对这里生长的东西并不了解多少。
离这里不远有一片美丽的土地。我把山羊赶去那里。我悉心照顾它们，从没丢过一只。
鲁迪：你很大胆。
少女：你也是。
鲁迪：你家里有牛奶吗？如果有，请给我一杯。
少女：好的。 [给鲁迪喝牛奶]这回你不会口渴了。
鲁迪：太好了！谢谢你。

鲁迪开始感觉好多了，他的眼睛闪烁着新的生命。他还不知道这个女孩是谁，从哪里来，但她帮了他，他伸手握了握她的手。
就在鲁迪感觉到她冰冷的抓握时，冰姑娘，一定就是她，让他全身散发出冰冷的寒意。鲁迪挣扎着想挣脱，跌跌撞撞地逃离。一时间，他的眼前一片漆黑。

但是，当他再次睁开眼时，天亮了，少女不见了......

原来，这是一场邪恶力量玩的把戏。房子已经消失了，周围只有厚厚的岩石和雪，让鲁迪不确定这是真的还是只是一场梦。