小强盗女孩和格尔达差不多大，但更强壮；

the little robber - girl was about the same size as Gerda, but stronger;

她有更宽阔的肩膀和更黝黑的皮肤；

she had broader shoulders and a darker skin;

她的眼睛乌黑，看起来很忧郁。

her eyes were quite black, and she had a mournful look.

她搂住小格尔达的腰，说道 ——

She clasped little Gerda round the waist, and said, —

“只要你不惹我们生气，他们就不会杀你。

“they shall not kill you as long as you don’t make us vexed with you.

我猜你是一位公主。”

I suppose you are a princess.”

“不，” 格尔达说；

“No,” said Gerda;

然后她把自己的经历都告诉了她，还说自己有多喜欢小凯。

and then she told her all her history, and how fond she was of little Kay.

强盗女孩认真地看着她，微微点了点头，说：“即使我生你的气，他们也不会杀你；

the robber - girl looked earnestly at her, nodded her head slightly, and said, “they sha’nt kill you, even if I do get angry with you;

因为我会自己动手杀你。”

for I will do it myself.”

然后她擦了擦格尔达的眼睛，把自己的手伸进那个又软又暖的漂亮手笼里。

And then she wiped Gerda’s eyes, and stuck her own hands in the beautiful muff which was so soft and warm.

马车停在一座强盗城堡的院子里，城堡的墙壁从上到下都是裂缝。

the coach stopped in the courtyard of a robber’s castle, the walls of which were cracked from top to bottom.

乌鸦们在洞口和缝隙里飞进飞出，而那些大獒犬，每一只看起来都能吞下一个人，正在四处蹦跳；

Ravens and crows flew in and out of the holes and crevices, while great bulldogs, either of which looked as if it could swallow a man, were jumping about;

但它们不许叫。

but they were not allowed to bark.

在又大又烟雾弥漫的大厅里，石地板上燃着一堆旺火。

In the large and smoky hall a bright fire was burning on the stone floor.

没有烟囱；

there was no chimney;

所以烟升到天花板，然后自己找到出路散出去。

so the smoke went up to the ceiling, and found a way out for itself.

一口大锅里煮着汤，野兔和家兔正在烤叉上烤着。

Soup was boiling in a large cauldron, and hares and rabbits were roasting on the spit.

“今晚你要和我以及我所有的小动物一起睡，” 强盗女孩在她们吃喝了一些东西之后说。

“You shall sleep with me and all my little animals to - night,” said the robber - girl, after they had had something to eat and drink.

于是她把格尔达带到大厅的一个角落，那里铺着一些稻草和地毯。

So she took Gerda to a corner of the hall, where some straw and carpets were laid down.

在它们上方，在板条和栖木上，有一百多只鸽子，它们看起来都像是睡着了，尽管当两个小女孩走近时它们稍微动了一下。

Above them, on laths and perches, were more than a hundred pigeons, who all seemed to be asleep, although they moved slightly when the two little girls came near them.

“这些都是我的，” 强盗女孩说；

“these all belong to me,” said the robber - girl;

她抓住离她最近的一只，抓住它的脚，摇晃它直到它拍打翅膀。

and she seized the nearest to her, held it by the feet, and shook it till it flapped its wings.

“亲它，” 她叫道，把鸽子在格尔达脸前挥舞着。

“Kiss it,” cried she, flapping it in Gerda’s face.

“那些是斑尾林鸽，” 她继续说，指着一些板条和一个笼子，笼子固定在靠近一个洞口的墙上。

“there sit the wood - pigeons,” continued she, pointing to a number of laths and a cage which had been fixed into the walls, near one of the openings.

“这两个坏蛋如果不紧紧锁住就会马上飞走。

“both rascals would fly away directly, if they were not closely locked up.

这是我的老情人‘巴’；” 她拽着一只驯鹿的角把它拉了出来；

And here is my old sweetheart ‘ba;’” and she dragged out a reindeer by the horn;

他脖子上戴着一个明亮的铜环，被拴着。

he wore a bright copper ring round his neck, and was tied up.

“我们也得紧紧地拴住他，否则他也会从我们这儿跑掉的。

“we are obliged to hold him tight too, or else he would run away from us also.

我每天晚上都用我的锋利的刀挠他的脖子，这可把他吓坏了。”

I tickle his neck every evening with my sharp knife, which frightens him very much.”

然后小强盗女孩从墙上的一个缝隙里抽出一把长刀，让它轻轻地在驯鹿的脖子上滑动。

And then the robber - girl drew a long knife from a chink in the wall, and let it slide gently over the reindeer’s neck.

这头可怜的动物开始踢腿，小强盗女孩笑了起来，把格尔达拉到床上和她一起睡。

the poor animal began to kick, and the little robber - girl laughed, and pulled down Gerda into bed with her.

“你睡觉的时候也要带着那把刀吗？”

“will you have that knife with you while you are asleep?”

格尔达非常害怕地看着刀问道。

asked Gerda, looking at it in great fright.

“我总是带着刀睡觉，” 强盗女孩说。

“I always sleep with the knife by me,” said the robber - girl.

“谁也不知道会发生什么事。

“No one knows what may happen.

但是现在再给我讲讲小凯的事，还有你为什么到外面的世界来。”

but now tell me again all about little Kay, and why you went out into the world.”

然后格尔达又把她的故事讲了一遍，这时她头顶笼子里的斑尾林鸽咕咕叫着，其他的鸽子都在睡觉。

then Gerda repeated her story over again, while the wood - pigeons in the cage over her cooed, and the other pigeons slept.

小强盗女孩一只胳膊搂着格尔达的脖子，另一只手拿着刀，很快就酣睡起来还打起呼噜。

the little robber - girl put one arm across Gerda’s neck, and held the knife in the other, and was soon fast asleep and snoring.

但是格尔达根本合不上眼；

but Gerda could not close her eyes at all;

她不知道自己是会活还是会死。

she knew not whether she was to live or die.

强盗们围坐在火边，唱歌喝酒，老妇人跌跌撞撞地走来走去。

the robbers sat round the fire, singing and drinking, and the old woman stumbled about.

这对一个小女孩来说是很可怕的景象。

It was a terrible sight for a little girl to witness.

然后斑尾林鸽说：“咕咕，咕咕；

then the wood - pigeons said, “coo, coo;

我们见过小凯。

we have seen little Kay.

一只白色的鸟拉着他的雪橇，他坐在白雪皇后的马车里，当我们在巢里的时候，马车穿过树林。

A white fowl carried his sledge, and he sat in the carriage of the Snow queen, which drove through the wood while we were lying in our nest.

她朝我们吹气，除了我们俩所有的小鸽子都死了。咕咕，咕咕。”

She blew upon us, and all the young ones died excepting us two. coo, coo.”

“你们在上面说什么？”

“what are you saying up there?”

格尔达叫道。

cried Gerda.

“白雪皇后要去哪里？

“where was the Snow queen going?

你们知道些什么吗？”

do you know anything about it?”

“她很可能是去拉普兰，那里总是有冰雪。

“She was most likely travelling to Lapland, where there is always snow and ice.

问问那边用绳子拴着的驯鹿吧。”

Ask the reindeer that is fastened up there with a rope.”

“是的，那里总是有冰雪，” 驯鹿说；

“Yes, there is always snow and ice,” said the reindeer;

“那是个很棒的地方；

“and it is a glorious place;

你可以在闪闪发光的冰原上自由地跳跃和奔跑。

you can leap and run about freely on the sparkling ice plains.

白雪皇后在那里有她的夏宫，但她坚固的城堡在北极，在一个叫斯匹次卑尔根的岛上。”

the Snow queen has her summer tent there, but her strong castle is at the North pole, on an island called Spitzbergen.”

“哦，凯，小凯！” 格尔达叹着气说。

“oh, Kay, little Kay!” sighed Gerda.

“躺好，” 强盗女孩说，“否则我就把刀刺进你身体里。”

“Lie still,” said the robber - girl, “or I shall run my knife into your body.”

早上，格尔达把斑尾林鸽所说的一切都告诉了她；

In the morning Gerda told her all that the wood - pigeons had said;

小强盗女孩看起来很严肃，点了点头，说：“那都是空话，那都是空话。

and the little robber - girl looked quite serious, and nodded her head, and said, “that is all talk, that is all talk.

你知道拉普兰在哪里吗？”

do you know where Lapland is?”

她问驯鹿。

she asked the reindeer.

“谁能比我更清楚呢？”

“who should know better than I do?”

这动物说，眼睛亮晶晶的。

said the animal, while his eyes sparkled.

“我在那里出生长大，过去常在白雪覆盖的平原上奔跑。”

“I was born and brought up there, and used to run about the snow - covered plains.”

“现在听着，” 强盗女孩说；

“Now listen,” said the robber - girl;

“我们所有的男人都走了 —— 只有妈妈在这里，她会留在这里；

“all our men are gone away, — only mother is here, and here she will stay;

但中午她总是会喝一大瓶酒，然后小睡一会儿；

but at noon she always drinks out of a great bottle, and afterwards sleeps for a little while;

然后，我会为你做点事。”

and then, I’ll do something for you.”

然后她跳下床，搂住妈妈的脖子，拉着她的胡子，喊道：“我的小山羊妈妈，早上好。”

then she jumped out of bed, clasped her mother round the neck, and pulled her by the beard, crying, “my own little nanny goat, good morning.”

然后她妈妈弹了一下她的鼻子，直到鼻子变得很红；

then her mother filliped her nose till it was quite red;

但她做这一切都是出于爱。

yet she did it all for love.

当妈妈喝完酒，睡着了之后，小强盗女孩走到驯鹿跟前，说：“我很想用我的刀再挠你的脖子几下，因为这样会让你看起来很滑稽；

when the mother had drunk out of the bottle, and was gone to sleep, the little robber - maiden went to the reindeer, and said, “I should like very much to tickle your neck a few times more with my knife, for it makes you look so funny;

但没关系 —— 我会解开你的绳子，放你自由，这样你就可以跑到拉普兰去了；

but never mind, — I will untie your cord, and set you free, so that you may run away to Lapland;

但你必须好好利用你的腿，把这个小女孩带到白雪皇后的城堡，她的小伙伴在那里。

but you must make good use of your legs, and carry this little maiden to the castle of the Snow queen, where her play - fellow is.

你已经听到她告诉我的话了，因为她说话声音够大，而且你也在听。”

You have heard what she told me, for she spoke loud enough, and you were listening.”

然后驯鹿高兴得跳了起来；

then the reindeer jumped for joy;

小强盗女孩把格尔达抱到它背上，还很有先见之明地把她绑好，甚至给了她自己的小坐垫让她坐。

and the little robber - girl lifted Gerda on his back, and had the forethought to tie her on, and even to give her her own little cushion to sit on.

“这是你的毛皮靴子，” 她说；

“here are your fur boots for you,” said she;

“因为会很冷；

“for it will be very cold;

但我必须留下手笼；

but I must keep the muff;

它太漂亮了。

it is so pretty.

不过，你不会因为没有它就被冻着的；

however, you shall not be frozen for the want of it;

这儿有我妈妈的又大又暖和的连指手套；

here are my mother’s large warm mittens;

它们能一直套到你的肘部。

they will reach up to your elbows.

让我给你戴上。

Let me put them on.

看，现在你的手看起来就像我妈妈的手了。”

there, now your hands look just like my mother’s.”

但是格尔达高兴得哭了。

but Gerda wept for joy.

“我不想看到你发愁，” 小强盗女孩说；

“I don’t like to see you fret,” said the little robber - girl;

“你现在应该看起来很高兴才对；

“you ought to look quite happy now;

这儿有两块面包和一块火腿，这样你就不会挨饿了。”

and here are two loaves and a ham, so that you need not starve.”

这些东西被绑在驯鹿身上，然后小强盗女孩打开门，把所有的大狗都哄进来，然后用她锋利的刀割断了拴驯鹿的绳子，说：“现在快跑，不过要小心照顾好小女孩。”

these were fastened on the reindeer, and then the little robber - maiden opened the door, coaxed in all the great dogs, and then cut the string with which the reindeer was fastened, with her sharp knife, and said, “Now run, but mind you take good care of the little girl.”

然后格尔达伸出戴着大手套的手，朝着小强盗女孩说：“再见，” 驯鹿就飞奔而去，越过树桩和石头，穿过大森林，跨过沼泽和平原，尽可能地快。

And then Gerda stretched out her hand, with the great mitten on it, towards the little robber - girl, and said, “Farewell,” and away flew the reindeer, over stumps and stones, through the great forest, over marshes and plains, as quickly as he could.

狼在嗥叫，乌鸦在尖叫；

the wolves howled, and the ravens screamed;

而天空中闪烁着像火焰一样的红色亮光。

while up in the sky quivered red lights like flames of fire.

“那是我故乡的北极光，” 驯鹿说；

“there are my old northern lights,” said the reindeer;

“看它们闪烁得多厉害。”

“see how they flash.”

他日夜不停地跑，越来越快，但是等他们到达拉普兰的时候，面包和火腿都已经吃完了。

And he ran on day and night still faster and faster, but the loaves and the ham were all eaten by the time they reached Lapland.

第六个故事

SIxth StoRY

拉普兰女人和芬兰女人

thE LApLANd womAN ANd thE FINLANd womAN

他们在一间小茅屋前停了下来；

they stopped at a little hut;

它看起来非常简陋；

it was very mean looking;

屋顶几乎倾斜到地面，门非常矮，一家人进出的时候都得手脚并用地爬。

the roof sloped nearly down to the ground, and the door was so low that the family had to creep in on their hands and knees, when they went in and out.

屋里除了一个拉普兰老妇人之外没有别人，她正在一盏鱼油灯下煎鱼。

there was no one at home but an old Lapland woman, who was cooking fish by the light of a train - oil lamp.

驯鹿先讲了自己的事情（在他看来这是最重要的），然后讲了格尔达的故事，而格尔达冻得厉害，都说不出话来。

the reindeer told her all about Gerda’s story, after having first told his own, which seemed to him the most important, but Gerda was so pinched with the cold that she could not speak.

“哦，你们这些可怜的家伙，” 拉普兰女人说，“你们还有很长的路要走呢。

“oh, you poor things,” said the Lapland woman, “you have a long way to go yet.

你们还得再走一百多英里才能到芬兰。”

You must travel more than a hundred miles farther, to Finland.

白雪皇后现在住在那里，她每天晚上都燃放孟加拉烟火。

the Snow queen lives there now, and she burns bengal lights every evening.

我要在一条干鳕鱼上写几个字，因为我没有纸，你可以拿着它去找住在那里的芬兰女人；

I will write a few words on a dried stock - fish, for I have no paper, and you can take it from me to the Finland woman who lives there;

她能给你比我更好的信息。”

she can give you better information than I can.”

所以当格尔达暖和过来，吃了点东西喝了点东西之后，老妇人在干鱼上写了几个字，还告诉格尔达要小心保管。

So when Gerda was warmed, and had taken something to eat and drink, the woman wrote a few words on the dried fish, and told Gerda to take great care of it.

然后她又把格尔达绑在驯鹿身上，驯鹿就全速出发了。

then she tied her again on the reindeer, and he set off at full speed.

整个夜晚，美丽的蓝色北极光在空中闪烁。

Flash, flash, went the beautiful blue northern lights in the air the whole night long.

最后他们到达了芬兰，敲了敲芬兰女人小屋的烟囱，因为这小屋在地面上没有门。

And at length they reached Finland, and knocked at the chimney of the Finland woman’s hut, for it had no door above the ground.

他们爬了进去，但是里面热得要命，那个女人几乎没穿什么衣服；

they crept in, but it was so terribly hot inside that that woman wore scarcely any clothes;

她身材矮小，看起来脏兮兮的。

she was small and very dirty looking.

她解开小格尔达的衣服，脱掉她的毛皮靴子和手套，否则格尔达会受不了这种热度的；

She loosened little Gerda’s dress, and took off the fur boots and the mittens, or Gerda would have been unable to bear the heat;

然后她在驯鹿的头上放了一块冰，并且读了干鱼上写的字。

and then she placed a piece of ice on the reindeer’s head, and read what was written on the dried fish.

她读了三遍之后就记住了，于是她把鱼扔进汤锅里，因为她知道这鱼可以吃，而且她从不浪费任何东西。

After she had read it three times, she knew it by heart, so she popped the fish into the soup saucepan, as she knew it was good to eat, and she never wasted anything.

驯鹿先讲了自己的故事，然后讲了小格尔达的故事，芬兰女人用她聪明的眼睛眨了眨，但什么也没说。

the reindeer told his own story first, and then little Gerda’s, and the Finlander twinkled with her clever eyes, but she said nothing.

“你这么聪明，” 驯鹿说；

“You are so clever,” said the reindeer;

“我知道你能用一根细绳把世界上所有的风都系住。

“I know you can tie all the winds of the world with a piece of twine.

如果水手解开一个结，他就会遇到顺风；

If a sailor unties one knot, he has a fair wind;

当他解开第二个结时，风就会刮得很大；

when he unties the second, it blows hard;

但是如果第三个和第四个结被解开，就会有一场风暴，能把整片森林连根拔起。

but if the third and fourth are loosened, then es a storm, which will root up whole forests.

你就不能给这个小女孩一些东西，让她变得像十二个男人一样强壮，去战胜白雪皇后吗？”

cannot you give this little maiden something which will make her as strong as twelve men, to overe the Snow queen?”

“十二个男人的力量！” 芬兰女人说；

“the power of twelve men!” said the Finland woman;

“那没什么用处。”

“that would be of very little use.”

但她走到一个架子前，拿下并展开一张大兽皮，兽皮上刻着奇妙的符号，她读着读着，汗水从额头流了下来。

but she went to a shelf and took down and unrolled a large skin, on which were inscribed wonderful characters, and she read till the perspiration ran down from her forehead.

但是驯鹿非常恳切地为小格尔达请求，而格尔达用满含泪水、祈求的眼神看着芬兰女人，使得她的眼睛又开始闪烁起来；

but the reindeer begged so hard for little Gerda, and Gerda looked at the Finland woman with such beseeching tearful eyes, that her own eyes began to twinkle again;

于是她把驯鹿拉到一个角落，在它头上放了一块新的冰块，同时小声对它说：“小凯确实和白雪皇后在一起，但他觉得那里的一切都非常合他的口味和心意，以至于他认为那是世界上最好的地方；

so she drew the reindeer into a corner, and whispered to him while she laid a fresh piece of ice on his head, “Little Kay is really with the Snow queen, but he finds everything there so much to his taste and his liking, that he believes it is the finest place in the world;

但这是因为他心里有一块碎玻璃，眼睛里也有一小块玻璃。

but this is because he has a piece of broken glass in his heart, and a little piece of glass in his eye.

这些必须取出来，否则他就再也不能变回人类，白雪皇后也将继续控制他。”

these must be taken out, or he will never be a human being again, and the Snow queen will retain her power over him.”

“但是你就不能给小格尔达一些东西来帮助她战胜这种力量吗？”

“but can you not give little Gerda something to help her to conquer this power?”

“我不能给她比她已有的更大的力量了，” 女人说；

“I can give her no greater power than she has already,” said the woman;

“你没看到那力量有多强大吗？

“don’t you see how strong that is?

人和动物都不得不为她效劳，而且她光着脚都能在世上走得这么好。

how men and animals are obliged to serve her, and how well she has got through the world, barefooted as she is.

她不能从我这里得到比她现在所拥有的更大的力量了，她的力量就在于她内心的纯洁和天真。

She cannot receive any power from me greater than she now has, which consists in her own purity and innocence of heart.

如果她自己不能接近白雪皇后，从小凯身上取出玻璃碎片，我们就无法帮助她。

If she cannot herself obtain access to the Snow queen, and remove the glass fragments from little Kay, we can do nothing to help her.

离这儿两英里远就是白雪皇后的花园了；

two miles from here the Snow queen’s garden begins;

你可以把小女孩带到那么远的地方，把她放在长在雪地里、结着红浆果的大灌木旁边。

you can carry the little girl so far, and set her down by the large bush which stands in the snow, covered with red berries.

别闲聊了，尽快回到这儿来。”

do not stay gossiping, but e back here as quickly as you can.”

然后芬兰女人把小格尔达抱到驯鹿背上，驯鹿尽快地带着她跑开了。

then the Finland woman lifted little Gerda upon the reindeer, and he ran away with her as quickly as he could.

“哦，我忘了我的靴子和手套了，” 小格尔达一感觉到刺骨的寒冷就叫了起来，但是驯鹿不敢停下来，所以它一直跑到长着红浆果的灌木那里；

“oh, I have forgotten my boots and my mittens,” cried little Gerda, as soon as she felt the cutting cold, but the reindeer dared not stop, so he ran on till he reached the bush with the red berries;

在这里，他让格尔达下来，亲吻了她，大颗明亮的泪珠从这动物的脸颊上滚落下来；

here he set Gerda down, and he kissed her, and the great bright tears trickled over the animal’s cheeks;

然后他离开她，尽快地往回跑。

then he left her and ran back as fast as he could.

可怜的格尔达站在那里，没有鞋子，没有手套，身处寒冷、阴沉、冰封的芬兰。

there stood poor Gerda, without shoes, without gloves, in the midst of cold, dreary, ice - bound Finland.

她尽快地向前跑，这时一群雪花朝她围过来；

She ran forwards as quickly as she could, when a whole regiment of snow - flakes came round her;

然而，它们不是从天空飘落的，天空非常晴朗，北极光闪烁着。

they did not, however, fall from the sky, which was quite clear and glittering with the northern lights.

雪花沿着地面移动，它们离她越近，看起来就越大。

the snow - flakes ran along the ground, and the nearer they came to her, the larger they appeared.

格尔达记得透过放大镜看它们时是多么大而美丽。

Gerda remembered how large and beautiful they looked through the burning - glass.

但这些雪花真的更大，也更可怕，因为它们是活的，是白雪皇后的卫兵，有着最奇怪的形状。

but these were really larger, and much more terrible, for they were alive, and were the guards of the Snow queen, and had the strangest shapes.

有些像大豪猪，有些像扭曲的蛇，脑袋伸着，还有一些像毛发竖起的小肥熊；

Some were like great porcupines, others like twisted serpents with their heads stretching out, and some few were like little fat bears with their hair bristled;

但它们都白得耀眼，而且都是活的雪花。

but all were dazzlingly white, and all were living snow - flakes.

然后小格尔达念起了主祷文，天气非常寒冷，当她念出这些话时，她能看到自己呼出的气像蒸汽一样从嘴里冒出来。

then little Gerda repeated the Lord’s prayer, and the cold was so great that she could see her own breath e out of her mouth like steam as she uttered the words.

当她继续祈祷时，蒸汽似乎越来越多，直到它变成小天使的形状，这些小天使一触到地面就变得更大。

the steam appeared to increase, as she continued her prayer, till it took the shape of little angels who grew larger the moment they touched the earth.

他们头上都戴着头盔，拿着长矛和盾牌。

they all wore helmets on their heads, and carried spears and shields.

他们的数量不断增加；

their number continued to increase more and more;

到格尔达念完祈祷文时，一整队天使站在她周围。

and by the time Gerda had finished her prayers, a whole legion stood round her.

他们把长矛刺向那些可怕的雪花，使它们碎成一百片，这样小格尔达就可以勇敢而安全地继续前进了。

they thrust their spears into the terrible snow - flakes, so that they shivered into a hundred pieces, and little Gerda could go forward with courage and safety.

天使们抚摸着她的手脚，这样她就感觉不那么冷了，她加快脚步向白雪皇后的城堡走去。

the angels stroked her hands and feet, so that she felt the cold less, and she hastened on to the Snow queen’s castle.

但现在我们得看看凯在做什么。

but now we must see what Kay is doing.

事实上，他没有想起小格尔达，也从未想到她会站在宫殿前面。

In truth he thought not of little Gerda, and never supposed she could be standing in the front of the palace.