格林童話：畫眉嘴國王(英)

　　King Thrushbeard

　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　A king had a daughter who was beautiful beyond all measure, but at the same time so proud and arrogant that no suitor was good enough for her. She rejected one after the other, ridiculing them as well.

　　Once the king sponsored a great feast and invited from far and near all the men wanting to get married. They were all placed in a row according to their rank and standing. First came the kings, then the grand dukes, then the princes, the earls, the barons, and the aristocracy. Then the king's daughter was led through the ranks, but she objected to something about each one. One was too fat: "The wine barrel," she said. Another was too tall: "Thin and tall, no good at all." The third was too short: "Short and thick is never quick." The fourth was too pale: "As pale as death." The fifth too red: "A prize rooster." The sixth was not straight enough: "Green wood, dried behind the stove."

　　And thus she had some objection to each one, but she ridiculed especially one good king who stood at the very top of the row, and whose chin had grown a little crooked. "Look!" she cried out, laughing, "He has a chin like a thrush's beak." And from that time he was called Thrushbeard.

　　Now the old king, seeing that his daughter did nothing but ridicule the people, making fun of all the suitors who were gathered there, became very angry, and he swore that she should have for her husband the very first beggar to come to his door.

　　A few days later a minstrel came and sang beneath the window, trying to earn a small handout.

　　When the king heard him he said, "Let him come up."

　　So the minstrel, in his dirty, ragged clothes, came in and sang before the king and his daughter, and when he was finished he asked for a small gift.

　　The king said, "I liked your song so much that I will give you my daughter for a wife."

　　The king's daughter took fright, but the king said, "I have taken an oath to give you to the very first beggar, and I will keep it."

　　Her protests did not help. The priest was called in, and she had to marry the minstrel at once. After that had happened the king said, "It is not proper for you, a beggar's wife, to stay in my palace any longer. All you can do now is to go away with your husband."

　　The beggar led her out by the hand, and she had to leave with him, walking on foot.

　　They came to a large forest, and she asked, "Who owns this beautiful forest?"

　　"It belongs to King Thrushbeard. If you had taken him, it would be yours."

　　"Oh, I am a miserable thing; If only I'd taken the Thrushbeard King."

　　Afterwards they crossed a meadow, and she asked again, "Who owns this beautiful green meadow?"

　　"It belongs to king Thrushbeard. If you had taken him, it would be yours."

　　"Oh, I am a miserable thing; If only I'd taken the Thrushbeard King."

　　Then they walked through a large town, and she asked again, "Who owns this beautiful large town?"

　　"It belongs to king Thrushbeard. If you had taken him, it would be yours."

　　"Oh, I am a miserable thing; If only I'd taken the Thrushbeard King."

　　"I do not like you to always be wishing for another husband," said the minstrel. "Am I not good enough for you?"

　　At last they came to a very little hut, and she said, "Oh goodness. What a small house. Who owns this miserable tiny hut?"

　　The minstrel answered, "This is my house and yours, where we shall live together."

　　She had to stoop in order to get in the low door.

　　"Where are the servants?" said the king's daughter.

　　"What servants?" answered the beggar. "You must do for yourself what you want to have done. Now make a fire at once, put some water on to boil, so you can cook me something to eat. I am very tired."

　　But the king's daughter knew nothing about lighting fires or cooking, and the beggar had to lend a hand himself to get anything done at all. When they had finished their scanty meal they went to bed. But he made her get up very early the next morning in order to do the housework.

　　For a few days they lived in this way, as well as they could, but they finally came to the end of their provisions.

　　Then the man said, "Wife, we cannot go on any longer eating and drinking here and earning nothing. You must weave baskets." He went out, cut some willows, and brought them home. Then she began to weave baskets, but the hard willows cut into her delicate hands.

　　"I see that this will not do," said the man. "You had better spin. Perhaps you can do that better." She sat down and tried to spin, but the hard thread soon cut into her soft fingers until they bled.

　　"See," said the man. "You are not good for any sort of work. I made a bad bargain with you. Now I will try to start a business with pots and earthenware. You must sit in the marketplace and sell them."

　　"Oh!" she thought. "If people from my father's kingdom come to the market and see me sitting there selling things, how they will ridicule me!"

　　But her protests did not help. She had to do what her husband demanded, unless she wanted to die of hunger.

　　At first it went well. People bought the woman's wares because she was beautiful, and they paid her whatever she asked. Many even gave her the money and let her keep the pots. So they lived on what she earned as long as it lasted. Then the husband bought a lot of new pottery. She sat down with this at the corner of the marketplace and set it around her for sale. But suddenly there came a drunken hussar galloping along, and he rode right into the pots, breaking them into a thousand pieces. She began to cry, and was so afraid that she did not know what to do.

　　"Oh! What will happen to me?" she cried. "What will my husband say about this?" She ran home and told him of the misfortune.

　　"Who would sit at the corner of the marketplace with earthenware?" said the man. "Now stop crying. I see very well that you are not fit for any ordinary work. Now I was at our king's palace and asked if they couldn't use a kitchen maid. They promised me to take you. In return you will get free food."

　　The king's daughter now became a kitchen maid, and had to be available to the cook, and to do the dirtiest work. In each of her pockets she fastened a little jar, in which she took home her share of the leftovers. And this is what they lived on.

　　It happened that the wedding of the king's eldest son was to be celebrated, so the poor woman went up and stood near the door of the hall to look on. When all the lights were lit, and people, each more beautiful than the other, entered, and all was full of pomp and splendor, she thought about her plight with a sad heart, and cursed the pride and haughtiness which had humbled her and brought her to such great poverty.

　　The smell of the delicious dishes which were being taken in and out reached her, and now and then the servants threw her a few scraps, which she put in her jar to take home.

　　Then suddenly the king's son entered, clothed in velvet and silk, with gold chains around his neck. When he saw the beautiful woman standing by the door he took her by the hand and wanted danced with her. But she refused and took fright, for she saw that he was King Thrushbeard, the suitor whom she had rejected with scorn.

　　Her struggles did not help. He pulled her into the hall. But the string that tied up her pockets broke, and the pots fell to the floor. The soup ran out, and the scraps flew everywhere. When the people saw this, everyone laughed and ridiculed her. She was so ashamed that she would rather have been a thousand fathoms beneath the ground. She jumped out the door and wanted to run away, but a man overtook her on the stairs and brought her back. And when she looked at him, it was King Thrushbeard again.

　　He said to her kindly, "Don't be afraid. I and the minstrel who has been living with you in that miserable hut are one and the same. For the love of you I disguised myself. And I was also the hussar who broke your pottery to pieces. All this was done to humble your proud spirit and to punish you for the arrogance with which you ridiculed me."

　　Then she cried bitterly and said, "I was terribly wrong, and am not worthy to be your wife."

　　But he said, "Be comforted. The evil days are past. Now we will celebrate our wedding."

　　Then the maids-in-waiting came and dressed her in the most splendid clothing, and her father and his whole court came and wished her happiness in her marriage with King Thrushbeard, and their true happiness began only now.

　　I wish that you and I had been there as well.

　　從前， 有一位國王， 膝下有一個女兒， 美麗非凡， 卻因此而傲慢無理， 目中無人， 求婚的人里沒有誰中她的意。 她不但一個接一個地拒絕他們的美意， 而且還對人家冷嘲熱諷。

　　有一回， 國王舉行盛大宴會， 邀請了各地所有希望結(jié)婚的男子。 先入席的是幾個國王， 接著入席的是王子、公爵、伯爵和男爵，最后入席的是其余所有應邀而來男子。 公主走過這個行列， 可對每一位橫挑鼻子豎挑眼， 這位太胖啦， 她就用輕蔑的口氣說道： “好一個啤酒桶。 ”那個呢， 又高又瘦， 她就評頭論足地說道： “活像一只大蚊子。 ”下一個呢， 太矮啦……“五大三粗， 笨手笨腳。 ”她又說道。 第四個呢，臉色太蒼白啦， “一具死尸。 ”;第五個， 臉太紅潤……“一只公火雞。 ”第六個呢， 身板兒不夠直……“像一快放在爐子后面烤干的彎木頭。 ”就這樣， 她看誰都不順眼。

　　有一位國王， 下巴長得有點兒翹， 更是免不了遭到她的大肆嘲笑挖苦。 “我的天哪! ”她一邊放聲大笑一邊高聲地說， “瞧這家伙的下巴呀， 長得跟畫眉嘴一模一樣啊! ”打那以后， 這位國王就落了個諢名——畫眉嘴。 老國王發(fā)現(xiàn)女兒只是在嘲弄人家，對每個前來求婚的人都嗤之以鼻， 便大動干火， 發(fā)誓要把她嫁給第一個上門來討飯的叫花子。

　　幾天以后， 一個走街竄巷賣唱的人在王宮的窗下唱起歌來， 想討一點兒施舍。 國王聽見了歌聲， 便吩咐把這個人帶來見他。 賣唱的衣衫襤褸， 骯臟齷齪， 來到國王和公主面前唱了起來， 唱完便懇求給他一點兒賞賜。

　　國王對他說： “你的歌讓我很開心， 我就把我的女兒許配給你吧。 ”

　　公主一聽， 嚇得渾身發(fā)抖， 國王卻接著說： “我發(fā)過誓， 要把她嫁給第一個到這兒來討飯的叫花子， 我得言而有信。 ”

　　抗旨不遵完全是徒勞的。 于是， 請來了牧師， 為公主和這個走街竄巷賣唱的人舉行了婚禮。

　　婚禮結(jié)束后， 國王說道： “現(xiàn)在你已是一個叫花子的老婆了， 不宜再留宮中。 你和你丈夫快上路吧。 ”

　　叫花子牽著她的手往外就走， 公主不得不跟著他離開了王宮。 他們倆來到一片大樹林前面， 公主問： “這片樹林是誰的”

　　賣唱的便回答道：“是那位心地善良的畫眉嘴國王的呀，要是你當初嫁給他， 現(xiàn)在不就是你的嗎”

　　公主聽了回答說：“我這個可憐的女孩子啊， 當初有點兒翹尾巴， 要是嫁給畫眉嘴國王就好啦。 ”

　　隨后， 他們倆來到一片綠草地， 公主又問： “這片美麗的綠草地是誰的”“是那位心地善良的畫眉嘴國王的呀，要是你當初嫁給他， 現(xiàn)在不就是你的嗎”

　　于是， 公主又唉聲嘆氣地說：“我這個可憐的女孩子啊， 當初有點兒翹尾巴， 要是嫁給畫眉嘴國王就好啦。 ”

　　接著， 他們倆來到一座大城市， 公主又問： “這座美麗的城市是誰的”“是那位心地善良的畫眉嘴國王的呀，要是你當初嫁給他， 現(xiàn)在不就是你的嗎”

　　公主聽了說：“我這個可憐的女孩子啊， 當初有點兒翹尾巴， 要是嫁給畫眉嘴國王該多好啦。 ”“你老是渴望嫁給另一個男人， ”賣唱的說， “我聽了真氣憤。 難道我配不上你嗎”

　　最后， 他們倆來到一所很小的房子前， 她大聲地問：“這么小的房子我還沒見過，天哪， 它會是什么人的窩賣唱的回答說： ”這是我的房子， 也是你的家， 我們就共同生活在這里。 “

　　房門又矮又小， 公主進去時， 不得不彎下腰來， 不然就會碰了頭。“傭人在哪兒呢”公主問道。“哪來的傭人呀。 ”叫花子回答說， “干什么事你都得自己動手。 喏， 你得快點兒把火生起來， 把水燒開， 然后給我煮飯。 我已經(jīng)累得不行了。 ”

　　可是， 公主哪里會生火煮飯呀， 叫花子只得自己動手， 不然就得挨餓。 他們的晚飯很簡單， 晚飯后， 就休息了。 誰知第二天一大早， 他就把她趕下床， 逼著她做家務事。

　　他們就這樣過了幾天， 吃完了所有的存糧， 丈夫于是說： “老婆， 你看， 咱們這樣光吃飯， 不掙錢， 可怎么活下去呀， 你來編筐子吧。 ”

　　說罷， 他就出去砍了些柳枝， 扛回家來。 公主開始編筐子， 可柳枝又粗又硬， 把她嬌嫩的雙手全弄傷了。“我覺得， ”丈夫說， “這樣不行啊， 別編筐子啦， 你還是紡線吧， 也許你會在行些。 ”

　　于是， 她開始坐下來試著紡線， 可是紗線很粗糙， 把她柔軟的手指勒得鮮血直流。“你看看， ”丈夫又說道， “這算怎么一回事嘛。 你什么也干不了， 娶了你當老婆， 我算倒霉透啦。 現(xiàn)在我得做一做陶器生意， 賣鍋碗瓢盆什么的。 你呢， 得到市場上去叫賣。 ”“天哪， ”她心想， “要是我父親王國里的人來趕集， 看到我在那兒叫賣鍋碗瓢盆， 他們一定會嘲笑我的! ”

　　可是， 又有什么別的出路呢不然就得活活餓死。 一開始， 她的生意還不錯。 人們見她長得漂亮， 都來買她的東西， 而且連價也不還。 的確， 有幾個人付了錢， 卻又把鍋子作為禮物送給她。

　　夫妻倆靠她賣來的錢生活了一段時間， 然后丈夫又進了一批陶器。 她坐在市場的一個角落里， 把鍋碗瓢盆什么的擺放在自己的周圍，叫賣起來。 誰知一個喝得醉熏熏的騎兵突然打這兒急馳而過， 那匹馬沖進她的貨攤， 把所有的陶器踩得粉碎。 公主放聲大哭， 束手無策。“我的天呀， 我該怎么辦哪”她嗚咽著說， “我丈夫會怎么罵我呀。 ”于是， 她跑回家里， 跟丈夫說了自己的遭遇。“你是一個賣陶器的小販子， 哭管什么用， ”她丈夫說， “你什么活兒也干不了。 我只得跑到咱們國王的宮殿里， 打聽了一下你能不能在那兒當個幫廚女傭。 人家答應先試用一段時間， 還有， 你在那里可以白吃飯。 ”

　　這樣一來，公主就變成了幫廚女傭。 她給大師傅打下手， 干各種最臟的活兒。 她在衣服里縫了一個口袋， 在口袋里放了一只帶蓋的罐子， 每天把殘羹剩飯盛在里面， 帶回家中糊口。

　　為了慶祝國王的長子滿十八歲， 國王舉行了盛大的舞會。 在那個不同尋常的夜晚， 可憐的年輕女傭躲在上面大廳的門后， 偷偷地觀望。她目睹著蠟燭一根根點燃， 賓客們一個個步入大廳， 全都衣著華麗， 光彩照人。 面對眼前富麗堂皇、令人眼花繚亂的景像，她不無哀傷地想起自己悲慘的命運， 站在那里幾乎泣不成聲。 自己一向傲慢無理， 目中無人， 才落到今天這般貧窮凄慘的境地， 她感到痛悔不已。美味佳肴端進端出， 香味撲鼻， 她饞得口水直流， 仆人們不時扔給她一些殘渣剩菜， 她便裝進罐子里， 準備帶回家去。

　　國王的長子身著天鵝絨和綢緞衣服， 衣服上鑲嵌著鉆石， 脖子上掛著金項鏈， 正朝大廳走去， 發(fā)現(xiàn)這個可憐的女子站在門后，正偷偷地觀望著舞會的情景， 王子一把抓住她的手， 要和她跳舞， 她卻不肯。 她認出這位王子正是曾經(jīng)向她求過婚，被她嘲弄侮辱過的那個畫眉嘴國王， 不禁嚇得渾身發(fā)抖。 可是， 不管她怎樣掙扎， 王子還是硬將她拉進了舞廳。 不料， 她用來系口袋的線繩，就在這時斷了， 罐子一下子滾了出來， 湯湯水水流了一地， 殘渣剩菜撒得到處都是。 人們一見哄堂大笑， 她成了眾人的笑柄，羞愧得恨不得有個地縫鉆進去。 她朝門口沖了過去， 想要逃走， 可在臺階上被一個男子攔住了去路， 又給拉了回來。 她定睛一看，這個男子又是畫眉嘴國王， 國王用親切和藹的語氣對她說：“別怕， 我和那個跟你生活在破破爛爛的小房子里的叫花子， 原本是一個人哪。 我很愛你， 才喬裝打扮成叫花子;那個喝得醉熏熏的、沖進你的貨攤， 把陶器踩得粉碎的騎兵， 也是我呀。 我做這些， 全是為了克服你的傲慢無禮， 懲罰你對新郎的嘲弄。 ”

　　公主聽罷， 痛哭流涕， 抽泣著對國王說： “我真是太不應該了， 不配做您的妻子。 ”

　　畫眉嘴國王卻安慰她說： “過去的已經(jīng)過去了。 現(xiàn)在我們就舉行婚禮吧。 ”

　　話音剛落， 宮女們隨即走了過來， 給她打扮得花枝招展。 她父親和宮里的人也來了， 祝賀她和畫眉嘴國王新婚幸福。