格林童話：沒有手的姑娘(英)

　　The Girl without Hands

　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　A miller fell slowly but surely into poverty, until finally he had nothing more than his mill and a large apple tree which stood behind it. One day he had gone into the forest to gather wood, where he was approached by an old man, whom he had never seen before, and who said, "Why do you torment yourself with chopping wood? I will make you rich if you will promise me that which is standing behind your mill."

　　"What can that be but my apple tree?" thought the miller, said yes, and signed it over to the strange man.

　　The latter, however, laughed mockingly and said, "I will come in three years and get what belongs to me," then went away.

　　When he arrived home, his wife came up to him and said, "Miller, tell me, where did all the wealth come from that is suddenly in our house? All at once all the chests and boxes are full, and no one brought it here, and I don't know where it came from."

　　He answered, "It comes from an strange man whom I met in the woods and who promised me great treasures if I would but sign over to him that which stands behind the mill. We can give up the large apple tree for all this."

　　"Oh, husband!" said the woman, terrified. "That was the devil. He didn't mean the apple tree, but our daughter, who was just then standing behind the mill sweeping the yard."

　　The miller's daughter was a beautiful and pious girl, and she lived the three years worshipping God and without sin. When the time was up and the day came when the evil one was to get her, she washed herself clean and drew a circle around herself with chalk. The devil appeared very early in the morning, but he could not approach her.

　　He spoke angrily to the miller, "Keep water away from her, so she cannot wash herself any more. Otherwise I have no power over her."

　　The miller was frightened and did what he was told. The next morning the devil returned, but she had wept into her hands, and they were entirely clean.

　　Thus he still could not approach her, and he spoke angrily to the miller, "Chop off her hands. Otherwise I cannot get to her."

　　The miller was horrified and answered, "How could I chop off my own child's hands!"

　　Then the evil one threatened him, saying, "If you do not do it, then you will be mine, and I will take you yourself."

　　This frightened the father, and he promised to obey him. Then he went to the girl and said, "My child, if I do not chop off both of your hands, then the devil will take me away, and in my fear I have promised him to do this. Help me in my need, and forgive me of the evil that I am going to do to you."

　　She answered, "Dear father, do with me what you will. I am your child," and with that she stretched forth both hands and let her father chop them off.

　　The devil came a third time, but she had wept so long and so much onto the stumps, that they were entirely clean. Then he had to give up, for he had lost all claim to her.

　　The miller spoke to her, "I have gained great wealth through you. I shall take care of you in splendor as long as you live."

　　But she answered, "I cannot remain here. I will go away. Compassionate people will give me as much as I need."

　　Then she had her mutilated arms tied to her back, and at sunrise she set forth, walking the entire day until it was night. She came to a royal garden, and by the light of the moon she saw that inside there were trees full of beautiful fruit. But she could not get inside, for there it was surrounded by water.

　　Having walked the entire day without eating a bite, she was suffering from hunger, and she thought, "Oh, if only I were inside the garden so I could eat of those fruits. Otherwise I shall perish."

　　Then she kneeled down and, crying out to God the Lord, she prayed. Suddenly an angel appeared. He closed a head gate, so that the moat dried up, and she could walk through.

　　She entered the garden, and the angel went with her. She saw a fruit tree with beautiful pears, but they had all been counted. She stepped up to the tree and ate from it with her mouth, enough to satisfy her hunger, but no more. The gardener saw it happen, but because the angel was standing by her he was afraid and thought that the girl was a spirit. He said nothing and did not dare to call out nor to speak to the spirit. After she had eaten the pear she was full, and she went and lay down in the brush.

　　The king who owned this garden came the next morning. He counted the fruit and saw that one of the pears was missing. He asked the gardener what had happened to it. It was not lying under the tree, but had somehow disappeared.

　　The gardener answered, "Last night a spirit came here. It had no hands and ate one of the pears with its mouth."

　　The king said, "How did the spirit get across the water? And where did it go after it had eaten the pear?"

　　The gardener answered, "Someone dressed in snow-white came from heaven and closed the head gate so the spirit could walk through the moat. Because it must have been an angel I was afraid, and I asked no questions, and I did not call out. After the spirit had eaten the pear it went away again."

　　The king said, "If what you said is true, I will keep watch with you tonight."

　　After it was dark the king entered the garden, bringing a priest with him who was to talk to the spirit. All three sat down under the tree and kept watch. At midnight the girl came creeping out of the brush, stepped up to the tree, and again ate off a pear with her mouth. An angel dressed in white was standing next to her.

　　The priest walked up to them and said, "Have you come from God, or from the world? Are you a spirit or a human?"

　　She answered, "I am not a spirit, but a poor human who has been abandoned by everyone except God."

　　The king said, "Even if you have been abandoned by the whole world, I will not abandon you."

　　He took her home with him to his royal castle, and because she was so beautiful and pure he loved her with all his heart, had silver hands made for her, and took her as his wife.

　　After a year the king had to go out into the battlefield, and he left the young queen in the care of his mother, saying, "If she has a child, support her and take good care of her, and immediately send me the news in a letter."

　　She gave birth to a beautiful son. The old mother quickly wrote this in a letter, giving the joyful news to the king.

　　Now on the way the messenger stopped at a brook to rest. Tired from his long journey, he fell asleep. Then the devil came to him. He still wanted to harm the pious queen, and he took the letter, putting in its place one that stated that the queen had brought a changeling into the world. When the king read this letter he was frightened and saddened, but nevertheless he wrote an answer that they should take good care of the queen until his return. The messenger returned with this letter, but he rested at the same place, and again fell asleep. The devil came again and placed a different letter in his bag. This letter said that they should kill the queen with her child.

　　The old mother was terribly frightened when she received this letter. She could not believe it, and wrote to the king again, but she got back the same answer, because each time the devil substituted a false letter. And the last letter even stated that they should keep the queen's tongue and eyes as proof.

　　The old mother lamented that such innocent blood was to be shed, and in the night she had a doe killed, cut out its tongue and eyes, and had them put aside.

　　Then she said to the queen, "I cannot have you killed as the king has ordered, but you can no longer stay here. Go out into the wide world with your child, and never come back."

　　The old mother tied the queen's child onto her back, and the poor woman went away with weeping eyes. She came to a great, wild forest where she got onto her knees and prayed to God. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to her and led her to a small house. On it was a small sign with the words, "Here anyone can live free."

　　A snow-white virgin came from the house and said, "Welcome, Queen," then led her inside. She untied the small boy from her back, held him to her breast so he could drink, and then laid him in a beautiful made-up bed.

　　Then the poor woman said, "How did you know that I am a queen?"

　　The white virgin answered, "I am an angel, sent by God to take care of you and your child."

　　She stayed in this house for seven years, and was well taken care of. And through the grace of God and her own piety her chopped-off hands grew back.

　　The king finally came back home from the battlefield, and the first thing he wanted to do was to see his wife and their child.

　　Then the old mother began to weep, saying, "You wicked man, why did you write to me that I was to put two innocent souls to death," and she showed him the two letters that the evil one had counterfeited. Then she continued to speak, "I did what you ordered," and showed him as proof the eyes and the tongue.

　　Then the king began to weep even more bitterly for his poor wife and his little son, until the old woman had mercy and said to him, "Be satisfied that she is still alive. I secretly had a doe killed and took the proofs from it. I tied your wife's child onto her back and told her to go out into the wide world, and she had to promise never to come back here, because you were so angry with her."

　　Then the king said, "I will go as far as the sky is blue, and will neither eat nor drink until I have found my dear wife and my child again, provided that in the meantime they have not died or perished from hunger."

　　Then the king traveled about for nearly seven years, searching in all the stone cliffs and caves, but he did not find her, and he thought that she had perished. He neither ate nor drank during the entire time, but God kept him alive. Finally he came to a great forest, where he found a little house with a sign containing the words, " Here anyone can live free."

　　The white virgin came out, took him by the hand, led him inside, and said, "Welcome, King," then asked him where he had come from.

　　He answered, "I have been traveling about for nearly seven years looking for my wife and her child, but I cannot find them."

　　The angel offered him something to eat and drink, but he did not take it, wanting only to rest a little. He lay down to sleep, covering his face with a cloth.

　　Then the angel went into the room where the queen was sitting with her son, whom she normally called "Filled-with-Grief."

　　The angel said to her, "Go into the next room with your child. Your husband has come."

　　She went to where he was lying, and the cloth fell from his face.

　　Then she said, "Filled-with-Grief, pick up the cloth for your father and put it over his face again."

　　The child picked it up and put it over his face again. The king heard this in his sleep and let the cloth fall again.

　　Then the little boy grew impatient and said, "Mother, dear, how can I cover my father's face? I have no father in this world. I have learned to pray, 'Our father which art in heaven,' and you have said that my father is in heaven, and that he is our dear God. How can I know such a wild man? He is not my father."

　　Hearing this, the king arose and asked who she was.

　　She said, "I am your wife, and this is your son Filled-with-Grief."

　　He saw her living hands and said, "My wife had silver hands."

　　She answered, "Our merciful God has caused my natural hands to grow back."

　　The angel went into the other room, brought back the silver hands, and showed them to him. Now he saw for sure that it was his dear wife and his dear child, and he kissed them, and rejoiced, and said, "A heavy stone has fallen from my heart."

　　Then the angel of God gave them all something to eat, and then they went back home to his old mother. There was great joy everywhere, and the king and the queen conducted their wedding ceremony once again, and they lived happily until their blessed end.

　　從前有位磨房主，他越來越窮，除了磨房后有棵大大的蘋果樹外一無所有。有一天，他到森林里去砍柴，一個他從沒見過的老頭走近前來對他說：「你何苦這么辛苦地砍柴呀?

　　只要你答應(yīng)把你磨房后的東西給我，我就讓你過富人的日子?！?/p>

　　「磨房后面不就是那棵蘋果樹嗎?」磨房主想?！感小！顾f著就寫了個承諾給陌生人。陌生人嘲笑地說：「三年之后，我會來取走屬於我的東西。」說完便走了。

　　磨房主回到家中，妻子迎出來對他說：「快告訴我，咱們家這些財富突然從甚么地方來的?家里所有的箱籠一下子全被裝滿了，又沒人來過，到底是怎么回事呀?」磨房主回答說：「是我在森林里碰到的一個陌生人給的。他只要我們磨房后的東西作為回報。我們把那棵大蘋果樹給他不就得了。」

　　「唉呀，老公，」妻子嚇壞了，「那準(zhǔn)是惡魔!他不是要蘋果樹，他要的是我們女兒，她正在磨房后面掃院子呢?！?/p>

　　磨房主的女兒是個美麗、虔誠的姑娘，她敬畏上帝、沒犯任何過失。三年過去了，在惡魔要來帶她走那天，她將自己從頭到腳洗得乾乾凈凈，用粉筆繞著自己畫了一個圈。惡魔很早就來了，可就是沒法靠近姑娘。他怒氣沖沖地對磨房主說：「把水全給我拿走!讓她沒法洗得那么乾凈。要不然我對她就沒有魔法了?！?/p>

　　磨房主害怕，只得照辦。第二天，惡魔又來了?？晒媚锏臏I水把她的手沖得十分乾凈。惡魔還是沒法靠近她，因此氣勢洶洶地對磨房主說：「把她的手砍掉，要不然我對她就沒有魔力了!」磨房主嚇了一跳，回答說：「我怎么能砍自己孩子的手呢!」惡魔威脅說：「如果你不這么做，你就是我的，我就要把你帶走?！惯@位父親嚇壞了，答應(yīng)照他說的去做。他走到女兒跟前，對她說：「我的孩子，假如我不砍掉你的手，惡魔就要把我抓走，我嚇壞了，就答應(yīng)了他?，F(xiàn)在請你幫幫我，饒恕我對你的傷害吧。」姑娘回答說：「親愛的父親，盡管砍吧，我是你的孩子?！拐f著，她伸出了雙手，讓父親砍下了。

　　惡魔第三次來到磨房?？墒枪媚镆恢痹诳奁?，淚水將殘肢沖洗得十分潔凈。惡魔只好放棄了，而且對姑娘失去了所有權(quán)。

　　磨房主對女兒說：「我以你為代價換取了這么多財富。只要你活著，我就會讓你過得舒舒服服的?！箍墒枪媚锘卮鹫f：「我不能住在這里，我情愿出去，有同情心的人們會給我所需要的東西的，」她請人將她殘廢的手綁到身后，等太陽升起來的時候，便出發(fā)了。她走了一整天，太陽下山時她來到一個皇家花園，在閃爍的月光中，她看到園子里掛滿了誘人的果子的果樹。但是她無法進去，因為果園被一道滿是水的深壕圍住了。

　　姑娘已經(jīng)走了整整一天了，而且沒吃過任何東西。她餓得要命。「啊，如果我在果園里面就能吃到水果了，」她想，「否則我準(zhǔn)會餓死的!」她跪到地上向上帝祈禱。忽然，有個天使向她走來，在水中筑起一道堤壩。這樣一來，壕中的水干了，姑娘就可以走到果園去了，天使陪著她一起進了果園。果園的樹上掛滿了迷人的梨子，可每個上面都編了號，姑娘來到梨子樹前，用嘴咬下一只吃了，然后滿足地鉆進了灌木叢。園丁看到了這一切，可見天使站在姑娘身邊，便以為是幽靈，有些害怕，所以不敢出聲，更不敢大聲喊叫。

　　果園的主人是個國王。第二天，他來到果園數(shù)梨時發(fā)現(xiàn)少了一個，而且并沒有落在地上。他問園丁怎么回事，園丁回復(fù)說：「昨晚來了個幽靈，沒有手，用嘴咬掉了一個?！埂赣撵`怎么越過水溝的呢?吃完梨之后上哪兒去了呢?」國王問。

　　園丁回答說：「有個渾身雪白的人從天而降。他筑起一道堤壩攔住了水，讓幽靈走了過來。我想那人準(zhǔn)是個天使，所以有些懼怕，沒敢出聲。幽靈吃完梨就走了?！?/p>

　　「我今晚和你一起看看是不是真像你說的那樣?！箛跽f。

　　天黑了，國王帶著牧師來到果園。他要牧師來是為了和幽靈對話。他們?nèi)俗跇湎碌戎⒖粗?。半夜時分，姑娘從灌木叢里爬了出來，走到梨樹下，用嘴咬下一個梨，身穿白袍的天使仍然陪著她。牧師從樹下走出來對他們說：「你們是從天上來的，還是從地下來的?是人還是鬼?」姑娘回答說：「我不是鬼，我是個不幸的人。除了上帝外，人人都拋棄了我?！箛踅涌谡f：「即使世界上所有的人都拋棄了你，我也不會那么做的。」他將姑娘帶回王宮，姑娘的美貌和善良使國王深深地愛上了她。他為姑娘做了一雙銀手，并娶她為妻。

　　一年以后，國王不得不遠行。他將年輕的王后托咐給母親，說：「假如她生了孩子，請好好照顧她，同時盡快把消息告訴我?！购髞砉媚锕嫔藗€健康漂亮的男孩，國王年邁的母親立刻將這一令人振奮的消息寫在信上派人給國王送去。但送信人在路上的一條小溪邊歇息的時候睡著了。再說那個惡魔一直想傷害好心的王后。這時，他將另一封信放進信使的口袋里，上面說王后生了一個妖怪。國王收到信后十分震驚，而且百思不得其解。他回信要大家仍悉心照料王后，一切等他回來再說。送信人帶著國王的信往回走，又在來時歇息的地方打了個盹。惡魔又把另一封信裝進信使的口袋，上面要他們將王后和她生的孩子處死。

　　國王的母親見信后大驚失色，簡直不敢相信。因此又寫了一封信給國王，可是沒有回音。因為惡魔每次都把信換了。最后一封信上要求把王后的舌頭和眼睛挖出來留作服從國王命令的見證。

　　國王的母親哭了，她不愿意看到無辜的人被殺害。於是她趁天黑時殺了一頭鹿，留下了舌頭和眼睛，然后對王后說：「我不愿按國王的命令殺你，但是你不能再住在這兒了。帶著孩子走吧，別再回來?！?/p>

　　可憐的婦人把孩子背到背上，含淚離開了王宮。她來到一座大森林里，跪下來向上帝祈禱。天使來到她跟前，把她領(lǐng)到一座小屋前。那里掛著一塊牌子，上面寫著：「一切免費?！挂晃谎┌椎氖膛畯奈堇镒叱鰜碚f：「歡迎你，王后?！谷缓髮⑺M屋里。她將孩子從王后背上解下來，抱到她懷里讓孩子吃奶，隨后將孩子放到一張做得極其精緻的小床上。可憐的婦人問：「你怎么知道我是個王后?！拱资膛卮鹫f：「我是個天使，上帝派我來照顧你和孩子的?！雇鹾笤谶@里生活了七年，受到很好的照顧。由於她虔誠地信仰上帝，因此上帝讓她被砍斷的雙手又長了出來。

　　國王終於歸來了，他的第一個愿望就是看看他的妻子和兒子。他年邁的媽媽哭著對他說：「你這個壞傢伙，為甚么寫信要我殺那兩個無辜的人?」她拿出那兩封被惡魔換了的信給國王看，接著說：「我已經(jīng)照辦了。」說著拿出舌頭和眼睛作證。

　　國王為可憐的妻子和兒子痛哭流涕，傷心的程度遠超過他母親。老母看他哭得實在可憐，就對他說：「別哭了，她還活著。我悄悄地殺了一頭鹿，取了那些證物。實際上我把孩子綁到你妻子的背上，讓她到野外謀生，要她別再回來，因為你信上似乎對她很惱怒。」國王說：「只要我親愛的妻子和兒子沒被殺害或餓死，走遍天崖海角我也一定要找到他們，否則我不吃也不喝?！?/p>

　　於是國王找了七年，不吃也不喝，但是上帝在暗中幫助他支撐著。他找遍了每一個石縫、每一個山洞，但還是沒有找到，他想她準(zhǔn)是因為缺衣少食死了。最后他來到了大森林，看到了小屋和上面掛著的「一切免費」的牌子。白衣侍女走出來，拉著他的手將他領(lǐng)進屋子說：「歡迎光臨，國王陛下?！褂謫査麖暮味鴣?。國王回答說：「我出來尋找我妻子和孩子已經(jīng)七年了，我?guī)缀跽冶榱嗣恳粋€地方，可就是找不到。」天使請國王吃點肉、喝點酒，國王甚么也沒吃，說只想休息一下。

　　他躺下，將一塊手帕遮在臉上睡了。

　　天使走進王后和她兒子「悲傷」住的房間，對她說：「帶著孩子出去吧，你丈夫找你們來了?！轨妒峭鹾髱е鴥鹤觼淼絿跛X的地方。手帕從國王的臉上滑落到地上，王后對兒子：「悲傷，去把你父親的手帕撿起來，蓋到他臉上。」孩子走過去，撿起手帕蓋到國王臉上。國王在睡夢中聽到了，便很高興地讓手帕再次滑落到地上。可孩子不耐煩地說：「親愛的母親，我在這世上不是沒父親嗎?你怎么叫我用手帕蓋住父親的臉?我已經(jīng)學(xué)會祈禱'我們在天之父'，你不是說我父親在天國嗎，是仁慈的上帝，現(xiàn)在怎么又說這陌生人是我父親?他不是我父親?！箛跻宦?，馬上坐了起來，問他們是誰。王后回答說：「我是你的妻子，他是你的兒子'悲傷'?！?/p>

　　國王看到王后那雙自然生長的手，說：「我妻子的手是銀子做的?！雇鹾蠡卮鹫f：「仁慈的上帝讓我又長出了一雙手?！固焓棺哌M內(nèi)室，拿出那雙銀手給國王看。這時國王才確信這就是他親愛的妻子和兒子，他親吻了他們，高興地說：「這下我心中的石頭算是落地了?！?/p>

　　上帝派來的天使和他們一起吃了最后一頓飯。隨后國王帶著妻兒回到王宮，見到了老母親，到處一片歡騰。國王和王后再次舉行了婚禮，從此永遠幸福滿足地生活在一起。