It was now 3 mornings since they had left their father's house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness.

離家的第三天早上,他們又開始走,但是每次都走到森林更深處。要是再得不到幫助,他們又餓又累,恐怕必死無疑。

When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it.

正午時分,他們突然看見一只美麗而雪白的小鳥,它立在一根樹枝上唱歌,歌聲如此動聽,以至于兄妹倆聽得入了神,站在原地一動不動。

And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted.

鳥兒唱完歌就張開翅膀在他們面前飛走了,他們跟著小鳥來到了一棟小房子前,鳥兒就停在屋頂上。

And when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.

他們靠近房子后才發(fā)現(xiàn)這棟房子是用面包做成的,屋頂是用蛋糕做的,而窗戶則是用透明的糖果做的。

"We will set to work on that," said Hansel, "and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet."

韓賽爾說:“我們快開動吧,好好吃上一頓。我要吃一部分屋頂。格蕾特,你可以去嘗嘗窗戶,窗戶的味道一定很甜。”

Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.

韓賽爾伸手夠到了屋頂,掰下一小塊嘗了嘗味道,格蕾特則站在窗戶旁咬起了窗玻璃。

Then a soft voice cried from the parlor –

這時,只聽見房子里傳出一個溫柔的聲音:

"nibble, nibble, gnaw"

咬啊,咬啊,咬,

"who is nibbling at my little house?"

是誰在咬我的小房子?

The children answered –

孩子們回答道:

"the wind, the wind,"

是風(fēng)呢,是風(fēng),

"the heaven-born wind,"

是來自天上的風(fēng)。

and went on eating without disturbing themselves.

說完又繼續(xù)專心地吃起來。

Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it.

韓賽爾很喜歡屋頂?shù)奈兜?于是掰下一大塊屋頂,格蕾特則干脆摳下一整塊圓形的窗玻璃,坐在地上慢慢享用。

Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out.

突然門開了,一位蒼老的婆婆拄著拐杖顫巍巍地從里面走出來。

Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands.

韓賽爾和格蕾特一時受到驚嚇,手里的食物也掉在了地上。

The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, "oh, you dear children, who has brought you here. Do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you."

然而老婆婆點點頭說:“好孩子,是誰帶你們來這兒的啊?進(jìn)來屋子里吧,和我待在一起,沒人會傷害你們的。”

She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.

她牽著孩子的手走進(jìn)小房子,替他們準(zhǔn)備了一桌豐盛的美食,包括牛奶、煎餅、糖果、蘋果和堅果,還為他們鋪好了兩張漂亮的小床,床單干凈又潔白。韓賽爾和格蕾特躺在床上,感覺自己身在天堂。

…… to be continued.

未完待續(xù)