When they had walked for 2 hours, they came to a great stretch of water.

他們走了兩個小時,來到了一條大河邊。

"We cannot cross," said Hansel, "I see no foot-plank, and no bridge."

“我們過不去了,”韓賽爾說,“這兒既沒有木棧,也沒有橋。”

"And there is also no ferry," answered Gretel, "but a white duck is swimming there. If I ask her, she will help us over." Then she cried –

“連渡船也沒有,”格蕾特說道,“不過那兒有一只小白鴨,要是我求它,它一定會幫我們過河的。”于是她開始呼喚:

"little duck, little duck, dost thou see,"

“小鴨子,小鴨子,你看得到嗎?”

"Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee."

“韓賽爾與格蕾特在等著你啊。”

"There's never a plank, or bridge in sight,"

“河上既沒有木棧也沒有橋,”

"take us across on thy back so white."

“請把我們馱到對岸好不好?”

The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him.

小鴨子游過來了。韓賽爾先坐上它的背,然后讓妹妹也坐上來。

"No," replied Gretel, "that will be too heavy for the little duck. She shall take us across, one after the other."

“不,”格蕾特回答,“這對小鴨子來說太重了,還是讓它一個一個地馱我們過去吧。”

The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father's house.

好心的小鴨子照做了。兄妹倆平安渡河后,再往前走了一會兒,開始覺得森林越來越熟悉。終于,他們遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地看到了父親的房子。

Then they began to run, rushed into the parlor, and threw themselves round their father's neck.

他們激動地跑起來,一下子沖進(jìn)房子,投入了父親的懷抱。

The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest. The woman, however, was dead.

自從把孩子遺棄在森林里,父親就沒有一刻快樂過,而他的妻子也過世了。

Gretel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness.

格蕾特抖了抖圍裙,珍珠和寶石掉出來,在房間四處蹦,韓賽爾還從口袋中一把一把地掏出更多。所有的不幸都告一段落,從此一家人過上了幸福快樂的生活。

My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.

我的故事講完了,那邊跑過去一只老鼠,誰要是逮到它,就可以做一頂大大的皮帽子。

……The End.

(完)