士兵和打火匣

士兵和打火匣

有一个士兵打完仗，背着背包，挂着长剑，准备回家。

路上，士兵遇到了一个丑陋的巫婆，她站在路中间说：“你的背包真大，你的长剑真好，你一定是一个好样儿的士兵。我知道你很穷，现在你要多少钱就会有多少钱。”

士兵说：“我怎么能得到钱呢？”

The Soldier and the Tinder Box

There was once a soldier who, after fighting a war, slung a bag on his back,sheathed his sword and set off home.Along the way, the soldier met an old witch. She stood by the roadside and said, "Your backpack is very big and that sword of yours is very fine. You are most certainly an outstanding soldier. I know that you are poor. Now, you shall get as much money as you want."

The soldier asked, "How can I get this money?"

巫婆指着路边的一棵大树说：“只要你爬上那棵大树，到达树顶，就会看见一个洞口。我在你腰上拴一根绳子，这样你就可以到洞里去了。”

“我到树洞里干什么？”士兵问。

“去拿钱啊。”巫婆说，“这个树洞可大了，进到里面，你会看到三间大房子。第一间房子里有一口大箱子，里面装着铜币。箱子上面有一只像小牛那样大的狗，你只要把我的蓝格围裙披在狗身上，它就不会咬你了；第二间房子里也有一只大箱子，里面装着银币，箱子上有一只小马驹一样大的狗；第三间房子的箱子里装着的是金币，箱子上的狗像骆驼那样大。你只要照我说的做，所有这些东西你都可以拿，要多少有多少。拿完之后喊我一声，我就把你拉上来。”

The witch pointed to a big tree and said, "You only have to climb that tree. When you reach the top of the tree, you will see a hole. I will attach a rope to your waist so you can climb into the hole."

"What am I supposed to do in the hole?" asked the soldier.

"Fetch the money," replied the witch. "The hole in the tree is very big. Once you are inside, you will see three large houses. In the first house is a big chest, filled with copper coins. On the chest is a dog as big as a small cow. You only have to hang my blue checkered apron around the dog and it will not bite you. In the second house is another chest filled with silver coins. On the chest is a dog the size of a small horse. In the third house is a chest filled with gold coins. On the chest is a dog as big as a camel. You only have to do as I say, and all these things shall be yours for the taking. You will have as much as you want. Once you have got them, call to me, and I will pull you out."

“我怎么报答你呢？”士兵问。

“我只要那个旧的打火匣。”巫婆说着，把自己的蓝格围裙递给了士兵。士兵按照巫婆的话钻进了大树洞。他从第一间房子里拿了很多铜币，到了第二间房子又把铜币换成了银币，后来又全部换成了金币。他的帽子里、皮靴里、衣服里到处都塞满了金币。最后，他把那个旧打火匣装到了口袋里。

巫婆把士兵从树洞里拉出来，急切地问：“打火匣呢？把打火匣给我。”

“你要那个打火匣有什么用啊？”士兵问。

“这你不用管，赶快给我，不然我就杀掉你！”巫婆凶狠地说。

士兵抽出长剑，杀死了巫婆，带着钱和这个打火匣上路了。

"How should I repay you?" asked the soldier.

"I only want that old timber box." said the old witch as she passed the blue checkered apron to the soldier. The soldier did just as the old witch had told him and slipped into the hole in the big tree. He took the copper coins from the first house, then went to the second house and exchanged the copper coins for silver coins. He then changed the whole lot for gold coins. His hat, boots and clothes were all stuffed full with gold coins. Finally, he put the old timber box into his pocket.

The old witch pulled the soldier out of the hole in the tree, and asked fervently, "The timber box? Give me the timber box."

"What do you want to do with this timber box?" asked the soldier.

"Don't worry about that. Give it to me, and fast, otherwise I will kill you!" said the witch fiercely.

The soldier pulled out his sword and killed the witch. Taking the money and the timber box, he set off.

士兵来到了一座美丽的城市，他住最好的旅馆，穿最漂亮的衣服，吃最好的饭菜，还把钱分给很多没有钱的穷人。

他听说国王有位非常美丽的公主，但是谁也见不到她，她被关在一座铜宫里。因为有个预言家对国王说，公主将嫁给一个普通的士兵。国王可不答应，于是，公主就被关起来了。

这个士兵真想见一见这个公主。可是，随着时间一天天过去，士兵的钱像流水一样很快就花完了，他不得不搬出了旅店，住进一间简陋的小阁楼里。

The soldier arrived at a beautiful city. He stayed in the best tavern, wore the most beautiful clothes, ate the best food and even gave money to many of the paupers.

He heard that the King had a very beautiful princess, but that no-one had ever seen her. She was locked away in a copper palace. This was because a prophet had foretold that the princess would marry an ordinary soldier. The King would not agree to this and so he locked the princess away.

The soldier really wanted to see the princess. However, as time passed, day by day, the soldier's money was running out like water from a flowing stream. He had to move out of the tavern and stay in a primitive loft.

一天晚上，士兵穷得连蜡烛都买不起了，他突然想起有一小段蜡烛放在那个打火匣里。他急忙拿出打火匣，用力一擦，随着火星一闪，那只树洞里的大狗出现在他的面前，恭恭敬敬地说：“我的主人，你有什么吩咐？我会按照你的话去做的。”

士兵半信半疑地说：“你能帮我弄点儿钱来吗？”只听“嘘”的一声，眨眼间，狗就叼着一大袋金币回来了。

现在士兵知道这个打火匣是个宝贝了。他有了钱，生活又好过起来。但是，他心里最想的，还是那位被关在铜宫里的公主。于是，他又拿出了打火匣，对跳出来的狗说：“我想见见公主。”

狗立刻跑出家门，不一会儿，就把睡熟的公主背回来了。士兵很喜欢公主，他轻轻地吻了一下公主的面颊，让狗把公主送了回去。

One evening, the soldier had becomeoor that he could not even afford to buy a candle. He suddenly thought of the small candle in the timber box. He hurriedly took out the timber box. He rubbed the box and with a flash of sparks, the big dog from the tree hole appeared before him. The dog said to him reverently, "Master, what instructions do you have? I will do whatever you say."

The soldier, half in disbelief, said, "Can you help me to get a little money?" With a "whoosh", in the blink of an eye, the dog returned with a bag of gold coins clamped between its jaws.

Now the soldier knew that the timber box was a real treasure. With all this money, his life improved greatly. However, what he wanted most was the princess shut away in the copper palace. And so, he took out the timber box and said to the dog who jumped out, "I want to see the princess."

The dog immediately ran out of the door of the house. In a short while, he returned carrying the sleeping princess on his back. The soldier liked the princess very much, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He then let the dog take her back.

一连几天，士兵都是这样，让狗夜里把公主背回来，清晨再送回去。这件事终于被王后发现了，她决心要弄清楚这是怎么回事。于是让人缝了一个小布袋，把布袋的下面扎了一个小洞，再系到公主的身上。当狗儿背着公主前往士兵房间的时候，面粉就从布袋的小洞里流了出来，在地上画了一道白线，一直画到士兵住的房间。

这件事不久就引起了轰动，国王十分生气，派人把士兵抓住，送进了大牢，并准备把他绞死。

第二天早晨，士兵站在监狱的窗前，看见许多人往广场跑。他们都是准备看怎么绞死这个士兵的。一个小男孩因为跑得太快，跌倒了。士兵立刻叫住那个男孩儿，对他说：“喂，小孩儿，请你到我的房间里去拿一个打火匣，我给你十个金币。”

For the next few days, the soldier continued in this manner, sending the dog to fetch the princess by night and returning her by dawn. This matter was finally discovered by the Queen. She decided to establish what exactly was happening. And so, she sewed a small cloth bag with little holes in the bottom, which she tied to the princess's back. When the dog carried the princess to the soldier's house, the flour in the bag would run out and leave a white trail on the ground, right up to the soldier's house.

This matter soon caused a sensation and the King was very angry. He sent men to arrest the soldier and lock him away in jail. He was going to kill him by hanging.

The next morning, the soldier stood before the cell window, and saw many people running towards the square. They were all going to see the soldier being hung. There was one small boy who, because he was running too fast, fell over. The soldier immediately called the boy over and said to him,"Hey, little boy, if you go to my room and fetch my timber box, I will give you ten golden coins."

小男孩儿同意了，很快在士兵的房间里找到了打火匣，并交到了士兵手里。

国王派人把士兵带到了广场，士兵大声说：“国王，请让我最后抽一口烟吧！”国王同意了士兵的要求。

士兵取出打火匣，连擦了三次。那三只大狗同时出现了，虎视眈眈地望着众人，朝刽子手扑来，把他们抓起来抛向了天空。国王和王后也吓得没了踪影。

The little boy agreed. He found the timber box in the soldier's room very quickly, and passed it over to the soldier.

The King sent his men to take the soldier to the square. The soldier said loudly, "King, please allow me to smoke one last cigarette!" The King agreed to the soldier's request.

The soldier took out his timber box and rubbed it three times. Those three dogs all appeared. They glared fiercely at the crowd and pounced on the executioners, snatching them and throwing them into the air. The King and Queen went pale with horror.

围观的人们叫起来：“士兵，请你做我们的国王吧！请你和我们美丽的公主结婚吧！”

大家把士兵抬进了王宫，让他与美丽的公主举行了盛大的婚礼。那三只狗也坐在宴会上又吃又喝，可开心了。

Those watching called out, "Soldier, please be our King! Please marry our beautiful princess!"

Everyone carried the soldier into the palace. They held a magnificent wedding for him and the beautiful princess. The three dogs also sat at the banquet eating and drinking. They were very happy.

supposed to do 应该做……

fervently adv.急切地

primitive adj.简单的

afford v.负担得起

establish v.搞清楚情况

sewed v.缝纫（sew的过去时）

caused a sensation 引起轰动