Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper

Once upon a time there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that ever was seen. She had two daughters of her own, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. The gentleman had also a young daughter, of rare goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.

从前有位绅士，续娶了一位妻子，她是世上最骄傲、最傲慢的女人。她自己也有两个女儿，两人的性情和她如出一辙。这位绅士还有一个年幼的女儿，性情格外善良温柔，这份好性情，正是随了她那已故的母亲，那是世上最好心肠的人。

The wedding was scarcely over, when the stepmother's bad temper began to show itself. She could not bear the goodness of this young girl, because it made her own daughters appear the more odious. The stepmother gave her the meanest work in the house to do; she had to scour the dishes, tables, etc., and to scrub the floors and clean out the bedrooms.

婚礼刚一结束，继母的坏脾气便显露出来了。她受不了这个小姑娘的善良，因为这份善良衬得她自己的女儿更加令人生厌。继母把家中最粗贱的活计都派给了她做，她得洗涮碗碟、擦拭桌子，还得刷洗地板、打扫卧室。

The poor girl had to sleep in the garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms with inlaid floors, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length. The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not complain to her father, who would have scolded her if she had done so, for his wife governed him entirely.

这可怜的姑娘只能睡在阁楼上一张破旧的草垫床上，而她的两个姐姐却睡在铺着镶嵌地板的漂亮房间里，睡在最新式的床铺上，房里还挂着大得能照见全身的镜子。这可怜的姑娘一切都默默忍受着，也不敢向父亲诉苦，因为若是诉苦，父亲反倒会责骂她，因为他完全被妻子所摆布。

When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney corner, and sit down among the cinders, hence she was called Cinderwench. The younger sister of the two, who was not so rude and uncivil as the elder, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, in spite of her mean apparel, was a hundred times more handsome than her sisters, though they were always richly dressed.

姑娘做完了家务，便常常躲进壁炉角落里，坐在炉灰堆中，因此大家都叫她“灰姑娘”。两姐妹中年纪较小的那位，不像姐姐那么粗鲁无礼，便叫她“辛德瑞拉”。不过，辛德瑞拉尽管衣着寒酸，容貌却比她的两个姐姐美上百倍，尽管姐姐们总是穿金戴银、华服加身。

It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited to it all persons of fashion. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut a very grand figure among the people of the country-side. They were highly delighted with the invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing the gowns, petticoats, and head-dresses which might best become them. This made Cinderella's lot still harder, for it was she who ironed her sisters' linen and plaited their ruffles. They talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed.

恰逢王子举办一场舞会，邀请了城中所有上流人士。我们这两位小姐自然也在受邀之列，因为她们在乡邻中一向颇有身份。她们对这份邀请欣喜若狂，忙着挑选最能衬托自己的长袍、衬裙和头饰。这可让辛德瑞拉的日子更加难熬了，因为熨烫姐姐们的内衣、给她们的皱边打褶，都得由她来做。她们整日谈论的，无非是该如何打扮。

"For my part," said the elder, "I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimmings."

“依我看，”姐姐说道，“我要穿我那套配着法国滚边的红丝绒衣裳。”

"And I," said the younger, "shall wear my usual skirt; but then, to make amends for that I will put on my gold-flowered mantle, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world." They sent for the best hairdressers they could get to make up their hair in fashionable style, and bought patches for their cheeks. Cinderella was consulted in all these matters, for she had good taste. She advised them always for the best, and even offered her services to dress their hair, which they were very willing she should do.

“至于我，”妹妹说道，“我打算还穿平日的裙子；不过为了弥补，我要披上我那件绣金花的斗篷，戴上我那件钻石紧身褡，那可绝不是世上最普通的东西。”她们派人去请了城里最好的理发师，把头发梳成最时兴的样式，又买了贴脸的美人痣贴片。这些事她们都会来征求辛德瑞拉的意见，因为她品味极好。她总是给出最好的建议，甚至还主动帮她们梳理头发，姐姐们对此也是求之不得。

As she was doing this, they said to her:—

她正给她们梳头时，两人对她说道：

"Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?"

“辛德瑞拉，你难道不想去参加舞会吗？”

"Young ladies," she said, "you only jeer at me; it is not for such as I am to go there."

“两位小姐，”她说道，“你们这是在取笑我罢了；像我这样的人，哪里配去那种地方。”

"You are right," they replied; "people would laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball."

“你说得没错，”她们答道；“要是让人看见一个灰姑娘出现在舞会上，人们非笑话不可。”

Any one but Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry, but she was good-natured, and arranged it perfectly well. They were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to lace themselves tight, that they might have a fine, slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass.

换了别人，恐怕早把她们的头发梳得歪七扭八了，可她生性善良，把一切都梳得极为妥帖。她们两天几乎没吃什么东西，高兴得都快飘飘然了。她们为了勒出纤细的腰身，把束腰带子拉断了十几根，还整天对着镜子照个不停。

At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.

终于盼来了这个盛大的日子；她们启程前往宫廷，辛德瑞拉一直目送她们，直到再也看不见了，才忍不住哭了起来。

Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter.

她的教母见她满脸泪水，便问她出了什么事。

"I wish I could—I wish I could—" but she could not finish for sobbing.

“我真希望我能——我真希望我能——”可她哽咽着，怎么也说不下去。

Her godmother, who was a fairy, said to her, "You wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?"

她的教母是位仙女，便对她说道：“你是希望能去参加舞会吧，是不是？”

"Alas, yes," said Cinderella, sighing.

“唉，是啊，”辛德瑞拉叹息着说道。

"Well," said her godmother, "be but a good girl, and I will see that you go." Then she took her into her chamber, and said to her, "Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin."

“好吧，”教母说道，“只要你好好听话，我会想办法让你去的。”说着便把她带进自己的房间，对她说：“快到花园里去，给我摘一个南瓜来。”

Cinderella went at once to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could help her to go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, leaving nothing but the rind. Then she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine gilded coach.

辛德瑞拉立刻跑去挑了一个她能找到的最好的南瓜，拿来给教母，她完全想不出这个南瓜怎么能帮她去成舞会。教母把南瓜里面掏空，只剩下瓜皮。随后她用魔杖一点，南瓜瞬间变成了一辆精美的镀金马车。

She then went to look into the mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive. She ordered Cinderella to lift the trap-door, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, it was that moment turned into a fine horse, and the six mice made a fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored, dapple gray.

接着她又去看了看捕鼠夹，发现里面有六只活蹦乱跳的老鼠。她吩咐辛德瑞拉掀起夹子的活门，每有一只老鼠出来，她便用魔杖轻轻一点，老鼠立刻变成了一匹骏马，六只老鼠就这样变成了一队漂亮的马儿，毛色是鼠灰带斑纹的那种。

Being at a loss for a coachman, Cinderella said, "I will go and see if there is not a rat in the rat-trap—we may make a coachman of him."

眼下还缺个马车夫，辛德瑞拉便说：“我去看看捕鼠笼里是不是有只老鼠——我们可以拿它当马车夫。”

"You are right," replied her godmother; "go and look."

“你说得对，”教母答道；“去看看吧。”

Cinderella brought the rat-trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The fairy chose the one which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat coachman with the finest mustache and whiskers ever seen.

辛德瑞拉把捕鼠笼拿了来，里面果然有三只硕大的老鼠。仙女挑了那只胡须最长的，用魔杖一点，它便变成了一位体态肥硕的马车夫，蓄着世上最漂亮的胡须和络腮胡。

After that, she said to her:—

随后，她又对辛德瑞拉说道：

"Go into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot; bring them to me."

“到花园里去，你会在洒水壶后面找到六只蜥蜴，把它们带来给我。”

She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all trimmed with gold and silver, and they held on as if they had done nothing else their whole lives.

她刚一照办，教母便把它们变成了六名侍从，个个立刻蹦跳着跳上了马车后头，身穿镶金滚银的号衣，一副仿佛这辈子什么别的事都没做过的架势，稳稳地扶在车后。

The fairy then said to Cinderella, "Well, you see here a carriage fit to go to the ball in; are you not pleased with it?"

仙女随后对辛德瑞拉说道：“好了，你瞧，这辆马车正适合去参加舞会；你还满意吗？”

"Oh, yes!" she cried; "but must I go as I am in these rags?"

“哦，太满意了！”她喊道；“可我难道要穿着这身破衣服去吗？”

Her godmother simply touched her with her wand, and, at the same moment, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all decked with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of the prettiest glass slippers in the whole world. Being thus attired, she got into the carriage, her godmother commanding her, above all things, not to stay till after midnight, and telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes would become just as they were before.

教母只是用魔杖轻轻一碰，霎时间，她的衣服便变成了金丝银线织就的华服，上面缀满了珠宝。做完这一切，她又给了她一双世上最漂亮的玻璃鞋。就这样打扮妥当后，她登上了马车，教母再三嘱咐她，无论如何都不能待到午夜以后，还告诉她，只要多留一刻，马车便会重新变回南瓜，马儿变回老鼠，马车夫变回老鼠，侍从变回蜥蜴，她的衣裳也会变回原来的模样。

She promised her godmother she would not fail to leave the ball before midnight. She drove away, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The King's son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her. He gave her his hand as she alighted from the coach, and led her into the hall where the company were assembled. There was at once a profound silence; every one left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attracted was every one by the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer. Nothing was then heard but a confused sound of voices saying:—

她向教母保证，一定会在午夜之前离开舞会。她驱车而去，兴奋得几乎按捺不住自己的喜悦。王子听说来了一位无人相识的绝色公主，便跑出去迎接她。她走下马车时，王子伸手扶她，把她领进了宾客云集的大厅。厅内顿时一片肃静；所有人都停下了舞步，提琴也停止了演奏，人人都被这位不知名新客的绝世美貌所吸引。此时只听得一片嘈杂的低语声：

"Ha! how beautiful she is! Ha! how beautiful she is!"

“啊！她多美啊！啊！她多美啊！”

The King himself, old as he was, could not keep his eyes off her, and he told the Queen under his breath that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

国王本人虽然年迈，却也移不开视线，他低声对王后说，他已经很久没见过这样美丽可爱的人儿了。

All the ladies were busy studying her clothes and head-dress, so that they might have theirs made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials and able hands to make them.

所有的女士们都忙着细细打量她的衣裳和头饰，好在第二天照着同样的样式做一套，只要能寻到同样精美的布料和手艺高超的裁缝。

The King's son conducted her to the seat of honor, and afterwards took her out to dance with him. She danced so very gracefully that they all admired her more and more. A fine collation was served, but the young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he occupied with her.

王子把她引到上座，随后又邀她一同跳舞。她舞姿翩翩，优雅无比，众人对她的赞赏更是与日俱增。宴席上摆出了一桌精美的点心，可这位年轻的王子却一口也没吃，全副心思都放在了她身上。

She went and sat down beside her sisters, showing them a thousand civilities, and giving them among other things part of the oranges and citrons with which the Prince had regaled her. This very much surprised them, for they had not been presented to her.

她走去坐在两位姐姐身旁，对她们礼数周到，还把王子款待她的橙子和柠檬分了一些给她们。这可把两位姐姐惊讶坏了，因为她们根本没被引见给她。

Cinderella heard the clock strike a quarter to twelve. She at once made her adieus to the company and hastened away as fast as she could.

辛德瑞拉听见钟敲了十一点四十五分。她立刻向众人告辞，匆匆离去。

As soon as she got home, she ran to find her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she said she much wished she might go to the ball the next day, because the King's son had asked her to do so. As she was eagerly telling her godmother all that happened at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door; Cinderella opened it. "How long you have stayed!" said she, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and stretching herself as if she had been just awakened. She had not, however, had any desire to sleep since they went from home.

她一到家，便跑去找教母，向她道谢之后，说她非常希望第二天还能去参加舞会，因为王子邀请了她。她正兴致勃勃地向教母讲述舞会上发生的一切时，两位姐姐敲响了门；辛德瑞拉去开了门。“你们怎么去了这么久！”她一边打着哈欠，揉着眼睛，伸着懒腰，一边说道，仿佛她刚刚才睡醒似的。其实她们出门之后，她压根就没有丝毫睡意。

"If you had been at the ball," said one of her sisters, "you would not have been tired with it. There came thither the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes. She showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons."

“你要是在舞会上，”一位姐姐说道，“就绝不会觉得无聊了。那儿来了一位绝色的公主，是凡人眼里见过的最美的女子。她待我们礼数周到，还给了我们橙子和柠檬。”

Cinderella did not show any pleasure at this. Indeed, she asked them the name of the princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King's son was very much concerned, and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:—

辛德瑞拉听了并没有表现出什么高兴的神色。她倒是问了问那位公主叫什么名字，姐姐们却说她们并不知道，还说王子十分挂心，愿意付出一切来打听她是谁。听到这话，辛德瑞拉微笑着答道：

"Was she then so very beautiful? How fortunate you have been! Could I not see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day."

“她真有那么美吗？你们运气可真好啊！我能见见她吗？啊！亲爱的夏洛特小姐，把您平日穿的那件黄色衣裳借我穿穿吧。”

"Ay, to be sure!" cried Miss Charlotte; "lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be out of my mind to do so."

“哎呀，说得倒轻巧！”夏洛特小姐喊道；“把我的衣裳借给你这样一个邋遢的灰姑娘穿！我才不会犯这种糊涂呢。”

Cinderella, indeed, expected such an answer and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly troubled if her sister had lent her what she jestingly asked for. The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was always by her side, and his pretty speeches to her never ceased. These by no means annoyed the young lady.

其实辛德瑞拉早就料到会得到这样的回答，也乐得被拒绝；因为倘若姐姐真把她开玩笑要来的东西借给她，她反倒会大为苦恼。第二天，两位姐姐去了舞会，辛德瑞拉也去了，只是打扮得比上一次更加华丽。王子始终陪在她身边，甜言蜜语说个不停。这些话，这位年轻姑娘可一点也不觉得厌烦。

Indeed, she quite forgot her godmother's orders to her, so that she heard the clock begin to strike twelve when she thought it could not be more than eleven. She then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully.

其实，她竟把教母的嘱咐忘得一干二净，直到听见钟声敲响十二下，她原以为还不到十一点呢。她这才猛地起身，如一头小鹿般轻盈地逃了出去。王子在后面追赶，却怎么也追不上她。她慌乱中掉落了一只玻璃鞋，王子小心翼翼地把它捡了起来。

She got home, but quite out of breath, without her carriage, and in her old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to the one she had dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a princess go out, and they replied they had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country girl than of a young lady.

她到家时已是上气不接下气，没有了马车，穿着自己原来的旧衣裳，一身华丽的装扮什么也没剩下，只留下一只小玻璃鞋，正是与她掉落的那只成对的。宫门口的守卫被问及是否见过一位公主出去，他们答说没见谁出去，只见过一个穿着极为寒酸的年轻姑娘，看起来更像个贫苦的乡下姑娘，全无一点大家闺秀的样子。

When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if they had had a pleasant time, and if the fine lady had been there. They told her, yes; but that she hurried away the moment it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King's son had taken up. They said, further, that he had done nothing but look at her all the time, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful owner of the glass slipper.

两位姐姐从舞会回来后，辛德瑞拉问她们玩得是否开心，那位美丽的小姐是否也在场。她们说，是的；只是钟一敲十二下，她便匆匆离去，走得那样仓促，连一只世上最精致的小玻璃鞋都掉落了，王子把它捡了起来。她们又说，王子整晚都只顾盯着她看，看样子他一定深深爱上了这位玻璃鞋的美丽主人。

What they said was true; for a few days after the King's son caused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would fit exactly. They began to try it on the princesses, then on the duchesses, and then on all the ladies of the Court; but in vain. It was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust a foot into the slipper, but they could not succeed. Cinderella, who saw this, and knew her slipper, said to them, laughing:—

她们说的果然不假；因为几天之后，王子便派人吹响号角，四处宣告，他将迎娶脚正好合这只鞋子的女子为妻。他们先让公主们试穿，接着是公爵夫人们，再接着是宫中所有的贵妇，可都是徒劳。鞋子被送到了两位姐姐面前，她们使出浑身解数想把脚塞进去，却怎么也不成功。辛德瑞拉在一旁看着，认出了那正是自己的鞋子，便笑着对她们说道：

"Let me see if it will not fit me."

“让我试试，看看合不合我的脚吧。”

Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said it was but just that she should try, and that he had orders to let every lady try it on.

两位姐姐顿时放声大笑，开始取笑她。可那位奉命前来试鞋的绅士却仔细端详了辛德瑞拉一番，见她生得十分标致，便说理应让她也试一试，况且他也奉命要让在场每一位女士都试穿这只鞋子。

He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment of her two sisters was great, but it was still greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand, made them more magnificent than those she had worn before.

他请辛德瑞拉坐下，把鞋子往她的小脚上一套，发现十分轻松地就穿上了，合脚得就像是专门用蜡为她量身定做的一般。她的两个姐姐大为吃惊，可更叫她们吃惊的是，辛德瑞拉又从口袋里掏出了另一只鞋子，穿在了脚上。就在此时，教母走了进来，用魔杖轻轻一碰辛德瑞拉的衣裳，使它变得比舞会那晚穿的还要华丽。

And now her two sisters found her to be that beautiful lady they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all their ill treatment of her. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and begged them to love her always.

如今两位姐姐这才认出，她正是她们在舞会上见过的那位绝色佳人。她们扑倒在她脚边，恳求她原谅自己往日对她的种种恶待。辛德瑞拉把她们扶了起来，一边拥抱她们，一边说她全心全意地原谅了她们，并恳求她们从此永远爱护她。

She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was. He thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, gave her two sisters a home in the palace, and that very same day married them to two great lords of the Court.

她就这样穿着原本的装束，被引见给了年轻的王子。王子觉得她比以往任何时候都更加迷人，几天之后便娶了她。辛德瑞拉的心地和她的容貌一样美好，她把两位姐姐都接进宫中同住，并且就在同一天，把她们许配给了宫中两位显赫的贵族。