The Fish and the Ring

Once upon a time, there was a mighty baron in the North Countrie who was a great magician that knew everything that would come to pass. So one day, when his little boy was four years old, he looked into the Book of Fate to see what would happen to him. And to his dismay, he found that his son would wed a lowly maid that had just been born in a house under the shadow of York Minster. Now the Baron knew the father of the little girl was very, very poor, and he had five children already.

从前，北方的乡下住着一位权势极大的男爵，同时也是一位大魔法师，能预知世间将要发生的一切事情。有一天，他四岁的小儿子还小的时候，他翻开命运之书，想看看儿子将来会有怎样的命运。结果他大惊失色地发现，儿子将来会娶一个出身低微的姑娘为妻，而这姑娘刚刚出生在约克大教堂阴影下的一户人家里。男爵知道这女孩的父亲穷得叮当响，家里已经有五个孩子了。

So he called for his horse, and rode into York; and passed by the father's house, and saw him sitting by the door, sad and doleful. So he dismounted and went up to him and said: “What is the matter, my good man?” And the man said: “Well, your honour, the fact is, I've five children already, and now a sixth's come, a little lass, and where to get the bread from to fill their mouths, that's more than I can say.”

于是他唤人备马，骑马进了约克城；经过那户人家门前时，看见那父亲坐在门口，一脸愁苦。男爵便下了马，走上前去问道：“老兄，出什么事了？”那男人答道：“唉，大人，实话说，我已经有五个孩子了，如今又添了第六个，一个小闺女，家里到底要上哪儿找面包来喂饱这些小嘴，我实在没辙。”

“Don't be downhearted, my man,” said the Baron. “If that's your trouble, I can help you. I'll take away the last little one, and you wont have to bother about her.”

“别灰心丧气，老兄，”男爵说道，“要是烦恼的就是这个，我倒能帮你一把。我把这最小的孩子带走，你便不用再为她操心了。”

“Thank you kindly, sir,” said the man; and he went in and brought out the lass and gave her to the Baron, who mounted his horse and rode away with her. And when he got by the bank of the river Ouse, he threw the little, thing into the river, and rode off to his castle.

“多谢大人美意，”那男人说道；说着便进屋抱出那女婴，交给了男爵。男爵抱着她上了马，骑马离去。到了乌斯河边，他把这小小的婴儿扔进了河里，随即骑马回城堡去了。

But the little lass didn't sink; her clothes kept her up for a time, and she floated, and she floated, till she was cast ashore just in front of a fisherman's hut. There the fisherman found her, and took pity on the poor little thing and took her into his house, and she lived there till she was fifteen years old, and a fine handsome girl.

可这小女婴并没有沉下去；她的衣裳一时托住了她，她漂啊漂，一直漂到岸边，正巧被冲到一个渔夫的小屋门前。渔夫发现了她，可怜这可怜的小家伙，便把她带回家抚养，她就这样在渔夫家一直住到十五岁，出落成一个漂亮标致的姑娘。

One day it happened that the Baron went out hunting with some companions along the banks of the River Ouse, and stopped at the fisherman's hut to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of them said to the Baron: “You can read fates, Baron, whom will she marry, d'ye think?”

有一天，男爵和几位同伴沿着乌斯河岸出去打猎，途中在渔夫的小屋前停下讨口水喝，姑娘便出来给他们倒水。众人都注意到她的美貌，其中一位对男爵说道：“男爵，你能预知命运，依你看，她将来会嫁给谁呢？”

“Oh! that's easy to guess,” said the Baron; “some yokel or other. But I'll cast her horoscope. Come here girl, and tell me on what day you were born?”

“哦！这个不难猜，”男爵说道，“多半是哪个乡巴佬罢了。不过我倒可以给她卜一卜命盘。姑娘，过来，告诉我你是哪天出生的？”

“I don't know, sir,” said the girl, “I was picked up just here after having been brought down by the river about fifteen years ago.”

“我不知道，大人，”姑娘答道，“大约十五年前，我是被河水冲到这儿被人捡到的。”

Then the Baron knew who she was, and when they went away, he rode back and said to the girl: “Hark ye, girl, I will make your fortune. Take this letter to my brother in Scarborough, and you will be settled for life.” And the girl took the letter and said she would go. Now this was what he had written in the letter:

男爵这才明白她是谁。众人离去后，他又折返回来，对姑娘说道：“听着，姑娘，我要成全你的好运。把这封信带去斯卡布罗，交给我弟弟，你这一辈子就有着落了。”姑娘接过信，说她愿意去。可这信里，他写的却是这样的话：

“Dear Brother,—Take the bearer and put her to death immediately.

“亲爱的弟弟：把送信的人立刻处死。

“Yours affectionately,

你亲爱的，

“Albert.”

艾伯特。”

So soon after the girl set out for Scarborough, and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night a band of robbers broke into the inn, and searched the girl, who had no money, and only the letter. So they opened this and read it, and thought it a shame. The captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:

于是没过多久，姑娘便动身前往斯卡布罗，途中在一家小客栈过夜。恰巧那天夜里，一伙强盗闯进了客栈，搜了姑娘的身，发现她身无分文，只有那封信。强盗们便拆开信读了，觉得这信实在太可耻了。强盗头子拿起纸笔，另写了一封信：

“Dear Brother,—Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.

“亲爱的弟弟：把送信的人立刻嫁给我的儿子。

“Yours affectionately,

你亲爱的，

“Albert.”

艾伯特。”

And then he gave it to the girl, bidding her begone. So she went on to the Baron's brother at Scarborough, a noble knight, with whom the Baron's son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother, he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were married that very day.

写完便把信交给姑娘，叫她赶紧上路。于是姑娘便继续前往斯卡布罗，去见男爵的弟弟——一位高贵的骑士，男爵的儿子当时正寄住在他家中。她把信交给男爵的弟弟后，他立刻下令筹备婚礼，两人当天便成了婚。

Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother's castle, and what was his surprise to find that the very thing he had plotted against had come to pass. But he was not to be put off that way; and he took out the girl for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone, he took her by the arms, and was going to throw her over. But she begged hard for her life.

不久后，男爵本人也来到了弟弟的城堡，没想到竟发现自己费尽心机想要阻止的事，终究还是发生了。可他并不甘心就此罢休；他便借口散步，带着姑娘沿着悬崖走。等到只剩他们二人时，他一把抓住姑娘的胳膊，就要把她推下悬崖。姑娘苦苦哀求饶命。

“I have not done anything,” she said: “if you will only spare me, I will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or your son again till you desire it.” Then the Baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea, saying: “Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring;” and he let her go.

“我什么都没做错，”她说道，“只要你肯饶我一命，你要我做什么我都答应。在你愿意之前，我绝不再见你或你儿子一面。”男爵听罢，便摘下自己的金戒指扔进了大海，说道：“除非你能把这戒指找回来给我看，否则休想让我再见你的脸。”说完便放她离去了。

The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she came to a great noble's castle, and she asked to have some work given to her; and they made her the scullion girl of the castle, for she had been used to such work in the fisherman's hut.

可怜的姑娘一路流浪，走啊走，终于来到一位大贵族的城堡前，恳求给她一份差事；贵族便让她做了城堡里洗碗打杂的女仆，因为她在渔夫家早就习惯了这类活计。

Now one day, who should she see coming up to the noble's house but the Baron and his brother and his son, her husband. She didn't know what to do; but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen. So she went back to her work with a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was to be boiled for their dinner.

有一天，她竟看见男爵和他弟弟，还有他儿子——她的丈夫，一同朝这位贵族的宅邸走来。她一时不知如何是好；但转念一想，他们大概不会在城堡的厨房里看见自己。于是她叹了口气，又埋头干起活来，动手清理一条要炖来当晚餐的大鱼。

And, as she was cleaning it, she saw something shine inside it, and what do you think she found? Why, there was the Baron's ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff at Scarborough. She was right glad to see it, you may be sure. Then she cooked the fish as nicely as she could, and served it up.

正清理着，她忽然瞧见鱼肚子里有什么东西闪闪发光，你猜她发现了什么？正是男爵当初在斯卡布罗从悬崖上扔下的那枚金戒指。她见了自然是欣喜万分。于是她把这条鱼烹调得格外精美，端了上去。

Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests liked it so well that they asked the noble who cooked it. He said he didn't know, but called to his servants: “Ho, there, send up the cook that cooked that fine fish.” So they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted in the hall. Then she washed and tidied herself and put the Baron's gold ring on her thumb and went up into the hall.

那鱼端上桌后，宾客们都赞不绝口，纷纷问这位贵族是谁做的。贵族说自己也不知道，便唤来仆人：“来人，把做这道好鱼的厨子请上来。”仆人们便下到厨房，告诉姑娘大厅里有人要见她。她便洗净手脸，收拾整齐，把男爵的金戒指戴在拇指上，走进了大厅。

When the banqueters saw such a young and beautiful cook they were surprised. But the Baron was in a tower of a temper, and started up as if he would do her some violence. So the girl went up to him with her hand before her with the ring on it; and she put it down before him on the table. Then at last the Baron saw that no one could fight against Fate, and he handed her to a seat and announced to all the company that this was his son's true wife; and he took her and his son home to his castle; and they all lived as happy as could be ever afterwards.

宴席上的宾客一见这么年轻美丽的厨娘，都大吃一惊。而男爵却怒火中烧，猛地站起身来，仿佛要对她动粗。姑娘便径直走到他面前，手上戴着那枚戒指，伸到他跟前，把戒指放在了他面前的桌上。男爵这才终于明白，谁也斗不过命运，于是请她入座，当着众人的面宣布，这才是他儿子明媒正娶的妻子；随后便带着她和儿子一同回了自己的城堡，从此一家人幸福美满地生活了下去。