钻石与蟾蜍的故事

文章 2019-07-16 22:10:16 共1个回答 ()人看过

There was once upon a time a widow who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humour that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable and so proud that there was no living with them.

The youngest, who was the very picture of her father for courtesy and sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls ever seen. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother even doted on her eldest daughter and at the same time had a horrible aversion for the youngest--she made her eat in the kitchen and work continually.

Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw water above a mile and a-half off the house, and bring home a pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink.

"Oh！ ay, with all my heart, Goody," said this pretty little girl; and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water from the clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.

The good woman, having drunk, said to her:

You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly, that I cannot help giving you a gift." For this was a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country woman, to see how far the civility and good manners of this pretty girl would go. "I will give you for a gift," continued the Fairy, "that, at every word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a flower or a jewel."

When this pretty girl came home her mother scolded her for staying so long at the fountain.

"I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor girl, "for not making more haste."

And in speaking these words there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds

"What is it I see there?" said the mother, quite astonished. "I think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth！ How happens this, child?"

This was the first time she had ever called her child.

The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds.

很久以前，一个寡妇生了两个女儿。大女儿的长相和举止酷似母亲，几乎是一个模子里刻出来的。母女二人都言语粗鲁、行为傲慢，很难和别人相处。

小女儿长得像父亲，待人彬彬有礼并且温柔贤惠，是村里最漂亮的姑娘。物以类聚人以群分，所以母亲对大女儿宠爱有加，对小女儿却讨厌到极点，她让小女儿在厨房吃饭，并且不停找活让她干。

其中，可怜的小女儿每天必须做的事情之一，就是到离家一英里半的泉水边去提水，每天两次，从不间断。

有一天，她又来到泉边提水，这时候来了一个可怜的农妇向她讨水喝。“哦，没问题，我一百个乐意，太太。”漂亮的小女孩说。然后，她提起大水罐从泉水里舀出一些干净的水，然后提起来，好让那位农妇可以轻易地喝到水。

妇人喝完水后对她说：“你太漂亮了，还这么样善良有礼貌，所以我要送你一份礼物。”

这个农妇其实是一个仙女，乔装打扮成一个可怜的乡下妇人，想考验一下这位漂亮姑娘的所作所为。“这件礼物就是，”

仙女继续说，“每当你开口说话，口中就会吐出一朵鲜花或者一个宝石。”

当小女孩回到家时，因为她在泉水边待太久，她的妈妈痛骂不止。

“请原谅，我回来晚了。”可怜的姑娘辩解说，“，妈妈别急，请听我解释。”

就当她说话的时候，她的口里吐出了两朵玫瑰、两粒珍珠、两颗钻石。