本集演播：槑贰

后期：骐煜

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第3章 公主和——谁呢？

爬到楼梯顶上之后，她发现自己到了一个四四方方的小空间，里面开着三扇门，其中两个门互相对着，还有一个正对着楼梯。她站了一会儿，小脑瓜里完全想不出接下来该怎么办。但在站着的这会儿功夫，她好像听到一阵奇怪的嗡嗡声。是不是雨水的声音呢？不对。那声音更轻微，而且比沉闷的雨声还要单调，况且她现在几乎听不到雨声。低沉而亲切的嗡嗡声还在继续，偶尔会暂停片刻但马上继续响起。那声音听起来很快活，此刻我脑子唯一的画面就是，这是一只找到存满花蜜的花朵的小蜜蜂在欢乐地歌唱。这是哪里发出的声音呢？她先把一只耳朵挨个贴在门上探听是不是从那里面传出来的，然后再听听另外一扇门。当她把耳朵贴在最后一扇门上，终于可以断定声音的来源了：一定是这间房里的什么东西传出的声音。会是什么呢？她起初有些害怕，但她的好奇心却战胜了恐惧，所以她轻轻推开门，悄悄地从门缝往里看。你猜她看到了什么？一位年纪非常大的妇人正坐在那里纺纱。

如果我说她不仅美丽，而且皮肤光滑又白皙。你肯定会奇怪公主是怎么知道这位妇人年纪非常大呢？我再跟你透露一点儿。她的头发从前额和两鬓梳到后面，蓬松的头发垂在背上。看起来一点儿都不像是个老妇人对吧？啊！不过这一头秀发却白得像雪。而且她的脸颊虽然光滑，眼睛却睿智得让你立刻觉察出这是老人的双眼。小公主虽然说不出为什么，但她也觉得这位妇人年纪一定很大了——肯定五十多岁了，她在心里说。可我要跟你说，她的年纪可比这大多了。

公主往门里探进头，迷惑地注视着她，这时，伴随着她手里线轮的嗡嗡声，房内的老妇人抬起头，用温柔但苍老又颤抖的声音高兴地说：

“进来吧，宝贝；快进来。很高兴见到你。”

这下你就能明显看出公主的公主范儿了；她不像个粗鲁没礼貌的小丫头一样吊在门把手上，或者只是盯着人看却不挪窝，据我说知有些公主都没有这么好的表现。她很听话地立即走了进去，然后轻轻地关上了门。

“到我这来，宝贝，”老妇人说。

同样，公主也照她说的做了。她慢慢地向老妇人走过去，我承认，她走得特别慢，但是走到老妇人身边之前她没有停下，而且一直用星光闪闪的湛蓝的眼睛注视着老妇人的脸。

“怎么回事儿？你的眼睛怎么了，孩子？”老妇人问道。

“我哭了。”公主说。

“为什么哭呢，孩子。”

“因为我找不着下楼的路了。”

“可你找到上楼的路了呀。”

“一开始没找到——找了好长时间呢。”

“瞧你这小脸儿哭得，跟小花猫似的。你没带着手绢擦擦眼泪吗？”

“没有。”

“那你怎么不过来让我帮你擦擦呢？”

“请帮我擦一下。我不知道您在这里。下次我就知道了。”

“真是个好孩子。”老妇人说。

老妇人停下线轮，站起身，走出了房间，回来的时候拿着一个小小的银盆子和一条柔软洁白的毛巾，给公主擦洗干净漂亮的小脸儿。公主觉得她的手好光滑好漂亮。

CHAPTER 3

The Princess and—We Shall See Who

When she came to the top, she found herself in a little square place, with three doors, two opposite each other, and one opposite the top of the stair. She stood for a moment, without an idea in her little head what to do next. But as she stood, she began to hear a curious humming sound. Could it be the rain? No. It was much more gentle, and even monotonous than the sound of the rain, which now she scarcely heard. The low sweet humming sound went on, sometimes stopping for a little while and then beginning again. It was more like the hum of a very happy bee that had found a rich well of honey in some globular flower, than anything else I can think of at this moment. Where could it come from? She laid her ear first to one of the doors to hearken if it was there—then to another. When she laid her ear against the third door, there could be no doubt where it came from: it must be from something in that room. What could it be? She was rather afraid, but her curiosity was stronger than her fear, and she opened the door very gently and peeped in. What do you think she saw? A very old lady who sat spinning.

Perhaps you will wonder how the princess could tell that the old lady was an old lady, when I inform you that not only was she beautiful, but her skin was smooth and white. I will tell you more. Her hair was combed back from her forehead and face, and hung loose far down and all over her back. That is not much like an old lady—is it? Ah! but it was white almost as snow. And although her face was so smooth, her eyes looked so wise that you could not have helped seeing she must be old. The princess, though she could not have told you why, did think her very old indeed—quite fifty, she said to herself. But she was rather older than that, as you shall hear.

While the princess stared bewildered, with her head just inside the door, the old lady lifted hers, and said, in a sweet, but old and rather shaky voice, which mingled very pleasantly with the continued hum of her wheel:

'Come in, my dear; come in. I am glad to see you.'

That the princess was a real princess you might see now quite plainly; for she didn't hang on to the handle of the door, and stare without moving, as I have knownsome dowho ought to have been princesses but were only rather vulgar little girls. She did as she was told, stepped inside the door at once, and shut it gently behind her.

'Come to me, my dear,' said the old lady.

And again the princess did as she was told. She approached the old lady—rather slowly, I confess—but did not stop until she stood by her side, and looked up in her face with her blue eyes and the two melted stars in them.

'Why, what have you been doing with your eyes, child?' asked the old lady.

'Crying,' answered the princess.

'Why, child?'

'Because I couldn't find my way down again.'

'But you could find your way up.'

'Not at first—not for a long time.'

'But your face is streaked like the back of a zebra. Hadn't you a handkerchief to wipe your eyes with?'

'No.'

'Then why didn't you come to me to wipe them for you?'

'Please, I didn't know you were here. I will next time.'

'There's a good child!' said the old lady.

Then she stopped her wheel, and rose, and, going out of the room, returned with a little silver basin and a soft white towel, with which she washed and wiped the bright little face. And the princess thought her hands were so smooth and nice!