So they went in, and there was a little house-place and a beautiful little bedroom, a kitchen and larder, with all sorts of furniture, and iron and brass ware of the very best. And at the back was a little yard with fowls and ducks, and a little garden full of green vegetables and fruit.
"Look," said the wife, "is not that nice?"
"Yes," said the man, "if this can only last we shall be very well contented."
"We will see about that," said the wife. And after a meal they went to bed.
So all went well for a week or fortnight, when the wife said,
"Look here, husband, the cottage is really too confined, and the yard and garden are so small; I think the flounder had better get us a larger house; I should like very much to live in a large stone castle; so go to your fish and he will send us a castle."
"0 my dear wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough; what do we want a castle for?"
"We want one," said the wife; "go along with you; the flounder can give us one."
"Now, wife," said the man, "the flounder gave us the cottage; I do not like to go to him again, he may be angry."
"Go along," said the wife, "he might just as well give us it as not; do as I say!"
The man felt very reluctant and unwilling; and he said to himself,
"It is not the right thing to do;" nevertheless he went.
So when he came to the seaside, the water was purple and dark blue and grey and thick, and not green and yellow as before. And he stood and said,
"O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I've got, For she wants what I do not."

"Well, husband," said the wife, "have you caught nothing to-day?"
"No," said the man "that is, I did catch a flounder, but as he said he was an enchanted prince, I let him go again."
"Then, did you wish for nothing?"said the wife.
"No," said the man; "what should I wish for?"
"Oh dear!" said the wife; "and it is so dreadful always to live in this evil-smelling hovel you might as well have wished for a little cottage; go again and call him; tell him we want a little cottage, I daresay he will give it us; go, and be quick."
And when he went back, the sea was green and yellow, and not nearly so clear. So he stood and said,
"O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I've got, For she wants what I do not."
Then the flounder came swimming up, and said,
"Now then, what does she want?"
"Oh," said the man, "you know when I caught you my wife says I ought to have wished for something. She does not want to live any longer in the hovel, and would rather have a cottage.
"Go home with you," said the flounder, "she has it already."
So the man went home, and found, instead of the hovel, a little cottage, and his wife was sitting on a bench before the door. And she took him by the hand, and said to him,
"Come in and see if this is not a great improvement."

"喂，当家的，"他妻子问道，"今天你什么也没钓到吗？"
"钓到了，"他回答说，"怎么说呢，我钓到了一条比目鱼，可他说他是一位中了魔法的王子，我就把他放了。"
"难道你没有提什么愿望吗？"妻子问。
"没有，"丈夫回答说，"我该提什么愿望呢？""唉，"妻子说，"住在我们这样一间肮脏的小房子里，实在是受罪。你该提希望得到一座漂亮的小别墅呀。快去告诉他我们要一幢小别墅，我肯定，他会满足咱们的愿望的。"
"可是，"丈夫说，"我怎么好再去哪？"
"唉，"妻子说，"你捉住了他，又放走了他。他肯定会满足咱们的愿望的，快去吧。"
渔夫还是不太愿意去，可又不想惹他妻子生气，于是，就去了海边。
他来到海边时，海水绿得泛黄，也不像以往那样平静。 他走了过去，站在海岸上说：
"比目鱼啊，你在大海里，
恳请你好好听我说仔细，
我捉你放你没提愿望，
老婆对此却不饶又不依。 "
那条比目鱼果真朝他游了过来，问道，"她想要什么呀？""嗨，"渔夫说，"刚才我把你逮住了，我老婆说，我应该向你提出一个愿望。她不想再住在那个小屋子里了，她想要一幢小别墅。"
"回去吧，"比目鱼说，"她已经有一幢小别墅啦。"
渔夫便回家去了，他妻子已不再住在那个破破烂烂的渔舍里，原地上已矗立起一幢小别墅，她正坐在门前的一条长凳上。 妻子一见丈夫回来了，就拉着他的手说："快进来看一看。现在不是好多了吗？"

There was once a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a hovel by the sea-shore, and the fisherman went out every day with his hook and line to catch fish, and he angled and angled.

One day he was sitting with his rod and looking into the clear water, and he sat and sat.

At last down went the line to the bottom of the water, and when he drew it up he found a great flounder on the hook. And the flounder said to him, "Fisherman, listen to me; let me go, I am not a real fish but an enchanted prince. What good shall I be to you if you land me? I shall not taste well; so put me back into the water again, and let me swim away."

"Well," said the fisherman, "no need of so many words about the matter, as you can speak I had much rather let you swim away."
Then he put him back into the clear water, and the flounder sank to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in their hovel.

从前，有个渔夫，他和妻子住在海边的一所肮脏的小渔舍里。 渔夫每天都去钓鱼，他总是钓啊钓的，不愿休息有一天，他拿着钓竿坐在海边，两眼望着清澈的海水，竟就这样望啊望的，坐在那里一直发呆。
忽然，钓钩猛地往下沉，沉得很深很深，都快沉到海底了。 等他把钓钩拉上来时，发现钓上来一条很大的比目鱼。谁知比目鱼竟对他说："听着，渔夫，我恳求你放我一条生路。我并不是什么比目鱼，我是一位中了魔法的王子，你要是杀死我，对你又有多大好处呢？我的肉不会对你的口味的。请把我放回水里，让我游走吧。"
"哎，"渔夫说，"你不必这么费口舌。一条会说话的比目鱼，我怎么会留下呢？"说着，他就把比目鱼放回清澈的水里。比目鱼立刻就游走了，身后留下一条长长的血痕。随后，渔夫回到他的小屋，走到他妻子的身边。

But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, "Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the Tree of Life." The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving; when we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the Golden Apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the Tree of Life stands, and have brought you the apple." The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and took the Golden Apple to the King's beautiful daughter, who had no more excuses left to make. They cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.

可她那颗高傲的心还没有被征服，于是她说："虽然他完成了两项任务 ，我还是不能嫁给他，除非他能从生命之树上摘来一个苹果。 "年轻人根本不知道生命之树长在什么地方，可他还是出发了，而且准备一直找下去，直到他走不动为止。不过他也不抱多大希望，他找遍了三个王国，一天来到了一座森林。他躺在一棵树下刚准备睡觉，突然听到树枝上有沙沙的声音，一个金苹果掉进了他的手里！与其同时，三只乌鸦飞了下来，落在他的膝盖上，说："我们就是你救活的三只乌鸦。 我们长大了之后，听说你在寻找金苹果，便飞过大海，到了长着生命之树的世界尽头，给你把苹果摘来了。 "年轻人万分高兴地踏上归途，带着金苹果回到了美丽的公主那里，这下公主再也没有什么可说的了。他俩把生命之果切成两半，吃了下去，她的心便充满了对他的爱，他们从此过着幸福安宁的生活。

She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass; then she said, "To-morrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting." The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks. Presently the King's daughter herself came down into the garden, and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him.

她走到花园里，亲手撒了十袋小米在草地上，并且说："明天日出之前，你必须把这些全部捡起来，一粒也不能少！"
年轻人坐在花园里，盘算着怎样才能完成这项任务。 可是他什么办法也没有想出来，只好难过地坐在那里，等待着天亮被人带去处死。 谁知当第一缕阳光照进花园时，他却看到那十袋小米已经装得满满的排在他的身旁，而且一粒也不少。原来，那只蚁王晚上带着成千上万的蚂蚁来过了。这些知恩报恩的小动物不辞辛劳地捡起所有的小米，装进了袋子。
不一会儿，公主亲自来到了花园，看到年轻人已经完成了交给他的任务，她不由得感到万分惊讶。

So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, in his sight; then the King ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, "If you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves." All the people grieved for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea. He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the King, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward. But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task.

他被带到海边，一枚戒指当着他的面被扔进了海中。 国王命令他从海底把戒指捞上来，并且说："要是你捞不上来，我们就把你重新推进大海，直到浪涛把你吞没。"大家都为这位英俊的小伙子感到惋惜，一个个都悄悄走了，只留下他一个人在海边。
他站在海边，盘算着该怎么办。 突然，他看到有三条鱼在向他游来，而且正是他救过的那三条鱼。中间那条鱼衔着一只贝壳，游到岸边就把它吐在了年轻人的脚边。他捡起贝壳打开一看，只见那枚金戒指就在里面。他兴冲冲地带着戒指去见国王，以为国王一定会把答应的奖赏赐给他。
可是，当高傲的公主得知他出身低微时，非常瞧不起他，要他先完成第二项任务。

The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones. "Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures!" cried they; "we cannot find food for you any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves." But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, "Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, and yet we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?" So the good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, and cried, "We will remember you - one good turn deserves another!"

And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, "The King's daughter wants a husband; but whoever sues for her hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life." Many had already made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth saw the King's daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, went before the King, and declared himself a suitor.

这条小路把他带进了一座森林。 他看到两只老乌鸦站在窝边，正往外扔小乌鸦。 "你们这些好吃懒做、没有用的东西！都给我出去！"老乌鸦在骂着，"我们再也养不活你们了。你们都长这么大了，应该自己养活自己。"可那些小乌鸦一个个躺在地上，扑打着翅膀喊着："我们真是可怜啊！没有谁能帮助我们。要我们自己养活自己 ，可我们连飞都还不会啊！除了躺在这里饿死，我们还有什么别的法子呢？ "善良的青年从马背上跳下来，拔出宝剑把马杀了，留给小乌鸦当粮食。小乌鸦们立刻跳过来，一面吃一面叫道："我们会记住你的。好心自然会有好报！ "
他现在只能靠两条腿步行。他走了很长一段路后，来到了一座大城市。街上叽叽喳喳的围了一群人，一个人骑在马背上高声叫道："公主要选丈夫，但求婚者必须完成一项艰巨的任务，完不成就得送掉自己的性命。"许多人都已经尝试过了，可他们只是白白地送掉了性命。我们这位年轻人一看到公主，就被她的美貌迷住了，他忘记了危险，到国王面前去求婚。

The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the King, to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favour, and promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for.

The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for travelling, as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little. When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They quivered with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, "We will remember you and repay you for saving us!" He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, "Why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without mercy!" So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to him, 'We will remember you - one good turn deserves another!" 

这下侍从轻而易举地证明了自己的清白。 国王觉得不该那样冤枉他，想作一些弥补，便允许他提出一个请求，而且还答应，只要他开口，可以把宫中最好的职位给他。可是侍从谢绝了这一切，只请求给他一匹马和一些旅费，让他出去看看外面的世界。国王答应了他的请求，他便上了路。一天，他来到了一个池塘边，看到池塘里有三条鱼让芦苇缠住了，嘴一张一张地想喝水。虽然人们常说鱼都是哑巴，他却听到它们在为自己这样惨死而哀声叹气。他很善良，下了马，把三条鱼重新放回到水里。鱼高兴极了，从水里探出头来，冲着他喊道："我们会记住你的，而且会报答你的救命之恩。"
他骑着马继续向前走。过了一会儿，他觉得好像听到脚底下的沙子里有什么声音。他听了一会儿，听到一只蚁王在抱怨："那些骑着笨牲口的人类为什么不离我们远一点呢？这匹蠢马沉重的蹄子踩死了我们多少人呵！"于是，他赶紧把马带到旁边的小路上。蚁王对他叫道："我们会记住你的。好心自然会有好报的！"

In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one said in a pitiful tone, "Something lies heavy on my stomach; as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the Queen's window." The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, "Here is a fine duck; pray, kill her." - "Yes," said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; "she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long enough." So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the spit, the Queen's ring was found inside her.

侍从的心里又是烦恼又是害怕，便走进院子去想怎样摆脱自己厄运的办法。 有几只鸭子安安静静地坐在院子里的小溪旁，一面用喙梳理羽毛，一面说着悄悄话。 侍从站在一旁听着。它们分别讲述着他们一上午都到过哪些地方，都找到一些什么好东西吃。其中一只鸭子抱怨说："我的胃里有样很重的东西。我吃东西的时候匆匆忙忙的，结果把王后窗子下的一只戒指吞进肚子里去了。 "侍从立刻抓住这只鸭子的脖子，把它拿到厨房，对厨师说："送你一只肥鸭子。请把它宰了。 ""好的，"厨师说，一面用手掂了掂鸭子，"这家伙拼死拼活地把自己吃得肥肥的，早就等着进烤箱了。 "厨师说着便砍下了鸭子的脑袋，在掏鸭内脏的时候，发现王后的戒指在里面。

But when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, so he cut off a little bit and put it into his mouth. No sooner had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals.

Now it so happened that on this very day the Queen lost her most beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty servant, who was allowed to go everywhere. The King ordered the man to be brought before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he could before the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty and executed. 

 In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with no better answer.

他看到之后，就忍不住想尝一尝，于是他用刀子割下一小块送进嘴里。 蛇肉刚碰到他的舌头，他就听到了窗子外面有一些奇怪的小声音在窃窃私语。他走到窗边侧耳细听，发现原来是一群麻雀在聊天，相互说着在田野和森林里的所见所闻。吃了那块蛇肉之后，他现在居然能听懂动物语言了！
说来也巧，也就在这一天，王后最漂亮的戒指不见了，因为这个侍从哪里都可以去，所以偷戒指的嫌疑也就落到了他的头上。国王把他叫去大骂一通，并且威胁说，要是他第二天早晨说不出小偷是谁，那么他自己会被判为小偷，并被处死。侍从一再声明自己是清白无辜的，可没有用，国王还是不改变自己的主意。