The Magic Mill神磨英文版

A long time ago, far, far away, there lived two brothers. One of them was quite rich: the other was very poor. The rich brother lived on a little island; he was a seller of salt. He had sold salt for many years and had got a great deal of money. The other brother was so poor that he had not got enough food for his wife and children.很久以前，在很远很远的地方，住着兄弟俩。其中一个很富有，另一个却很贫穷。富兄弟住在一个小岛上，他是一个盐商，他经营盐已有很多年，挣了很多钱。另一个兄弟穷得连他妻子和孩子都吃不饱。

His wife said, "What will happen to us? Do you want me and the children to die? There is nothing to eat. Why don't you go and ask your brother for some money."他的妻子说：“我们该怎么办呢？你想让我和孩子们去死吗？没有东西吃了。你为什么不去向你的兄弟要些钱？”

"My brother loves his money very much. I'm sure that he will not give me any. Perhaps he will want to give me a handful of salt. But I will go and see him."“我的兄弟特别吝惜自己的钱，我想他肯定一分钱也不会给我的，也许他会给我一把盐，但不管怎么说我还是要去见见他。”

He got into his boat and sailed across to the island where his brother lived.
他上了他的小船，朝他兄弟住的那个小岛驶去。

He found his rich brother at home, counting his money.
他发现他富兄弟正在家点钱。

"What is the matter? Why have you come here?"
“什么事呀？你怎么到这儿来了？”

"Please, brother, I have no food in my house. Please give me one of those gold pieces you are counting."
“对不起，兄弟，我家里没吃的了，请你从正在点的那些金币中给我一枚吧！”

"No. These are mine. You are very lazy. Why do you not go and work?"
“不行，这些是我的，你太懒惰了，你为什么不去干活？”

"I have tried to find some work, but I cannot. Now there is no bread in my house for my children."
“我已经努力去找些活干了，但是我找不到，现在，我家里都没有面包给孩子们吃了。”

"I will not give you any money, but I'll give you some bread. If I give you a loaf of bread, will you go away and not come back?"
“我不会给你钱的，但我给你一块面包，如果我给你一块面包，你就离开，不要回来好吗？”
"Yes. Please give me the bread."
“好吧，给我面包吧。”

The rich man threw a loaf of bread to him, and he went away.
这位富人扔了一块面包给他，他就走了。

While he was on his way to his house, he came to an old man sitting by the side of the road.
在回家的路上，他碰见一位老人坐在路边。

"What is that you are carrying?" said the old man. "Is it bread? I have not had any thing to eat for two days."
“你拿的是什么东西？”老人问，“是面包吗？我已经两天没有吃东西了。”

He cut a piece of the loaf and gave it to the old man, who thanked him and began to eat. 这面包是给我自己的孩子们的，但我不愿看到别人没有吃的。来，我给你切一片面包。”他切下一片面包给了这位老人。老人向他道谢并吃起来。   

When he had finished, the old man said, "Now I will do something for you. I will show you the home of the fairies who live underground. If you show them the bread, they will want to buy it from you. But do not let them give you any money. Ask them for the little mill that stands behind their door. Do as I say, and you will become rich. When you come back, I will show you how to use it."吃完面包后，老人说：“现在我要为你做点事。我带你去住在地底下的妖精的家。如果你给他们看到这块面包，他们就会想从你手里买下。但是，你别让他们给你钱，要他们门后立着的那个小磨。照我说的那样去做，你就会变得富有，你回来以后，我会教你怎样用那小磨。”

The old man then led him into a wood. He pointed to a hole in the ground. It looked like the hole made by a big rabbit. Inside, the hole grew bigger and a little stone door could be seen.然后，那位老人就带他到森林里，他指了指地上的一个洞，这个洞看上去像大兔子挖的，越往里面洞也越大，可以看到一扇小石门。

"That is the fairies' home. Get in and open the door. I will wait until you come out," said the old man.
“那就是小妖精的家，进去把那门打开，我等着你出来。”老人说。

The poor man got into the hole, opened the door, and went in. It was dark inside the door: for some time he could see nothing. Then, when he could see more clearly, he saw many little fairies: they came and stood round him.这个穷人进了洞，打开门进去了。门里边很黑：好一会儿，他什么也看不见。当他能看清楚一些时，他见到很多小妖精，他们过来围着他站着。

"What is that?" said one of them. "Is it white bread? Please give it to us, or sell it to us."
“那是什么？”其中有一个妖精问，“是白面包吗？请把它给我们吧，或卖给我们。”
"We will give you gold and silver for it," said another.
“我们要用金子，银子买你的面包，”另一个说。

"No," said the poor man. "I don't want gold or silver. Give me that old mill that stands behind the door, and I will give you the loaf of bread."
“不，”穷人说，“我不要金子或银子。只要把门后立着的那个旧磨给我，我就给你们这块面包。”

At first they did not want to give him the mill for the bread, so he turned away.
开始时，他们不愿用他们的磨换面包，于是，他转身就走。

But some of the fairies began to cry, "Let him have the old mill. We never use it now. And only good people can make it work."但是，有些妖精叫了起来：“给他那旧磨吧，我们现在根本用不着，只有好人才能使用它。”