曹碩

“You cant abide① here，” they said to her. “This is a shelter for robbers， if they come home and find you， they will kill you.” “But can you not protect me？” asked the little sister. “No，” they replied， “only for one quarter of an hour each evening can we lay aside our swans skins and have during that time our? ?human form; after that， we are once more turned into swans.” The little sister wept and said， “Can you not be set free？”

“Alas， no，” they answered， “the conditions are too hard！ For six years you may neither speak nor laugh， and in that time you must sew together six little shirts of starwort② for us. And if one single word falls from your lips， all your work will be lost.” And when the brothers had said this， the quarter of an hour was over， and they flew out of the window? ?again as swans.

The maiden， however， firmly decided to deliver③ her brothers， even if it should cost her life. She left the hut， went into the midst of the forest， seated herself on a tree， and there passed the night. Next morning she went out and gathered starwort and began to sew. She could not speak to any one， and she had no inclination④ to laugh; she sat there and looked at nothing but her work. When she had? ? ? ?already spent a long time there it came to pass that the King of the country who was hunting in the forest， and his huntsmen came to the tree on which the maiden was sitting. They called to her and said， “Who are you？” But she made no answer. “Come down to us，” said they. “We will not do you any harm.” She only shook her head. As they pressed her further with questions she threw her golden necklace down to them， and thought to content them thus. They， however， did not cease⑤， and then she threw her girdle⑥ down to them， and as this also was to no purpose， her garters⑦， and by degrees everything that she had on that she could do without until she had nothing left but her shift. The huntsmen， however， did not let themselves be turned aside by that， but climbed the tree and fetched the maiden down and led her before the King.

The King asked， “Who are you？ What are you doing on the tree？” But she did not answer. He put the question in every language that he knew， but she remained as mute as a fish. As she was so beautiful， the Kings heart

was touched， and he was smitten⑧ with a great love for her. He put his mantle on her， took her before him on his horse， and carried her to his castle. Then he caused her to be dressed in rich garments， and she shone in her beauty like bright daylight， but no word could be drawn from her. He placed her by his side at table， and her modest bearing and courtesy⑨ pleased him so much that he said， “She is the one whom I wish to marry， and no other woman in the world.” And after some days he united himself to her.

The King， however， had a wicked mother who was dissatisfied with this marriage and spoke ill of the young Queen. “Who knows，” said she， “from whence the creature who cant speak， comes？ She is not worthy of a King！” After a year had passed， when the Queen brought her first child into the world， the old woman took it away from her， and smeared⑩ her mouth with blood as she slept. Then she went to the King and accused the Queen of being a man-eater. The King would not believe it， and would not suffer any one to do her any injury. She， however， sat continually sewing at the shirts， and cared for nothing else. The next time， when she again born a beautiful boy， the wicked mother used the same treachery11， but the King could not bring himself to give credit to her words. He said， “She is too pious12 and good to do anything of that kind; if she were not dumb， and could defend herself， her innocence would come to light.” But when the old woman stole away the newly-born child for the third time， and accused the Queen， who did not utter one word of defence， the King could do no otherwise than deliver her over to justice， and she was sentenced to suffer death by fire.

When the day came for the sentence to be executed13， it was the last day of the six years during which she was not to speak or laugh， and she had delivered her dear brothers from the power of the enchantment. The six shirts were ready， only the left sleeve of the sixth was wanting. When， therefore， she was led to the stake， she laid the shirts on her arm， and when she stood on high and the fire was just going to be lighted， she looked around and six swans came flying through the air towards her. Then she saw that her deliverance was near， and her heart leapt14 with joy.

The swans swept towards her and sank down so that she could throw the shirts over them， and as they were touched by them， their swans skins fell off， and her brothers stood in their own bodily form before her， and were strong and handsome. The youngest only lacked his left arm， and had in the place of it a swans wing on his shoulder. They embraced and kissed each other， and the Queen went to the King， who was greatly moved， and she? ?began to speak and said， “Dearest husband， now I may speak and declare to you that I am innocent， and falsely accused.” And she told him of the treachery of the old woman who had taken away her three children and hidden them. Then to the great joy of the King they were brought thither， and as a punishment， the wicked step-mother was bound to the stake， and burnt to ashes. But the King and the Queen with their six brothers lived many years in happiness and peace.

（The end）

Writing：

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Notes： ①abide /??baId/ v. 居住 ② starwort

/?st??w??t/ n. 開星狀花的植物 ③deliver /dI?lIv?/ v. 使……自由 ④inclination /?InklI?neI??n/ n. 傾向 ⑤cease /si?s/ v. 停止 ⑥girdle /???dl/ n. 腰帶 ⑦garter /??t?/ n. 襪帶

Notes： ⑧smite /smaIt/ v. 打動(dòng)? ⑨courtesy /?k??tIsI/ n. 謙恭? ⑩smear /smI?/ v. 涂上? 11treachery /?tret??rI/ n. 詭計(jì)? 12pious /?paI?s/ adj. 可贊的 13execute /?eksIkju?t/ v. 執(zhí)行，處死? 14leap /li?p/ v. 跳