王子复仇记9——大野狼与七只小羊-1

Once there lived an old mother goat with seven young ones. She loved them very much.

One day she had to go into the forest to get food for them. So she said to them, "Dear children, I'm going out into the woods. You mustn't open the door while I am away. If the wolf gets into our hut, he will eat you all up. You may easily know him by his rough voice and his large black feet."

"Dear mother," said the young kids, "We will be careful to keep away from the wolf. You may leave; don't worry." So Mother Goat started for the woods.

Soon there came a knock on the door, and a voice cried, "Open the door, my dear children, I have brought you something nice."

But the young kids knew by the rough voice that it was the wolf, and not their mother. So the eldest kid said, "We will not open the door. You are not our mother. She has a soft and gentle voice, but your voice is rough. You are only a wolf."

Then the wolf ran away to a shop and bought a great stick of white chalk. He ate it to make his voice soft, and went back to the goats' cottage and knocked on the door again. He said in a soft voice, "Open the door for me now, dear children. I am your mother, and I have something nice for you."

But the wolf put his foot on the window as he spoke, and looked into the room. The young kids saw it, and one of them said, "No. We will not open the door. Our mother doesn't have black feet like that. Go away. You are the wolf."

从前有一只年迈的山羊妈妈和七只小山羊住在一起。羊妈妈非常疼爱她的小孩。

有一天,她必须到森林去为他们找食物。所以她对他们说:『亲爱的孩子们,我现在要到森林里去。当我不在时,你们千万不可以开门。如果大野狼进到我们的小茅屋,他会把你们全部吃掉。你们可以轻易地从他沙哑的声音和黑色的大脚认出他来。』

小羊们说:『亲爱的妈妈,我们会很小心,不让那只野狼进来。您可以离开了;不要担心。』于是羊妈妈便出发到树林里去。

不久后,他们听到敲门声,接着有一个声音叫道:『亲爱的孩子们,快开门,我给你们带好东西来了。』

但是小羊们从那沙哑的声音听出来他是大野狼,而不是他们的妈妈。所以老大就说:『我们才不开门。你不是我们的妈妈。我们妈妈的声音很柔和,但你的声音却是沙哑的。你是一只大野狼。』

于是大野狼便跑到一家商店去买了一根白色的大粉笔。他吃了那根粉笔,让他的声音变柔和后,又跑回小羊们的小屋去敲门。他用柔和的声音说:『亲爱的孩子们,现在帮我开门。我是你们的妈妈,给你们带好东西来了。』

但是当大野狼说话时,他把脚搭在窗子上,并往屋子里看。小羊们都看到了,其中一只说:『不要,我们才不开门。我们妈妈的脚不是黑色的。走开,你是大野狼。』