英語勵(lì)志長故事(2)
英語勵(lì)志長故事
英語勵(lì)志長故事：檜樹
The Juniper Tree
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Long ago, at least two thousand years, there was a rich man who had a beautiful and pious wife, and they loved each other dearly. However, they had no children, though they wished very much to have some, and the woman prayed for them day and night, but they didn't get any, and they didn't get any.
In front of their house there was a courtyard where there stood a juniper tree. One day in winter the woman was standing beneath it, peeling herself an apple, and while she was thus peeling the apple, she cut her finger, and the blood fell into the snow.
"Oh," said the woman. She sighed heavily, looked at the blood before her, and was most unhappy. "If only I had a child as red as blood and as white as snow." And as she said that, she became quite contented, and felt sure that it was going to happen.
Then she went into the house, and a month went by, and the snow was gone. And two months, and everything was green. And three months, and all the flowers came out of the earth. And four months, and all the trees in the woods grew thicker, and the green branches were all entwined in one another, and the birds sang until the woods resounded and the blossoms fell from the trees. Then the fifth month passed, and she stood beneath the juniper tree, which smelled so sweet that her heart jumped for joy, and she fell on her knees and was beside herself. And when the sixth month was over, the fruit was thick and large, and then she was quite still. And after the seventh month she picked the juniper berries and ate them greedily. Then she grew sick and sorrowful. Then the eighth month passed, and she called her husband to her, and cried, and said, "If I die, then bury me beneath the juniper tree." Then she was quite comforted and happy until the next month was over, and then she had a child as white as snow and as red as blood, and when she saw it, she was so happy that she died.
Her husband buried her beneath the juniper tree, and he began to cry bitterly. After some time he was more at ease, and although he still cried, he could bear it. And some time later he took another wife.
He had a daughter by the second wife, but the first wife's child was a little son, and he was as red as blood and as white as snow. When the woman looked at her daughter, she loved her very much, but then she looked at the little boy, and it pierced her heart, for she thought that he would always stand in her way, and she was always thinking how she could get the entire inheritance for her daughter. And the Evil One filled her mind with this until she grew very angry with the little boy, and she pushed him from one corner to the other and slapped him here and cuffed him there, until the poor child was always afraid, for when he came home from school there was nowhere he could find any peace.
One day the woman had gone upstairs to her room, when her little daughter came up too, and said, "Mother, give me an apple."
"Yes, my child," said the woman, and gave her a beautiful apple out of the chest. The chest had a large heavy lid with a large sharp iron lock.
"Mother," said the little daughter, "is brother not to have one too?"
This made the woman angry, but she said, "Yes, when he comes home from school."
When from the window she saw him coming, it was as though the Evil One came over her, and she grabbed the apple and took it away from her daughter, saying, "You shall not have one before your brother."
She threw the apple into the chest, and shut it. Then the little boy came in the door, and the Evil One made her say to him kindly, "My son, do you want an apple?" And she looked at him fiercely.
"Mother," said the little boy, "how angry you look. Yes, give me an apple."
Then it seemed to her as if she had to persuade him. "Come with me," she said, opening the lid of the chest. "Take out an apple for yourself." And while the little boy was leaning over, the Evil One prompted her, and crash! she slammed down the lid, and his head flew off, falling among the red apples.
Then fear overcame her, and she thought, "Maybe I can get out of this." So she went upstairs to her room to her chest of drawers, and took a white scarf out of the top drawer, and set the head on the neck again, tying the scarf around it so that nothing could be seen. Then she set him on a chair in front of the door and put the apple in his hand.
After this Marlene came into the kitchen to her mother, who was standing by the fire with a pot of hot water before her which she was stirring around and around.
"Mother," said Marlene, "brother is sitting at the door, and he looks totally white and has an apple in his hand. I asked him to give me the apple, but he did not answer me, and I was very frightened."
"Go back to him," said her mother, "and if he will not answer you, then box his ears."
So Marlene went to him and said, "Brother, give me the apple." But he was silent, so she gave him one on the ear, and his head fell off. Marlene was terrified, and began crying and screaming, and ran to her mother, and said, "Oh, mother, I have knocked my brother's head off," and she cried and cried and could not be comforted.
"Marlene," said the mother, "what have you done? Be quiet and don't let anyone know about it. It cannot be helped now. We will cook him into stew."
Then the mother took the little boy and chopped him in pieces, put him into the pot, and cooked him into stew. But Marlene stood by crying and crying, and all her tears fell into the pot, and they did not need any salt.
Then the father came home, and sat down at the table and said, "Where is my son?" And the mother served up a large, large dish of stew, and Marlene cried and could not stop.
Then the father said again, "Where is my son?"
"Oh," said the mother, "he has gone across the country to his mother's great uncle. He will stay there awhile."
"What is he doing there? He did not even say good-bye to me."
"Oh, he wanted to go, and asked me if he could stay six weeks. He will be well taken care of there."
"Oh," said the man, "I am unhappy. It isn't right. He should have said good-bye to me." With that he began to eat, saying, "Marlene, why are you crying? Your brother will certainly come back."
Then he said, "Wife, this food is delicious. Give me some more." And the more he ate the more he wanted, and he said, "Give me some more. You two shall have none of it. It seems to me as if it were all mine." And he ate and ate, throwing all the bones under the table, until he had finished it all.
Marlene went to her chest of drawers, took her best silk scarf from the bottom drawer, and gathered all the bones from beneath the table and tied them up in her silk scarf, then carried them outside the door, crying tears of blood.
She laid them down beneath the juniper tree on the green grass, and after she had put them there, she suddenly felt better and did not cry anymore.
Then the juniper tree began to move. The branches moved apart, then moved together again, just as if someone were rejoicing and clapping his hands. At the same time a mist seemed to rise from the tree, and in the center of this mist it burned like a fire, and a beautiful bird flew out of the fire singing magnificently, and it flew high into the air, and when it was gone, the juniper tree was just as it had been before, and the cloth with the bones was no longer there. Marlene, however, was as happy and contented as if her brother were still alive. And she went merrily into the house, sat down at the table, and ate.
Then the bird flew away and lit on a goldsmith's house, and began to sing:
My mother, she killed me, My father, he ate me, My sister Marlene, Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
The goldsmith was sitting in his workshop making a golden chain, when he heard the bird sitting on his roof and singing. The song seemed very beautiful to him. He stood up, but as he crossed the threshold he lost one of his slippers. However, he went right up the middle of the street with only one slipper and one sock on. He had his leather apron on, and in one hand he had a golden chain and in the other his tongs. The sun was shining brightly on the street.
He walked onward, then stood still and said to the bird, "Bird," he said, "how beautifully you can sing. Sing that piece again for me."
"No," said the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing. Give me the golden chain, and then I will sing it again for you."
The goldsmith said, "Here is the golden chain for you. Now sing that song again for me." Then the bird came and took the golden chain in his right claw, and went and sat in front of the goldsmith, and sang:
My mother, she killed me, My father, he ate me, My sister Marlene, Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
Then the bird flew away to a shoemaker, and lit on his roof and sang:
My mother, she killed me, My father, he ate me, My sister Marlene, Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
Hearing this, the shoemaker ran out of doors in his shirtsleeves, and looked up at his roof, and had to hold his hand in front of his eyes to keep the sun from blinding him. "Bird," said he, "how beautifully you can sing."
Then he called in at his door, "Wife, come outside. There is a bird here. Look at this bird. He certainly can sing." Then he called his daughter and her children, and the journeyman, and the apprentice, and the maid, and they all came out into the street and looked at the bird and saw how beautiful he was, and what fine red and green feathers he had, and how his neck was like pure gold, and how his eyes shone like stars in his head.
"Bird," said the shoemaker, "now sing that song again for me."
"No," said the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing. You must give me something."
"Wife," said the man, "go into the shop. There is a pair of red shoes on the top shelf. Bring them down." Then the wife went and brought the shoes.
"There, bird," said the man, "now sing that piece again for me." Then the bird came and took the shoes in his left claw, and flew back to the roof, and sang:
My mother, she killed me, My father, he ate me, My sister Marlene, Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
When he had finished his song he flew away. In his right claw he had the chain and in his left one the shoes. He flew far away to a mill, and the mill went clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack. In the mill sat twenty miller's apprentices cutting a stone, and chiseling chip-chop, chip-chop, chip-chop. And the mill went clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack.
Then the bird went and sat on a linden tree which stood in front of the mill, and sang:
My mother, she killed me,
Then one of them stopped working.
My father, he ate me,
Then two more stopped working and listened,
My sister Marlene,
Then four more stopped,
Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf,
Now only eight only were chiseling,
Laid them beneath
Now only five,
the juniper tree,
Now only one,
Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
Then the last one stopped also, and heard the last words. "Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing. Let me hear that too. Sing it once more for me."
"No," said the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing. Give me the millstone, and then I will sing it again."
"Yes," he said, "if it belonged only to me, you should have it."
"Yes," said the others, "if he sings again he can have it."
Then the bird came down, and the twenty millers took a beam and lifted the stone up. Yo-heave-ho! Yo-heave-ho! Yo-heave-ho!
The bird stuck his neck through the hole and put the stone on as if it were a collar, then flew to the tree again, and sang:
My mother, she killed me, My father, he ate me, My sister Marlene, Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
When he was finished singing, he spread his wings, and in his right claw he had the chain, and in his left one the shoes, and around his neck the millstone. He flew far away to his father's house.
In the room the father, the mother, and Marlene were sitting at the table.
The father said, "I feel so contented. I am so happy."
"Not I," said the mother, "I feel uneasy, just as if a bad storm were coming."
But Marlene just sat and cried and cried.
Then the bird flew up, and as it seated itself on the roof, the father said, "Oh, I feel so truly happy, and the sun is shining so beautifully outside. I feel as if I were about to see some old acquaintance again."
"Not I," said the woman, "I am so afraid that my teeth are chattering, and I feel like I have fire in my veins." And she tore open her bodice even more. Marlene sat in a corner crying. She held a handkerchief before her eyes and cried until it was wet clear through.
Then the bird seated itself on the juniper tree, and sang:
My mother, she killed me,
The mother stopped her ears and shut her eyes, not wanting to see or hear, but there was a roaring in her ears like the fiercest storm, and her eyes burned and flashed like lightning.
My father, he ate me,
"Oh, mother," said the man, "that is a beautiful bird. He is singing so splendidly, and the sun is shining so warmly, and it smells like pure cinnamon."
My sister Marlene,
Then Marlene laid her head on her knees and cried and cried, but the man said, "I am going out. I must see the bird up close."
"Oh, don't go," said the woman, "I feel as if the whole house were shaking and on fire."
But the man went out and looked at the bird.
Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf, Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
With this the bird dropped the golden chain, and it fell right around the man's neck, so exactly around it that it fit beautifully. Then the man went in and said, "Just look what a beautiful bird that is, and what a beautiful golden chain he has given me, and how nice it looks."
But the woman was terrified. She fell down on the floor in the room, and her cap fell off her head. Then the bird sang once more:
My mother killed me.
"I wish I were a thousand fathoms beneath the earth, so I would not have to hear that!"
My father, he ate me,
Then the woman fell down as if she were dead.
My sister Marlene,
"Oh," said Marlene, "I too will go out and see if the bird will give me something." Then she went out.
Gathered all my bones, Tied them in a silken scarf,
He threw the shoes down to her.
Laid them beneath the juniper tree, Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.
Then she was contented and happy. She put on the new red shoes and danced and leaped into the house. "Oh," she said, "I was so sad when I went out and now I am so contented. That is a splendid bird, he has given me a pair of red shoes."
"No," said the woman, jumping to her feet and with her hair standing up like flames of fire, "I feel as if the world were coming to an end. I too, will go out and see if it makes me feel better."
And as she went out the door, crash! the bird threw the millstone on her head, and it crushed her to death.
The father and Marlene heard it and went out. Smoke, flames, and fire were rising from the place, and when that was over, the little brother was standing there, and he took his father and Marlene by the hand, and all three were very happy, and they went into the house, sat down at the table, and ate.
大概是在二千年以前吧，有一個(gè)富人對(duì)自己的妻子非常愛護(hù)，夫妻倆相親相愛，生活非常幸福，遺憾的是他們一直沒有小孩。他們的房屋前有一座花園，里面有一棵高大的檜樹。一年冬天，外面下起了大雪，大地披上了白色的銀裝，妻子站在檜樹下，一邊欣賞著雪景，一邊削著蘋果，一不留神，小刀切到了手指頭，滴滴鮮血流出來灑在了雪地上?？粗籽┮r托著的鮮紅血點(diǎn)，她深深地歎了一口氣說道：「唉——!要是我有一個(gè)孩子，他的皮膚像雪一般的白嫩，又透著血一樣的紅潤，我該是多么的幸福啊!」說著想著，她的心情變得興奮起來，彷彿自己的愿望真的就要成為現(xiàn)實(shí)一樣。
冬天過去了，春風(fēng)吹來，卸去了披在大地身上的銀裝，又給她換上了綠色的外套，朵朵鮮花點(diǎn)綴著翠綠的田野;當(dāng)樹木吐露出春芽時(shí)，嫩枝又開始被拂去枝頭的殘花，小鳥在樹叢間歡快地飛來跳去，唱著讚美春天的歌聲。面對(duì)這生機(jī)盎然的大自然，富人的妻子滿懷希望，心中充滿了喜悅。初夏來臨，溫暖的陽光又催開了檜樹的花蕾，和暖的夏風(fēng)夾帶著絲絲甜意的花香飄進(jìn)了她的房中。花香使她心情激蕩，心跳不已。她來到檜樹下，欣喜地跪在地上，虔誠地默默祈禱著。秋天快到了，當(dāng)樹枝上掛滿纍纍果實(shí)的時(shí)候，她從檜樹上採下色澤深紅的乾果。不知為甚么，她此時(shí)的心情顯得非常悲哀而傷心。她叫來丈夫?qū)λf：「如果我死了，就把我埋在這檜樹下吧?！共痪?，她生下了一個(gè)非常漂亮的兒子，孩子長得正如她所希望的一樣，真是白里透紅、紅中透粉?？匆娮约嚎蓯鄣暮⒆?，她心里充滿了快樂，再也支持不住生產(chǎn)的痛苦，慢慢地垂下腦袋，離開了自己的丈夫和剛生下的孩子。
丈夫按照她的愿望把她埋在了檜樹下，痛哭著哀悼她的去世。過了一段時(shí)間，他心情平靜了一些，眼淚也少多了。又過了一段時(shí)間，他的眼淚完全沒有了，再過了一段時(shí)間，他娶了另外一個(gè)妻子。
時(shí)光流逝，第二個(gè)妻子生了一個(gè)女兒，她非常呵護(hù)這個(gè)女兒，但前妻生下的兒子長得越來越惹人喜愛，像雪一樣的白嫩，透著血一般的紅潤。她看見這個(gè)孩子就充滿了仇恨，認(rèn)為有了他，她和自己的女兒就得不到丈夫的全部財(cái)富了。所以，她對(duì)這個(gè)可憐的孩子百般苛待，經(jīng)常虐待他，把他從屋子里的一個(gè)角落推搡到另一個(gè)角落，一會(huì)兒給他一拳頭，過一會(huì)兒又?jǐn)Q他一下，他身上盡是青紅紫綠的瘀傷。他從學(xué)校放學(xué)回來，往往一進(jìn)屋就沒有安寧的地方可待，這使他看見繼母就害怕。
有一次，小女孩的母親要到貯藏室去，她趕上媽媽說道：「媽媽，我可以吃一個(gè)蘋果嗎?」媽媽回答說：「好的!我的小乖乖?！拐f完，她從箱子里拿出一個(gè)鮮艷的紅蘋果給了她。這個(gè)箱子的蓋子非常沉重，上面有一把鋒利的大鐵卡子。小女孩接過蘋果說道：「媽媽，再給我一個(gè)，我要拿給小哥哥去吃。」她媽媽聽了心里很不高興，但嘴里卻說道：「好吧，我的寶貝!等他放學(xué)回來后，我同樣會(huì)給他一個(gè)的?！拐f著這話，她從窗子里看見小男孩正好回來了，馬上從女兒手中奪回蘋果，扔進(jìn)箱子，關(guān)上蓋子對(duì)女兒說：「等哥哥回來以后，再一起吃吧?！?/p>
小男孩走進(jìn)家門，這個(gè)陰險(xiǎn)的女人用溫柔的聲音說道：「進(jìn)來吧，我的乖孩子，我給你一個(gè)蘋果吃?！剐∧泻⒙牭竭@話，說道：「媽媽，你今天真親切!我的確很想吃蘋果。」「好的，跟我進(jìn)來吧!」說罷，她把他帶進(jìn)貯藏室，揭開箱子蓋說：「你自己拿一個(gè)吧?！巩?dāng)小男孩俯身低頭，伸手準(zhǔn)備從箱子里拿蘋果時(shí)，她狠毒地拉下了箱蓋，「砰!」的一聲，沉重的箱蓋猛地砍下了這可憐小男孩的頭，頭掉落在了箱子里的蘋果中。當(dāng)她意識(shí)到自己所做的事以后，感到非?？謶?，心里算計(jì)著怎樣才能讓自己與這事脫離干系。她走進(jìn)自己的臥室，從抽屜里拿出一條手巾，來到貯藏室，將小男孩的頭接在他的脖子上，用手巾纏住，又將他抱到門前的一個(gè)凳子上坐著，在他手里塞了一個(gè)蘋果。一切料理完畢，沒有一個(gè)人看見她所干的勾當(dāng)。
不久，小女孩瑪傑麗走進(jìn)廚房，看見媽媽站在火爐旁，攪動(dòng)著一鍋熱水，她說道：「媽媽，哥哥坐在門邊，手里拿著一個(gè)蘋果，我要他給我，但他一句話也不說，臉色好蒼白，我好怕喲?！箣寢尰卮鸬溃骸富鞄?你再去，如果他不回答你的話，就狠狠地給他一耳光?！宫攤茺愞D(zhuǎn)身來到門口對(duì)哥哥說：「哥哥，把蘋果給我?！沟绺绮徽f一句話，她伸手一耳光打去，哥哥的頭一下子就打被落下來。這一下，她連魂都嚇跑了，尖叫著跑到她媽媽面前，說自己把哥哥的頭打掉了，說著就傷心欲絕地大哭起來。媽媽說道：「瑪傑麗!你做了甚么事呀?唉!已經(jīng)做了的事是無法挽回的了，我們最好把他處理掉，不要向任何人提起這事?！鼓赣H抓起小男孩，把他剁碎，放到鍋?zhàn)永?，做了一鍋湯?？墒乾攤茺愔皇钦驹谀抢锟?，眼淚一滴滴地掉進(jìn)鍋里，所以鍋里根本就不用放鹽了。
當(dāng)父親回家吃飯的時(shí)候，他問道：「我的小兒子呢?」母親沒有吭聲，她端了一大碗黑湯放在桌子上，瑪傑麗一直傷心地低著頭在痛哭。父親又一次問到他的小兒子到哪里去了，母親說道：「啊!我想他去他叔叔家了。」父親問道：「有甚么事走得這么匆忙，連向我告別都來不及就走了呢?」母親又回答說：「我知道他很想去，他還求我讓他在那里住一段時(shí)間哩，他在那里一定會(huì)過得很好。」父親說道：「唉!我可不喜歡他這樣做，他應(yīng)該向我告別再走才對(duì)?！顾^續(xù)吃了起來，但心里卻仍然對(duì)他的兒子放心不下，總覺得有些傷心，就對(duì)小女兒說：「瑪傑麗，你哭甚么呢?我想你哥哥會(huì)回來的?！沟攤茺惡芸炝锍霾蛷d，來到自己的房間，打開抽屜，拿出她最好的絲制手絹，把她小哥哥的殘骸包起來，提到屋外，放在了檜樹下面。她自始至終都在傷心地流著眼淚，到這時(shí)才覺得心里稍微輕松一點(diǎn)，便停止了哭泣。
等她擦乾眼淚再看時(shí)，她發(fā)現(xiàn)檜樹竟開始自動(dòng)地前后擺動(dòng)起來，一根根樹枝伸展開來，然后又相互合在一起，就像是一個(gè)人在高興地拍著手一樣。接著，樹中顯現(xiàn)出了薄薄的云霧，云霧的中間有一團(tuán)燃燒著的火焰，一只漂亮的小鳥從火焰中騰起，飛向了天空。小鳥飛走后，手巾和小男孩不見了，樹也恢復(fù)了原樣?，攤茺愡@時(shí)的內(nèi)心才真正地快樂起來，彷彿她哥哥又活了一樣，她高興地走進(jìn)屋子吃飯去了。
那只小鳥飛走之后，落在了一個(gè)金匠的房頂，開始唱道：
「我的母親殺了她的小兒郎，我的父親把我吞進(jìn)了肚腸，美麗的瑪傑麗小姑娘，同情我慘遭魔掌，把我安放在檜樹身旁。
現(xiàn)在我快樂地到處飛翔，飛過群山峽谷、飛過海洋，我是一只小鳥，我多么漂亮!」
金匠坐在自己的店鋪里正好做完一根金鏈條，當(dāng)他聽到屋頂上鳥兒的歌聲時(shí)，站起來就往外跑，匆忙之中，滑落了一只鞋也顧不上去穿。金匠沖到街上，腰間還系著工作圍裙，一只手拿著鐵鉗，一只手拿著金鏈條。他抬頭一看，發(fā)現(xiàn)一只小鳥正棲息在屋頂上，太陽在小鳥光潔的羽毛上閃閃發(fā)亮。他說道：「我漂亮的小鳥，你唱得多么甜美啊!請(qǐng)你再把這首歌唱一遍?！剐▲B說道：「不行，沒有報(bào)酬我不會(huì)再唱第二遍，如果你把金鏈條給我，我就再唱給你聽?！菇鸾诚肓艘幌?，舉起金鏈條說：「在這兒，你只要再唱一遍，就拿去吧?！剐▲B飛下來，用右爪抓住金鏈條，停在金匠近前唱道：
「我的母親殺了她的小兒郎，我的父親以為我去向遠(yuǎn)方，美麗的瑪傑麗小姑娘，同情我慘遭魔掌，把我安放在檜樹身旁。
現(xiàn)在我快樂地到處飛翔，飛過群山峽谷、飛過海洋，我是一只小鳥，我多么漂亮!」
唱完之后，小鳥飛落在一個(gè)鞋匠的屋頂上面，和前面一樣唱了起來。
鞋匠聽到歌聲，連外衣都沒穿就跑出屋門，抬頭朝房頂望去，但刺眼的陽光照著他，使他不得不抬起手擋在眼睛前?？闯鍪侵恍▲B后，他說道：「小鳥，你唱得多么悅耳啊!」又對(duì)房子里喊道：「夫人!夫人!快出來，快來看我們的屋頂上落了一只漂亮的小鳥，它在唱歌呢!」然后，又叫來他的孩子們和伙計(jì)們。他們都跑了出來，站在外面驚訝地看著這只小鳥，看著它紅綠相襯的漂亮羽毛，看著它脖子上閃耀著金色光彩的羽環(huán)，看著它像星星一樣亮晶晶的眼睛。鞋匠說道：「喂，小鳥，請(qǐng)你再把那首歌唱一遍吧?！剐▲B回答說：「不行，沒有報(bào)酬我不會(huì)再唱第二遍。如果要我唱，你得給我一點(diǎn)東西?！剐硨?duì)他的妻子說道：「夫人，你快到樓上的作坊去找一雙最好的，紅色的新鞋子拿來給我?！蛊拮优苋グ研幽脕砹?，鞋匠拿著鞋子說：「我漂亮的小鳥，拿去吧，但請(qǐng)你把那首歌再唱一遍。」小鳥飛下來用左爪抓住鞋子后，又飛上屋頂唱道：
「我的母親殺了她的小兒郎，我的父親以為我去向遠(yuǎn)方，美麗的瑪傑麗小姑娘，同情我慘遭魔掌，把我安放在檜樹身旁。
現(xiàn)在我快樂地到處飛翔，飛過群山峽谷、飛過海洋，我是一只小鳥，我多么漂亮!」
它唱完之后，一只爪子抓著鞋子，另一只爪子抓著金鏈條飛走了。它飛了很遠(yuǎn)很遠(yuǎn)才來到一座磨坊，磨子正在「轟隆隆!轟咚咚!轟隆隆!轟咚咚!」地轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著。磨坊里有二十個(gè)伙計(jì)正在劈著一塊磨石，伙計(jì)們用力地「卡嚓!辟啪!卡嚓!辟啪!」地劈著，磨子的轟隆隆、轟咚咚與伙計(jì)們劈磨石的卡嚓、辟啪聲交織在一起，難聽極了。
小鳥棲息在磨坊邊的一棵椴樹上，開始唱道：
「我的母親殺了她的小兒郎，我的父親以為我去向遠(yuǎn)方，」
兩個(gè)磨坊伙計(jì)停下手中的活聽了起來。
「美麗的瑪傑麗小姑娘，同情我慘遭魔掌，把我安放在檜樹身旁。」
除了一個(gè)伙計(jì)之外，其他伙計(jì)都停止了手中的活，向樹上望去。
「現(xiàn)在我快樂地到處飛翔，飛過群山峽谷、飛過海洋，我是一只小鳥，我多么漂亮!」
歌一唱完，最后一名伙計(jì)也聽到了，他站起來說道：「啊!小鳥，你唱得多動(dòng)聽呀，請(qǐng)你再唱一次，讓我把整首歌聽一遍!」小鳥說：「不行，沒有報(bào)酬我不會(huì)唱第二遍，把那塊磨石給我，我就再唱一遍。」那人回答說：「哎呀!那塊磨石不是我的，如果是我的，你拿去我求之不得哩?！蛊溆嗟幕镉?jì)都說：「來吧，只要你把那歌再唱一遍，我們都同意給你?！剐▲B從樹上飛下來，二十個(gè)伙計(jì)拿著一根長槓子，用盡力氣「嗨喲!嗨喲!嗨喲!」終於將磨石的一邊抬了起來，小鳥把頭穿進(jìn)磨石中間的孔內(nèi)，在眾伙計(jì)目瞪口呆的注視下，背著二十個(gè)人都沒能抬起的磨石，飛上了椴樹，他們驚奇得不得了，而小鳥就像沒事一般，把那首歌又唱了一遍。
小鳥唱完歌，張開翅膀，一只爪抓著鏈子，另一只爪子抓著鞋子，脖子上套著磨石，飛回到他父親的房子上。
現(xiàn)在，他的父親、母親和瑪傑麗正坐在一起準(zhǔn)備吃飯。父親說：「我感覺現(xiàn)在是多么的輕松，多么的愉快啊!」但他的母親卻說：「唉!我心情好沉重，真是糟透了。我覺得就像有暴風(fēng)雨要來似的?！宫攤茺悰]有說話，她坐下便哭了起來。正在這個(gè)時(shí)候，小鳥飛來落在了房屋的頂上。父親說道：「上帝保佑!我真快樂，總覺得又要看到一個(gè)老朋友一樣?！鼓赣H說道：「哎喲!我好痛苦，我的牙齒在不停地打戰(zhàn)，渾身的血管里的血就像在燃燒一樣!」說著，她撕開了身上的長外套想讓自己鎮(zhèn)靜下來?，攤茺惇?dú)自坐在一個(gè)角落里，她前面的裙擺上放著一只盒子，她哭得非常厲害，眼淚唰唰地淌個(gè)不停，把盒子都流滿了。
小鳥接著飛到檜樹頂上開始唱道：
「我的母親殺了她的小兒郎，——」
母親馬上用手摀住耳朵，把眼睛閉得緊緊的，她認(rèn)為這樣一來既不會(huì)看見，也不會(huì)聽到了。但歌聲就像可怕的暴風(fēng)雨一樣灌進(jìn)了她的耳朵，她的眼睛像閃電一樣在燃燒，在閃光。父親吃驚地叫道：「哎呀!夫人?！?/p>
「我的父親以為我去向遠(yuǎn)方，——」
「那是一只多么漂亮的小鳥啊，他唱得多么美妙動(dòng)聽啊!
看那羽毛在陽光下就像許多閃爍的寶石一樣?！?/p>
「美麗的瑪傑麗小姑娘，同情我慘遭魔掌，把我放在檜樹身旁。——」
瑪傑麗抬起頭，悲傷地哭泣著。父親說：「我要出去，要走近前去看看這只小鳥。」母親說：「啊!別留下我一個(gè)人在這里，我感覺這房子就像在燃燒一樣?！沟赣H還是走出去看那只鳥去了，小鳥繼續(xù)唱道：
「現(xiàn)在我快樂地到處飛翔，飛過群山峽谷、飛過海洋，我是一只小鳥，我多么漂亮!」
小鳥剛一唱完，他就把金鏈條扔下去，套在了父親的脖子上。父親戴著非常適合，他走回房子里說道：「你們看，小鳥給了我一條多么漂亮的金項(xiàng)煉，看起來多氣派呀!」但他妻子非常害怕，嚇得癱在了地板上，帽子也掉了下來，就像死了一樣。
這時(shí)，小鳥又開始唱了起來，瑪傑麗說：「我也要出去，看看小鳥是否會(huì)給我東西?！顾齽傄怀鲩T，小鳥就把紅鞋子扔到她的面前。她把鞋撿起來穿上，覺得自己一下子輕松快樂起來了。跳著跑進(jìn)屋子里說道：「我出去時(shí)心情壓抑，悲痛，現(xiàn)在我真快樂!你們看小鳥給我的鞋子多么漂亮呀!」母親說道：「哎呀!像是世界的末日來到了一樣!我也得出去試一試，說不定我會(huì)覺得好一些的。」她剛一出去，小鳥把磨石扔到了她的頭上，將她砸得粉碎。
父親和瑪傑麗聽到聲音，急忙跑了出來，母親和小鳥都不見了，他們只看見煙霧和火焰在那里升騰燃燒。當(dāng)煙火散盡消失后，小男孩站在了他們身邊，他伸手牽著父親和瑪傑麗的手，走進(jìn)屋子里，快快樂樂地和他們一起吃起飯來。
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