双语小故事：The Fisherman and His Wife Fisherman, Wife, 双语, The, His

Tuesday2

Once upon a time there were a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a filthy shack near the sea. Every day the fisherman went out fishing, and he fished, and he fished. Once he was sitting there fishing and looking into the clear water, and he sat, and he sat. Then his hook went to the bottom, deep down, and when he pulled it out, he had caught a large flounder.

　　Then the flounder said to him, "Listen, fisherman, I beg you to let me live. I am not an ordinary flounder, but an enchanted prince. How will it help you to kill me? I would not taste good to you. Put me back into the water, and let me swim."

　　"Well," said the man, "there's no need to say more. I can certainly let a fish swim away who knows how to talk."

　　With that he put it back into the clear water, and the flounder disappeared to the bottom, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.

　　Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the filthy shack.

　　"Husband," said the woman, "didn't you catch anything today?"

　　"No," said the man. "I caught a flounder, but he told me that he was an enchanted prince, so I let him swim away."

　　"Didn't you ask for anything first?" said the woman.

　　"No," said the man. "What should I have asked for?"

　　"Oh," said the woman. "It is terrible living in this shack. It stinks and is filthy. You should have asked for a little cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him that we want to have a little cottage. He will surely give it to us."

　　"Oh," said the man. "Why should I go back there?"

　　"Look," said the woman, "you did catch him, and then you let him swim away. He will surely do this for us. Go right now."

　　The man did not want to go, but neither did he want to oppose his wife, so he went back to the sea.

　　When he arrived there it was no longer clear, but yellow and green. He stood there and said:

　　Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will

　　The flounder swam up and said, "What does she want then?"

　　"Oh," said the man, "I did catch you, and now my wife says that I really should have asked for something. She doesn't want to live in a filthy shack any longer. She would like to have a cottage."

　　"Go home," said the flounder. "She already has it."

　　The man went home, and his wife was standing in the door of a cottage, and she said to him, "Come in. See, now isn't this much better?"

　　There was a little front yard, and a beautiful little parlor, and a bedroom where their bed was standing, and a kitchen, and a dining room. Everything was beautifully furnished and supplied with tin and brass utensils, just as it should be. And outside there was a little yard with chickens and ducks and a garden with vegetables and fruit.

　　"Look," said the woman. "Isn't this nice?"

　　"Yes," said the man. "This is quite enough. We can live here very well."

　　"We will think about that," said the woman.

　　Then they ate something and went to bed.

　　Everything went well for a week or two, and then the woman said, "Listen, husband. This cottage is too small. The yard and the garden are too little. The flounder could have given us a larger house. I would like to live in a large stone palace. Go back to the flounder and tell him to give us a palace."

　　"Oh, wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough. Why would we want to live in a palace?"

　　"I know why," said the woman. "Now you just go. The flounder can do that."

　　"Now, wife, the flounder has just given us the cottage. I don't want to go back so soon. It may make the flounder angry."

　　"Just go," said the woman. "He can do it, and he won't mind doing it. Just go."

　　The man's heart was heavy, and he did not want to go. He said to himself, "This is not right," but he went anyway.

　　When he arrived at the sea the water was purple and dark blue and gray and dense, and no longer green and yellow. He stood there and said:

　　Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will

　　"What does she want then?" said the flounder.

　　"Oh," said the man sadly, "my wife wants to live in a stone palace."

　　"Go home. She's already standing before the door," said the flounder.

　　Then the man went his way, thinking he was going home, but when he arrived, standing there was a large stone palace. His wife was standing on the stairway, about to enter.

　　Taking him by the hand, she said, "Come inside."

　　He went inside with her. Inside the palace there was a large front hallway with a marble floor. Numerous servants opened up the large doors for them. The walls were all white and covered with beautiful tapestry. In the rooms there were chairs and tables of pure gold. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings. The rooms and chambers all had carpets. Food and the very best wine overloaded the tables until they almost collapsed. Outside the house there was a large courtyard with the very best carriages and stalls for horses and cows. Furthermore there was a magnificent garden with the most beautiful flowers and fine fruit trees and a pleasure forest a good half mile long, with elk and deer and hares and everything that anyone could possibly want.

　　"Now," said the woman, "isn't this nice?"

　　"Oh, yes" said the man. "This is quite enough. We can live in this beautiful palace and be satisfied."

　　"We'll think about it," said the woman. "Let's sleep on it." And with that they went to bed.

　　The next morning the woman woke up first. It was just daylight, and from her bed she could see the magnificent landscape before her. Her husband was just starting to stir when she poked him in the side with her elbow and said, "Husband, get up and look out the window. Look, couldn't we be king over all this land?"

　　"Oh, wife," said the man, "why would we want to be king? I don't want to be king."

　　"Well," said the woman, "even if you don't want to be king, I want to be king."

　　"Oh, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be king? I don't want to tell him that."

　　"Why not?" said the woman, "Go there immediately. I must be king."

　　So the man, saddened because his wife wanted to be king, went back.

　　"This is not right, not right at all," thought the man. He did not want to go, but he went anyway.

　　When he arrived at the sea it was dark gray, and the water heaved up from below and had a foul smell. He stood there and said:

　　Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will

　　"What does she want then," said the flounder.

　　"Oh," said the man, "she wants to be king."

　　"Go home. She is already king," said the flounder.

Tuesday2

　　从前，有个渔夫，他和妻子住在海边的一所肮髒的小渔舍里。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。我并不是甚么比目鱼，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。

　　「喂，当家的，」他妻子问道，「今天你甚么也没钓到吗？」

　　「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。」

　　「难道你没有提甚么愿望吗？」妻子问。

　　「没有，」丈夫回答说，「我该提甚么愿望呢？」「唉，」妻子说，「住在我们这样一间肮髒的小房子里，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，於是，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，「她想要甚么呀？」「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？」

　　随即，他们进了屋。小别墅里有一间小前厅，一间漂亮的小客厅，一间乾乾净净的卧室、卧室里摆放着一张床还有一间厨房和食物贮藏室，里面摆放着必备的傢俱，锡制铜制的餐具一应俱全。还有一个养着鸡鸭的小院子，和一片长满蔬菜水果的小园子。

　　「瞧，」妻子说，「不漂亮吗？」

　　「漂亮。」丈夫回答说，「咱们就住在这儿，快快乐乐地过日子吧。」

　　「这个嘛，咱们还要想一想，」妻子说。

　　他们随后吃了晚饭，就上床休息了。

　　他们就这样生活了一两个星期。有一天，妻子突然时：「听着，当家的，这房子太小了，院子和园子也太小了。那条比目鱼可以送咱们一幢更大一些的。我要住在一座石头建造的大宫殿里。快去找比目鱼，叫他送咱们一座宫殿。」

　　「唉，老婆，」丈夫说，「这别墅不是够好的了嘛？咱们干嘛非得要住在宫殿里呢？」

　　「胡说，」妻子回答说，「你只管去找比目鱼好啦，他会完全满足咱们的愿望的。」

　　「不行啊，老婆，」丈夫说，「比目鱼刚刚送给咱们一幢别墅，我实在不想再去找他，他会不高兴的。」

　　「去吧，快去吧，」妻子大声说，「他办得到，也乐意这么办。快去吧。」

　　渔夫心情很沉重，本来是不想去的。他低声地反反覆覆地自言自语道：「这不应该呀。」可他还是去了。

　　他来到海边时，海水不再是绿得泛黄，已变得混浊不清，时而暗蓝，时而深紫，时而灰黑，不过仍然很平静。渔夫站在岸边说：

　　「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。」

　　「那么，她想要甚么呀？」比目鱼问。

　　「唉，」渔夫说，心里有几分害怕，「她想住在一座石头建造的宫殿里。」

　　「回去吧，」比目鱼说，「她现在正站在宫殿门前呢。」

　　渔夫於是往回走，心里想着快点儿到家吧。走到了原来的地方一看，那儿真的矗立着一座石头建造的宫殿，非常宏伟壮观。他老婆站在台阶上，正准备进去，一见丈夫回来了，就拉着他的手说：「快，快跟我进去。」

　　他和他老婆走了进去，只见宫殿里的大厅铺着大理石；众多的仆人伺候在那里，为他们打开一扇又一扇的大门；宫中的墙壁色彩艳丽，精美耀眼；房间里摆放着许多镀金桌椅；大厅所有的房间都铺了地毯；桌子上摆满了美味佳餚和各种名贵的东西。屋后还有一个大院子，院子里设有马厩牛棚，有不少马匹和母牛，一辆富丽堂皇的大马车就停在那儿；除了院子，还有一座美丽的大花园，花园里开满了万紫千红的花朵儿，生长着不少名贵的水果树；还有一座佔地有两英里多长的公园，里面有鹿啊，野兔啊等等，凡能想像出来的里面都有。

　　「喏，」妻子说，「不漂亮吗？」

　　「漂亮，当然漂亮啦，」丈夫回答说，「这足够好啦。咱们就好好地住在这座美丽的宫殿里吧，总该心满意足啦。」

　　「这个嘛，咱们还要想一想，」妻子说，「不过，现在可该上床休息了。」说完，他们就上床休息了。

　　第二天早晨，妻子先醒了，这时正是黎明时分，她坐在床上看得见眼前的田野，富饶美丽，一望无际。她用胳膊肘捅了捅丈夫的腰，然后说，「当家的，起床吧，快点儿跟我到窗前来。瞧啊，咱们难道不可以当一当这个国家的国王吗？快去找比目鱼，说咱们要当国王。」

　　「哎呀，老婆呀！」丈夫说，「咱们干吗要当甚么国王呢？

　　我才不想干这个。」

　　「喂，」妻子说，「你不想当，我可想当。快去找比目鱼，告诉他说我必须当国王。」

　　「唉，老婆呀，」丈夫嚷嚷着说，「你干吗要当甚么国王呢？

　　我跟他说不出口的呀。」

　　「为甚么说不出口呢？」妻子反驳说，「你给我快点儿去，我非当国王不可。」

　　渔夫只得走了出去。一想到老婆非要当国王，心里就感到特别担忧。「这不应该呀，这实在不应该呀。」他打定主意想不去了，可他还是去了。

　　他来到海边时，海水一片灰黑，波涛汹涌，从海底翻涌上来的海水散发着恶臭。他站在海边说：

　　「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。」

　　「她想要甚么呀？」比目鱼问。

　　「唉，」渔夫回答说，「她要当国王。」

　　「回去吧，」比目鱼说，「她的愿望已经实现了。」