The Seven Ravens
七只乌鸦
There was once a man who had seven sons， and still he had no daughter， however much he wished for one. At length his wife again gave him hope of a child， and when it came into the world it was a girl. The joy was great， but the child was sickly and small， and had to be privately baptized(baptize vt.给人施洗礼(作为入基督教的标志)， 洗练，命名(作为洗礼仪式的一部分)) on account of its weakness. The father sent one of the boys in haste to the spring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six went with him， and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it， the jug fell into the well. There they stood and did not know what to do， and none of them dared to go home. As they still did not return， the father grew impatient， and said， they have certainly forgotten it while playing some game， the wicked boys. He became afraid that the girl would have to die without being baptized， and in his anger cried， “I wish the boys were all turned into ravens.”
从前，一个人有七个儿子，尽管非常非常想再养一个小女儿，却一直不能如愿。终于，他的妻子又替他怀孕了。当孩子生出来时，果然是个小姑娘。父母亲都很高兴，可孩子却又瘦又小，身体虚弱得连洗礼都不能进行。于是父亲马上派一个男孩去教堂中取圣水，其他六弟兄也跟着跑去，而且每一个都想第一个取到水，结果罐子就掉进井中去了。七弟兄站在那儿不知所措，他们都害怕回家。老不见他们归来，父亲不耐烦了，说：“这几个坏小子，一定又是玩儿得忘了正事！”他担心小姑娘来不及受洗礼就死去，心里一气恼便脱口喊出来：“真恨不得这几个小子全给我变成乌鸦！”
Hardly was the word spoken before he heard a whirring of wings over his head， looked up and saw seven coalblack ravens flying away.
谁想话音未落，他便听见头顶上有振动翅膀的响声，抬头一看，只见七只羽毛黑得像煤似的乌鸦，向远方飞去。
The parents could not withdraw(withdraw vt.收回， 撤消) the curse， and however sad they were at the loss of their seven sons， they still to some extent comforted themselves with their dear little daughter， who soon grew strong and every day became more beautiful. For a long time she did not know that she had had brothers， for her parents were careful not to mention them before her， but one day she accidentally(accidentally adv.偶然地， 意外地) heard some people saying of herself， that the girl was certainly beautiful， but that in reality she was to blame for the misfortune which had befallen her seven brothers. Then she was much troubled， and went to her father and mother and asked if it was true that she had had brothers， and what had become of them. The parents now dared keep the secret no longer， but said that what had befallen her brothers was the will of heaven， and that her birth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden took it to heart daily， and thought she must save her brothers. She had no rest or peace until she set out secretly， and went forth into the wide world to search for her brothers and set them free， let it cost what it might. She took nothing with her but a little ring belonging to her parents as a keepsake(keepsake n.纪念品)， a loaf of bread against hunger， a little pitcher of water against thirst， and a little chair as a provision against weariness(weariness n.疲倦， 厌烦， 疲劳).
父母亲再也收不回自己的诅咒，为失去他们的七个儿子异常悲痛，能感到一点欣慰的是自己心爱的小女儿很快健康起来了，而且一天比一天长得更美。很长时间，她压根儿不知道自己有过七个哥哥，因为父母亲不曾提起他们，直到有一天，她偶然听见人家议论自己，说这个姑娘长得确实很美，可就是为了她的缘故，七个哥哥全遭到不幸。姑娘因此很难过，去问父母亲她是否有过几个哥哥。他们后来到哪儿去了。父母不好继续瞒下去，只是说这是天意，她的出生虽然看来是原因，但仍然无可怪罪。可是，姑娘每天都自己责备自己，认为必须去拯救她的哥哥们。她饮食无味，坐立不安，终于偷偷离家出走，去外面寻找她的哥哥，她决心不惜牺牲一切，也要解救他们。她仅仅随身带着父母亲的一枚戒指，一块用来充饥的长面包，一壶用来解渴的水和一张用来休息的小椅子。
