大拇指
There was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening by the hearth and pokedpoke n.刺，戳，懒汉，袋子 the fire，and his wife sat and spun. Then said he，“How sad it is that we have no children. With us all is so quiet，and in other houses it is noisy and lively.” “Yes，” replied the wife，and sighed，“even if we had only one，and it were quite small，and only as big as a thumb，I should be quite satisfied，and we would still love it with all our hearts.” Now it so happened that the woman fell ill，and after seven months gave birth to a child，that was perfect in all its limbs，but no longer than a thumb. Then said they，“It is as we wished it to be，and it shall be our dear child. And because of its size，they called it Thumbling. Though they did not let it want for food，the child did not grow taller，but remained as it had been at the first. Neverthelessnevertheless conj.然而，不过 it looked sensiblysensibly adv.明显地，敏感地，聪明地 out of its eyes，and soon showed itself to be a wise and nimble creature，for everything it did turned out well. One day the peasant was getting ready to go into the forest to cut wood，when he said as if to himself，“How I wish that there was someone who would bring the cartcart n.大车，手推车 to me.” “Oh father，” cried Thumbling，“I will soon bring the cart，rely onrely on v.依赖，依靠 that.” It shall be in the forest at the appointed time. The man smiled and said，“How can that be done，you are far too small to lead the horse by the reins.” “Thats of no consequence，father，if my mother will only harness it，I shall sit in the horses ear and call out to him how he is to go.” “Well，” answered the man，“for once we will try it.” When the time came，the mother harnessed the horse，and placed thumbling in its ear，and then the little creature cried，“Gee up，gee up.” Then it went quite properly as if with its master，and the cart went the right way into the forest. It so happened that just as he was turning a corner，and the little one was crying，“Gee up.” Two strange men came towards him. “My word，” said one of them，“what is this？ There is a cart coming，and a driver is calling to the horse and still he is not to be seen.” “That cant be right，” said the other，“we will follow the cart and see where it stops.” The cart，however，drove right into the forest，and exactly to the place where the wood had been cut. When Thumbling saw his father，he cried to him，“Do you see，father，here I am with the cart，now take me down.” The father got hold of the horse with his left hand and with the right took his little son out of the ear. Thumbling sat down quite merrily on a strawstraw n.稻草，麦秆，but when the two strange men saw him，they did not know what to say for astonishmentastonishment n.惊讶。 Then one of them took the other aside and said，“Listen，the little fellow would make our fortune if we exhibitedexhibit v.展示 him in a large town，for money. We will buy him.” They went to the peasant and said，“Sell us the little man. He shall be well treated with us.” “No，” replied the father，“he is the apple of my eye，and all the money in the world cannot buy him from me.”
从前，有一个贫苦的农民。每天晚上，他都坐在灶孔前烧火，他的妻子则坐在旁边纺线。一天，他说：“真伤心啊，咱们没有孩子！瞧别人家里多热闹，多快活，咱们家却冷清清的！” “是啊，” 妻子叹了一口气，回答说，“哪怕只有一个孩子，哪怕只是个大拇指一样的小不点儿，我也会心满意足呵。我们照样会打心眼儿里疼爱他的。” 不久，妻子像是得了病，过了七个月生下一个孩子来，手啊脚啊全都正常，可整个就只有大拇指那么一小点儿。夫妇俩于是讲：“嗨，就跟咱们希望的一样，他应该成为我们的宝贝儿。” 按照孩子的身高，他们就叫他“大拇指” 。尽管他们没少给他吃营养的饮食，孩子却不再长高，而是始终和刚生出来时一个样儿，只不过，他那双眼睛看上去挺懂事的，果然很快成了个聪明灵巧的小家伙，不管干什么都能干得很不错。一天，农民准备好去树林里砍柴，临行前自言自语：“真希望有个人随后把车送来啊！” “噢，爸爸，” 大拇指高声说，“车我一定赶来，你放心好啦，它会准时驶进树林里。” 农民笑起来，说：“怎么个赶法呀，你这么小，连拉马缰都不成！” “没问题，爸爸，只要妈妈套好马，我就坐进马耳朵里，冲它喊，告诉它该怎么走。” “好吧，” 父亲回答，“咱们就试一次。” 时间到了，母亲套好马，把大拇指放进马耳朵中，这小家伙果然吆喝着指挥起马来：“驾！驾！嗬！——吁——吁——” 马很听话，就像赶车的是位老把式。车沿着大道向树林驶去。刚转过一个弯，大拇指正“吁——吁——” 地吆喝着，迎面走来两个陌生人。“我的天！” 其中一个说：“这是怎么啦？车子在走，又听见马夫在吆喝，却看不见人！” “对，有问题！” 另一个说。“咱们跟着车去，看它停在什么地方。” 马车一直驶进树林深处，正好在农民砍柴的地方停下来。大拇指见到父亲，朝他喊：“你瞧，爸爸，我把车赶来了，快抱我下去吧。” 父亲左手拉住马缰，右手把小儿子从马耳朵里掏出来，小家伙高高兴兴地坐在了一根麦秆上。两个陌生人一见大拇指，惊讶得简直说不出话来。过后一个人把另一个拉到旁边，说：“听着，咱俩运气来啦，只要把这小东西弄到大城市去展览，去赚门票钱！买下他吧。” 两人走到农民面前，对他讲：“把这小人儿卖给我们行不行？他和我们一块儿会过得很好的。” “不行！” 大拇指的父亲回答。“他是我的心肝宝贝儿！就给我全世界的金子也不卖。”
Thumbling，however，when he heard of the bargain，had crept up the folds of his fathers coat，placed himself on his shoulder，and whispered in his ear，“Father do give me away，I will soon come back again.” Then the father parted with him to the two men for a handsome sum of money.
可大拇指听见他们谈生意，就顺着父亲的衣褶子往上爬，爬去站在他的肩膀上，凑近他耳朵低声说：“爸爸，卖给他们吧，卖给他们吧，我一定会回来的。” 父亲就把大拇指卖给陌生人，得了一大笔钱。
“Where will you sit？” they said to him. “Oh just set me on the rimrim n.边，轮缘，蓝框 of your hat，and then I can walk backwards and forwards and look at the country，and still not fall down.” They did as he wished，and when Thumbling had taken leave of his father，they went away with him. They walked until it was duskdusk n.薄暮，黄昏，and then the little fellow said，“Do take me down，it is necessary.” “Just stay up there，” said the man on whose hat he sat，“it makes no difference to me. The birds sometimes let things fall on me.” “No，” said Thumbling，“I know whats manners，take me quickly down.” The man took his hat off，and put the little fellow on the ground by the wayside，and he leapt and crept about a little between the sods，and then he suddenly slipped into a mouseholemousehole n.鼠洞，壁橱 which he had sought out. “Good evening，gentlemen，just go home without me.” he cried to them，and mockedmock v.嘲笑，骗，挫败，嘲弄 them. They ran thither and stuck their sticks into the mousehole，but it was all in vain. Thumbling crept still farther in，and as it soon became quite dark，they were forced to go home with their vexationvexation n.恼怒，烦恼，着急，苦恼的原因 and their empty purses.
