Then she pressed the bramble bramble n.荆棘，树莓，悬钩子 to her bosom quite close，so that it might be thawed thaw vi.解冻，融化n.解冻，and the thorns pierced her flesh，and great drops of blood flowed. but the bramble shot forth fresh green leaves，and they became flowers on the cold winters night，so warm is the heart of a sorrowing mother. Then the bramblebush told her the path she must take. She came at length to a great lake，on which there was neither ship nor boat to be seen. The lake was not frozen sufficiently sufficiently adv.十分地，充分地 for her to pass over on the ice，nor was it open enough for her to wade through，and yet she must cross it，if she wished to find her child. Then she laid herself down to drink up the water of the lake，which was of course impossible for any human being to do，but the bereaved bereaved adj.丧失亲属的 mother thought that perhaps a miracle might take place to help her. “You will never succeed in this.” said the lake，let us make an agreement together which will be better. I love to collect pearls，and your eyes are the purest I have ever seen. If you will weep those eyes away in tears into my waters，then I will take you to the large hothouse where Death dwells and rears flowers and trees，every one of which is a human life.”
于是她就把荆棘丛抱在自己的胸脯上，抱得很紧，好使它能感到温暖。荆棘刺进她的肌肉：她的血一滴一滴地流出来。可是荆棘丛长出了新鲜的绿叶，并且在这寒冷的冬夜开出了花，因为这位愁苦的母亲的心是那么的温暖！于是荆棘丛告诉她应该向哪个方向走。她来到了一个大湖边，湖上既没大船，也没有小舟。湖上还没有足够的厚冰可以托住她，她不能涉水走过去，因为水又不够浅。不过，假如她要找到她的孩子的话，她必须走过这个湖。于是她就蹲下来喝这湖的水，可是谁也喝不完这水的。这个愁苦的母亲只是在幻想会发生什么奇迹。“不成，这是一件永远不可能的事情！”湖说，“我们还是来谈谈条件吧！我喜欢收集珠子，可你的眼珠是我从来没有看到过的两颗最明亮的珠子。如果你能够把它们哭出来交给我的话，我就可能把你送到那个大的温室中去。死神就住在那儿，种植着花和树。每一棵花和树就是一个人的生命！”
“Oh，what would I not give to reach my child！” said the weeping mother； and as she still continued to weep weep vi.哭泣，流泪，哀悼，滴落vt.哭着使……，悲叹，滴下n.哭，哭泣，滴下，her eyes fell into the depths of the lake，and became two costly pearls.
“啊，为了我的孩子，我什么都可以牺牲！”母亲哭着说。于是她哭得更加厉害，结果她的眼睛坠到湖中去了，变成了两颗最贵重的珍珠。
Then the lake lifted her up，and wafted her across to the opposite shore as if she were on a swing，where stood a wonderful building many miles in length. No one could tell whether it was a mountain covered with forests and full of caves，or whether it had been built. But the poor mother could not see，for she had wept her eyes into the lake. “Where shall I find Death，who went away with my little child？” she asked.
湖把她托起来，就像她是坐在一个秋千架上似的。于是，她就浮到对面的岸上去了——这儿有一幢十多里路宽的奇怪的房子。人们不知道这究竟是一座有许多树林和洞口的大山呢，还是一幢用木头建筑起来的房子。不过这个可怜的母亲看不见它，因为她已把她的两颗眼珠都哭出来了。“我到什么地方去找那个把我的孩子抱走了的死神呢？”她问道。
“He has not arrived here yet.” said an old grayhaired woman，who was walking about，and watering Deaths hothouse. “How have you found your way here？ And who helped you？”
“他还没有到这儿来！”一个守坟墓的老太婆说。她专门看守死神的温室。“你怎么找到这儿来的？是谁帮助你的？”
“God has helped me.” she replied. “He is merciful； will you not be merciful too？ Where shall I find my little child？”
“我们的上帝帮助我的！”她说，“他是很仁慈的，因此你应该也很仁慈。我在什么地方能找到我亲爱的孩子呢？”
“I did not know the child，” said the old woman，“and you are blind. Many flowers and trees have faded tonight，and Death will soon come to transplant transplant v.移植，移种，移民，迁移n.移植，被移植物，移居者 them. You know already that every human being has a lifetree or a lifeflower，just as may be ordained for him. They look like other plants； but they have hearts that beat. Childrens hearts also beat： from that you may perhaps be able to recognize your child. But what will you give me，if I tell you what more you will have to do？”
“我不知道，”老太婆说，“你也看不见！这天晚上有许多树和花全凋谢了，死神马上就会到来，重新移植它们！你知道得十分清楚，每个人有他自己的生命之树，或生命之花，这要看他的安排是怎么样。它们跟别的植物完全一样，不过它们有一颗跳动的心。小孩子的心也会跳的。你去找吧，也许你能听出你的孩子的心的搏动。不过，如果我把你下一步应做的事情告诉你，你打算给我什么报酬呢？”
“I have nothing to give，” said the afflicted afflicted adj.受折磨的 mother； “but I would go to the ends of the earth for you.”
“我没有什么东西能给你了，”这个倍受折磨的母亲说，“但是我为你可以走到世界的尽头。”
“I can give you nothing to do for me there，” said the old woman，“but you can give me your long black hair. You know yourself that it is beautiful，and it pleases me. You can take my white hair in exchange，which will be something in return.”
“我没有什么事情要你到那儿去办，”老太婆说，“不过你可以把你又长又黑的头发给我。你自己知道，那是十分美丽的，我很喜欢！条件吗，你可以把我的白头发拿去——那总会比没有好。”
“Do you ask nothing more than that？” said she. “I will give it to you with pleasure.”
“假如你不再要求什么别的东西的话，”她说，“那么我愿意把它送给你！”