回到家中，小王子把杯子端给重病的国王，希望他喝了杯里的水能恢复健康。谁知国王刚喝一点点苦涩的盐水，病情反倒加重了。他为此哀声叹气，两个大儿子趁机走来告弟弟，说他想毒害父亲，他俩才给他送来了真正的活命水，说着便递给父亲。父亲一喝立刻感到病没有了，身体健壮得就像年轻的时候一样。随后两个哥哥去找小王子，讥讽他，对他说：“你虽然找到了活命水，但你只是出力，我们却受奖。你本该放聪明点儿，把眼睛睁大些，当你在海上睡觉时，我们给你换掉啦。一年后，我们中的一个将去娶那位漂亮的公主。你可当心，一点别泄露这事，事实上父王不相信你！如果你说了一个字，就要你的命；不吭声，可以饶你不死。”
The old king was angry with his youngest son， and thought he had plotted against his life. So he summoned the court together and had sentence pronounced upon his son， that he should be secretly shot. And once when the prince was riding forth to the chase， suspecting no evil， the kings huntsman was told to go with him， and when they were quite alone in the forest， the huntsman looked so sorrowful that the prince said to him， “Dear huntsman， what ails you？” The huntsman said， “I cannot tell you， and yet I ought.” Then the prince said， “Say openly what it is， I will pardonpardon vt.原谅， 宽恕 you.” “Alas，” said the huntsman， “I am to shoot you dead， the king has ordered me to do it.” Then the prince was shocked， and said， “Dear huntsman， let me live， there， I give you my royal garments， give me your common ones in their stead.” The huntsman said， “I will willingly do that， indeed I would not have been able to shoot you.” Then they exchanged clothes， and the huntsman returned home， while the prince went further into the forest.
老国王对小儿子气极了，以为他想害死自己。于是召集群臣，商量对小王子的判决，决定秘密枪杀他。一天，小王子骑着马去打猎，心中毫无防备，国王的猎手却奉命跟去。他们到了林中，猎手看上去挺难过，小王子就问他：“亲爱的猎手，你怎么啦？”“我不能讲，我是奉命行事。”猎手回答。“公开地说吧，怎么回事？”王子说，“我会原谅你。”“唉！”猎手回答，“我得枪杀你，是国王下的命令！”小王子一听吓坏了，说：“亲爱的猎手，饶我的命吧，我把王子的好衣服脱给你，你把你的坏衣服换给我。”“我很愿意，”猎手回答，“我怎忍心对你开枪呢。”说完，他们换了衣服，猎手回宫去了，小王子走向森林的深处。
After a time three waggons of gold and precious stones came to the king for his youngest son， which were sent by the three kings who had slain their enemies with the princes sword， and maintained their people with his bread， and who wished to show their gratitude for it. The old king then thought， “Can my son have been innocentinnocent adj.(～ of) 清白的， 无罪的， 天真的， 无知的？” And said to his people， “Would that he were still alive， how it grieves me that I have suffered him to be killed.” “He still lives，” said the huntsman， “I could not find it in my heart to carry out your command.” And told the king how it had happened. Then a stone fell from the kings heart， and he had it proclaimedproclaim vt.宣布， 声明， 显示， 显露 in every country that his son might return and be taken into favor again.
过了一些时候，突然老国王宫里驶来三辆满载黄金和宝石的马车，说是给他小儿子的。原来，那三位用他的剑打败了敌军、用他的面包养活了国家的国王，为了表示感谢，派人送来了礼品。老国王于是想：我那儿子可能是无辜的。因此对臣下们讲：“他要还活着就好啦！我真悔不该下令处死他！”“他还活着，”猎手说，“我没忍心执行您那个命令。”并且向国王讲了当时的情况，国王这才落下心头的那块石头，下令向所有国家发出通告，要儿子回来，说他将重新得到恩宠。
The princess， however， had a road made up to her palace which was quite bright and golden， and told her people that whosoever came riding straight along it to her， would be the right one and was to be admitted， and whoever rode by the side of it， was not the right one and was not to be admitted. As the time was now close at hand， the eldest thought he would hastenhasten v.催促， 赶紧， 促进， 加速 to go to the kings daughter， and give himself out as her rescuer， and thus win her for his bride， and the kingdom to boot. Therefore he rode forth， and when he arrived in front of the palace， and saw the splendid golden road， he thought， “It would be a sin and a shame if I were to ride over that.” And turned aside， and rode on the right side of it. But when he came to the door， the servants told him that he was not the right one， and was to go away again. Soon after this the second prince set out， and when he came to the golden road， and his horse had put one foot on it， he thought， “It would be a sin and a shame， a piece might be troddentrodden vbl.tread的过去分词 off.” And he turned aside and rode on the left side of it， and when he reached the door， the attendants told him he was not the right one， and he was to go away again. When at last the year had entirely expiredexpire v.期满， 终止， 呼气， 断气， 届满， the third son likewise wished to ride out of the forest to his beloved， and with her forget his sorrows. So he set out and thought of her so incessantlyincessantly adv.不间断地， and wished to be with her so much， that he never noticed the golden road at all. So his horse rode onwards up the middle of it， and when he came to the door， it was opened and the princess received him with joy， and said he was her savioursaviour n.［亦作savior］ 救星， ［The Saviour］救世主， 耶稣基督， and lord of the kingdom， and their wedding was celebrated with great rejoicing. When it was over she told him that his father invited him to come to him， and had forgiven him. So he rode thither， and told him everything， how his brothers had betrayed him， and how he had nevertheless kept silence. The old king wished to punish them， but they had put to sea， and never came back as long as they lived.
再说那位公主，她下令在自己宫殿前铺了一条纯金的光灿灿的大路，告诉她手下的人，大路上第一个径直奔来的骑士才是真未婚夫，应该放他进宫去。相反，从旁边来的不是真的，不能放他进宫。一年的期限快到了，大王子想赶去公主那儿，冒充她的救命恩人，好娶她做妻子并且得到王位。他于是骑马赶去，到了宫前，看见那条漂亮的金路，想：“骑着马在上面走太可惜啦！”就拨转马头，走了右边。可走到宫前，卫兵们对他说他不是真的未婚夫，叫他滚开。很快二王子也出发了，到了金路边，他的马刚踏上一只蹄子，他就想：这太可惜，只能踩一点！于是把马骑到了左边。可到了宫前，卫兵说他不是真未婚夫，叫他滚回去。现在一整年过去了，小王子打算骑着马走出森林，去自己爱人那里，在她身边忘记自己的痛苦。他动了身，心中一直想着公主，恨不得马上飞到她身旁，根本没注意到金路。他的马从路中央一直走到宫前，门一下子开了，公主高高兴兴地迎接他，说他是她的救星，是王国的主宰，接着欢天喜地地举行了婚礼。婚礼过后，公主告诉他，他的父亲原谅了他，召他回去。他纵马奔回父亲身边，对他讲了两个哥哥如何欺骗他，他为什么保持沉默。老国王想惩罚他俩，可他们早已逃到海上，一辈子没再回来。