She ran back home， trembling like an aspenleaf. The old woman was standing on the thresholdthreshold n.开始， 开端， 极限， and the girl was about to relate what had befallen her， but the old woman laughed kindly， and said， “I already know all.” She led her into the room and lighted a new log. She did not， however， sit down to her spinningspinning n.［纺］纺纱 again， but fetched a broom and began to sweep and scourscour vi.擦， 洗， 冲刷， 腹泻， 急速穿行. All must be clean and sweet， she said to the girl. “But， mother，” said the maiden， “why do you begin work at so late an hour？”“What do you expect？ Do you know then what time it is？” asked the old woman. “Not yet midnight，” answered the maiden， “but already past eleven oclock.”“Do you not remember，” continued the old woman， “that it is three years today since you came to me. Your time is up， we can no longer remain together.” The girl was terrified， and said， “Alas， dear mother， will you cast me off. Where shall I go？ I have no friends， and no home to which I can go. I have always done as you bade me， and you have always been satisfied with me. Do not send me away.” The old woman would not tell the maiden what lay before her.“My stay here is over，” she said to her， “but when I depart， house and parlor must be clean. Therefore do not hinderhinder v.阻碍， 打扰 me in my work. Have no care for yourself， you shall find a roof to shelter you， and the wages which I will give you shall also content you.”“But tell me what is about to happen.”the maiden continued to entreatentreat v.恳求， 乞求， <古>对待， 对付， “I tell you again， do not hinder me in my work. Do not say a word more， go to your chamber， take the skin off your face， and put on the silken gown which you had on when you came to me， and then wait in your chamber until I call you.”
姑娘像一片白杨树叶似的颤抖着跑回家。老婆婆站在门前，姑娘想告诉她遇见的事情，她却和蔼地笑了笑，说：“我已经全知道了。”她把姑娘带进屋，再点燃一块木片，但没再坐到纺车前去，而是拿来一把扫帚，开始又扫又擦。“一切都弄得干干净净的。”她对姑娘说。“可是，妈妈，”姑娘说，“你为什么晚了一小时才开始干呢？你有什么打算？”“你知道不知道现在几点钟？”老太婆问。“还没到午夜，”姑娘回答，“可已经过了十一点。”“你记得吗？你就是三年前的今天到我这儿来的啊！”老太太继续说，“你在这儿的日子结束了，我们不能再待在一起了。”姑娘吃了一惊，说：“哎呀，亲爱的妈妈，你赶我走。你叫我去哪儿呢？我没有朋友，也没有家，我能到哪儿去呢？凡是你要求的事情我都做了，你对我也总是很满意。不要赶我走！”老太婆不愿告诉姑娘她将面临什么。“我不再待在这儿了，”她对姑娘说，“但当我搬走的时候，房屋必须干干净净，所以不要影响我干活。你自己呢，不用担心，你会找到住处的。而且我会给你报酬也会使你满意。”“可你告诉我，会发生什么事？”姑娘继续恳求。——“我再对你说一遍，不要打扰我工作。别再讲一句话，回你房间去，把脸上的皮取下来，穿上那件你当初来我这里时穿的那件绸衣服，然后在你房里，等着直到我叫你。”
But I must once more tell of the king and queen， who had journeyed forth with the count in order to seek out the old woman in the wilderness. The count had strayed away from them in the wood by night， and had to walk onwards alone. Next day it seemed to him that he was on the right track. He still went forward， until darkness came on， then he climbed a tree， intending to pass the night there， for he feared that he might lose his way. When the moon illuminedillumine vt.照明， 点亮， 使明艳照人， 启发 the surrounding country he perceived a figure coming down the mountain. She had no stick in her hand， but yet he could see that it was the goosegirl， whom he had seen before in the house of the old woman. “Oho，”cried he， “there she comes， and if I once get hold of one of the witches， the other shall not escape me.” But how astonished he was， when she went to the well， took off the skin and washed herself， when her golden hair fell down all about her， and she was more beautiful than anyone whom he had ever seen in the whole world. He hardly dared to breathe， but stretched his head as far forward through the leaves as he could， and stared at her. Either he bent over too far， or whatever the cause might be， the boughbough n.大树枝， 主枝 suddenly cracked， and that very moment the maiden slipped into the skin， sprang away like a roe， and as the moon was suddenly covered， disappeared from his sight.
现在回头来讲讲国王和王后，他们和伯爵一起出了宫殿，想到荒野上去找那个老太婆。夜里，伯爵在森林里掉了队，只好一个人继续朝前走。第二天，他觉得又回到了正路，便不停地朝前赶，直到黑暗降临，他才爬到一棵树上，准备在那儿过夜，因为他担心，天黑他会迷路。当月亮照亮了这片地方，他看见一个人影从山上下来。这人手里虽然没拿鞭子，他却一眼认出就是那个牧鹅女。“噢，”他失声叫出，“她来了，我刚才逃脱一个巫婆的手心，莫非又要落入另一个巫婆手里。”但是令他惊讶的是，当牧鹅女走到井边，取下假皮洗脸，金色的长发披散在肩上，是那样的美，美得还从未见过！他大气不敢出，却竭尽全力在树枝间伸长脖子，目不转睛地盯着姑娘。要不是他身体太往前倾，或者就是别的什么原因，喀的一声突然树枝断了，而就在这一瞬间，姑娘匆忙套上假皮，像小鹿似的跳起来，月亮也跟着藏到云后，姑娘就这样在他眼皮下消失了。