老爹做事总不会错
这个故事发表于１８６１年在哥本哈根出版的《新的童话和故事集》第二卷第一部。主人公是个典型的农民。他生性善良，勤劳节俭，纯真朴质，热爱自己的工作和家庭，他考虑问题总是从他家庭的实际出发，尽管他的考虑在一般人看来不免显得很荒唐。他把价值高的一头牛换了一头价值低的羊，但是他很满意，因为“它可以在我们沟旁找到许多草吃。冬天它可以跟我们一起待在屋子里”。接着他又把羊换了一只鹅，直到他最后换成一袋子烂苹果。不管他怎么吃亏，他总觉得他换的东西对他家有用，可以给他的生活带来愉快。一般人都认为他是个蠢材，回到家去一定会受到妻子的痛骂。所以两个有钱的英国人愿意和他打赌。他们不懂得农民的纯朴和他们纯朴的爱情。那个老农妇的想法完全和丈夫一样，认为“老头子做的事总不会错”。因此老头子不但没有挨打挨骂，“而是得到了吻”，那两个只考虑眼前利益的英国人所下的赌注也就输了。
关于这个故事的背景，安徒生在手记中写道：“这个故事是我小时候听到的。”1860年12月4日，他从瑞士旅行归来，在日记中写道：“我换掉了我的金币，然后我把每一个拿破仑（币名）以１４个先令的价钱卖了，比我买它们的时候价格减少了。”12月5日他又写道：“晚间在家里写关于一个人把马换成牛的故事。”他当时的心情很不痛快，因为他换金币上了当。
I WILL tell you a story that was told me when I was a little boy.Every time I thought of this story，it seemed to me more and more charming (charming adj.迷人的，娇媚的).For it is with stories as it is with many people—they become better as they grow older.
现在我要给你们讲一个我小时候听过的故事。从那以后，每次想到这个故事，我都觉得它比以前更加美丽了。因为故事和许多人一个样，随着年龄增长，会变得越来越美丽动人，这真是很好的事情！
I have no doubt that you have been in the country，and seen a very old farmhouse，with a thatched roof，and mosses and small plants growing wild upon it.There is a storks nest on the ridge of the gable，for we cannot do without the stork.The walls of the house are sloping，and the windows are low，and only one of the latter is made to open.The bakingoven sticks out of the wall like a great knob.An eldertree hangs over the palings (paling n.木栅，围篱)，and beneath its branches，at the foot of the paling，is a pool of water，in which a few ducks are disporting themselves.There is a yarddog too，who barks at all corners.
你一定到过乡下的！你见过顶子用谷草铺成的真正的农舍：藓苔和杂草自然而然地生长着。屋脊上有一个鹳巢，鹳，人是离不开的。墙有些斜，窗子开得很低，是啊，而且只有一扇窗子打得开。烤面包的灶突出来像个大肚子。接骨木丛斜在篱笆上，篱前一颗长着节疤的柳树下有一个小小的水潭，有一只鸭子或者几只鸭子在里面游着。哦，还有一只看家狗，它不管见了谁或者什么东西，都要叫一阵。
Just such a farmhouse as this stood in a country lane，and in it dwelt an old couple，a peasant and his wife.Small as their possessions were，they had one article they could not do without，and that was a horse，which contrived contrived adj.人为的，做作的to live upon the grass which it found by the side of the high road.The old peasant rode into the town upon this horse，and his neighbors often borrowed it of him，and paid for the loan of it by rendering some service to the old couple.After a time they thought it would be as well to sell the horse，or exchange it for something which might be more useful to them.But what might this something be？
我要讲的正是乡下的这样一所房子，里面住着两个人，农夫和农妇。他们家中的东西少得可怜，可是，他们依旧可以再少一点的。我要说的是一匹马，这匹马在大道旁的沟里找草吃。老头子骑着它进城，邻家来借它去使唤，他靠它给别人干活挣得点钱。然而卖掉它或者把它换成什么对他们更有用的东西，挣的钱定然会更多一些。但是换什么呢？
“Youll know best，old man.”said the wife.“It is fairday today.So ride into town，and get rid of the horse for money，or make a good exchange.Whichever you do will be right to me，so ride to the fair.”
“老爹，这种事你最在行了！”妻子说道，“现在城里正在赶集，骑上马去吧，把马卖掉得点钱回来，或是换点什么东西回来！你做的事情总是对的。骑上马赶集去吧！”
And she fastened his neckerchief( neckerchief n.围巾，颈巾)for him，for she could do that better than he could，and she could also tie it very prettily in a double bow.She also smoothed his hat round and round with the palm of her hand，and gave him a kiss.Then he rode away upon the horse that was to be sold or bartered( barter v.物品交换，交换n.物品交换，实物交易)for something else.Yes，the old man knew what he was about.
于是她替他系好围裙，因为这类事她毕竟比他在行些；她给他打的是双结，看上去很帅。于是她用手板擦了擦帽子，给了他一个吻，然后他便骑着要卖掉或是要换掉的马上路了。可不是，老爹清楚。
The sun shone with great heat，and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky.The road was very dusty.For a number of people，all going to the fair，were driving，riding，or walking upon it.There was no shelter anywhere from the hot sunshine.Among the rest a man came trudging( trudge v.跋涉)along，and driving a cow to the fair.The cow was as beautiful a creature as any cow could be.
太阳很毒，天空上一片云看不到，路上尘土飞扬。赶集的人多极了，有乘车的，有骑马的，有步行的。太阳火辣辣的，路上连个遮阳的地方都没有。有一个人赶着一头母牛，那头母牛非常好，就像一头母牛能够做到的一样好。
“She gives good milk，I am certain.”said the peasant to himself.“That would be a very good exchange：the cow for the horse.Hallo there！You with the cow.”he said.“I tell you what.I dare say a horse is of more value than a cow，but I dont care for that，—a cow will be more useful to me.So，if you like，well exchange.”
“这牛一定能下好奶！”农夫想道，“把它换过来一定不会吃亏。听着，牵牛的！”他说道，“咱们两人谈谈怎么样！你瞧见没有，一匹马，我想肯定比一头牛值钱，不过那没有什么！我更用得着一头母牛。如果你愿意我们可以成交？”
“To be sure I will.”said the man.Accordingly the exchange was made，And as the matter was settled，The peasant might have turned back，for he had done the business he came to do.But，having made up his mind to go to the fair，he determined to do so，if only to have a look at it.So on he went to the town with his cow.Leading the animal，he strode on sturdily( sturdily adv.坚强地，刚强地，坚毅地)，and，after a short time，overtook a man who was driving a sheep.It was a good fat sheep，with a fine fleece on its back.
“好吧，当然！”牵牛的人说道，于是他们就交换了。换完以后，农夫本可以转身回去了，他不是把要办的事办完了吗。可是他既然想起要去赶集，那么便要去集上走走，光是看看。于是他牵着他的母牛，朝集市走去。他走得很快，母牛也走得很快，他赶过了一个牵着一只羊的人，那只羊很不错，毛色很好。
“I should like to have that fellow.”said the peasant to himself，“There is plenty of grass for him by our palings，and in the winter we could keep him in the room with us.Perhaps it would be more profitable to have a sheep than a cow.Shall I exchange？”
“我要是有这么一只羊就好了！”农民想道。“我们大路沟边不缺它吃的草，到冬天可以把它牵进屋里和我们在一起。从根本上说，我们保留只羊比保留只牛还更有利可图一些。我们换换好吗？”
The man with the sheep was quite ready，and the bargain( bargain n.契约，合同，成交商品，便宜货v.议价)was quickly made.And then our peasant continued his way on the highroad with his sheep.Soon after this，he overtook another man，who had come into the road from a field，and was carrying a large goose under his arm.
好啊，那个有羊的人当然乐意啦。于是他们很快作了交换，农夫牵着他的羊顺着大道走。在一道篱边的踏阶那里，他碰到一个人用胳臂夹着一只鹅。