The old woman said， “If you are to be saved， one of you must go into the forest， there he will come to a fallen rock which looks like a little house， he must enter that， and then he will obtain help.” The two melancholymelancholy n.忧郁 ones thought to themselves， “That will still not save us.” and stayed where they were， but the third， the merry one， got up and walked on in the forest until he found the rockhouse. In the little house a very aged woman was sitting， who was the devils grandmother， and asked the soldier where he came from， and what he wanted there. He told her everything that had happened， and as he pleased her well， she had pity on him， and said she would help him. She lifted up a great stone which lay above a cellarcellar n.地窖， 地下室， 酒窖， 藏酒量， and said， “Conceal yourself there， you can hear everything that is said here， only sit still， and do not stir. When the dragon comes， I will question him about the riddle， he tells everything to me， so listen carefully to his answer.” 老太婆说：“要我帮助你们，你们中有一个必须到森林里去，走到一处像小房子模样的垮塌的岩壁前，他必须跨进去，然后才能获得帮助。”两个哭丧着脸的家伙想：“这哪能搭救我们！”因此坐着不肯动，那生性快活的第一个人却站起来，走进森林，一直走啊走啊，终于找到那间岩壁做成的小屋。可是屋里坐着个老婆子，她是魔鬼的祖母，问士兵从哪儿来，到这儿有什么事。于是他对老太婆讲了事情的全部经过。因为他很讨她的欢心，她便对他产生了同情之情，便答应帮助他。随后，老婆子揭开盖在地窖上的一块大石板，说：“你藏在里边，可以听见这儿所说的一切，只是得悄悄的坐着，千万别动。等火龙来了，我问他谜语的事，他什么都会告诉我，你留心他怎么回答就是了。”
At twelve oclock at night， the dragon came flying thither， and asked for his dinner. The grandmother laid the table， and served up food and drink， so that he was pleased， and they ate and drank together. In the course of conversation， she asked him what kind of a day he had had， and how many souls he had got. “Nothing went very well today，” he answered， “but I have laid hold of three soldiers， I have them safe.” “Indeed？ Three soldiers， theyre clever， they may escape you yet.” The devil said mockinglymockingly adv.愚弄地， 取笑地， “They are mine. I will set them a riddle， which they will never be able to guess.” “What riddle is that？” she inquired. “I will tell you， in the great north sea lies a dead dogfishdogfish n.角鲨鱼之一种， that shall be your roast meat， and the rib of a whale shall be your silver spoon， and a hollow old horses hoof shall be your glass.” 夜里钟敲十二点，火龙飞来要吃的。老祖母摆好餐具，端来酒菜，魔鬼很高兴。他们一块又吃又喝，同时拉着家常。这时祖母问他这一天过得怎么样，逮住了多少灵魂。“今儿个情况不怎么好。”魔鬼回答，“不过呢我已抓着三个当兵的，他们肯定逃不出我的手心。”“嗯，三个当兵的，”老祖母说，“这种人有两下子，会逃脱你的控制。”“他们肯定归我，”魔鬼轻蔑的回答，“我还出了一个谜语让他们猜，他们永远也猜不出来。”“那是个什么谜语呢？”老太婆问。“这我可以告诉你：在辽阔的北海中，躺着只死长尾猴，这是他们的烤肉，一只鲸鱼的肋巴骨是他们的银勺子，一条空心的老马腿是他们的望远镜。”
When the devil had gone to bed， the old grandmother raised up the stone， and let out the soldier. “Did you give heed to everything？” “Yes，” said he， “I know enough， and will save myself.” Then he had to go back another way， through the window， secretly and with all speed to his companionscompanion n.同伴， 共事者。 He told them how the devil had been outwittedoutwit vt.瞒骗， 以智取胜 by the old grandmother， and how he had learned the answer to the riddle from him. Then they were all delighted， and of good cheer， and took the whip and whipped so much gold for themselves that it ran all over the ground. 等魔鬼上床睡觉去了，老祖母揭开石板，让士兵出来。“你全都记住了吗？”“记住了，”士兵说，“我知道得够多了，可以救自己了。”随后，他另走一条路，从窗户爬出去，急急忙忙赶回他的伙伴那儿。他告诉他们，魔鬼怎样中了他祖母的计，他自己怎样听魔鬼亲口说出了谜底。这一来他们三个可高兴喽，拿起鞭子猛抽一气，抽得金钱遍都是。
When the seven years had fully gone by， the devil came with the book， showed the signaturessignature n.签名， 署名， 信号， and said， “I will take you with me to hell. There you shall have a meal. If you can guess what kind of roast meat you will have to eat， you shall be free and released from your bargain， and may keep the whip as well.” Then the first soldier began and said， “In the great north sea lies a dead dogfish， that no doubt is the roast meat.” 七年终于满了，魔鬼拿来文书，让他们看自己的签字，说：“我要带你们去地狱，让你们在那儿吃一餐饭；你们要能猜出给你们吃的烤肉是什么，我就放掉你们，并且让你们保留这条鞭子。”第一个士兵首先回答：“在辽阔的白海里躺着的那只死长尾猴，它就是这烤肉。”
The devil was angry， and began to muttermutter v.咕哝， 嘀咕， “Hm. Hm. Hm.” And asked the second， “But what will your spoonspoon n.匙， 调羹， 勺子 be？” “The ribrib n.肋骨 of a whale， that is to be our silver spoon.” The devil made a wry face， again growledgrowl v.咆哮， 发牢骚地说， “Hm. Hm. Hm.” He said to the third， “And do you also know what your wineglass is to be？” “An old horses hoof is to be our wineglass.” Then the devil flew away with a loud cry， and had no more power over them， but the three kept the whip， whipped as much money for themselves with it as they wanted， and lived happily to their end.
“唔！唔！唔！”魔鬼气得直哼哼，又问第二个，“那你们用的勺子是什么？”“一头鲸鱼的肋巴骨，它是我们的银勺子。”“噢！噢！噢！”魔鬼气得嗷嗷叫，扮个怪脸，再问最后一个士兵，“你们也知道，你们的望远镜是什么吗？”“一条老马腿，这是我们的望远镜。”魔鬼一听，知道再也管不了他们，便大叫一声飞走了。三个士兵却继续拥有那条小鞭子，用它随心所欲地抽出了许许多多钱，愉快地生活直到老死。