跳舞跳破了的鞋子
There was once upon a time a king who had twelve daughters， each one more beautiful than the other. They all slept together in one chamberchamber n.室， 房间， 议院， 会所， （枪）膛， in which their beds stood side by side， and every night when they were in them the king locked the door， and boltedbolt v.上门闩， 囫囵吞下， 逃跑 it. But in the morning when he unlocked the door， he saw that their shoes were worn out with dancing， and no one could find out how that had come to pass. Then the king caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever could discover where they danced at night， should choose one of them for his wife and be king after his death， but that whosoever came forward and had not discovered it within three days and nights， should have forfeited his life. 从前，一位国王有十二个女儿，一个比一个更漂亮。她们一起睡在一座大厅里，床是并排着。每天晚上，她们上床以后，国王总锁住厅门，并且闩好。可是，早上他来打开厅门一看，她们的鞋都因跳舞跳破了，而谁也弄不清楚是怎么回事。于是国王下令通告全国：谁要能弄清楚她们夜里在哪儿跳舞，谁就可以从她们中挑选一个做妻子，并且在国王死后继承王位；可是，谁要是报名后三天三夜还弄不出结果，就要谁的小命。
It was not long before a kings son presented himself， and offered to undertake the enterpriseenterprise n.企业， 事业， 计划， 事业心， 进取心， 干事业。 He was well received， and in the evening was led into a room adjoiningadjoin v.邻接， 毗连 the princesses， sleepingchamber. His bed was placed there， and he was to observe where they went and danced， and in order that they might do nothing secretly or go away to some other place， the door of their room was left open. But the eyelidseyelid n.眼皮， 眼睑 of the prince grew heavy as lead， and he fell asleep， and when he awoke in the morning， all twelve had been to the dance， for their shoes were standing there with holes in the soles. On the second and third nights there was no difference， and then his head was struck off without mercy. 没过多久，一位王子自告奋勇，前来冒险。他受到殷勤接待，晚上被领进了紧挨着公主们寝室的房间。他的床放在那儿，他要注意看她们去哪儿跳舞。为了不让她们暗中搞名堂，或者从其他地方跑出去，厅门便敞开着。可是呢，王子的眼皮却很快睡着了。他第二天早上醒来，发现她们十二个全去跳过舞，因为她们的鞋底上全有破洞。第二天和第三天晚上情况一个样，那位王子就被毫不留情地砍了脑袋。
Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise， but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier， who had a wound， and could serve no longer， found himself on the road to the town where the king lived. There he met an old woman， who asked him where he was going. “I hardly know myself，” answered he， and added in jest， “I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their shoes into holes， and thus become king.” “That is not so difficult，” said the old woman， “you must not drink the wine which will be brought to you at night， and must pretend to be sound asleep.” With that she gave him a little cloakcloak n.斗蓬， 宽大外衣， 掩护， and said， “If you wear this， you will be invisible， and then you can steal after the twelve.” When the soldier had received this good advice， he fell to in earnest， took heart， went to the king， and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as the others， and royal garmentsgarment n.衣服， 外衣， 外表 were put upon him. He was conducted that evening at bedtime into the antechamberantechamber n.接待室， and as he was about to go to bed， the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine， but he had tied a sponge under his chin， and let the wine run down into it， without drinking a drop. 以后还来过许多自愿冒险的人，结果也一个个丢了性命。这时候，有个穷当兵的受了伤，不能再服役了，正朝着国王居住的京城走去。走着走着，一个老妇人碰见士兵，问他上哪儿去。他回答：“我自己也不大清楚喽，”接着又开玩笑说，“我倒有兴趣去弄明白公主们在哪儿跳破了鞋子，然后当一当国王来着。”“这并不太困难，”老妇人说，“你绝不能喝他们晚上送来的酒，一定要装得睡死了的样子。”说完她给他一件斗篷，告诉他：“只要你把它披上，人家就看不见你了，然后你可以去悄悄跟踪那十二个女孩子。”士兵得到这么好的建议，当真动了心，于是鼓起勇气去国王那儿应征。他和其他人一样受到殷勤接待，被穿戴打扮得漂漂亮亮。晚上睡觉的时间到了，他被领进大厅前边的房间。他正要上床，大公主给他送来一杯酒；可他事先在下巴底下绑了一块海绵，把酒倒进了海绵里，自己一滴也没有喝。
Then he lay down and when he had lain a while， he began to snore， as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that， and laughed， and the eldest said， “He， too， might as well have saved his life.” With that they got up， opened wardrobeswardrobe n.衣柜， 衣厨， 衣室， 衣服， 行头， 剧装， presses， cupboardscupboard n.食橱， 碗碟橱， and brought out pretty dresses， dressed themselves before the mirrors， sprang about， and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest said， “I know not how it is， you are very happy， but I feel very strange， some misfortune is certainly about to befallbefall v.降临， 遭遇， 加于 us.” “You are a goose， who are always frightened.” said the eldest. “Have you forgotten how many kings sons have already come here in vain. I had hardly any need to give the soldier a sleepingdraught， the boobybooby n.呆子， 傻瓜 would not have awakened anyway.” 然后他躺在床上，躺了一会儿就开始像睡得打起呼来。十二个公主听见他的呼噜声，都笑了，大公主则说：“这家伙也没命喽！”说完，她们起了床，打开柜子、箱子、匣子，取出华丽的衣裙来，纷纷对着镜子穿戴打扮，跳来跳去，为马上去参加舞会高兴极了。只有最小的一个公主说：“我不知道为什么你们这么高兴，我心里却是很是异样：咱们准是要大祸临头了吧！”“你呀，真是个傻丫头，老是胆战心惊的，”大公主说，“难道你忘了，有多少王子已经枉费心机？这当兵的我甚至不用给他喝安眠药，他就睡得像死猪似的。”