三个黑公主
East India was besiegedbesieged v.包围，围绕， 使烦恼 by an enemy who would not retire until he had received six hundred dollars. Then the townsfolktownsfolk n.市民， 市镇居民 caused it to be proclaimedproclaim vt.宣布， 声明， 显示， 显露 by beat of drum that whosoever was able to procure the money should be burgomasterburgomaster n.（荷兰， 德国， 奥地利的）市长。 Now there was a poor fisherman who fished on the sea with his son， and the enemy came and took the son prisoner， and gave the father six hundred dollars for him. So the father went and gave them to the great men of the town， and the enemy departed， and the fisherman became burgomaster. Then it was proclaimed that whosoever did not say “Mr. Burgomaster”， should be put to death on the gallowsgallows n.绞架， 绞刑。 东印度被敌人包围了，敌人索要六百元赔款，才肯退兵。城里于是击鼓宣布，谁能弄来所需的六百元钱，谁就可以当市长。当地有个穷苦渔民，带着儿子在海上打鱼时，敌人抓走了他的儿子，为此给了他六百元。现在他就去把这些钱交给城里的老爷们，于是敌军走了，渔夫当上了市长。当时还发出过通告：谁不称他为“市长大人”，谁就要被处以绞刑。
The son got away again from the enemy， and came to a great forest on a high mountain. The mountain opened， and he went into a great enchantedenchant vt.施魔法， 使迷惑 castle， wherein chairs， tables， and benches were all hung with black. Then came three young princesses who were dressed entirely in black， but had a little white on their faces. They told him he was not to be afraid， they would not hurt him， and that he could rescue them. He said he would gladly do that， if he did but know how. At this， they told him he must for a whole year not speak to them and also not look at them， and what he wanted to have he was just to ask for， and if they dareddare vt.敢冒， 不惧 give him an answer they would do so. When he had been there for a long while he said he should like to go to his father， and they told him he might go. He was to take with him this purse with money， put on this coat， and in a week he must be back there again. 这期间，他的儿子从敌人手里逃脱出来，跑到了一座高山上的大森林里。那山突然分开了，他走进一座着了魔的大宫殿中，里边的椅子、桌子、板凳全都罩着黑布。宫里住着三个公主，全身穿着黑衣服，只有脸上有一点点是白的。她们告诉他不用害怕，她们不会伤害他，因为他能够救她们。他回答，好的，他乐意救她们，只要他知道该怎么办。她们叫他一整年别跟她们讲话，也别细瞧她们。如果他需要什么，可以告诉她们，她们呢，能回答才回答。他在山里住了一些时候，一天他说他想去看自己父亲。她们回答，他可以去，只是得带上这个钱包，穿上这件衣服，并且八天内必须回来。
Then he was lifted up， and was instantly in East India. He could no longer find his father in the fishermans hut， and asked the people where the poor fisherman could be， and they told him he must not say that， or he would come to the gallows. Then he went to his father and said， “Fisherman， how have you got here.” Then the father said， “You must not say that， if the great men of the town knew of that， you would come to the gallows.” He， however， would not give in， and was brought to the gallows. When he was there， he said， “O， my masters， just give me leave to go to the old fishermans hut.” Then he put on his old smocksmock n.工作服， and came back to the great men， and said， “Do you not now see. Am I not the son of the poor fisherman. Did I not earn bread for my father and mother in this dress.” Hereupon his father knew him again， and begged his pardonpardon n.原谅， 宽恕， and took him home with him， and then related all that had happened to him， and how he had got into a forest on a high mountain， and the mountain had opened and he had gone into an enchanted castle， where all was black， and three young princesses had come to him who were black except a little white on their faces. And they had told him not to fear， and that he could rescue them. Then his mother said that might very likely not be a good thing to do， and that he ought to take a blessed candle with him， and drop some boiling waxwax n.蜡， 蜡状物， 增加， 月亮由亏转盈 on their faces. 这样，他被托到了空中，平安地到达了东印度。在渔舍里，他找不到自己的父亲，就问别人渔夫到哪儿去了。人家告诉他千万不能这么叫，不然会上绞架。他找到父亲那里，问：“渔夫，你怎么跑这儿来啦？”父亲回答：“快别这样叫我，让城里的老爷们听见了，你会被绞死。”可他不肯改口，结果就被押向绞架。在押到之前，他说：“老爷们啊，请允许我临死前再回老渔舍一趟吧！”到了那儿，他穿上原来的破衣衫，回去对那些人说：“你们请看，我是穷渔夫的儿子呀？我曾经就穿着这衣服，为父母亲挣钱！”他们这才认出他，请求他原谅，送他回到了家。在家里，他讲了自己的全部经历：他走到高山上的森林中，山突然分开了，他走进一座魔宫，里边一切陈设全是黑色的。这时出来三个公主，也是一身黑色，惟有脸上有一点点是白的。她们叫他别害怕，说他可以救她们。他的母亲听了，说那可能不是件好事，于是叫他带上一支供烛，让他滴一些热蜡到黑公主脸上。
He went back again， and he was in great fear， and he dropped the wax on their faces as they were sleeping， and they all turned halfwhite. Then all the three princesses sprang up， and said， “You accursedaccursed adj.被咒的， 可憎的 dog， our blood shall cry for vengeancevengeance n.复仇， 报仇 on you. Now there is no man born in the world， nor will any ever be born who can set us free. We have still three brothers who are bound by seven chains—they shall tear you to pieces.” Then there was a loud shrieking all over the castle， and he sprang out of the window， and broke his leg， and the castle sank into the earth again， the mountain closed again， and no one knew where the castle had stood.
青年回到魔宫里，心里有点儿害怕，碰上三位公主正在睡觉，就滴了一点蜡在她们脸上，突然，她们全都变白了一半。三个公主一下子跳起来，喝道：“你这该死的家伙，世界上现在没有，将来也不会有任何人能救我们啦！此仇不报，我们绝不甘休。我们还有三个兄弟，他们带着七条锁链；他们会把你撕得粉碎！”突然，整个宫殿内响起啸叫声，他刚好来得及跳出窗户，摔折了腿，宫殿却沉进地里，山又合拢了。从此，谁也不知道宫殿到了什么地方。