And now the kings son and his six servants came to the town where the aged queen dwelt. He did not tell her who he was， but said， “If you will give me your beautiful daughter， I will perform any task you set me.” The sorceresssorceress n.女魔法师，女巫 was delighted to get such a handsome youth as this into her net， and said， “I will set you three tasks， and if you are able to perform them all， you shall be husband and master of my daughter.” “What is the first to be？” “You shall fetch me my ring which I have dropped into the red sea.” So the kings son went home to his servants and said， “The first task is not easy. A ring is to be got out of the red sea. come， find some way of doing it.” Then the man with the sharp sight said， “I will see where it is lying，” and looked down into the water and said， “It is hanging there， on a pointed stone.” The tall one carried them thitherthither adv.到那边， 向那方， and said， “I would soon get it out， if I could only see it.” “Oh， is that all.” cried the stout one， and lay down and put his mouth to the water， on which all the waves fell into it just as if it had been a whirlpoolwhirlpool n.漩涡， 涡流， 混乱， 纷乱， and he drank up the whole sea till it was as dry as a meadow. The tall one stoopedstoop vi.弯下， 弯下上身， 屈服， 弯腰， 堕落 down a little， and brought out the ring with his hand. Then the kings son rejoicedrejoice v.（使）欣喜， （使）高兴， 喜悦 when he had the ring， and took it to the old queen. She was astonished， and said， “Yes， it is the right ring. You have safely performed the first task， but now comes the second. Do you see the meadow in front of my palace？ Three hundred fat oxen are feeding there， and these must you eat， skin， hair， bones， horns and all， and down below in my cellar lie three hundred caskscask n.桶， 木桶 of wine， and these you must drink up as well， and if one hair of the oxen， or one little drop of the wine is left， your life will be forfeitedforfeit vt.没收， 丧失 to me.” “May I invite no guests to this repastrepast n.餐？” inquired the prince， “No dinner is good without some company.” The old woman laughed maliciouslymaliciously adv.有敌意地， and replied， “You may invite one for the sake of companionshipcompanionship n.交谊， 友谊， but no more.” 于是，王子领着自己的六个仆人，来到老女巫生活的城市。他没说他是谁，却讲：“您要肯把美丽的女儿嫁给我，我可以完成您交的任何事情。”老巫婆很高兴，又有一个漂亮小伙子落进了她的圈套中，便说：“我要给你出三个难题，你能每一个都解决了，我就把女儿许配于你。”“第一个是什么？”王子问。——“我扔了一枚戒指在红海里，你去给我拿来吧！”王子马上回到他仆人那儿，说：“第一件事情不容易，得从红海中捞回一只戒指，快出主意呵！”这时候，那个目光锐利的仆人说：“让我看看它掉在哪儿，”说着向红海深处望去，“在那儿，挂在一块尖尖的礁石上哩。”那高长子背他到海边，讲：“只要你看得见，我就能把它捞上来。”“就这点事，没问题。”大胖子嚷嚷着，立刻趴下身子，把嘴凑近海水。只见海浪就像跌落深涧似的涌进他嘴里，一会儿他已把大海喝干。高长子微微弯下腰，用一只手拾起戒指。王子拿到了戒指，非常高兴，把它呈给老巫婆。老婆子很惊讶，说：“不错，是原来那只。算你幸运，解决了第一个难题，可马上还有第二个。你瞧我宫前的草地上，那儿放牧着三百头肥牛，你得连皮带毛、连骨带角把它们通通吃掉；还有在下边地窖里存放着三百桶酒，你也得喝光它们。要是有一根牛毛和一小滴酒剩下来，我就要你的命！”“我可以请些客人吗？”王子问，“没人陪着，吃喝无味啊。”老婆子冷笑一声，回答说：“我准你请一个客人，让你有个伴，可多了不行。”
The kings son went to his servants and said to the stout one， “You shall be my guest today， and shall eat your fill.” Hereupon the stout one puffed himself up and ate the three hundred oxen without leaving one single hair， and then he asked if he was to have nothing but his breakfast. Then he drank the wine straight from the casks without feeling any need of a glass， and drained them down to their dregsdreg n.渣滓，糟粕。 When the meal was over， the prince went to the old woman， and told her that the second task also was performed. She wondered at this and said， “No one has ever done so much before， but one task still remains，” and she thought to herself， “You shall not escape me， and will not keep your head on your shoulders.” “This night，” said she， “I will bring my daughter to you in your chamber， and you shall put your arms round her， but when you are sitting there together， beware of falling asleep. When twelve oclock is striking， I will come， and if she is then no longer in your arms， you are lost.” The prince thought， “The task is easy， I will most certainly keep my eyes open.” Neverthelessnevertheless conj.然而， 不过 he called his servants， told them what the old woman had said， and remarked， “Who knows what treachery lurks behind this？ Foresight is a good thing — keep watch， and take care that the maiden does not go out of my room again.” When night fell， the old woman came with her daughter， and gave her into the princess arms， and then the tall one wound himself round the two in a circle， and the stout one placed himself by the door， so that no living creature could enter. There the two sat， and the maiden spoke never a word， but the moon shone through the window on her face， and the prince could behold her wondrouswondrous adj.令人惊奇的， 非常的 beauty.He did nothing but gaze at her， and was filled with love and happiness， and his eyes never felt weary|weary adj.疲倦的， 厌倦的， 令人厌烦的， 疲劳。 This lasted until eleven oclock， when the old woman cast such a spell over all of them that they fell asleep， and at the selfsame moment the maiden was carried away. 王子回到他的仆人那儿，对大胖子说：“今天你做我的客人，好好饱餐一顿。”胖子于是放大肚皮，吃掉了三百头肥牛，一根毫毛也没剩下，吃完后问早餐是否就这么点儿东西。那酒呢，他干脆抱着桶喝，根本用不着酒杯什么的，并且连最后一滴也用指甲刮起来吮干净了。吃完后，王子去见老巫婆，对她讲，第二个难题也已解决。巫婆大吃一惊，说：“还从来没谁做到这一步哩。不过还剩一个难题喽，”她心里嘀咕，“你逃不出我的手心，一定保不住你的脑袋！”她接着说：“今天晚上，我把我女儿领到你房里，你要用胳臂搂住她。你俩这么坐在一块儿，可当心别睡着啦！打十二点时我来察看，那会儿要是她已不在你的怀抱里，你就完了。”王子想：“这事儿容易，我要把眼睛睁得大大的。”尽管如此，他仍旧叫来仆人，告诉他们老太婆讲了什么，并且说：“谁知道这后边捣的什么鬼呢！小心总是好的，你们要守着，别让那姑娘再出我的房间。”夜晚到了，老婆子果然领来自己女儿，把她交到王子怀抱里。接着，高长子卷曲起身子，把他俩团团围住，大胖子朝门口一站，叫任何活人别想再挤进来。他俩就这么坐着，姑娘不说一句话。可这时月光透过窗户照着她的脸庞，让王子看清了她那仙女一般的美貌。他无所事事地一直望着她，心中充满了爱慕和喜悦。这样望着望着，他的眼睛慢慢疲倦了。快到十一点的时候，老婆子突然施出魔法，让他们全都睡着了，就在这一瞬间，姑娘也逃了出去。