THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER 小矮人和鞋匠
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest:
从前有一位鞋匠，他工作非常努力且为人十分诚实：
but still he could not earn enough to live upon;
但仍然挣不到足够的钱维持生活；
and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.
最后他在这世上的一切都没了，只剩下刚好能做一双鞋的皮革。
Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work.
于是他把皮革裁好，准备第二天制作，打算一早就起来干活。
His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles;
尽管身处困境，他仍然问心无愧、心情轻松；
so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep.
他安然地上床睡觉，把一切忧虑交托给上天，很快就入睡了。
In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work;
第二天早晨祷告之后，他坐下来准备工作；
when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table.
却惊奇地发现桌上已经摆着一双做好的鞋。
The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening.
这老实人面对这件怪事，不知说什么、想什么才好。
He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job;
他细看做工，整双鞋没有一针是错的；
all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.
所有针脚都整齐准确，简直是一件杰作。
The same day a customer came in, and the shoes suited him so well that he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them;
当天就有顾客上门，鞋非常合脚，他欣然付给比平时更高的价钱；
and the poor shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more.
于是穷鞋匠用这笔钱买了足够再做两双鞋的皮革。
In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might get up and begin betimes next day;
傍晚他又裁好料，早早睡下，想第二天早点开工；
but he was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand.
可他却省了事，因为早晨起床时活已经干完了。
Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more.
很快又有买主上门，慷慨付账，他便又买了够做四双鞋的皮革。
He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning, as before;
他晚上再次裁好料，第二天早晨又发现活已完毕；
and so it went on for some time: what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak,
如此持续了一段时间：凡是晚上备好的材料，天亮前一定完成，
and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.
这好人很快又兴旺富裕起来。
One evening, about Christmas-time, as he and his wife were sitting over the fire chatting together,
一个圣诞前夕的晚上，他和妻子围炉闲谈，
he said to her, 'I should like to sit up and watch tonight, that we may see who it is that comes and does my work for me.'
他对妻子说：“咱们今晚熬着看看是谁来替我干活吧。”
The wife liked the thought; so they left a light burning, and hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind a curtain that was hung up there, and watched what would happen.
妻子觉得这个主意好；于是他们留了一盏灯，躲在房间角落的帘子后面，看会发生什么事。
As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs;
午夜一到，进来了两个赤裸的小矮人；
and they sat themselves upon the shoemaker's bench, took up all the work that was cut out, and began to ply with their little fingers, stitching and rapping and tapping away at such a rate, that the shoemaker was all wonder, and could not take his eyes off them.
他们坐到鞋匠的工作凳上，拿起裁好的材料，用灵巧的小手指飞针走线，敲敲打打，速度之快让鞋匠看得目瞪口呆，眼睛一刻也离不开。
And on they went, till the job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table.
他们一直忙到全部完工，桌上已摆好一双双做好的鞋。
This was long before daybreak; and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.
这时离天亮还早，他们便像闪电一样匆匆离去。
The next day the wife said to the shoemaker, 'These little wights have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good turn if we can.
第二天妻子对鞋匠说：“这些小精灵让我们富裕起来，我们应当感谢他们，若有机会也应帮他们一把。
I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; and indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold.
我实在不忍心看他们这样光着身子跑来跑去；确实也不成体统，因为他们没衣服御寒。
I'll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.'
这样吧，我给他们每人做一件衬衫、一件外套和一件背心，外加一条长裤；你再给他们每人做一双小鞋。
The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; and one evening, when all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves would do.
鞋匠觉得这主意极好；一天晚上，他们把准备好的衣物摆在桌上，而不是往常裁好的材料，然后躲起来看小精灵会怎么做。
About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual;
大约午夜，他们蹦蹦跳跳地进来，在屋里转了一圈，然后像往常一样坐下准备工作；
but when they saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed mightily delighted.
但当他们看到为自己准备的衣物时，开心地笑了起来，高兴得不得了。
Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about, as merry as could be;
他们眨眼间就穿好衣服，又跳又蹦，欢快极了；
till at last they danced out at the door, and away over the green.
最后他们舞出门口，越过草地，消失不见。
The good couple saw them no more; but everything went well with them from that time forward, as long as they lived.
这对善良的夫妻再也没见到他们；但从那以后，他们一生都顺顺利利。