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Children's Stories, Thumbelina - part 2

Thumbelina - part 2

How the tears stained her pretty little face! How fast they fell into the stream! Even the fish as they swam hither and thither thought, "How it rains to-day," as the tiny drops fell thick and fast. They popped up their heads and saw the forlorn little maiden.

"She shall not marry the ugly toad," they said, as they looked with eager eyes at the pretty child. "No, she shall not marry the ugly toad." But what could the little fish do to help Thumbelina?

Oh! they were such clever little fish!

They found the green stem which held the leaf on which Thumbelina sat. They bit it with their little sharp teeth, and they never stopped biting, till at last they bit the green stem through; and away, down the stream, floated the leaf, carrying with it little Thumbelina.

"Free, free!" she sang, and her voice tinkled as a chime of fairy bells. "Free, free!" she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far away out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son.

And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her.

Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her.

Now she was quite happy! Birds around her, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish?

She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly.

Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! he caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree.

Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too, for had she not lost her little friend the butterfly?

Would he fly away, she wondered, or would her sash hold him fast?

The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked.

But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, "She is not pretty at all." "She has only two legs," said one. "She has no feelers," said another. Some said she was too thin, others that she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, "How ugly she is, how ugly she is!" But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived.

And now the cockchafer who had flown off with little Thumbelina thought he had been rather foolish to admire her.

He looked at her again. "Pretty? No, after all she was not very pretty." He would have nothing to do with her, and away he and all the other chafers flew. Only first they carried little Thumbelina down from the tree and placed her on a daisy. She wept because she was so ugly—so ugly that the chafers could not live with her. But all the time, you know, she was the prettiest little maiden in the world.

She was living all alone in the wood now, but it was summer and she could not feel sad or lonely while the warm golden sunshine touched her so gently, while the birds sang to her, and the flowers bowed to her.

Yes, little Thumbelina was happy. She ate honey from the flowers, and drank dew out of the golden buttercups and danced and sang the livelong day.

But summer passed away and autumn came. The birds began to whisper of flying to warmer countries, and the flowers began to fade and hang their heads, and as autumn passed away, winter came, cold, dreary winter.

Thumbelina shivered with cold. Her little frock was thin and old. She would certainly be frozen to death, she thought, as she wrapped herself up in a withered leaf.

Then the snow began to fall, and each snowflake seemed to smother her. She was so very tiny.

Close to the wood lay a corn-field. The beautiful golden grain had been carried away long ago, now there was only dry short stubble. But to little Thumbelina the stubble was like a great forest.

She walked through the hard field. She was shaking with cold. All at once she saw a little door just before her. She looked again—yes, it was a door.

The field-mouse had made a little house under the stubble, and lived so cosily there. She had a big room full of corn, and she had a kitchen and pantry as well.

"Perhaps I shall get some food here," thought the cold and hungry little maiden, as she stood knocking at the door, just like a tiny beggar child. She had had nothing to eat for two long days. Oh, she was very hungry!

"What a tiny thing you are!" said the field-mouse, as she opened the door and saw Thumbelina. "Come in and dine with me." How glad Thumbelina was, and how she enjoyed dining with the field-mouse.

She behaved so prettily that the old field-mouse told her she might live with her while the cold weather lasted. "And you shall keep my room clean and neat, and you shall tell me stories," she added. That is how Thumbelina came to live with the field-mouse and to meet Mr. Mole.

"We shall have a visitor soon," said the field-mouse. "My neighbor, Mr. Mole, comes to see me every week-day. His house is very large, and he wears a beautiful coat of black velvet. Unfortunately, he is blind. If you tell him your prettiest stories he may marry you." Now the mole was very wise and very clever, but how could little Thumbelina ever care for him? Why, he did not love the sun, nor the flowers, and he lived in a house underground. No, Thumbelina did not wish to marry the mole.

However she must sing to him when he came to visit his neighbor the field-mouse. When she had sung "Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home," and "Boys and girls come out to play," the mole was charmed, and thought he would like to marry the little maiden with the beautiful voice. Then he tried to be very agreeable. He invited the field-mouse and Thumbelina to walk along the underground passage he had dug between their houses. Mr. Mole was very fond of digging underground.

As it was dark the mole took a piece of tinder-wood in his mouth and led the way. The tinder-wood shone like a torch in the dark passage.

A little bird lay in the passage, a little bird who had not flown away when the flowers faded and the cold winds blew.

It was dead, the mole said.

When he reached the bird, the mole stopped and pushed his nose right up through the ceiling to make a hole, through which the daylight might shine.

There lay the swallow, his wings pressed close to his side His little head and legs drawn in under his feathers. He had died of cold.

"Poor little swallow!" thought Thumbelina. All wild birds were her friends. Had they not sung to her and fluttered round her all the long glad summer days?

But the mole kicked the swallow with his short legs. "That one will sing no more," he said roughly. "It must be sad to be born a bird and to be able only to sing and fly. I am thankful none of my children will be birds," and he proudly smoothed down his velvet coat. "Yes," said the field-mouse; "what can a bird do but sing? When the cold weather comes it is useless." Thumbelina said nothing. Only when the others moved on, she stooped down and stroked the bird gently with her tiny hand, and kissed its closed eyes.


Thumbelina - part 2 Däumelinchen - Teil 2 Le Petit Poucet - partie 2 おやゆび姫 - パート2 Thumbelina - parte 2 拇指姑娘 - 一部分 2 拇指姑娘 - 一部分 2

How the tears stained her pretty little face! Jak slzy potřísnily její krásnou tvářičku! Как слезы запятнали ее милое личико! How fast they fell into the stream! Even the fish as they swam hither and thither thought, "How it rains to-day," as the tiny drops fell thick and fast. Даже рыба, плывущая туда-сюда, думала: «Как идет дождь сегодня», когда крошечные капли падали густо и быстро. 当小雨点密密麻麻地落下时,就连游来游去的鱼儿也在想:"今天的雨真大"。 They popped up their heads and saw the forlorn little maiden. Они подняли головы и увидели несчастную девицу.

"She shall not marry the ugly toad," they said, as they looked with eager eyes at the pretty child. «Она не выйдет замуж за уродливой жабы», - сказали они, глядя нетерпеливыми глазами на милого ребенка. "No, she shall not marry the ugly toad." But what could the little fish do to help Thumbelina?

Oh! they were such clever little fish!

They found the green stem which held the leaf on which Thumbelina sat. 他们找到了拇指姑娘坐着的那片绿叶的绿茎。 They bit it with their little sharp teeth, and they never stopped biting, till at last they bit the green stem through; and away, down the stream, floated the leaf, carrying with it little Thumbelina. Они кусали его своими маленькими острыми зубами и никогда не переставали кусать, пока, наконец, не укусили зеленый стебель; и прочь, вниз по течению, уплыл листок, неся с собой маленькую Дюймовочку. 它们用锋利的小牙齿咬着叶子,一直咬个不停,最后终于把绿色的茎咬穿了;叶子顺着小溪漂走了,带着小拇指姑娘。

"Free, free!" she sang, and her voice tinkled as a chime of fairy bells. "Free, free!" she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far away out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son. она весело пела, плывя вниз по течению, далеко, далеко от досягаемости уродливой старой жабы и ее уродливого сына.

And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her. И пока она плыла, вокруг нее пели маленькие дикие птицы, а на берегу кланялись ей маленькие дикие колокольчики. 当她漂浮在水面上时,小野鸟围着她歌唱,岸边的小野兔铃向她鞠躬。

Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. Бабочки порхали здесь и там на солнце. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. Довольно маленький белый развевался на листе, на котором сидела Дюймовочка. 一只漂亮的白色小鸟飞到了拇指姑娘坐着的那片叶子上。 He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her. Он так любил крошечную деву, что уселся рядом с ней. 他非常喜欢这个小姑娘,就在她身边安顿下来。

Now she was quite happy! Birds around her, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish? Что еще может желать маленькая Дюймовочка?

She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. 她脱下腰带,将其中一端绕着蝴蝶转了一圈。 The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly. Снова и снова плыли лист, маленькая дева и бабочка.

Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! he caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree. Он подлетел к ней, обнял ее коготь за ее крошечную талию и понес ее на дерево.

Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too, for had she not lost her little friend the butterfly? Как же она была огорчена тем, что не потеряла своего маленького друга бабочку?

Would he fly away, she wondered, or would her sash hold him fast? Интересно, он улетит, или ее крепко удержит его створка? 她想知道,他会飞走,还是会被她的腰带紧紧抓住?

The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. Он нежно положил ее на самый большой лист, который смог найти. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked. 他从花丛中采蜜给她喝,当她啜饮蜂蜜时,他坐在她身边,告诉她她看起来有多美。

But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, "She is not pretty at all." Но на дереве жили другие мальчики, и когда они пришли посмотреть на маленькую Дюймовочку, они сказали: «Она совсем не красивая». "She has only two legs," said one. "She has no feelers," said another. Some said she was too thin, others that she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, "How ugly she is, how ugly she is!" But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived. Но все время маленькая Дюймовочка была самой красивой, самой изящной маленькой девочкой, которая когда-либо жила. 但一直以来,小拇指姑娘都是有史以来最漂亮、最可爱的小姑娘。

And now the cockchafer who had flown off with little Thumbelina thought he had been rather foolish to admire her. И теперь жулик, улетевший с маленькой Дюймовочкой, подумал, что он был довольно глуп, чтобы восхищаться ею. 现在,那个带着小拇指姑娘飞走的小鸡鸡觉得自己欣赏她是一件非常愚蠢的事情。

He looked at her again. "Pretty? No, after all she was not very pretty." He would have nothing to do with her, and away he and all the other chafers flew. Он не будет иметь с ней ничего общего, и прочь он и все остальные люди полетели. 他不想和她有任何瓜葛,于是他和其他所有的皴虫都飞走了。 Only first they carried little Thumbelina down from the tree and placed her on a daisy. She wept because she was so ugly—so ugly that the chafers could not live with her. But all the time, you know, she was the prettiest little maiden in the world.

She was living all alone in the wood now, but it was summer and she could not feel sad or lonely while the warm golden sunshine touched her so gently, while the birds sang to her, and the flowers bowed to her. Теперь она жила одна в лесу, но было лето, и она не могла чувствовать грусти или одиночества, когда теплое золотое солнце коснулось ее так нежно, когда птицы пели ей, а цветы кланялись ей.

Yes, little Thumbelina was happy. She ate honey from the flowers, and drank dew out of the golden buttercups and danced and sang the livelong day. Она ела мёд с цветов, пила росу из золотых лютиков, танцевала и пела весь день.

But summer passed away and autumn came. The birds began to whisper of flying to warmer countries, and the flowers began to fade and hang their heads, and as autumn passed away, winter came, cold, dreary winter. 鸟儿开始窃窃私语,说要飞往温暖的国度,花儿开始凋谢,垂下了头,秋天过去了,冬天来了,寒冷、沉闷的冬天。

Thumbelina shivered with cold. Her little frock was thin and old. She would certainly be frozen to death, she thought, as she wrapped herself up in a withered leaf.

Then the snow began to fall, and each snowflake seemed to smother her. Затем начал падать снег, и каждая снежинка, казалось, душила ее. She was so very tiny.

Close to the wood lay a corn-field. Рядом с лесом лежало кукурузное поле. The beautiful golden grain had been carried away long ago, now there was only dry short stubble. Прекрасное золотое зерно было давно унесено, теперь была только сухая короткая стерня. But to little Thumbelina the stubble was like a great forest. Но для маленькой Дюймовочки щетина была как большой лес.

She walked through the hard field. Она прошла через трудное поле. She was shaking with cold. 她冻得瑟瑟发抖。 All at once she saw a little door just before her. Внезапно она увидела маленькую дверь прямо перед ней. She looked again—yes, it was a door.

The field-mouse had made a little house under the stubble, and lived so cosily there. Полевая мышь сделала маленький домик под щетиной и так уютно жила там. She had a big room full of corn, and she had a kitchen and pantry as well. У нее была большая комната, полная кукурузы, а также кухня и кладовая. 她有一个装满玉米的大房间,还有厨房和储藏室。

"Perhaps I shall get some food here," thought the cold and hungry little maiden, as she stood knocking at the door, just like a tiny beggar child. «Возможно, я принесу здесь немного еды», - подумала холодная и голодная дева, стоя, стучась в дверь, совсем как крошечный нищий ребенок. She had had nothing to eat for two long days. Ей было нечего есть два долгих дня. Oh, she was very hungry!

"What a tiny thing you are!" "Какая крошечная вещь ты!" said the field-mouse, as she opened the door and saw Thumbelina. "Come in and dine with me." How glad Thumbelina was, and how she enjoyed dining with the field-mouse.

She behaved so prettily that the old field-mouse told her she might live with her while the cold weather lasted. Она вела себя так мило, что старая полевая мышь сказала ей, что может жить с ней, пока длится холодная погода. "And you shall keep my room clean and neat, and you shall tell me stories," she added. «И вы должны содержать мою комнату в чистоте и порядке, и вы должны рассказывать мне истории», добавила она. "她还说:"你要把我的房间收拾得干干净净,还要给我讲故事。 That is how Thumbelina came to live with the field-mouse and to meet Mr. Mole. 拇指姑娘就这样和田鼠住在一起,并认识了鼹鼠先生。

"We shall have a visitor soon," said the field-mouse. "田鼠说:"我们很快就会有客人了。 "My neighbor, Mr. Mole, comes to see me every week-day. His house is very large, and he wears a beautiful coat of black velvet. Unfortunately, he is blind. If you tell him your prettiest stories he may marry you." Now the mole was very wise and very clever, but how could little Thumbelina ever care for him? Теперь крот был очень мудрым и очень умным, но как маленькая Дюймовочка могла заботиться о нем? Why, he did not love the sun, nor the flowers, and he lived in a house underground. No, Thumbelina did not wish to marry the mole.

However she must sing to him when he came to visit his neighbor the field-mouse. When she had sung "Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home," and "Boys and girls come out to play," the mole was charmed, and thought he would like to marry the little maiden with the beautiful voice. Когда она спела «Божья коровка, Божья коровка, улетай домой» и «Мальчики и девочки вышли играть», крот был очарован и подумал, что хотел бы жениться на маленькой девочке с красивым голосом. Then he tried to be very agreeable. He invited the field-mouse and Thumbelina to walk along the underground passage he had dug between their houses. Mr. Mole was very fond of digging underground. Мистер Моль очень любил копать под землей.

As it was dark the mole took a piece of tinder-wood in his mouth and led the way. Когда стемнело, крот взял кусок дерева во рту и повел вперед. The tinder-wood shone like a torch in the dark passage. Древесина сияла, как факел в темном коридоре.

A little bird lay in the passage, a little bird who had not flown away when the flowers faded and the cold winds blew. В коридоре лежала маленькая птичка, маленькая птичка, которая не улетела, когда цветы поблекли и подул холодный ветер.

It was dead, the mole said.

When he reached the bird, the mole stopped and pushed his nose right up through the ceiling to make a hole, through which the daylight might shine. Когда он добрался до птицы, крот остановился и протолкнул нос прямо через потолок, чтобы сделать дыру, через которую может светить дневной свет.

There lay the swallow, his wings pressed close to his side His little head and legs drawn in under his feathers. Там лежала ласточка, его крылья были прижаты к его боку. Его маленькая голова и ноги втянуты под его перья. He had died of cold.

"Poor little swallow!" thought Thumbelina. All wild birds were her friends. Had they not sung to her and fluttered round her all the long glad summer days? Разве они не пели ей и не трепетали вокруг нее все долгие радостные летние дни?

But the mole kicked the swallow with his short legs. Но родинка пнула ласточку своими короткими ногами. "That one will sing no more," he said roughly. «Этот больше не будет петь», грубо сказал он. "It must be sad to be born a bird and to be able only to sing and fly. «Должно быть грустно быть рожденным птицей и иметь возможность только петь и летать. I am thankful none of my children will be birds," and he proudly smoothed down his velvet coat. Я благодарен, что ни один из моих детей не будет птицей ", и он гордо расправил свой бархатный плащ. "Yes," said the field-mouse; "what can a bird do but sing? When the cold weather comes it is useless." Thumbelina said nothing. Only when the others moved on, she stooped down and stroked the bird gently with her tiny hand, and kissed its closed eyes.