The Princess and the Pea

公主和豌豆

Once there was a prince who was looking for a princess.

从前有一个王子，他想寻找一个公主作爱人，

But she must be a real princess. The prince went right round the world, and although he found several once upon a time the beautiful princesses, there was always something not quite right about them.

但是她必须是一位真正的公主。

王子在世界各地寻找，但是尽管他遇到了几个美丽的公主，他总是觉得她们还有些不如意。

In the end he came home, very disappointed. One night, there was the most terrible storm.

最后他失望地回到了家里，

有一天晚上发生了最可怕的暴风雨。

It thundered, it lightninged and the rain poured down in sheets.

天空打雷闪电，并且大雨倾盆。

The king and queen and prince sat round the fire toasting crumpets.

此时国王、王后和王子正围坐在火炉边烤煎饼。

Suddenly there was a ringing of the bell at the palace gates. Putting on his mackintosh, the king went to see who could be outside on such a dreadful night.

突然宫殿的门铃响了。国王披上雨衣，起身去看看这样可怕的夜晚有谁还会拜访。

When he opened the gates a princess was standing there. But what a sight she was! Water streamed off the ends of her long hair, ran down her clothes and into her shoes.

当他打开门时，发现一位公主站在门口。

看她狼狈的样子！

雨水从她的发梢流下来，沿着衣服流进鞋子里。

"You'd better come in," said the king, leading the princess into the palace where she stood, dripping, and not looking at all like a princess.

“你最好还是进来吧”国王说道，并把她领进宫殿，公主站在那里，浑身滴水，完全不像个公主。

"Yes, I am a princess," she assured them.

“我是一个公主。“她告诉他们。

The old queen was doubtful. "We'll soon see about that," she said to herself.

老王后有些疑虑。“我们很快会弄清楚的”，她自言细语道。

And she went to prepare the spare bed for their young visitor.

然后她去给年青的到访者预备床铺。

 First she took off all the bedding and then she laid a pea at the very bottom.

她先是揭开被褥，然后再床下放了一粒豌豆。

On top of the pea she put twenty mattresses and on top of the mattresses she put twenty feather beds.

王后在豌豆上铺了二十层床垫，在床垫上铺了二十层羽毛垫子。

The next morning the princess was asked how she had slept.

第二天早上，他们问公主睡得怎么样。

"I hardly slept a wink all night," she said. "The bed was desperately uncomfortable.

“我一晚几乎都没合眼“，她说，”床非常不舒服“。

There was something hard at the bottom of it and I'm sure I am bruised all over."

“床下有什么东西很硬，让我浑身难受。”

Now they knew she was a real princess. For no one but a princess would be able to feel a pea through twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds!

现在他们相信他是一个真正的公主了。因为除了公主，没有人会感到二十层床垫和二十层羽毛垫子下有一颗豌豆。

 The prince was thrilled to bits for he had already fallen in love with her. And they decided to be married.

王子惊喜地发现他已经爱上了公主，于是他们决定结婚。

As for the pea, well it was put into a museum where it may still be seen if no one has stolen it.

至于那粒豌豆，它被放进了博物馆，如果没有人偷走它，它现在应该还在那里。

                                                                        2012年7月5日上海