斷地把一塊又一塊木頭扔進火裡。
It was turning slowly before the fire, and an elderly woman, as large and strong as if she had been a man in disguise, sat by, throwing one piece of wood after another into the flames.
“進來吧,” 她對王子說,“坐在火邊把自己烤乾。”
“e in,” she said to the prince; “sit down by the fire and dry yourself.”
“這裡有很大的穿堂風。” 王子說著在地上坐了下來。
“there is a great draught here,” said the prince, as he seated himself on the ground.
“等我的兒子們回來會更糟。” 女人回答說,“你現在在風之洞穴裡,我的兒子們是天堂的四風:你明白嗎?”
“It will be worse when my sons e home,” replied the woman; “you are now in the cavern of the winds, and my sons are the four winds of heaven: can you understand that?”
“你的兒子們在哪裡?” 王子問道。
“where are your sons?” asked the prince.
“愚蠢的問題很難回答。” 女人說。
“It is difficult to answer stupid questions,” said the woman.
“我的兒子們有很多事情要做;他們正在那邊國王的大廳裡用雲朵玩羽毛球呢。” 她指著上方說。
“my sons have plenty of business on hand; they are playing at shuttlecock with the clouds up yonder in the king’s hall,” and she pointed upwards.
“哦,真的嗎,” 王子說,“但是你說話更粗魯、更嚴厲,不像我習慣的那些女人那麼溫柔。”
“oh, indeed,” said the prince; “but you speak more roughly and harshly and are not so gentle as the women I am used to.”
“是的,那是因為她們沒別的事情可做;但是我必須嚴厲,才能管住我的兒子們,而且我能做到,儘管他們很任性。你看到牆上掛著的那四個口袋了嗎?嗯,他們非常害怕那些口袋,就像你過去害怕鏡子後面的老鼠一樣。我可以把我的兒子們捆在一起,把他們放進口袋裡,他們一點也不敢反抗,我告訴你。他們就待在那裡,在我允許他們出來之前不敢試圖出來。現在他們中的一個來了。”
“Yes, that is because they have nothing else to do; but I am obliged to be harsh,