英文
The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces
There was once upon a time a King who had twelve daughters, each one more beautiful than the other. They all slept together in one chamber, in which their beds stood side by side, and every night when they were in them the King locked the door, and bolted it. But in the morning when he unlocked the door, he saw that their shoes were worn out with dancing, and no one could find out how that had come to pass. Then the King caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever could discover where they danced at night, should choose one of them for his wife and be King after his death, but that whosoever came forward and had not discovered it within three days and nights, should have forfeited his life. It was not long before a King's son presented himself, and offered to undertake the enterprise. He was well received, and in the evening was led into a room adjoining the princesses' sleeping-chamber. His bed was placed there, and he was to observe where they went and danced, and in order that they might do nothing secretly or go away to some other place, the door of their room was left open.
But the eyelids of the prince grew heavy as lead, and he fell asleep, and when he awoke in the morning, all twelve had been to the dance, for their shoes were standing there with holes in the soles. On the second and third nights it fell out just the same, and then his head was struck off without mercy. Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise, but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier, who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to the town where the King lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going.“I hardly know myself,”answered he, and added in jest,“I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their shoes into holes, and thus become King.”
“That is not so difficult,”said the old woman,“you must not drink the wine which will be brought to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep.”With that she gave him a little cloak, and said,“If you put on that, you will be invisible, and then you can steal after the twelve.”When the soldier had received this good advice, he went into the thing in earnest, took heart, went to the King, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that evening at bed-time into the ante-chamber, and as he was about to go to bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking a drop. Then he lay down and when he had lain a while, he began to snore, as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that, and laughed, and the eldest said,“He, too, might as well have saved his life.”With that they got up, opened wardrobes, presses, cupboards, and brought out pretty dresses; dressed themselves before the mirrors, sprang about, and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest said,“I know not how it is; you are very happy, but I feel very strange; some misfortune is certainly about to befall us.”
“You are a goose, who art always frightened,”said the eldest.“Have you forgotten how many Kings' sons have already come here in vain? I had hardly any need to give the soldier a sleeping-draught, in any case the clown would not have awakened.”When they were all ready they looked carefully at the soldier, but he had closed his eyes and did not move or stir, so they felt themselves quite secure. The eldest then went to her bed and tapped it; it immediately sank into the earth, and one after the other they descended through the opening, the eldest going first. The soldier, who had watched everything, tarried no longer, put on his little cloak, and went down last with the youngest. Half-way down the steps, he just trod a little on her dress; she was terrified at that, and cried out,“What is that? who is pulling at my dress?”
“Don't be so silly!”said the eldest,“you have caught it on a nail.”Then they went all the way down, and when they were at the bottom, they were standing in a wonderfully pretty avenue of trees, all the leaves of which were of silver, and shone and glistened. The soldier thought,“I must carry a token away with me,”and broke off a twig from one of them, on which the tree cracked with a loud report. The youngest cried out again.“Something is wrong, did you hear the crack?”But the eldest said,“It is a gun fired for joy, because we have got rid of our prince so quickly.”After that they came into an avenue where all the leaves were of gold, and lastly into a third where they were of bright diamonds; he broke off a twig from each, which made such a crack each time that the youngest started back in terror, but the eldest still maintained that they were salutes. They went on and came to a great lake whereon stood twelve little boats, and in every boat sat a handsome prince, all of whom were waiting for the twelve, and each took one of them with him, but the soldier seated himself by the youngest. Then her prince said,“I can't tell why the boat is so much heavier to-day; I shall have to row with all my strength, if I am to get it across.”
“What should cause that,”said the youngest,“but the warm weather? I feel very warm too.”On the opposite side of the lake stood a splendid, brightly-lit castle, from whence resounded the joyous music of trumpets and kettle-drums. They rowed over there, entered, and each prince danced with the girl he loved, but the soldier danced with them unseen, and when one of them had a cup of wine in her hand he drank it up, so that the cup was empty when she carried it to her mouth; the youngest was alarmed at this, but the eldest always made her be silent. They danced there till three o'clock in the morning when all the shoes were danced into holes, and they were forced to leave off; the princes rowed them back again over the lake, and this time the soldier seated himself by the eldest. On the shore they took leave of their princes, and promised to return the following night. When they reached the stairs the soldier ran on in front and lay down in his bed, and when the twelve had come up slowly and wearily, he was already snoring so loudly that they could all hear him, and they said,“So far as he is concerned, we are safe.”They took off their beautiful dresses, laid them away, put the worn-out shoes under the bed, and lay down. Next morning the soldier was resolved not to speak, but to watch the wonderful goings on, and again went with them a second and a third night. Then everything was done just as it had been done the first time, and each time they danced until their shoes were worn to pieces. But the third time he took a cup away with him as a token. When the hour had arrived for him to give his answer, he took the three twigs and the cup, and went to the King, but the twelve stood behind the door, and listened for what he was going to say. When the King put the question,“Where have my twelve daughters danced their shoes to pieces in the night?”he answered,“In an underground castle with twelve princes,”and related how it had come to pass, and brought out the tokens. The King then summoned his daughters, and asked them if the soldier had told the truth, and when they saw that they were betrayed, and that falsehood would be of no avail, they were obliged to confess all. Thereupon the King asked which of them he would have to wife? He answered,“I am no longer young, so give me the eldest.”Then the wedding was celebrated on the self-same day, and the kingdom was promised him after the King's death. But the princes were bewitched for as many days as they had danced nights with the twelve.
中文
跳舞跳破了的鞋
从前有一个国王，他有十二个女儿，长得一个比一个漂亮。她们一起睡在一个大厅里，一张张卧床并排摆着。晚上，她们上床后，国王亲自来锁门，还上了门闩。可是第二天早晨他开门时，总是发现女儿们的鞋跳舞跳破了，谁也不知道这是怎么回事。于是国王发出通告：谁能三天三夜时间探查出她们夜间在哪里跳舞，就可以从她们中间挑选一个作妻子，并可在他去世后继承王位；但若报名后三天三夜查不出来，他也就活不成了。不久便有一位王子前来冒险一试。他受到殷勤接待，晚上被人领到紧挨着大卧室的一间房间里去。他的床铺就在那房间里面，他得留神她们去哪里跳舞；为了不让她们背地里耍什么花招，或跑到别处去，大卧室的门敞开着。
可是王子觉得眼皮铅一样的沉重，他睡着了，第二天早晨他睡醒的时候，十二个公主都已经跳过舞了，她们的鞋底子都跳舞跳破了。第二夜、第三夜也是如此，那个王子被毫不留情地砍掉了脑袋。后来又有许多人报名来干这种冒险的事，他们一个个全都丢了性命。碰巧有个穷当兵的受了伤，不能在军中服役，在前往国王所在的城市途中遇见一个老妇人，她问他要去哪儿。“我自己也不知道，”他说，又开玩笑接着说，“我倒很想去探查探查那些公主在哪里跳舞跳得鞋都跳破了，将来好当国王。”
“这并不难办，”老妇人说，“你不能喝晚上给你端去的酒，要装出熟睡的样子。”接着，她又给他一件外衣，说：“披上它，谁也看不见你，你就可以悄悄尾随那十二个人了。”那当兵的得到这个好主意，竟认真起来，下决心以求婚者的身份应征去见国王。他像别人一样受到很好的接待，穿上了王室的服装。晚上快就寝的时候，有人带他进入卧室，他正要上床，大公主给他送来了一杯酒，他事先在下巴底下系了一块海绵，一滴酒也没喝，全都倒在海绵上。他躺下，过一会儿，发出像睡熟的人那样的鼾声。十二个公主听见，都笑了，大公主说：“这个人分明是来送死啊。”随后她们都起来打开衣箱、柜橱，取出华丽的衣裳，照着镜子打扮，跳来跳去，为就要去参加舞会感到十分高兴。只有年纪最小的公主说：“不知道是什么缘故，你们都这么高兴，可我有一种异样的感觉，觉得会有祸事。”
“你是个小傻瓜，”大公主说，“总是前怕狼后怕虎。你忘了有多少王子在这儿待过，都不管用？这个大兵我不给他安睡药酒喝，他也会睡得像死人一样。”她们全都打扮整齐了，才去看一眼那个当兵的。他双目紧闭，一动不动，她们认为不会有问题了。于是大公主走过去敲几下她的卧床，那张床就陷入地下去，她们由大公主领头鱼贯从那入口进去。那个当兵的把这一切都看在眼里，他不再犹豫，披上他那件外衣紧跟在小公主后面也下去了。还没下完梯级，他不小心踩着了小公主的裙子，小公主吓了一跳，大叫：“谁？谁拽我的裙子？”
“别冒傻气了，”大公主说，“你是给钩子挂了一下。”她们全都走完了梯级，到了地底下，走在一条奇妙的林荫道上，那里的树叶都是银的，闪烁放亮。当兵的想：“得拿点东西作凭证。”便折了一枝树枝，树上咔嚓一声响，小公主又喊：“不对头，你们听见响声了吗？”大公主说：“那是在鸣枪庆贺，因为我们很快就能把王子们解救出来了。”接着她们来到另一条林荫道上，那里的树叶都是金的。最后走到第三条林荫道上，那里的树叶都是晶莹的钻石，当兵的从后面两条林荫道上各折了一枝树枝，每次咔嚓一声响，都吓得小公主发抖，但大公主都说这是欢庆的枪声。她们一直走到一条大河畔，河边有十二条小船，每一条小船里有一位英俊的王子在等候着她们。他们每人接一位公主到自己的船上，当兵的和小公主登上同一条船。船上那个王子说：“不知道为什么今天这船沉得多，我得用尽全身力气划船才能前进。”
“怎么会这样呢，”小公主说，“大概是天热的缘故吧，我也觉得心里烦躁。”河对岸有一座美丽的宫殿，灯火辉煌，宫中响起鼓点和喇叭的欢快的音乐声。他们划船过河，走进宫殿，每位王子和自己的心上人共舞；那当兵的也一块儿跳舞，但没人看得见他。哪个公主手里拿着一只盛着葡萄酒的酒杯，他就把这杯酒喝了，公主把酒杯端到唇边时，那已是一只空酒杯。小公主感到惊恐，但大公主不让她声张。她们一直跳舞跳到凌晨三点，鞋底都跳破了，只好停下。众王子划船送她们过河，这一次那当兵的在前面坐上大公主那条船。公主们在河岸边和王子们告别，答应夜里还要再去。她们踏上阶梯的时候，那个当兵的跑在前面，躺倒在床上，十二个公主疲惫地慢悠悠爬上来时，他又大声打鼾，公主们听了说：“这个人坏不了我们的事。”于是她们脱下美丽的衣裳，放到一边，把跳舞跳破了的鞋放在床下，然后躺下睡觉。第二天早晨当兵的什么也不说，他准备再跟着去看看这种稀罕事，第二夜第三夜他都随公主们前往。一切都同第一夜一样，每次她们都要跳舞跳到鞋破方休。第三次那当兵的拿了一只酒杯作为凭证。到了该他去回复国王的时候，他把三根树枝、一只酒杯藏在身上，去见国王，十二个公主站在门后听他说些什么。国王问：“我的十二个女儿夜间在哪里跳舞跳破了鞋？”他回答说：“和十二个王子一起在一座地下宫殿里跳舞。”他接着报告事情经过，并拿出物证。国王叫公主们出来，问她们当兵的所说的是不是事实，她们见事情已经暴露，抵赖毫无用处，只好全部承认。随后国王问他想要哪个公主做妻子，他回答说：“我年纪不小了，把大公主许配给我吧。”于是当天举行婚礼，国王允诺自己去世后由他继承王位。但是被施了魔法的王子们还不能得到解救，得过了同公主们跳舞一样多的夜晚的天数才行。
