纽约英语口语网新版
童话故事
第 1 课: The Little Sprite Cobbler 小 妖 鞋 匠-1

A cobbler, through no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he had nothing left to make shoes with except one piece of leather. 有 一 个 鞋 匠 很 穷 , 这 倒 不 是 由 于 他 自 己 的 过 错。最 后,穷 得 只 剩 下 一 块 做 鞋 的 皮 子 了 。

He cut it out and found it would make just one pair; then he went to bed and said his prayers. 他 把 皮 子 铰 下 来 , 发 现 它 刚 好 够 做 一 双 鞋,随 后 他 就 上 床 去 睡 觉,并 且 做 了 祷 告。

In the morning, when he had washed and dressed, he went to his table and prepared to work at his shoes, when, to his astonishment, he found them already made. 第 二 天 清 晨, 鞋 匠 漱 洗 完 毕, 穿 好 衣 服,走 到 工 作 台 前,打 算 做 鞋, 却 发 现 鞋 子 已 经 做 好,感 到 十 分 惊 讶 。 他 不 明 白 怎 么 会 出 了 这 样 的 事 。

He took the shoes in his hand and examined them. 他 把 鞋 拿 在 手 里,仔 细 查 看。

They were so carefully made that there was not a stitch in the wrong place.这 双 鞋 做 得 很 细 致。

A few minutes later a customer came in and was so pleased with the shoes that he paid more than the usual price for them, 过 了 一 会 儿 , 一 个 客 人 走 进 来。很 喜 欢 那 双 鞋,付 了 比 通 常 的 价 钱 更 多 的 钱 。

so that the cobbler now had enough money to buy leather for four more pairs. 鞋 匠 手 头 里 有 了 够 买 做 四 双 鞋 的 皮 子 的 钱 。

Early the next morning he found the four pairs finished; and so it went on,次 日 清 晨,他 发 现 四 双 鞋 又 做 好 了。

whatever he cut out overnight was made up by the morning, till in time his business became so prosperous that he was a well-to-do man.只 要 他 在 前 一 天 晚 上 铰 好 皮 子 , 第 二 早 晨 鞋 就 做 好 了 , 一 直 到 他 生 意 越 做 越 兴 隆 , 成 了 一 个 富 裕 的 人, 都 是 这 样。

Now it happened one evening, not long before Christmas, that the cobbler said to his wife before going to bed, 圣 诞 节 前 不 久,一 天 晚 上, 鞋 匠 临 睡 前 对 妻 子 说:

"Suppose we sit up tonight in order to see whose are the hands that have helped us so much." “我 想 看 看 是 谁 帮 我 们 了 这 么 大 的 忙 , 今 夜 我 们 别 睡 吧。”

The wife agreed and lit a candle; then they hid in a corner of the room behind some garments that were hung there, and watched. 妻 子 同 意 了, 她 点 上 一 支 蜡 烛 , 他 们 俩 躲 在 屋 角 挂 着 的 长 衣 服 后 面 看 着 。