The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, "now all is over with us."

这会儿两个孩子也醒着，他们饿得睡不着，恰巧偷听到继母的话。格蕾特流着眼泪，伤心地对韩赛尔说：“这下我们完蛋了。”

"Be quiet, Gretel," said Hansel, "do not distress yourself, I will soon find a way to help us."

“小声点，格蕾特。”韩赛尔说，“别伤心，我一定会找到解决办法的。”

And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside.

等大人睡着以后，韩赛尔爬下床，穿上他的小外套，打开屋门，偷溜了出去。

The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in.

月光皎洁，屋子前面的白色鹅卵石在月光照耀下，如同硬币般散发着银光。韩赛尔俯身捡石头并放到自己的外套口袋里，直到口袋塞得满满的。

Then he went back and said to Gretel, "be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us," and he lay down again in his bed.

然后他回到房间对格蕾特说：“放心吧，亲爱的妹妹，安心睡觉，上帝不会抛弃我们的。”说完他便躺下睡觉。

When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying "get up, you sluggards. We are going into the forest to fetch wood."

天亮了，不过太阳还没升上来。继母走进来喊道：“快给我起床，你们这两条懒虫！今天我们要到森林里去捡柴。”

She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, "there is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else."

她递给每个孩子一小片面包并叮嘱道：“这是晚餐，你们不可以提前吃掉，吃完就没有了。”

Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest.

韩赛尔的口袋里装满了鹅卵石，所以格蕾特就把两片面包都放到她的围裙里。然后他们就一起出发前往森林。

When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again.

走不了多久，韩赛尔就停下脚步回头看房子，就这样走走停停。

His father said, "Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for. Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs."

父亲问：“韩赛尔，你一直回头看什么呢？干嘛一直走在后面？专心点，好好走路。”

"Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me."

韩赛尔回答：“哦，父亲，我在看我的小白猫，它坐在咱家屋顶上跟我告别呢！”

The wife said, "fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys."

继母插话了：“傻瓜，你看到的不是小猫，只不过是烟囱背面发光的太阳而已。”

Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.

韩赛尔确实没有在看猫，不过他每走一段路就从口袋中掏出一颗白色的鹅卵石扔到地上。

Next Chapter......>>

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（本文翻译：Frank）

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