Frau Trude

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Once upon a time there was a small girl who was strong willed and forward, and whenever her parents said anything to her, she disobeyed them. How could anything go well with her?

One day she said to her parents: "I have heard so much about Frau Trude. Someday I want to go to her place. People say such amazing things are seen there, and such strange things happen there, that I have become very curious.

Her parents strictly forbade her, saying: "Frau Trude is a wicked woman who commits godless acts. If you go there, you will no longer be our child.

But the girl paid no attention to her parents and went to Frau Trude's place anyway.

When she arrived there, Frau Trude asked: "Why are you so pale?"

"Oh," she answered, trembling all over, "I saw something that frightened me."

"What did you see?"

"I saw a black man on your steps."

"That was a charcoal burner."

"Then I saw a green man."

"That was a huntsman."

"Then I saw a blood-red man."

"That was a butcher."

"Oh, Frau Trude, it frightened me when I looked through your window and could not see you, but instead saw the devil with a head of fire."

"Aha!" she said. "So you saw the witch properly outfitted. I have been waiting for you and wanting you for a long time. Light the way for me now!"

With that she turned to girl into a block of wood and threw it into the fire. When it was thoroughly aglow she sat down next to it, and warmed herself by it, saying: "It gives such a bright light!"

从前，有个又固执好奇心又强的小姑娘，无论她父母要她干甚么她总是不服从。这样的孩子会有甚么好结果呢？

有一天她问父母：「我总听人们说起特鲁得太太，说她的一切都与众不同，她家里尽是些希奇古怪的东西。我太好奇了，哪天我一定得去看看。」她父母坚决反对，说：「特鲁得是个坏女人，尽干坏事。你要是去了就不是我们的孩子了。」可是姑娘并没因父母的阻止而回心转意。当她来到特鲁得太太家时，特鲁得问她：「你的脸色怎么这么苍白啊？」「唉呀，」她浑身发抖地回答说，「我被见到的那些东西吓坏了。」「你看到什么了？」「我在台阶上看到一个黑色的人。」「那是烧炭的。」「后来看到一个绿色的人。」「那是猎人。」「后来还看到一个血红血红的人。」「那是屠夫。」「唉呀，特鲁得太太，我从窗口望进来，看到的不是你，而是火头魔鬼本人。我不会看错的，真吓死了！」

「哦！」特鲁得说，「看来你的确看到了穿着平常服饰的巫婆了。我早就想要你了，已等了这么久，你可以让我这儿亮一点呢。」说罢将姑娘变成了一段木头，扔进了火堆。木头熊熊燃烧起来，巫婆靠近火堆取暖，说：「它亮一阵子就会熄灭的。」