A mother sat there with her little child. She was so downcast, so afraid that it should die! It was so pale, the small eyes had closed themselves, and it drew its breath so softly, now and then, with a deep respiration, as if it sighed; and the mother looked still more sorrowfully on the little creature.
一位母亲带着她的小孩子坐在那里。她是如此的沮丧，所以 怕它该死！脸色苍白，小眼睛闭上了 它自己，时不时轻轻地吸一口气，带着一种 深呼吸，仿佛叹息；母亲看起来更加 为这个小生灵感到悲伤。
Then a knocking was heard at the door, and in came a poor old man wrapped up as in a large horse-cloth, for it warms one, and he needed it, as it was the cold winter season! Everything out-of-doors was covered with ice and snow, and the wind blew so that it cut the face.
这时，有人敲门，进来了一位可怜的老人。 就像裹在一块大马布里一样，因为这样可以保暖，而他需要 原来，那是寒冷的冬季啊！户外的一切都是 冰天雪地，风吹得脸都刮破了。
As the old man trembled with cold, and the little child slept a moment, the mother went and poured some ale into a pot and set it on the stove, that it might be warm for him; the old man sat and rocked the cradle, and the mother sat down on a chair close by him, and looked at her little sick child that drew its breath so deep, and raised its little hand.
当老人冻得发抖，小孩睡了一会儿时， 母亲走过去，往锅里倒了一些啤酒，然后把它放在炉子上， 使他感到温暖；老人坐下来摇摇篮， 母亲在他旁边的一张椅子上坐下，看着她 生病的小孩子，深深地吸了一口气，举起了小孩子 手。
“Do you not think that I shall save him?” said she. “Our Lord will not take him from me!”
“你不觉得我会救他吗？”她说。 “我们的主不会 把他从我身边带走！”
And the old man--it was Death himself--he nodded so strangely, it could just as well signify yes as no. And the mother looked down in her lap, and the tears ran down over her cheeks; her head became so heavy--she had not closed her eyes for three days and nights; and now she slept, but only for a minute, when she started up and trembled with cold.
而那位老人——那就是死神本人——他奇怪地点点头，这可能是 既表示“是”也表示“否”。母亲低头看着她的腿， 泪水从她的脸颊上流下来；她的头变得如此沉重——她 三天三夜没有合眼；现在她睡着了， 但只持续了一分钟，她就惊醒并冻得发抖。
“What is that?” said she, and looked on all sides; but the old man was gone, and her little child was gone--he had taken it with him; and the old clock in the corner burred, and burred, the great leaden weight ran down to the floor, bump! and then the clock also stood still.
“那是什么？”她一边说着，一边环顾四周。但老人是 走了，她的小孩子也走了——他把它带走了。和 角落里的旧钟毛刺了，毛刺了，巨大的铅锤跑了 摔到地板上，撞！然后时钟也静止了。
But the poor mother ran out of the house and cried aloud for her child.
但可怜的母亲跑出家门，大声哭泣着寻找她的孩子。
Out there, in the midst of the snow, there sat a woman in long, black clothes; and she said, “Death has been in thy chamber, and I saw him hasten away with thy little child; he goes faster than the wind, and he never brings back what he takes!”
那里，在雪地中央，坐着一个穿着长长的黑衣的女人。 衣服；她说：“死亡已经在你的房间里了，我看见了他 带着你的小孩子赶紧走吧；他走得比风还快，而且他 永远不会拿回他所拿走的东西！”
“Oh, only tell me which way he went!” said the mother. “Tell me the way, and I shall find him!”
“噢，告诉我他往哪条路走！”母亲说。 “告诉我路， 我会找到他的！
“I know it!” said the woman in the black clothes. “But before I tell it, thou must first sing for me all the songs thou hast sung for thy child! I am fond of them. I have heard them before; I am Night; I saw thy tears whilst thou sang'st them!”
“我知道这！”黑衣女子说道。 “但在我说之前， 你必须先把你为你的孩子唱过的所有歌曲都唱给我听！ 我很喜欢他们。我以前听过他们；我是黑夜；我看见你的泪水 当你唱歌的时候！
“I will sing them all, all!” said the mother. “But do not stop me now--I may overtake him--I may find my child!”
“我会把它们全部唱出来，全部！”母亲说。 “但是现在别阻止我——我 可能会追上他——我可能会找到我的孩子！”
But Night stood still and mute. Then the mother wrung her hands, sang and wept, and there were many songs, but yet many more tears; and then Night said, “Go to the right, into the dark pine forest; thither I saw Death take his way with thy little child!”
但夜却一动不动地站着，一言不发。然后母亲绞着双手，唱了起来 哭了，唱了很多歌，但泪水更多；然后 夜晚说：“向右走，进入黑暗的松树林；在那里我看到 死神带着你的孩子走吧！”
The roads crossed each other in the depths of the forest, and she no longer knew whither she should go! then there stood a thorn-bush; there was neither leaf nor flower on it, it was also in the cold winter season, and ice-flakes hung on the branches.
森林深处的道路相互交叉，她没有 不再知道她该去哪里！那里矗立着一丛荆棘丛； 上面既没有叶子也没有花，也是在寒冷的冬天 季节到了，树枝上挂满了冰花。
“Hast thou not seen Death go past with my little child?” said the mother.
“你没有看到死神和我的孩子一起走过吗？”说 妈妈。
“Yes,” said the thorn-bush; “but I will not tell thee which way he took, unless thou wilt first warm me up at thy heart. I am freezing to death; I shall become a lump of ice!”
“是的，”荆棘丛说。 “但我不会告诉你他走了哪条路， 除非你先用你的心温暖我。我快冻死了； 我会变成一块冰块！”
And she pressed the thorn-bush to her breast, so firmly, that it might be thoroughly warmed, and the thorns went right into her flesh, and her blood flowed in large drops, but the thornbush shot forth fresh green leaves, and there came flowers on it in the cold winter night, the heart of the afflicted mother was so warm; and the thorn-bush told her the way she should go.
她把荆棘丛紧紧地贴在胸前，这样它就可以 彻底变暖，荆棘直接刺入她的肉里，她 鲜血大滴地流淌，但荆棘丛却喷出了新绿 叶子，在寒冷的冬夜里开满了花朵，心 患难的母亲的心是那么温暖；荆棘丛告诉了她路 她应该走了。
She then came to a large lake, where there was neither ship nor boat. The lake was not frozen sufficiently to bear her; neither was it open, nor low enough that she could wade through it; and across it she must go if she would find her child! Then she lay down to drink up the lake, and that was an impossibility for a human being, but the afflicted mother thought that a miracle might happen nevertheless.
然后她来到了一个大湖边，湖里没有船，也没有船。 湖水结冰程度不够，无法容纳她。也没有开放， 也没有低到她可以涉水而过；她必须穿过它 如果她能找到她的孩子就好了！然后她躺下来喝湖水，然后 这对人类来说是不可能的，但这位饱受折磨的母亲 尽管如此，他还是认为奇迹可能会发生。
“Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!” said the weeping mother; and she wept still more, and her eyes sunk down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls; but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite side, where there stood a mile-broad, strange house, one knew not if it were a mountain with forests and caverns, or if it were built up; but the poor mother could not see it; she had wept her eyes out.
“哦，为了我的孩子，我愿意付出什么！”哭泣者说 母亲；她哭得更厉害了，她的眼睛陷进了深渊。 水，变成了两颗珍贵的珍珠；但水把她托起， 她仿佛坐在秋千上，在摇曳的波浪中飞向岸边 对面，有一英里宽的奇怪房子， 不知道这是一座有森林和洞穴的山，还是 建立起来；但可怜的母亲却看不到。她的眼睛流泪了 出来。
“Where shall I find Death, who took away my little child?” said she.
“我到哪里才能找到带走我孩子的死亡呢？”她说。
“He has not come here yet!” said the old grave woman, who was appointed to look after Death's great greenhouse! “How have you been able to find the way hither? And who has helped you?”
“他还没来！”那位被任命为坟墓的老妇人说道 照顾死亡的大温室！ “你是怎么找到 到这里的路？还有谁帮助过你？”
“OUR LORD has helped me,” said she. “He is merciful, and you will also be so! Where shall I find my little child?”
“我们的主帮助了我，”她说。 “他是仁慈的，你也会 就这样吧！我到哪里才能找到我的小孩子呢？”
“Nay, I know not,” said the woman, “and you cannot see! Many flowers and trees have withered this night; Death will soon come and plant them over again! You certainly know that every person has his or her life's tree or flower, just as everyone happens to be settled; they look like other plants, but they have pulsations of the heart. Children's hearts can also beat; go after yours, perhaps you may know your child's; but what will you give me if I tell you what you shall do more?”
“不，我不知道，”女人说，“你看不见！很多花和 今夜树木都枯萎了；死亡很快就会来临并将它们栽种在上面 又来了！你当然知道每个人都有他或她的生命之树 或花开，恰逢大家恰巧安顿下来；他们看起来和其他人一样 植物，但它们有心脏的搏动。孩子们的心可以 也打；追寻你的，也许你可能知道你孩子的；但是什么 如果我告诉你你还要做什么，你愿意给我吗？
“I have nothing to give,” said the afflicted mother, “but I will go to the world's end for you!”
“我没有什么可以给予，”痛苦的母亲说道，“但我会去 世界末日对你来说！”
“Nay, I have nothing to do there!” said the woman. “But you can give me your long black hair; you know yourself that it is fine, and that I like! You shall have my white hair instead, and that's always something!”
“不，我在那里没什么可做的！”女人说。 “但是你可以给 我是你长长的黑发；你自己知道这很好，而且 我喜欢！你将拥有我的白发，而这永远是 有什么东西！
“Do you demand nothing else?” said she. “That I will gladly give you!” And she gave her her fine black hair, and got the old woman's snow-white hair instead.
“你没有别的要求吗？”她说。 “我很乐意给你！” 她给了她一头乌黑的秀发，得到了老太婆雪白的头发。 头发代替。
So they went into Death's great greenhouse, where flowers and trees grew strangely into one another. There stood fine hyacinths under glass bells, and there stood strong-stemmed peonies; there grew water plants, some so fresh, others half sick, the water-snakes lay down on them, and black crabs pinched their stalks. There stood beautiful palm-trees, oaks, and plantains; there stood parsley and flowering thyme: every tree and every flower had its name; each of them was a human life, the human frame still lived--one in China, and another in Greenland--round about in the world. There were large trees in small pots, so that they stood so stunted in growth, and ready to burst the pots; in other places, there was a little dull flower in rich mould, with moss round about it, and it was so petted and nursed. But the distressed mother bent down over all the smallest plants, and heard within them how the human heart beat; and amongst millions she knew her child's.
于是他们走进了死亡的大温室，那里长满了鲜花和树木 彼此奇怪地成长在一起。玻璃下立着精美的风信子 钟声四起，牡丹花立。那里生长着水生植物， 有些很新鲜，有些有些病了，水蛇躺在他们身上， 黑蟹捏住了它们的茎。那里矗立着美丽的棕榈树， 橡树和大蕉；那里有欧芹和开花的百里香：每棵树 每朵花都有它的名字；他们每个人都是一个人的生命，人类 框架仍然存在——一个在中国，另一个在格陵兰岛——周围 在世界上。小盆里有大树，所以它们矗立着 生长发育迟缓，随时可能爆裂。在其他地方， 那里有一朵发霉的小花，周围长满青苔， 它被如此宠爱和照顾。但心疼的妈妈弯下了腰 超越所有最小的植物，并在其中听到人类的心脏如何 击败；在数百万人中，她认识她的孩子。
“There it is!” cried she, and stretched her hands out over a little blue crocus, that hung quite sickly on one side.
“就是这里了！”她喊道，伸出双手遮住一点蓝色 番红花，病态地挂在一侧。
“Don't touch the flower!” said the old woman. “But place yourself here, and when Death comes--I expect him every moment--do not let him pluck the flower up, but threaten him that you will do the same with the others. Then he will be afraid! He is responsible for them to OUR LORD, and no one dares to pluck them up before HE gives leave.”
“别碰这花！”老妇人说。 “但是把自己放在这里， 当死亡来临时——我每时每刻都在期待着他——不要让他采摘 把花举起来，但威胁他你也会对他做同样的事 其他人。那么他就会害怕！他要向我们的主负责， 在他允许之前，没有人敢把它们拔起来。”
All at once an icy cold rushed through the great hall, and the blind mother could feel that it was Death that came.
突然间，一股冰冷的气息席卷整个大厅，盲人 母亲能感觉到死神来了。
“How hast thou been able to find thy way hither?” he asked. “How couldst thou come quicker than I?”
“你是怎么找到这里的路的？”他问道。 “怎么可能 你比我来得快吗？”
“I am a mother,” said she.
“我是一位母亲，”她说。
And Death stretched out his long hand towards the fine little flower, but she held her hands fast around his, so tight, and yet afraid that she should touch one of the leaves. Then Death blew on her hands, and she felt that it was colder than the cold wind, and her hands fell down powerless.
死神向那朵美丽的小花伸出了长长的手， 但她紧紧地握住他的手，那么紧，却又害怕 她应该触摸其中一片叶子。然后死神吹到了她的手上， 她感觉比寒风还冷，手垂了下来 无能为力。
“Thou canst not do anything against me!” said Death.
“你不能对我做什么！”死神说道。
“But OUR LORD can!” said she.
“但我们的主可以！”她说。
“I only do His bidding!” said Death. “I am His gardener, I take all His flowers and trees, and plant them out in the great garden of Paradise, in the unknown land; but how they grow there, and how it is there I dare not tell thee.”
“我只听从他的吩咐！”死神说道。 “我是他的园丁，我接受他的一切 花草树木，把它们种植在天堂的大花园里， 在未知的土地上；但我敢说它们是如何在那里生长的，以及它是如何在那里的 不告诉你。
“Give me back my child!” said the mother, and she wept and prayed. At once she seized hold of two beautiful flowers close by, with each hand, and cried out to Death, “I will tear all thy flowers off, for I am in despair.”
“把我的孩子还给我！”母亲边说边哭泣着祈祷。在 一旦她用双手抓住附近两朵美丽的花， 并向死神呼喊：“我要把你所有的花都摘下来，因为我在 绝望。”
“Touch them not!” said Death. “Thou say'st that thou art so unhappy, and now thou wilt make another mother equally unhappy.”
“别碰它们！”死神说道。 “你说你很不快乐，而且 现在你会让另一个母亲同样不高兴。”
“Another mother!” said the poor woman, and directly let go her hold of both the flowers.
“又一个妈妈！”可怜的女人说道，直接松开了手。 都是花。
“There, thou hast thine eyes,” said Death; “I fished them up from the lake, they shone so bright; I knew not they were thine. Take them again, they are now brighter than before; now look down into the deep well close by; I shall tell thee the names of the two flowers thou wouldst have torn up, and thou wilt see their whole future life--their whole human existence: and see what thou wast about to disturb and destroy.”
死神说：“你的眼睛就在那里。” “我把它们从 湖水，它们闪闪发光；我不知道它们是你的。再带他们去， 它们现在比以前更明亮；现在往下看深井 附近；我会告诉你你想要的两种花的名字 已经撕碎了，你会看到他们整个未来的生活——他们的整个 人类的存在：看看你要扰乱和摧毁什么。”
And she looked down into the well; and it was a happiness to see how the one became a blessing to the world, to see how much happiness and joy were felt everywhere. And she saw the other's life, and it was sorrow and distress, horror, and wretchedness.
她俯视着井；很高兴看到 一个人成为了世界的祝福，看看有多少幸福和快乐 到处都能感觉到。她看到了对方的生活，这是悲伤 以及痛苦、恐怖和不幸。
“Both of them are God's will!” said Death.
“两者皆是天意！”死神说道。
“Which of them is Misfortune's flower and which is that of Happiness?” asked she.
“哪一个是不幸之花，哪一个是幸福之花？” 她问。
“That I will not tell thee,” said Death; “but this thou shalt know from me, that the one flower was thy own child! it was thy child's fate thou saw'st--thy own child's future life!”
“我不会告诉你，”死神说。 “但是你应该知道这一点 我，那一朵花是你自己的孩子！这是你孩子的命运 看到了——你自己孩子的未来生活！”
Then the mother screamed with terror, “Which of them was my child? Tell it me! Save the innocent! Save my child from all that misery! Rather take it away! Take it into God's kingdom! Forget my tears, forget my prayers, and all that I have done!”
然后母亲惊恐地尖叫起来：“谁是我的孩子？告诉我。” 是我！拯救无辜者！把我的孩子从所有的痛苦中拯救出来吧！而是 把它拿走！带它进入神的国度！忘记我的眼泪，忘记我的 祈祷，以及我所做的一切！”
“I do not understand thee!” said Death. “Wilt thou have thy child again, or shall I go with it there, where thou dost not know!”
“我不明白你的意思！”死神说道。 “你愿意再次拥有你的孩子吗？ 或者我应该带着它去你不知道的地方！
Then the mother wrung her hands, fell on her knees, and prayed to our Lord: “Oh, hear me not when I pray against Thy will, which is the best! hear me not! hear me not!”
然后母亲绞着双手，跪倒在地，向我们祈祷。 主：“哦，当我违背你的意愿而祈祷时，不要听我的，这是最好的！ 别听我说！别听我说！”
And she bowed her head down in her lap, and Death took her child and went with it into the unknown land.
她把头低下在膝上，死神带走了她的孩子 跟着它走进了未知的土地。