Some men are born to good luck: all they do or try to do comes right--all that falls to them is so much gain--all their geese are swans--all their cards are trumps--toss them which way you will, they will always, like poor puss, alight upon their legs, and only move on so much the faster. The world may very likely not always think of them as they think of themselves, but what care they for the world? what can it know about the matter?
有些人天生运气好：他们所做或尝试的一切都会顺利——落到他们手中的全是收获——他们养的鹅都成了天鹅——他们手中的牌全是王牌——无论把他们抛向何方，他们总会像那只可怜的猫一样稳稳落地，而且走得更快。世界或许并不总是像他们自己那样看待他们，但这又何必在意？世界又能知道什么呢？
One of these lucky beings was neighbour Hans. Seven long years he had worked hard for his master. At last he said, ‘Master, my time is up; I must go home and see my poor mother once more: so pray pay me my wages and let me go.’ And the master said, ‘You have been a faithful and good servant, Hans, so your pay shall be handsome.’ Then he gave him a lump of silver as big as his head.
这些幸运儿中有一位名叫汉斯的邻居。他整整七年辛勤地为他的主人劳作。最后他说：‘主人，我的期限到了；我必须回家再去看望我可怜的母亲一次：所以请付给我工钱，让我走吧。’主人说：‘汉斯，你一直是个忠诚而好的仆人，所以你的报酬会很丰厚。’于是主人给了他一块像他脑袋一样大的银块。
Hans took out his pocket-handkerchief, put the piece of silver into it, threw it over his shoulder, and jogged off on his road homewards. As he went lazily on, dragging one foot after another, a man came in sight, trotting gaily along on a capital horse. ‘Ah!’ said Hans aloud, ‘what a fine thing it is to ride on horseback! There he sits as easy and happy as if he was at home, in the chair by his fireside; he trips against no stones, saves shoe-leather, and gets on he hardly knows how.’ Hans did not speak so softly but the horseman heard it all, and said, ‘Well, friend, why do you go on foot then?’ ‘Ah!’ said he, ‘I have this load to carry: to be sure it is silver, but it is so heavy that I can’t hold up my head, and you must know it hurts my shoulder sadly.’ ‘What do you say of making an exchange?’ said the horseman. ‘I will give you my horse, and you shall give me the silver; which will save you a great deal of trouble in carrying such a heavy load about with you.’ ‘With all my heart,’ said Hans: ‘but as you are so kind to me, I must tell you one thing--you will have a weary task to draw that silver about with you.’ However, the horseman got off, took the silver, helped Hans up, gave him the bridle into one hand and the whip into the other, and said, ‘When you want to go very fast, smack your lips loudly together, and cry “Jip!”’
汉斯掏出小手帕，把那块银子包好，甩到肩上，便慢悠悠地踏上回家的路。他懒洋洋地走着，拖着脚一步一步挪动，这时迎面走来一个人，正骑着一匹极好的马轻快地小跑着。‘啊！’汉斯大声说道：‘骑马是多么美妙的事啊！那人坐得那么轻松快乐，就像在家里坐在壁炉旁的椅子上一样；他不会绊到石头，省去了鞋底的磨损，而且不知怎么就走了很远。’汉斯说话的声音并不小，那骑手全都听见了，便说：‘朋友，那你为什么还步行呢？’‘啊！’汉斯回答说：‘我带着这副重担：当然这是银子，但它太重了，让我抬不起头来，而且你知道它把我的肩膀压得很疼。’‘你愿意交换吗？’骑手问道：‘我把马给你，你把银子给我；这样你就省去了随身携带这么沉重物品的麻烦。’‘我非常乐意，’汉斯说：‘不过既然你对我这么好，我必须告诉你一件事——你要拖着这堆银子走会很辛苦。’然而，骑手还是下了马，接过银子，扶汉斯上马，把缰绳递给他一只手，把鞭子递到另一只手，然后说：‘当你想要走得很快时，用力咂嘴并大喊“驾！”'
Hans was delighted as he sat on the horse, drew himself up, squared his elbows, turned out his toes, cracked his whip, and rode merrily off, one minute whistling a merry tune, and another singing,
汉斯坐在马上欣喜若狂，挺直腰板，夹紧手肘，脚尖外撇，挥动鞭子，欢快地骑走了，一会儿吹着欢快的曲子，一会儿又唱起歌来。
‘No care and no sorrow, A fig for the morrow! We’ll laugh and be merry, Sing neigh down derry!’
不操心，不忧愁，管它明天有何求！我们欢笑又欢歌，一路高歌乐悠悠！
After a time he thought he should like to go a little faster, so he smacked his lips and cried ‘Jip!’ Away went the horse full gallop; and before Hans knew what he was about, he was thrown off, and lay on his back by the road-side. His horse would have ran off, if a shepherd who was coming by, driving a cow, had not stopped it. Hans soon came to himself, and got upon his legs again, sadly vexed, and said to the shepherd, ‘This riding is no joke, when a man has the luck to get upon a beast like this that stumbles and flings him off as if it would break his neck. However, I’m off now once for all: I like your cow now a great deal better than this smart beast that played me this trick, and has spoiled my best coat, you see, in this puddle; which, by the by, smells not very like a nosegay. One can walk along at one’s leisure behind that cow--keep good company, and have milk, butter, and cheese, every day, into the bargain. What would I give to have such a prize!’ ‘Well,’ said the shepherd, ‘if you are so fond of her, I will change my cow for your horse; I like to do good to my neighbours, even though I lose by it myself.’ ‘Done!’ said Hans, merrily. ‘What a noble heart that good man has!’ thought he. Then the shepherd jumped upon the horse, wished Hans and the cow good morning, and away he rode.
过了一会儿，他心想或许可以骑得更快些，于是咂了咂嘴，喊道：‘驾！’马立刻全速奔跑起来；汉斯还没反应过来，就被甩了下来，仰面躺在路边。那匹马本会跑掉，幸好一位赶着奶牛的牧羊人路过，将它拦住了。汉斯很快苏醒过来，站起身，心中十分懊恼，对牧羊人说：‘这骑马可不是闹着玩的！运气不好骑上这样一匹动不动就绊倒、把人摔得仿佛要折断脖子的牲口。不过，我现在彻底不骑了：比起这匹耍了我这一把戏、还把我的好外套弄脏在泥坑里的聪明马儿，我更喜欢您的奶牛。顺便说一句，那泥坑闻起来可不像一束鲜花。跟在奶牛后面慢慢走，既能结伴同行，又能每天得到牛奶、黄油和奶酪，真是再好不过了。我真想拥有这样一份宝贝！’‘好吧，’牧羊人说，‘既然您这么喜欢它，我就用我的奶牛换您的马吧。我乐意帮助邻居，哪怕自己吃点亏。’‘成交！’汉斯愉快地说。‘这位好人真有颗高尚的心啊！’他心里想。接着，牧羊人翻身上马，向汉斯和奶牛道了早安，便骑马离去。
Hans brushed his coat, wiped his face and hands, rested a while, and then drove off his cow quietly, and thought his bargain a very lucky one. ‘If I have only a piece of bread (and I certainly shall always be able to get that), I can, whenever I like, eat my butter and cheese with it; and when I am thirsty I can milk my cow and drink the milk: and what can I wish for more?’ When he came to an inn, he halted, ate up all his bread, and gave away his last penny for a glass of beer. When he had rested himself he set off again, driving his cow towards his mother’s village. But the heat grew greater as soon as noon came on, till at last, as he found himself on a wide heath that would take him more than an hour to cross, he began to be so hot and parched that his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. ‘I can find a cure for this,’ thought he; ‘now I will milk my cow and quench my thirst’: so he tied her to the stump of a tree, and held his leathern cap to milk into; but not a drop was to be had. Who would have thought that this cow, which was to bring him milk and butter and cheese, was all that time utterly dry? Hans had not thought of looking to that.
汉斯拍了拍身上的尘土，擦了擦脸和手，稍作休息后，便赶着奶牛缓缓前行，觉得自己这笔交易非常划算。‘只要我有一块面包（我肯定随时都能弄到），我就可以随时搭配黄油和奶酪享用；口渴时，还能挤牛奶喝：还有什么可奢求的呢？’当他来到一家客栈时，停下脚步，吃光了所有面包，并花掉最后一枚铜板买了一杯啤酒。休息片刻后，他再次启程，赶着奶牛朝母亲的村庄走去。但正午一到，天气愈发炎热，最后当他发现自己身处一片广阔的荒原上，穿越它至少需要一小时时，他热得口干舌燥，舌头仿佛粘在了上颚上。‘我有办法解决这个难题，’他想，‘现在我要给奶牛挤奶解渴了。’于是他把奶牛拴在树桩上，举起皮帽准备接奶，却一滴也挤不出来。谁会想到这头本该带来牛奶、黄油和奶酪的奶牛，此时竟完全干瘪了呢？汉斯根本没想过要检查这一点。
While he was trying his luck in milking, and managing the matter very clumsily, the uneasy beast began to think him very troublesome; and at last gave him such a kick on the head as knocked him down; and there he lay a long while senseless. Luckily a butcher soon came by, driving a pig in a wheelbarrow. ‘What is the matter with you, my man?’ said the butcher, as he helped him up. Hans told him what had happened, how he was dry, and wanted to milk his cow, but found the cow was dry too. Then the butcher gave him a flask of ale, saying, ‘There, drink and refresh yourself; your cow will give you no milk: don’t you see she is an old beast, good for nothing but the slaughter-house?’ ‘Alas, alas!’ said Hans, ‘who would have thought it? What a shame to take my horse, and give me only a dry cow! If I kill her, what will she be good for? I hate cow-beef; it is not tender enough for me. If it were a pig now--like that fat gentleman you are driving along at his ease--one could do something with it; it would at any rate make sausages.’ ‘Well,’ said the butcher, ‘I don’t like to say no, when one is asked to do a kind, neighbourly thing. To please you I will change, and give you my fine fat pig for the cow.’ ‘Heaven reward you for your kindness and self-denial!’ said Hans, as he gave the butcher the cow; and taking the pig off the wheel-barrow, drove it away, holding it by the string that was tied to its leg.
当他笨拙地尝试挤奶时，那头不安分的牲口觉得他十分烦人，最后猛地用蹄子踢了他的脑袋，把他踢倒在地；他在那里躺了许久，不省人事。幸运的是，一位赶着猪、推着独轮车的屠夫很快路过。‘先生，您怎么了？’屠夫扶起他问道。汉斯告诉了他发生的一切：自己口渴难耐，想给奶牛挤奶，却发现奶牛也挤不出奶。于是屠夫递给他一壶啤酒，说：‘喝吧，解解渴；您的奶牛不会产奶了：您没看见它是一头老牛，除了送去屠宰场外一无是处吗？’‘唉，唉！’汉斯感叹道，‘谁会想到会这样呢？真丢人！我拿走了我的马，却换来一头干瘪的奶牛！如果把它宰了，还有什么用处？我不喜欢牛肉，对我而言不够嫩。要是换成猪就好了——就像您那辆独轮车上那头悠闲行走的胖先生一样——那样还能派上用场；至少可以做成香肠。’‘好吧，’屠夫说，‘既然有人请求我做一件友善、邻里互助的事，我也不好拒绝。为了让您高兴，我愿意交换，用我这头肥美的猪换您的奶牛。’‘愿上天报答您的仁慈与自我牺牲！’汉斯说着，把奶牛交给了屠夫，然后从独轮车上抱起那头猪，牵着系在腿上的绳子赶着它走了。
So on he jogged, and all seemed now to go right with him: he had met with some misfortunes, to be sure; but he was now well repaid for all. How could it be otherwise with such a travelling companion as he had at last got?
于是，他继续慢跑，一切似乎都对他有利：诚然，他曾遭遇一些不幸；但现在一切都得到了充分的补偿。有了这样一位旅伴，情况又怎能不如此呢？
The next man he met was a countryman carrying a fine white goose. The countryman stopped to ask what was o’clock; this led to further chat; and Hans told him all his luck, how he had so many good bargains, and how all the world went gay and smiling with him. The countryman then began to tell his tale, and said he was going to take the goose to a christening. ‘Feel,’ said he, ‘how heavy it is, and yet it is only eight weeks old. Whoever roasts and eats it will find plenty of fat upon it, it has lived so well!’ ‘You’re right,’ said Hans, as he weighed it in his hand; ‘but if you talk of fat, my pig is no trifle.’ Meantime the countryman began to look grave, and shook his head. ‘Hark ye!’ said he, ‘my worthy friend, you seem a good sort of fellow, so I can’t help doing you a kind turn. Your pig may get you into a scrape. In the village I just came from, the squire has had a pig stolen out of his sty. I was dreadfully afraid when I saw you that you had got the squire’s pig. If you have, and they catch you, it will be a bad job for you. The least they will do will be to throw you into the horse-pond. Can you swim?’
他遇到的下一个人是一位带着漂亮白鹅的农夫。农夫停下脚步问现在几点了，这便引出了进一步的交谈。汉斯向他讲述了自己的好运：他做了许多划算的交易，整个世界都对他笑脸相迎。随后，农夫开始讲述自己的故事，说他正要把这只鹅带去参加洗礼仪式。“摸摸看，”他说，“它有多重，可它还只有八周大呢。谁要是烤了吃它，会发现上面满是肥油，因为它养得真好！”“你说得对，”汉斯一边在手里掂量着鹅一边说，“不过说到肥，我的猪可也不差。”与此同时，农夫的脸色变得严肃起来，摇了摇头。“听我说！”他说，“我亲爱的朋友，你看起来是个好人，所以我不能不帮你一把。你的猪可能会让你惹上麻烦。我刚来的那个村子里，乡绅的猪圈里丢了一头猪。我看到你时非常担心，怕你偷的是乡绅的猪。如果你偷了，被抓住的话，对你可就不妙了。最轻的惩罚也会把你扔进马厩旁的池塘里。你会游泳吗？”
Poor Hans was sadly frightened. ‘Good man,’ cried he, ‘pray get me out of this scrape. I know nothing of where the pig was either bred or born; but he may have been the squire’s for aught I can tell: you know this country better than I do, take my pig and give me the goose.’ ‘I ought to have something into the bargain,’ said the countryman; ‘give a fat goose for a pig, indeed! ‘Tis not everyone would do so much for you as that. However, I will not be hard upon you, as you are in trouble.’ Then he took the string in his hand, and drove off the pig by a side path; while Hans went on the way homewards free from care. ‘After all,’ thought he, ‘that chap is pretty well taken in. I don’t care whose pig it is, but wherever it came from it has been a very good friend to me. I have much the best of the bargain. First there will be a capital roast; then the fat will find me in goose-grease for six months; and then there are all the beautiful white feathers. I will put them into my pillow, and then I am sure I shall sleep soundly without rocking. How happy my mother will be! Talk of a pig, indeed! Give me a fine fat goose.’
可怜的汉斯吓得够呛。“好心的先生，”他喊道，“求您帮帮我摆脱这个困境。我根本不知道这猪是从哪里生下来的，但它说不定就是乡绅的那头：您对这片土地比我熟悉，不如拿我的猪，把鹅给我吧。”“我也得有点好处才行，”农夫说，“用一头肥鹅换一头猪？可不是谁都会为你做到这一步的。不过，既然你遇到了麻烦，我也不为难你。”于是，他接过绳子，从一条小路赶走了那头猪；而汉斯则轻装上路，回家去了。“说到底，”他想，“那家伙倒是被耍了。不管这猪是谁的，它对我来说都是个极好的朋友。我占了大便宜。首先，可以美美地烤一顿；其次，鹅油能让我用六个月；还有那一身漂亮的白羽毛。我要把它们塞进枕头里，那样我就能睡个安稳觉，再也不用摇晃了。我母亲一定会多高兴啊！还说什么猪呢？给我一头肥美的鹅吧。”
As he came to the next village, he saw a scissor-grinder with his wheel, working and singing,
当他来到下一个村庄时，看见一个磨剪刀的匠人正推着轮子，一边工作一边唱歌。
‘O’er hill and o’er dale So happy I roam, Work light and live well, All the world is my home; Then who so blythe, so merry as I?’
翻过山岭越过溪谷，我快乐漫游；劳作轻松生活富足，整个世界皆为我家；那么谁比我更欢欣、更 merry？
Hans stood looking on for a while, and at last said, ‘You must be well off, master grinder! you seem so happy at your work.’ ‘Yes,’ said the other, ‘mine is a golden trade; a good grinder never puts his hand into his pocket without finding money in it--but where did you get that beautiful goose?’ ‘I did not buy it, I gave a pig for it.’ ‘And where did you get the pig?’ ‘I gave a cow for it.’ ‘And the cow?’ ‘I gave a horse for it.’ ‘And the horse?’ ‘I gave a lump of silver as big as my head for it.’ ‘And the silver?’ ‘Oh! I worked hard for that seven long years.’ ‘You have thriven well in the world hitherto,’ said the grinder, ‘now if you could find money in your pocket whenever you put your hand in it, your fortune would be made.’ ‘Very true: but how is that to be managed?’ ‘How? Why, you must turn grinder like myself,’ said the other; ‘you only want a grindstone; the rest will come of itself. Here is one that is but little the worse for wear: I would not ask more than the value of your goose for it--will you buy?’ ‘How can you ask?’ said Hans; ‘I should be the happiest man in the world, if I could have money whenever I put my hand in my pocket: what could I want more? there’s the goose.’ ‘Now,’ said the grinder, as he gave him a common rough stone that lay by his side, ‘this is a most capital stone; do but work it well enough, and you can make an old nail cut with it.’
汉斯站在一旁看了一会儿，最后说道：‘您一定很富裕，磨刀师傅！您干活时看起来如此快乐。’‘是的，’另一个人说，‘我的行当是金饭碗；一个优秀的磨刀匠把手伸进衣袋时总能摸到钱——不过您那只漂亮的鹅是从哪儿来的？’‘我没买它，是用一头猪换的。’‘那猪又是从哪儿来的？’‘我用一头牛换的。’‘那头牛呢？’‘我用一匹马换的。’‘那马呢？’‘我用一块像脑袋那么大的银块换的。’‘那银块呢？’‘哦！我辛辛苦苦干了七年才挣到它。’‘您至今在世上混得不错，’磨刀匠说，‘现在如果您每次把手伸进衣袋都能摸到钱，您的运气就真正来了。’‘确实如此：但该怎么做到呢？’‘怎么做？很简单，您只要像我一样去当磨刀匠就行，’另一个人说，‘您只需要一块磨石，其余的自会水到渠成。这儿有一块磨石，虽然有点旧了，但我不会要价超过那只鹅的价值——您买吗？’‘您怎么能这么问呢？’汉斯说，‘如果我能每次把手伸进衣袋就摸到钱，我一定是这世上最幸福的人了；我还能再想要什么呢？喏，这只鹅给您。’于是磨刀匠递给他一块身边常见的粗糙石头，说道：‘这可是块极好的石头；只要您好好打磨它，连旧钉子都能用它磨出刃来。’
Hans took the stone, and went his way with a light heart: his eyes sparkled for joy, and he said to himself, ‘Surely I must have been born in a lucky hour; everything I could want or wish for comes of itself. People are so kind; they seem really to think I do them a favour in letting them make me rich, and giving me good bargains.’
汉斯接过石头，轻快地继续赶路：他眼中闪烁着喜悦的光芒，暗自思忖：‘我一定是生在吉时；所有我渴望或期盼的事物都会自然而然地到来。人们如此善良，仿佛真心认为让我变富、给我好买卖是他们在占我的便宜呢。’
Meantime he began to be tired, and hungry too, for he had given away his last penny in his joy at getting the cow.
与此同时，他开始感到疲惫和饥饿，因为他刚才在得到那头牛的喜悦中把最后一枚便士都花掉了。
At last he could go no farther, for the stone tired him sadly: and he dragged himself to the side of a river, that he might take a drink of water, and rest a while. So he laid the stone carefully by his side on the bank: but, as he stooped down to drink, he forgot it, pushed it a little, and down it rolled, plump into the stream.
最后，他再也走不动了，那块石头让他疲惫不堪。他拖着重重的身体来到一条河边，想喝点水，稍作休息。于是，他把石头小心地放在身旁的河岸上；可是当他俯身喝水时，却把它忘了，不小心推了它一下，石头便滚落下来，直直地掉进了河里。
For a while he watched it sinking in the deep clear water; then sprang up and danced for joy, and again fell upon his knees and thanked Heaven, with tears in his eyes, for its kindness in taking away his only plague, the ugly heavy stone.
起初，他看着石头在清澈的深水中慢慢下沉；随后，他跳起来欢快地舞蹈，接着又跪倒在地，热泪盈眶地感谢上天仁慈地取走了他唯一的祸患——那块丑陋而沉重的石头。
‘How happy am I!’ cried he; ‘nobody was ever so lucky as I.’ Then up he got with a light heart, free from all his troubles, and walked on till he reached his mother’s house, and told her how very easy the road to good luck was.
‘我多么幸福啊！’他喊道，‘从来没有人像我这样幸运。’说完，他轻快地站起身，摆脱了所有的烦恼，继续前行，直到回到母亲的家中，并告诉她通往好运的道路原来如此轻松。