A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon a journey; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he should bring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second for jewels; but the third, who was called Lily, said, ‘Dear father, bring me a rose.’ Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was the middle of winter; yet as she was his prettiest daughter, and was very fond of flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all three, and bid them goodbye.
从前有个商人，他有三个女儿。他准备远行时，问每个女儿希望他带回什么礼物。大女儿想要珍珠，二女儿想要珠宝，而小女儿名叫莉莉，她说：‘亲爱的父亲，请给我带一朵玫瑰来。’那时正值隆冬，想找到一朵玫瑰并非易事；但因为他最疼爱这个美丽且酷爱花朵的小女儿，便答应尽力而为。于是，他亲吻了三个女儿，与她们告别。
And when the time came for him to go home, he had bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for the rose; and when he went into any garden and asked for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and asked him whether he thought roses grew in snow. This grieved him very much, for Lily was his dearest child; and as he was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he came to a fine castle; and around the castle was a garden, in one half of which it seemed to be summer-time and in the other half winter. On one side the finest flowers were in full bloom, and on the other everything looked dreary and buried in the snow. ‘A lucky hit!’ said he, as he called to his servant, and told him to go to a beautiful bed of roses that was there, and bring him away one of the finest flowers.
等到他启程回家时，他已经为两个大女儿买好了珍珠和珠宝，却四处寻找那朵玫瑰而不得。每当他走进花园询问此事，人们都嘲笑他，问他是不是以为玫瑰会在雪地里生长。这让他非常难过，因为百合花是他最疼爱的孩子；在他归途中思索该带什么给她时，他来到了一座宏伟的城堡前；城堡周围环绕着一座花园，其中一半仿佛正值盛夏，另一半却仍是严冬。一边是百花争艳、竞相绽放，另一边则是一片萧瑟，万物被白雪覆盖。'真是天助我也！'他说道，随即唤来仆人，吩咐他去那里一片美丽的玫瑰花丛旁，为他摘回一朵最娇艳的玫瑰。
This done, they were riding away well pleased, when up sprang a fierce lion, and roared out, ‘Whoever has stolen my roses shall be eaten up alive!’ Then the man said, ‘I knew not that the garden belonged to you; can nothing save my life?’ ‘No!’ said the lion, ‘nothing, unless you undertake to give me whatever meets you on your return home; if you agree to this, I will give you your life, and the rose too for your daughter.’ But the man was unwilling to do so and said, ‘It may be my youngest daughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when I go home.’ Then the servant was greatly frightened, and said, ‘It may perhaps be only a cat or a dog.’ And at last the man yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose; and said he would give the lion whatever should meet him first on his return.
事情办完后，他们正骑着马高高兴兴地离开，突然一只凶猛的狮子跳了出来，吼道：‘谁偷了我的玫瑰，我就把他活生生吃掉！’那人说：‘我不知道这花园是您的；难道就没有什么能救我的命吗？’‘没有！’狮子说，‘除非你答应回家时把第一个遇见的人给我；如果你同意，我就饶你一命，并把玫瑰也给你女儿。’但那人不愿答应，说道：‘那可能是我最小的女儿，她最爱我，每次我回家都会跑出来迎接我。’仆人听了非常害怕，说：‘也许只是遇到一只猫或一条狗罢了。’最后，那人怀着沉重的心情答应了，拿走了玫瑰，并承诺回家时把第一个遇见的人给狮子。
And as he came near home, it was Lily, his youngest and dearest daughter, that met him; she came running, and kissed him, and welcomed him home; and when she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was still more glad. But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, saying, ‘Alas, my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high price, for I have said I would give you to a wild lion; and when he has you, he will tear you in pieces, and eat you.’ Then he told her all that had happened, and said she should not go, let what would happen.
当他走近家门时，遇见了他最年幼也最心爱的女儿莉莉；她跑过来亲吻他，欢迎他回家；当她看到他带回了那朵玫瑰时，更加高兴了。然而他的父亲却开始非常悲伤，流着泪说：‘唉，我最亲爱的孩子！我为了这朵花付出了高昂的代价，因为我曾答应把你送给一只野狮子；等它得到你之后，就会将你撕成碎片并吃掉。’于是他把发生的一切全都告诉了她，并说她不必去，无论发生什么都不必去。
But she comforted him, and said, ‘Dear father, the word you have given must be kept; I will go to the lion, and soothe him: perhaps he will let me come safe home again.’
但她安慰他说：‘亲爱的父亲，您说过的话必须兑现；我会去狮子那里安抚它，也许它能让我平安回家。’
The next morning she asked the way she was to go, and took leave of her father, and went forth with a bold heart into the wood. But the lion was an enchanted prince. By day he and all his court were lions, but in the evening they took their right forms again. And when Lily came to the castle, he welcomed her so courteously that she agreed to marry him. The wedding-feast was held, and they lived happily together a long time. The prince was only to be seen as soon as evening came, and then he held his court; but every morning he left his bride, and went away by himself, she knew not whither, till the night came again.
第二天清晨，她询问了前行的路线，向父亲告别后，便怀着勇敢的心走进了森林。但那只狮子其实是一位被施了魔法的王子。白天里，他和他的整个宫廷都化作狮子模样，到了傍晚时分，他们又恢复为原本的人形。当莉莉来到城堡时，他如此彬彬有礼地欢迎她，以至于她答应嫁给他。婚礼庆典随即举行，两人从此幸福地生活了很长一段时间。这位王子只在傍晚时分现身，那时他会主持宫廷事务；但每天清晨，他都会离开新娘独自离去，至于去向何方，她一无所知，直到夜幕再次降临。
After some time he said to her, ‘Tomorrow there will be a great feast in your father’s house, for your eldest sister is to be married; and if you wish to go and visit her my lions shall lead you thither.’ Then she rejoiced much at the thoughts of seeing her father once more, and set out with the lions; and everyone was overjoyed to see her, for they had thought her dead long since. But she told them how happy she was, and stayed till the feast was over, and then went back to the wood.
过了一会儿，他对她说：‘明天你父亲家里将举行盛大的宴会，因为你大姐要结婚了；如果你想去探望她，我的狮子会带你去。’她想到能再次见到父亲，心中十分欢喜，便与狮子一同出发；大家见到她都欣喜若狂，因为他们早已以为她死了。但她告诉他们自己多么幸福，直到宴会结束才返回森林。
Her second sister was soon after married, and when Lily was asked to go to the wedding, she said to the prince, ‘I will not go alone this time--you must go with me.’ But he would not, and said that it would be a very hazardous thing; for if the least ray of the torch-light should fall upon him his enchantment would become still worse, for he should be changed into a dove, and be forced to wander about the world for seven long years. However, she gave him no rest, and said she would take care no light should fall upon him. So at last they set out together, and took with them their little child; and she chose a large hall with thick walls for him to sit in while the wedding-torches were lighted; but, unluckily, no one saw that there was a crack in the door. Then the wedding was held with great pomp, but as the train came from the church, and passed with the torches before the hall, a very small ray of light fell upon the prince. In a moment he disappeared, and when his wife came in and looked for him, she found only a white dove; and it said to her, ‘Seven years must I fly up and down over the face of the earth, but every now and then I will let fall a white feather, that will show you the way I am going; follow it, and at last you may overtake and set me free.’
她的二姐不久后便嫁人了，当莉莉被邀请去参加婚礼时，她对王子说：‘这次我不会再独自前去了，你必须和我一起去。’但他不肯，说那将是非常危险的事；因为只要有一缕火炬的光照在他身上，他的魔法就会变得更加严重，他会变成一只鸽子，被迫在世间流浪七年之久。然而她不肯罢休，坚持说她会确保没有任何光线照到他。于是最后他们一同出发，还带上了他们年幼的孩子；她为他选了一间墙壁厚实的大厅，以便在点燃婚礼火炬时让他坐在里面。但不幸的是，没有人注意到门缝里有一道裂缝。随后婚礼以盛大的排场举行，但当队伍从教堂出来，举着火炬经过大厅时，一缕微弱的光线还是照到了王子身上。顷刻间他消失了，当他的妻子进来寻找他时，只发现了一只白鸽；那鸽子对她说：‘我必须飞遍大地七年，但每隔一段时间我会落下一片白色的羽毛，它会指示我前行的方向；跟随它，最终你就能追上并解救我。’
This said, he flew out at the door, and poor Lily followed; and every now and then a white feather fell, and showed her the way she was to journey. Thus she went roving on through the wide world, and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left, nor took any rest, for seven years. Then she began to be glad, and thought to herself that the time was fast coming when all her troubles should end; yet repose was still far off, for one day as she was travelling on she missed the white feather, and when she lifted up her eyes she could nowhere see the dove. ‘Now,’ thought she to herself, ‘no aid of man can be of use to me.’ So she went to the sun and said, ‘Thou shinest everywhere, on the hill’s top and the valley’s depth--hast thou anywhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the sun, ‘I have not seen it; but I will give thee a casket--open it when thy hour of need comes.’
尽管如此，他仍从门中飞出，可怜的莉莉紧随其后；不时有一根白色羽毛飘落，指引她前行的道路。于是她就这样在广阔的世界中漫游，不向右看，也不向左望，更不停歇地走了七年。随后她开始感到欣慰，心想苦难即将结束的时刻已近在眼前；然而休息仍遥不可及。一日，她在旅途中发现那根白羽不见了，抬头四顾，却再也寻不见那只白鸽。'如今，'她暗自思忖，'凡人的援助对我已无用处。'于是她来到太阳面前，说道：'你普照大地，无论山顶还是谷底，你可曾见过我的白鸽？'太阳答道：'未曾见过；但我将赠你一个匣子，待你急需之时再打开它。'
So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide; and when the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, ‘Thou shinest through the night, over field and grove--hast thou nowhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the moon, ‘I cannot help thee but I will give thee an egg--break it when need comes.’
于是她向太阳道谢，继续前行直到黄昏；当月亮升起时，她向月亮呼求，说道：‘你整夜照耀着田野和树林，可曾见过我的白鸽？’月亮回答说：‘我无法帮你，但我会送你一个鸡蛋——等到需要时再打开它。’
Then she thanked the moon, and went on till the night-wind blew; and she raised up her voice to it, and said, ‘Thou blowest through every tree and under every leaf--hast thou not seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the night-wind, ‘but I will ask three other winds; perhaps they have seen it.’ Then the east wind and the west wind came, and said they too had not seen it, but the south wind said, ‘I have seen the white dove--he has fled to the Red Sea, and is changed once more into a lion, for the seven years are passed away, and there he is fighting with a dragon; and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who seeks to separate him from you.’ Then the night-wind said, ‘I will give thee counsel. Go to the Red Sea; on the right shore stand many rods--count them, and when thou comest to the eleventh, break it off, and smite the dragon with it; and so the lion will have the victory, and both of them will appear to you in their own forms. Then look round and thou wilt see a griffin, winged like bird, sitting by the Red Sea; jump on to his back with thy beloved one as quickly as possible, and he will carry you over the waters to your home. I will also give thee this nut,’ continued the night-wind. ‘When you are half-way over, throw it down, and out of the waters will immediately spring up a high nut-tree on which the griffin will be able to rest, otherwise he would not have the strength to bear you the whole way; if, therefore, thou dost forget to throw down the nut, he will let you both fall into the sea.’
于是她向月亮致谢，继续前行直到夜风吹起；她对着风高声说道：‘你吹过每一棵树、拂过每一片叶子——可曾见过我的白鸽？’夜风答道：‘没有，但我会去问另外三位风神，或许他们见过。’随后东风和西风来了，都说未曾见过，唯有南风说：‘我见过那只白鸽——它已逃往红海，再次化作雄狮，因为七年期限已过，此刻它正与一条巨龙搏斗；那龙其实是一位被施了魔法的公主，她企图将你与他分开。’夜风接着说：‘我给你一个建议。前往红海，在右岸有许多木棍——数一数它们，当你数到第十一根时，将其折断，用它击打那条龙；这样雄狮便能获胜，你们也将恢复原本的模样。然后环顾四周，你会看到一只形如飞鸟、生有双翼的狮鹫坐在红海边；立刻带着你的爱人跃上它的背，它将载你们飞越水域回到家乡。夜风继续说道：‘我还给你这颗坚果。当你们行至半途时，将它抛入水中，水面上会立刻长出一棵高大的坚果树，狮鹫便可借此歇息，否则它无力将你们全程驮送；因此，若你忘记抛出坚果，它便会将你们一同坠入海中。’
So our poor wanderer went forth, and found all as the night-wind had said; and she plucked the eleventh rod, and smote the dragon, and the lion forthwith became a prince, and the dragon a princess again. But no sooner was the princess released from the spell, than she seized the prince by the arm and sprang on to the griffin’s back, and went off carrying the prince away with her.
于是我们可怜的流浪者启程出发，发现一切正如夜风所言；她折下第十一根枝条，击打巨龙，狮子立刻变回王子，巨龙也重新化作公主。然而公主刚摆脱咒语束缚，便一把抓住王子的胳膊，跃上狮鹫的背脊，带着王子扬长而去。
Thus the unhappy traveller was again forsaken and forlorn; but she took heart and said, ‘As far as the wind blows, and so long as the cock crows, I will journey on, till I find him once again.’ She went on for a long, long way, till at length she came to the castle whither the princess had carried the prince; and there was a feast got ready, and she heard that the wedding was about to be held. ‘Heaven aid me now!’ said she; and she took the casket that the sun had given her, and found that within it lay a dress as dazzling as the sun itself. So she put it on, and went into the palace, and all the people gazed upon her; and the dress pleased the bride so much that she asked whether it was to be sold. ‘Not for gold and silver.’ said she, ‘but for flesh and blood.’ The princess asked what she meant, and she said, ‘Let me speak with the bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress.’ At last the princess agreed, but she told her chamberlain to give the prince a sleeping draught, that he might not hear or see her. When evening came, and the prince had fallen asleep, she was led into his chamber, and she sat herself down at his feet, and said: ‘I have followed thee seven years. I have been to the sun, the moon, and the night-wind, to seek thee, and at last I have helped thee to overcome the dragon. Wilt thou then forget me quite?’ But the prince all the time slept so soundly, that her voice only passed over him, and seemed like the whistling of the wind among the fir-trees.
于是，这位不幸的旅人再次被遗弃、孤苦无依；但她重振精神，说道：‘只要风在吹，只要公鸡在啼鸣，我就继续前行，直到再次找到他。’她走了很久很久，终于来到公主曾带王子前往的那座城堡。那里正筹备着盛大的宴席，她听说婚礼即将举行。‘愿上天助我！’她说，随即取出太阳赠予她的匣子，发现里面藏着一件如太阳般璀璨夺目的衣裳。于是她穿上它走进宫殿，众人无不为之惊叹；那件衣裳令新娘喜爱至极，便问她是否出售。‘不为金银，只为血肉。’她答道。新娘不解其意，她便说：‘今夜让我在卧房中与新郎说说话，我便将这件衣裳赠予你。’最终新娘答应了，但她吩咐侍女给王子灌下安眠药，以免他听见或看见她。夜幕降临，王子沉沉睡去后，她被带入他的房间，坐在他脚边说道：‘我追随你七年，曾前往太阳、月亮和夜风之处寻你，最终助你战胜了恶龙。难道你就这样将我彻底遗忘吗？’然而王子睡得如此香甜，她的话语仿佛只是掠过他身侧，如同松林间的风声呼啸而过。
Then poor Lily was led away, and forced to give up the golden dress; and when she saw that there was no help for her, she went out into a meadow, and sat herself down and wept. But as she sat she bethought herself of the egg that the moon had given her; and when she broke it, there ran out a hen and twelve chickens of pure gold, that played about, and then nestled under the old one’s wings, so as to form the most beautiful sight in the world. And she rose up and drove them before her, till the bride saw them from her window, and was so pleased that she came forth and asked her if she would sell the brood. ‘Not for gold or silver, but for flesh and blood: let me again this evening speak with the bridegroom in his chamber, and I will give thee the whole brood.’
于是可怜的莉莉被带走，被迫交出了那件金裙；当她意识到已无计可施时，便走到一片草地上坐下哭泣。然而她坐在那里时，忽然想起月亮曾送给她的鸡蛋；当她敲破蛋壳，一只母鸡和十二只纯金的小鸡钻了出来，在周围嬉戏，随后依偎在老母鸡的翅膀下，构成世间最美丽的景象。她站起身，赶着它们前行，直到新娘从窗口看见，欣喜不已，便走出来问她是否愿意出售这群小鸡。莉莉答道：‘不为金银，只为血肉之躯：让我今晚再次与新郎在房中相见，我便将整群小鸡送给你。’
Then the princess thought to betray her as before, and agreed to what she asked: but when the prince went to his chamber he asked the chamberlain why the wind had whistled so in the night. And the chamberlain told him all--how he had given him a sleeping draught, and how a poor maiden had come and spoken to him in his chamber, and was to come again that night. Then the prince took care to throw away the sleeping draught; and when Lily came and began again to tell him what woes had befallen her, and how faithful and true to him she had been, he knew his beloved wife’s voice, and sprang up, and said, ‘You have awakened me as from a dream, for the strange princess had thrown a spell around me, so that I had altogether forgotten you; but Heaven hath sent you to me in a lucky hour.’
于是公主又起了背叛之心，答应了对方的要求。但王子回到卧室后，询问侍从为何昨夜风声呼啸。侍从头尾告知了他：自己曾给他服下安眠药，并说有一位贫苦少女来到他房中与他交谈，当晚还会再来。于是王子设法将安眠药倒掉。当莉莉再次前来，诉说她的遭遇并表明自己对他的忠贞不渝时，他认出了爱妻的声音，立刻起身说道：‘你唤醒了我，仿佛从梦中醒来；那陌生的公主对我施了魔法，使我完全将你遗忘；但上天在吉时派你来到我身边。’
And they stole away out of the palace by night unawares, and seated themselves on the griffin, who flew back with them over the Red Sea. When they were half-way across Lily let the nut fall into the water, and immediately a large nut-tree arose from the sea, whereon the griffin rested for a while, and then carried them safely home. There they found their child, now grown up to be comely and fair; and after all their troubles they lived happily together to the end of their days.
于是他们在夜间悄悄离开宫殿，坐上狮鹫，飞越红海。行至半途时，莉莉将坚果投入水中，海中立刻长出一棵巨大的核桃树，狮鹫在树上稍作歇息，随后载着他们平安回家。到家后，他们发现孩子已长大成人，容貌俊美；历经种种磨难后，他们从此幸福地生活在一起，直至生命终结。