FIRST STORY
第一个故事
There was once upon a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to put her to the test. He stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he were stone dead. Mrs Fox went up to her room, shut herself in, and her maid, Miss Cat, sat by the fire, and did the cooking. When it became known that the old fox was dead, suitors presented themselves. The maid heard someone standing at the house-door, knocking. She went and opened it, and it was a young fox, who said:
从前有一只长着九条尾巴的老狐狸，他怀疑妻子不忠，便想试探她。他躺在长凳下，一动不动，装得像块石头一样死了。狐狸太太走进房间，把自己关在里面，她的侍女猫小姐则坐在炉火旁做饭。当老狐狸去世的消息传开后，求婚者纷纷上门。猫小姐听到有人站在门口敲门，便去开门，结果来了一只年轻的狐狸，他说：
‘What may you be about, Miss Cat? Do you sleep or do you wake?’
“猫小姐，你在做什么呢？是睡着还是醒着？”
She answered:
她回答道：
‘I am not sleeping, I am waking, Would you know what I am making? I am boiling warm beer with butter, Will you be my guest for supper?’
“我并非在沉睡，而是在苏醒，你可知道我在忙些什么？我正用黄油煮着温热的啤酒，你愿做我的晚餐客人吗？”
‘No, thank you, miss,’ said the fox, ‘what is Mrs Fox doing?’ The maid replied:
“不，谢谢您，小姐，”狐狸说，“狐狸太太在做什么？”女仆回答道：
‘She is sitting in her room, Moaning in her gloom, Weeping her little eyes quite red, Because old Mr Fox is dead.’
她坐在房间里，在阴郁中呻吟，哭得双眼通红，因为老狐狸先生已经去世了。
‘Do just tell her, miss, that a young fox is here, who would like to woo her.’ ‘Certainly, young sir.’
“请一定告诉她，小姐，这里有一位年轻狐狸想向她求爱。”“当然可以，年轻的先生。”
The cat goes up the stairs trip, trap, The door she knocks at tap, tap, tap, ‘Mistress Fox, are you inside?’ ‘Oh, yes, my little cat,’ she cried. ‘A wooer he stands at the door out there.’ ‘What does he look like, my dear?’
小猫上楼梯，跌跌撞撞；她敲门，笃笃笃：‘狐狸夫人，您在里面吗？’‘哦，是的，我的小猫咪，’她喊道。‘有个求婚者站在门外呢。’‘他长什么样，亲爱的？’
‘Has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr Fox?’ ‘Oh, no,’ answered the cat, ‘he has only one.’ ‘Then I will not have him.’
‘他有九条像已故福克斯先生那样漂亮的尾巴吗？’‘哦，没有，’猫回答说，‘他只有一条。’‘那我不想要他了。’
Miss Cat went downstairs and sent the wooer away. Soon afterwards there was another knock, and another fox was at the door who wished to woo Mrs Fox. He had two tails, but he did not fare better than the first. After this still more came, each with one tail more than the other, but they were all turned away, until at last one came who had nine tails, like old Mr Fox. When the widow heard that, she said joyfully to the cat:
猫小姐下楼把求婚者打发走了。不久又有人敲门，门口又来了一只狐狸，想向狐太太求婚。他有两条尾巴，但下场和第一只一样糟糕。此后又来了更多狐狸，每只都比前一只多一条尾巴，可他们全被赶走了，直到最后来了一只像老狐狸先生那样有九条尾巴的狐狸。寡妇听到这话，高兴地对猫说：
‘Now open the gates and doors all wide, And carry old Mr Fox outside.’
现在把大门和门都打开，把老狐狸先生抬出去。
But just as the wedding was going to be solemnized, old Mr Fox stirred under the bench, and cudgelled all the rabble, and drove them and Mrs Fox out of the house.
然而，就在婚礼即将举行之际，老狐狸在长凳下苏醒过来，痛打了一顿那群乌合之众，并将他们连同福克斯太太一起赶出了屋子。
SECOND STORY
第二个故事
When old Mr Fox was dead, the wolf came as a suitor, and knocked at the door, and the cat who was servant to Mrs Fox, opened it for him. The wolf greeted her, and said:
老狐狸先生去世后，狼来求婚，敲了门，猫作为福克斯太太的仆人，为他开了门。狼向她打招呼，说道：
‘Good day, Mrs Cat of Kehrewit, How comes it that alone you sit? What are you making good?’
“早上好，凯赫鲁伊特的猫太太，您为何独自坐着？您在做什么好事？”
The cat replied:
猫回答道：
‘In milk I’m breaking bread so sweet, Will you be my guest, and eat?’
在牛奶中我掰开如此甜美的面包，你愿做我的客人，一同享用吗？
‘No, thank you, Mrs Cat,’ answered the wolf. ‘Is Mrs Fox not at home?’
“不，谢谢，猫太太，”狼回答说，“狐狸太太不在家吗？
The cat said:
猫说：
‘She sits upstairs in her room, Bewailing her sorrowful doom, Bewailing her trouble so sore, For old Mr Fox is no more.’
她坐在楼上的房间里，哀叹自己不幸的命运，为那深重的苦难而悲泣，因为老狐狸先生已不在人世。
The wolf answered:
狼回答说：
‘If she’s in want of a husband now, Then will it please her to step below?’ The cat runs quickly up the stair, And lets her tail fly here and there, Until she comes to the parlour door. With her five gold rings at the door she knocks: ‘Are you within, good Mistress Fox? If you’re in want of a husband now, Then will it please you to step below?
若她此刻正需一位夫君，不知是否愿屈尊下楼？小猫快步跑上楼梯，尾巴左右摇摆，直至来到客厅门前。她在门边敲着五枚金环：‘屋内可有人吗，好狐狸太太？若您此刻正需一位夫君，不知是否愿屈尊下楼？'
Mrs Fox asked: ‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has he a pointed mouth?’ ‘No,’ answered the cat. ‘Then he won’t do for me.’
狐狸太太问道：‘那位绅士穿着红袜子吗？他的嘴巴是尖的吗？’‘没有，’猫回答。‘那他就不是我要找的人。’
When the wolf was gone, came a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, a lion, and all the beasts of the forest, one after the other. But one of the good qualities which old Mr Fox had possessed, was always lacking, and the cat had continually to send the suitors away. At length came a young fox. Then Mrs Fox said: ‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has a little pointed mouth?’ ‘Yes,’ said the cat, ‘he has.’ ‘Then let him come upstairs,’ said Mrs Fox, and ordered the servant to prepare the wedding feast.
狼走后，狗、鹿、兔、熊、狮子以及森林里所有的野兽依次前来。但老狐狸先生曾拥有的一种优良品质始终缺失，猫不得不一次次将求婚者打发走。最后来了一只小狐狸。于是猫太太问道：‘这位绅士穿着红袜子吗？嘴巴尖尖的吗？’猫回答说：‘是的，他都有。’猫太太便说：‘让他上楼来吧。’并吩咐仆人准备婚礼宴席。
‘Sweep me the room as clean as you can, Up with the window, fling out my old man! For many a fine fat mouse he brought, Yet of his wife he never thought, But ate up every one he caught.’
“把房间打扫得越干净越好，把窗户打开，把我那老头子扔出去！他带回来许多肥美的老鼠，却从未想过他的妻子，反而把他抓到的每一只都吃掉了。”
Then the wedding was solemnized with young Mr Fox, and there was much rejoicing and dancing; and if they have not left off, they are dancing still.
随后，年轻的福克斯先生举行了婚礼，众人欢欣鼓舞、载歌载舞；倘若他们尚未停歇，那此刻仍在翩翩起舞。