I will tell you a story that was told me when Iwas a little boy. Every time I thought of this story，it seemed to me more and more charming； for it is with stories as it is with many people—they become better as they grow older.
我将会告诉你一个故事，这个故事是我在还是一个小男孩的时候听到的。每次我想到这个故事，我都会觉得它越来越美丽；因为故事和很多人一样--随着时间的流逝会变得越来越好了。
I have no doubt that you have been in the country， and seen a very old farmhouse， with a thatched roof， and mosses and small plants growing wild upon it. There is a stork's nest on the ridge of the gable， for we cannot do without the stork. The walls of the house are sloping， and the windows are low， and only one of the latter is made to open.
毫无疑问你一定住过乡村，那儿有一个非常老的农舍，农舍上有铺着草的屋顶，上面长满了苔藓和小的植被。屋脊上有一只鹳鸟的鸟巢，没有鹳鸟是不行的。房子的墙是倾斜的，窗户低低的，只有最后面那一扇是打开着的。
The baking-oven sticks out of the wall like a great knob. An elder-tree hangs over the palings； and beneath its branches， at the foot of the paling， is a pool of water， in which a few ducks are disporting themselves. There is a yard-dog too， who barks at all corners. Just such a farmhouse as this stood in a country lane； and in it dwelt an old couple， a peasant and his wife. Small as their possessions were， they had one article they could not do without， and that was a horse， which contrived to live upon the grass which it found by the side of the high road.
烘烤炉像一个巨大的旋钮一样伸出墙壁。一棵大树的树枝悬挂到木栅上，一些底部的树枝伸到木栅的下面，这儿有个小水潭，一些鸭子在这潜水游泳。这儿也有一只看门狗。总是朝着角落犬吠。我要讲的正是这个坐落在乡村小巷的农舍，里面住着一对老夫妻，一位农民和他的妻子。他们的财产非常少，他们有一个财产没有它也没关系，那是一匹马，它在马路的沟壑里找草吃。
The old peasant rode into the town upon this horse， and his neighbors often borrowed it of him， and paid for the loan of it by rendering some service to the old couple. After a time they thought it would be as well to sell the horse， or exchange it for something which might be more useful to them. But what might this something be？
这位老农会骑着这匹马去城里，他的邻居也会从他那里借用它，作为借用它的回报会给老夫妻提供一些服务。过了一段时间，他们认为可以把马卖掉，或者用它来交换一些对他们更有用的东西。但是那会是什么东西呢？
“You'll know best， old man，” said the wife. “It is fair-day to-day； so ride into town， and get rid of the horse for money， or make a good exchange； whichever you do will be right tome， so ride to the fair.”
“你会知道什么东西是最好的，老公，今天是赶集日。所以骑到城里去，然后换一些钱吧，或者交换一些好的东西回来；对我来说不管你换了什么都是对的，所以骑马去集市吧。”妻子说道。
And she fastened his neckerchief for him； for she could do that better than he could， and she could also tie it very prettily in a double bow. She also smoothed his hat round and round with the palm of her hand， and gave him a kiss. Then he rode away upon the horse that was to be sold or bartered for something else. Yes， the old man knew what he was about. The sunshone with great heat， and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky. The road was very dusty；for a number of people， all going to the fair， were driving， riding， or walking upon it. There was no shelter anywhere from the hot sunshine. Among the rest a man came trudging along，and driving a cow to the fair. The cow was as beautiful a creature as any cow could be.
然后妻子为他系好围巾；因为这种事她比他更在行，她甚至为他打了一个双结，这让他看起来很帅。她用棕榈刷一圈一圈的把他的帽子抚平了，然后亲吻了他。然后他骑马去集市卖马或者交换一些东西回来。是的，老农知道自己在做什么。阳光特别的炙热，天上也你没有一片云彩。马路上尘土飞扬，因为有很多然都在赶集，有驾马车的、有骑行的还有走路的。这儿没有一块阴凉地可以躲避炙热的阳光。其中一个人走过来了，他骑着一头牛去集市。这头牛比任何一头牛都漂亮。
“She gives good milk， I am certain，” said the peasant to himself. “That would be a very good exchange： the cow for the horse. Hallo there！ you with the cow，” he said. “I tell you what； I dare say a horse is of more value than a cow； but I don't care for that，—a cow will be more useful to me； so， if you like， we'll exchange.”
“To be sure I will，” said the man.
“我肯定她会产好奶。”老农自言自语道。“这一定是一个很好的交换：用牛换马。 你好！你和你的牛，”他说道，“我跟你说我敢肯定一匹马比一头牛更有价值，但是我不在乎，--一头牛对我来说更有用，所以，如果你愿意的话，我们交换吧。”“当然我很乐意。”那个人说道。
Accordingly the exchange was made； and as the matter was settled， the peasant might have turned back； for he had done the business he came to do. But， having made up his mind to go to the fair， he determined to do so， if only to have a look at it； so on he went to the town with his cow. Leading the animal， he strode on sturdily， and， after a short time， overtook a man who was driving a sheep. It was a good fat sheep， with a fine fleece on its back.
所以他们交换了；当交换完成，老农准备回去；因为他已经完成他想要做的交易了。但是他内心想要去参加集会，他觉得这么做了。只是去看看。所以他带着他的牛继续朝城里走去。牵着牛，他坚定的走了。一会之后，他看到一个骑着一只羊的人。这真是一直肥壮的羊，羊背上长着顺滑的羊毛。
“I should like to have that fellow，” said the peasant to himself. “There is plenty of grass for him by our palings， and in the winter we could keep him in the room with us. Perhaps it would be more profitable to have a sheep than a cow. Shall I exchange？”
“我应该交换那个家伙。”老农自言自语道。“我们家的木栅里有足够的青草给它吃，冬天的时候我们可以让它和我们一起待在屋子里，可能拥有一只羊比拥有一头牛更有价值些。我应该交换吗？”
the man with the sheep was quite ready， and the bargain was quickly made. And then our peasant continued his way on the high-road with his sheep. Soon after this， he overtook another man， who had come into the road from a field， and was carrying a large goose under his arm.
有羊的那个男人已经准备好了，这笔交易很快就完成了。然后我们的老农继续带着他的羊走在马路上。不久之后，他看到另一个人，他从一个牧场走到马路上，拎着一直大鹅。
“What a heavy creature you have there！” said the peasant； “it has plenty of feathers and plenty of fat， and would look well tied to a string， or paddling in the water at our place. That would be very useful to my old woman； she could make all sorts of profits out of it. How often she has said， 'If now we only had a goose！' Now here is an opportunity， and， if possible，I will get it for her. Shall we exchange？ I will give you my sheep for your goose， and thanks into the bargain.”
“你拎着的那个东西真重啊！”老农说道。“它真是有好多羽毛又很肥壮，系一根绳子看着很好啊，或者在我们家那边的水潭里划水也很棒，它对我老婆来说也很有用，她可以获得各种好处。她经常说，‘现在我们是否可以拥有一只鹅！’现在有这个机会了，如果可能，我会把鹅给她。我们要交换吗？我会给你我的羊来交换你的鹅，感谢和你的交易。”
the other had not the least objection， and accordingly the exchange was made， and our peasant became possessor of the goose. By this time he had arrived very near the town.The crowd on the high road had been gradually increasing， and there was quite a rush of men and cattle. The cattle walked on the path and by the palings， and at the turnpike-gate they even walked into the toll-keeper's potato-field， where one fowl was strutting about with a string tied to its leg， for fear it should take fright at the crowd， and run away and get lost.
另一个人一句反对的话都没说，因此交换完成了。我们的老农变成了鹅的主人了。这时他离城里已经很近了。马路上的人群逐渐增多，这儿真是挤满了人和家畜。家畜在路上或者沟里走着，他们甚至都被挤到收税人堆土豆的地方了，收税人旁边用绳子栓着一只母鸡的腿，是因为担心它被人群吓到后跑掉丢失。
The tail-feathers of the fowl were very short， and it winked with both its eyes， and looked very cunning， as it said “Cluck， cluck.” What were the thoughts of the fowl as it said this I cannot tell you； but directly our good man saw it， he thought， “Why that's the finest fowl Iever saw in my life； it's finer than our parson's brood hen， upon my word. I should like to have that fowl. Fowls can always pick up a few grains that lie about， and almost keep themselves. I think it would be a good exchange if I could get it for my goose. Shall we exchange？” he asked the toll-keeper.“Exchange，” repeated the man； “well， it would not be a bad thing.”
这只母鸡的尾巴非常短，它眨着眼睛，看着特别狡猾，它一直叫着“咯咯，咯咯。”母鸡这么叫是在想什么我也不知道；但是我们的老农看到它，他想着，“这是我人生中看到的最漂亮的母鸡，比我们牧师加的孵蛋母鸡还要漂亮。要我来说，我应该有用这只母鸡。母鸡只需要吃一点点谷物就可以活。我觉得如果用我的鹅换这只母鸡将是不错的交换。我们可以交换吗？”他问那个收税人。“交换吧，当然，这不是坏事。”那个人回答道。
And so they made an exchange，—the toll-keeper at the turnpike-gate kept the goose，and the peasant carried off the fowl. Now he had really done a GREat deal of business on his way to the fair， and he was hot and tired. He wanted something to eat， and a glass of ale tore fresh himself； so he turned his steps to an inn. He was just about to enter when the ostler came out， and they met at the door. The ostler was carrying a sack. “What have you in that sack？” asked the peasant.“Rotten apples，” answered the ostler； “a whole sackful of them. They will do to feed the pigs with.”
然后他们交换了，收税人在堆放土豆的地方拴着鹅，老农带上母鸡。现在他在去集市的路上已经做了很好的交易了，现在她又热又累。他想要喝点东西，一杯麦酒会让他舒服起来；所以他朝着一家客栈走去。他刚要进去的时候，一个马夫出来了，他们在门口相遇了。马夫扛着一个麻袋。“你的麻袋里装了啥？”老农问道，“腐烂的苹果。”马夫答道；“一整袋的腐烂苹果，这些将会拿去喂猪。”
“Why that will be terrible waste，” he replied； “I should like to take them home to my oldwoman. Last year the old apple-tree by the grass-plot only bore one apple， and we kept it in the cupboard till it was quite withered and rotten. It was always property， my old woman said； and here she would see a GREat deal of property—a whole sackful； I should like to show them to her.”“What will you give me for the sackful？” asked the ostler.“What will I give？ Well， I will give you my fowl in exchange.”
“为什么这些苹果坏了。”他问道，“我应该带着它们回家给我的老婆，去年草地上的一棵老苹果树只长了一颗苹果，我们把它放在壁橱里直到它变腐烂了。这还是财产，我的老婆说的。现在她可以看到非常棒的财产交易--一整袋的腐烂苹果；我应该给她展示这些腐烂苹果。”“你可可以给我什么来交换这一袋？”马夫问道。“我给你什么？好的，我用我的母鸡交换。”
So he gave up the fowl， and received the apples， which he carried into the inn parlor. He leaned the sack carefully against the stove， and then went to the table. But the stove was hot， and he had not thought of that. Many guests were present—horse dealers， cattledrovers， and two Englishmen. The Englishmen were so rich that their pockets quite bulged out and seemed ready to burst； and they could bet too， as you shall hear. “Hiss-s-s， hiss-s-s.”What could that be by the stove？ The apples were beginning to roast. “What is that？” asked one.
所以他放弃了母鸡，接受了苹果，他把苹果拿到客栈的客厅，把麻袋小心的靠在壁炉旁，然后去吃饭。但是壁炉非常热，他没有意识到。现在很多客人，有马贩、家畜贩，两个英国人。英国人非常富有，他们的口袋里装满了鼓鼓的金币都快溢出来了。所以他们可以赌博，当你听到“呲呲”声，炉子旁边的是什么？苹果正在被烤。“那是什么？”一个人问道。
“Why， do you know”—said our peasant. And then he told them the whole story of the horse， which he had exchanged for a cow， and all the rest of it， down to the apples.
“为什么，你知道”我们的老农说道。然后他告诉他们关于用马交换牛，以及剩下的故事直到换成烂苹果。
“Well， your old woman will give it you well when you get home，” said one of theEnglishmen. “Won't there be a noise？”“What！ Give me what？” said the peasant. “Why， she will kiss me， and say， 'what the old man does is always right.'”“Let us lay a wager on it，” said the Englishmen. “We'll wager you a ton of coined gold， a hundred pounds to the hundred-weight.”“No； a bushel will be enough，” replied the peasant. “I can only set a bushel of apples against it， and I'll throw myself and my old woman into the bargain； that will pile up theme a sure， I fancy.”“Done！ taken！” and so the bet was made.
"好吧，当你回家的时候你的老婆一定叫你好受的。"一个英国人说道。“那一定会吵闹？”“什么？给我什么？”老农问道。“为什么，她会亲吻我的，然后说‘丈夫做的总是对的。’”“让我们来打个赌吧，我们以一桶金币为赌注，一百磅一桶金币。”英国人说道。“不，一桶足够了，我只能有用一桶苹果来赌它，我会把我和老婆放到赌注里，我想那一定是尖尖的一桶”老农说道。“好的，成交！”然后赌约定了。
then the landlord's coach came to the door， and the two Englishmen and the peasant got in， and away they drove， and soon arrived and stopped at the peasant's hut. “Goodevening， old woman.” “Good evening， old man.” “I've made the exchange.”
然后地主的马车来到门前，两个英国人和老农进去了，带着他们离开了，不久就到了停在老农的农舍门口。“晚上好，老婆子。”“晚上好，老头子”“我已经完成交换啦。”
“Ah， well， you understand what you're about，” said the woman. Then she embraced him， and paid no attention to the strangers， nor did she notice the sack.“I got a cow in exchange for the horse.”
“Thank Heaven，” said she. “Now we shall have plenty of milk， and butter， and cheese onthe table. That was a capital exchange.”“Yes， but I changed the cow for a sheep.”“Ah， better still！” cried the wife. “You always think of everything； we have just enough pasture for a sheep. Ewe's milk and cheese， woollen jackets and stockings！ The cow couldnot give all these， and her hair only falls off. How you think of everything！”“But I changed away the sheep for a goose.”
“啊，好吧，你明白你在做什么。”老婆子说道，然后拥抱了他，没有注意到陌生人也没有注意到麻袋。“我用马交换了牛。”“感谢上帝，现在我们有足够的牛奶、黄油和奶酪了。这真是一个特别好的交换啊。”老婆在说道。“是的，但是我用牛换了羊。”“啊，那更好呀！”妻子叫到。“你总是能想到所有的事情。我们有足够的牧场来养羊，母羊的奶和奶酪，羊毛制的短上衣和长筒袜！母牛可给不了这些，她的毛发都会掉落的。你真能想到所有的事情啊！”“但是我用羊换了鹅。”
“then we shall have roast goose to eat this year. You dear old man， you are always thinking of something to please me. This is delightful. We can let the goose walk about with a string tied to her leg， so she will be fatter still before we roast her.”“But I gave away the goose for a fowl.”“A fowl！ Well， that was a good exchange，” replied the woman. “The fowl will lay eggs and hatch them， and we shall have chickens； we shall soon have a poultry-yard. Oh， this is just what I was wishing for.”“Yes， but I exchanged the fowl for a sack of shrivelled apples.”
“今年我们要做烤鹅吃，亲爱的老头子，你总是可以想到让我开心的事情，这真是令人开心。我可以给鹅的腿栓一根绳子，养着它，所有它会在我们烤它之前长肥的。”“但是我又用鹅换了母鸡。”“一只母鸡！好的，那也是一个好的交换。”老婆子说道。“母鸡可以生蛋并孵化它们，我们将会有小鸡；我们不就就会有家禽场。哦，这就是我想要的。”“是的，但是我又换成了一袋腐烂的苹果。”
“What！ I really must give you a kiss for that！” exclaimed the wife. “My dear， goodhusband， now I'll tell you something. Do you know， almost as soon as you left me thismorning， I began to think of what I could give you nice for supper this evening， and then I thought of fried eggs and bacon， with sweet herbs； I had eggs and bacon， but I wanted the herbs； so I went over to the schoolmaster's： I knew they had plenty of herbs， but the schoolmistress is very mean， although she can smile so sweetly. I begged her to lend me a handful of herbs. 'Lend！' she exclaimed， 'I have nothing to lend； nothing at all grows in our garden， not even a shrivelled apple； I could not even lend you a shrivelled apple， my dearwoman.' But now I can lend her ten， or a whole sackful， which I'm very glad of； it makes me laugh to think about it；” and then she gave him a hearty kiss.
“什么！我真的要亲吻你了！”妻子大叫到。“我亲爱的好丈夫，现在我要告诉你一些事情，你知道吗，就在今早你走后不久，我开始考虑要给你准备什么美味的晚餐，然后我想用甜草煎鸡蛋和培根，我有鸡蛋和培根，但是我想要一些甜草；所以我去校长家，我知道他们有很多甜草，但是学校女主人特别吝啬，尽管他看起来很美好，但是我祈求她借我一把甜草，‘借？’她叫着说‘我没有东西借给你；我们的公园什么都长不出来，甚至是一颗烂苹果，我甚至都借不了一颗烂苹果，我亲爱的妇人，但是现在，我可以借十个给她，或者一整袋我都乐意；这让我一想到这事就开心。’”然后她给他一个甜蜜的吻。
“Well， I like all this，” said both the Englishmen； “always going down the hill， and yet always merry； it's worth the money to see it.” So they paid a hundred-weight of gold to the peasant， who， whatever he did， was not scolded but kissed.
“好吧，我喜欢这些。”两个英国人说道。“事情总会峰回路转啊；看到这些值这些钱。”所以他们支付了一桶金币给这个无论他做什么都会得到亲吻而不是怒吼的老农。
Yes， it always pays best when the wife sees and maintains that her husband knows best，and whatever he does is right.
是的，一为妻子看到他的丈夫总是知道最好的，他总是对的，这一定会得到好报。
That is a story which I heard when I was a child； and now you have heard it too， and know that “What the old man does is always right.”
这个故事是我在小的时候听到的，现在你也听到了，知道了什么是“老头子总是对的。”
