活命水
There was once a king who had an illness， and no one believed that he would come out of it with his life. He had three sons who were much distresseddistressed adj.哀伤的 about it， and went down into the palacegarden and wept. There they met an old man who inquired as to the cause of their grief. They told him that their father was so ill that he would most certainly die， for nothing seemed to cure him. Then the old man said， “I know of one more remedyremedy n.药物， 治疗法， 补救， 赔偿， and that is the water of life. If he drinks of it he will become well again， but it is hard to find.” The eldest said， “I will manage to find it.” And went to the sick king， and begged to be allowed to go forth in search of the water of life， for that alone could save him. “No，” said the king， “the danger of it is too great. I would rather die.” But he begged so long that the king consented. The prince thought in his heart， “If I bring the water， then I shall be best beloved of my father， and shall inheritinherit vt.继承， 遗传而得 the kingdom.”
从前，有一位国王病了，谁都不相信他还能够活下去。他有三个儿子，他们都因此非常悲伤，一起来到王宫的花园中哭泣。一个老人碰见他们，问他们为什么伤心。他们告诉他，父亲病得快死了，因为什么更加有效的办法都救不了他的命。老人听后说：“我知道一个办法，就是活命水，只要他喝下这种水，就会恢复健康，只是想找到它非常非常难啊。”“我一定要找到它。”大王子说，说完就走到重病的父亲跟前，求他允许他出去寻找活命水，因为只有这种水能治好他。“不，”国王回答，“那太危险了，我宁肯死去！”大王子却一再请求，国王终于答应了。大王子在心中暗自盘算：“我要找来了活命水，我就成了父亲最宠爱的儿子，就将继承王位。”
So he set out， and when he had ridden forth a little distance， a dwarfdwarf n.矮子， 侏儒 stood there in the road who called to him and said， “Whither away so fast？” “Silly shrimp，” said the prince， very haughtily， “it is nothing to do with you.” And rode on. But the little dwarf had grown angry， and had wished an evil wish. Soon after this the prince entered a ravineravine n.沟壑， 峡谷， 溪谷， and the further he rode the closer the mountains drew together， and at last the road became so narrow that he could not advance a step further. It was impossible either to turn his horse or to dismountdismount v.(使)下马 from the saddle， and he was shut in there as if in prison. The sick king waited long for him， but he came not back. Then the second son said， “Father， let me go forth to seek the water.” And thought to himself， “If my brother is dead， then the kingdom will fall to me.” At first the king would not allow him to go either， but at last he yielded， so the prince set out on the same road that his brother had taken， and he too met the dwarf， who stopped him to ask whither he was going in such haste. “Little shrimpshrimp n.矮人，” said the prince， “that is nothing to do with you.” And rode on without giving him another look. But the dwarf bewitchedbewitch vt.施魔法于， 蛊惑， 迷人 him， and he， like the other， rode into a ravine， and could neither go forwards nor backwards. So fare haughty people.
他于是动了身，骑着马走了一些时候，看见在路边上站着个小矮人儿在大声招呼他，对他说：“这么着急上哪儿去？”“愚蠢的小矮子，这没必要告诉你！”王子傲慢地回答，骑马往前走了。小矮人儿很气愤，对他发出了诅咒。不久，大王子就误入一道峡谷，越是往前走，两边的山越靠拢在一起，最后路竟窄得一步也没法前进了。可想掉转马头或者爬下马鞍同样不可能，这样，他便卡在了那里好像在监狱里。重病的父亲等了很久，却不见他回来。这时二王子说：“爸爸，让我出去为你找活命水吧！”他心里却想：要是哥哥死了，王国就归我啦。国王一开始也不同意他去，最后才勉强答应了。二王子于是走上了哥哥当初走的同一条路，也遇见那个小矮人儿。小矮人儿，叫住他问他急急忙忙去哪儿。“愚蠢的小矮子，这个没必要告诉你，”他回答，头也不回地驱马走了。小矮人儿也诅咒了他，让他也走进一道峡谷，进退不得。傲慢的人下场可不都是这样吗！
As the second son also remained away， the youngest begged to be allowed to go forth to fetch the water， and at last the king was obliged to let him go. When he met the dwarf and the latter asked him whither he was going in such hastehaste n.匆忙， 急忙， he stopped， gave him an explanation， and said， “I am seeking the water of life， for my father is sick unto death.”
二王子也一去不归，最小的王子便请求让他去找活命水，国王最后不得不同意了他。他遇见小矮人儿，小矮人儿问他急急忙忙去哪儿，他停下来回答说：“我去找活命水，因为我父亲病得快死啦。”
“Do you know， then， where that is to be found？”
“你知道上哪儿找活命水吗？”
“No.” said the prince.
“不知道。”小王子回答。
“As you have borne yourself as is seemly， and not haughtily like your false brothers， I will give you the information and tell you how you may obtain the water of life. It springs from a fountain in the courtyard of an enchantedenchant vt.施魔法， 使迷惑 castle， but you will not be able to make your way to it， if I do not give you an iron wand and two small loaves of bread. Strike thrice with the wand on the iron door of the castle and it will spring open， inside lie two lions with gapinggaping adj.多洞穴的 jaws， but if you throw a loaf to each of them， they will be quieted. Then hasten to fetch some of the water of life before the clock strikes twelve else the door will shut again， and you will be imprisoned.” The prince thanked him， took the wand and the bread， and set out on his way. When he arrived， everything was as the dwarf had said. The door sprang open at the third stroke of the wandwand n.棒， 棍， 杖， (表示官职的)权杖， (柳树等幼树的)嫩枝， and when he had appeased the lions with the bread， he entered the castle， and came to a large and splendid hall， wherein sat some enchanted princes whose rings he drew off their fingers. A sword and a loaf of bread were lying there， which he carried away. After this， he entered a chamber， in which was a beautiful maiden who rejoiced when she saw him， kissed him， and told him that he had set her free， and should have the whole of her kingdom， and that if he would return in a year their wedding should be celebrated. Likewise she told him where the spring of the water of life was， and that he was to hasten and draw some of it before the clock struck twelve. Then he went onwards， and at last entered a room where there was a beautiful newlymade bed， and as he was very weary， he felt inclinedincline vi.倾向， 倾斜 to rest a little. So he lay down and fell asleep. When he awoke， it was striking a quarter to twelve. He sprang up in a fright， ran to the spring， drew some water in a cup which stood near， and hastened away. But just as he was passing through the iron door， the clock struck twelve， and the door fell to with such violenceviolence n.猛烈， 强烈， 暴力， 暴虐， 暴行， 强暴 that it carried away a piece of his heel.