The Water Of Life(2)ing-bottom: 54.06%;">After that they boarded a ship and sailed over the sea. During the voyage the two elder brothers said to each other:" Our youngest brother found the Water of Life and we didn't, so our father will give him the kingdom that's due to us and so he'll sob us of our fortunes." And they sought revenge and plotted together to destroy him. They waited for a time when he was fast asleep, and then they took the Water of Life from him, emptying it out of his cup and pouring salt sea-water into it instead. So when they arrived home the youngest son took his cup to the sick king for him to drink out of it and get well. But he had hardly tasted a mouthful of the salt sea-water when he fell even more ill than before. And as he was lamenting about this, his two elder sons came in and accused the youngest of having tried to poison him, but told him that they had brought the real Water of Life. So they gave it to him, and no sooner had he drunk some than he felt his sickness leave him and grew strong and healthy as he had been in his youth. After this the two went to their youngest brother and mocked him:" Oh yes, you found the Water of Life," they said, "but you've had the trouble and we've got the reward! You should have been cleverer and kept you eyes open: we took it from you when you'd fallen asleep on the ship, and a year from now one of us will fetch that beautiful princess. But mind you say nothing about this; our father wouldn't believe you anyway, and if you utter a single word you'll lose your life as well, but if you hold your tongue we'll spare it." The old king was angry with his youngest son, believing he had tried to kill him. So he summoned all his courtiers and made them pass judgment, and it was decided that the prince should be secretly shot. So one day when he was out hunting and suspected nothing, the king's huntsman was ordered to accompany him. When they were out there in the forest quite alone and the huntsman was looking very sad, the prince said to him, "Dear huntsman, what's the matter?" The huntsman said, "I can't tell you, and yet I must." Then the prince said, "Tell me right out what it is, I'll forgive you." "Oh, sir," said the huntsman, "I'm to shoot you dead, it's the king's order." The prince was startled and said, "Dear huntsman, let me live! Look, I'll give you my royal clothes, give me your plain ones in exchange." The huntsman said: "I'll gladly do so, I just couldn't have brought myself to shoot at you." So they changed clothes, and the huntsman went home, but the prince went deeper into the forest. Sometime later, the old king received three wagon-loads of gold and precious stones for his youngest son: they had been sent by the three kings w ho had defeated their enemies with the prince's sword and fed their people with his loaf of bread, and who wanted to show their gratitude. Then the old king thought: can it be that my son was innocent? And he said to his servants, "If only he were still alive! How sorry I am now that I had him killed." "Sir, he is still alive," said the huntsman, "for I didn't have the heart to carry out your orders." And he told the king what had happened. At this a great weight fell from the king's heart, and he had it proclaimed in every kingdom that his son might come home and that we would be graciously welcomed. But the princess had a road made leading up to her castle, and it was of pure shining gold; and she told her servants that whoever came riding straight up the middle of it to visit her would be her rightful bridegroom and they were to let him in. But if anyone came riding alongside the road he would not be the right man, and they were not to let him in. So when the year was nearly over, the eldest brother decided that he would hurry off to the princess and claim to be her rescuer, and then he would get her for his wife with her kingdom as well. So he rode off, and when he got near the castle and saw the beautiful golden road, he thought: it would be a crying shame to ride on a road like that. So he turned aside and rode up on the right of it. When he came to the gate, the servants told him he wasn't the right man and that he must go away. Soon afterwards the second prince set out, and when he came to the golden road and his horse took the first step on it, he thought: it would be a crying shame, his hooves might damage the surface. So he turned aside and rode up on the left of it. But when he came to the gate, the servants said he wasn't the right man and he must go away. Then when the year had fully passed, the third brother decided to leave the forest and ride to his beloved and forget his sorrows with her. So he set out and thought of nothing but her and wished he were there already, and didn't even notice the golden road. So his horse went straight up the middle of it, and when he reached the gate it was opened to him and the princess received him with joy, telling him he was her rescuer and the lord of her kingdom. Their wedding was celebrated with great happiness, and when it was over she told him that his father had sent for him and forgiven him. So he rode home and told the king everything, and how his brothers had deceived him but he had said nothing about it. The old king wanted to punish them, but they had boarded a ship and set sail and never showed their faces again.
I. Translation for Reference(參考譯文) 然後，他們弟兄三人乘船過海。船向前航行的時候，兩個哥哥祕密地商量着，他們說：“三王子找到了救命水，可是，我們沒找到，父親會把本該歸我們所有的王位讓給他的。咱們倆什麼也得不着了。他會把我們的幸福奪走的。”這樣，兩個哥哥心裏燃燒起仇恨的烈火，一起密謀要毀了弟弟。有一天，他們等弟弟睡熟了，就把弟弟杯裏的救命水倒到自己的杯裏來。然後，又在弟弟的杯裏裝上鹹苦的海水。 他們回到家以後，三王子馬上把杯子拿給 生病的國王，讓他喝下里面的水治好病。但是國王只是喝了一點點那鹹苦的海水，病就變得比以前更重了。三王子難過得痛哭起來。這時候他的兩個哥哥走進來責備他想害死他們的父親，並且對國王說他們拿來了真正的救命水。接着，他們把救命水送上來。國王喝一下這杯水，馬上就覺得病好了，而且還像年輕時那樣健康結實，精力旺盛。於是兩個哥哥走到三王子跟前來，嘲諷他說：“救命水確實是你找到的。可是你白費了力氣，好處我們哥倆領了。你，應該學得更聰明點兒，眼睛再睜得大點兒。你在海上睡覺的時候，我們就把那救命水拿過來了。一年以後，我們倆還會有一個人把那漂亮的公主帶回來。可是我們警告你，這些事兒，你不能對別人講。爸爸是不會相信你的話的。你要是敢說出一句。我們就要你的命，你要是不吱聲，我們就饒了你。” 老國王很惱恨三王子。他以爲三我王子真想害死他。於是，他召集大臣們商量怎麼懲處三王子。他們想要悄悄地把三王子槍斃了。有一次，三王子出去打獵絲毫未存戒心。老國王派個獵人跟着他。當他們兩人從王宮裏出來走到森林裏的時候，獵人臉上露出了愁容。三王子問獵人：“你怎麼了啊？”獵人說：“這個，我是不能說的。可是我必須得告訴你。”三王子說：“有什麼事？你說吧！我不會責備你的。”獵人說：“我要槍斃你，這是國王的命令。”三王子嚇了一大跳，說：“獵人啊，你救我一命吧！我把我漂亮的衣服給你，你把你的破衣服給我。”“我願意這樣做，無論如何，我不能對你開槍。”於是，他們互相換了衣服，獵人回家去了，三王子走進了大森林。 過不多久，老國王收到了三輛裝有黃金和寶石的大馬車。這是三個國王送給三王子的禮物。三個國王藉助三王子的寶刀纔打敗了敵人，靠三王子的麪包度過了饑荒，所以才送這些東西來表示謝意。老國王心裏想：難道我那個兒子，是沒有罪過的。所以他對僕人們說：“我那孩子要是還活着該多好啊。我真後悔殺了他。”“三王子還活着。我沒忍心執行你的命令，沒有殺他，”獵人說。接着獵人把當時的情況講給了國王聽。國王聽了這話，心裏的一塊石頭落了地。於是，他向每個國度發出佈告說三王子可以回來，會受到熱情的歡迎。 再說那位公主，她在她的王宮前面用黃金鋪了一條閃閃發光的大路，並且對手下人說不管是誰騎着馬從這條路中間一直跑過來，那就是她的丈夫，可以把他領近來；如果有人從路邊跑過來，那就不是她真正等待的人，就不要把他領進來了。 一年快過去的時候，大王子急急忙忙地往公主那裏趕。他心裏想，我自報我就是救了公主的那個人，我就能娶到公主了，還能得到她的國家。於是，他騎着馬直奔王宮而來。他看見王宮前的黃金大道，心裏想：騎着馬從這條大路上走，太過分了吧！於是他撥馬到路邊去，從右側往前走。可是當大王子走到王宮門前的時候，手下人對他說他不是公主真正等待的人，應該馬上離開。 不久，二王子也到了，當馬蹄剛踏上那黃金大道，二王子心裏就想：這太過分了，馬蹄會把路踩壞的。於是他也撥馬到路邊去，從左側往前走。可是當二王子趕到王宮門前，手下人對他說他不是公主真正等待的人，應該馬上離開。 一年，已經過去了。三王子決心從森林裏走出來，直奔他一直想念的公主居住的王宮。他忘記了悲傷，一心想着公主。他要儘快地趕到她的身邊，所以不顧一切地往前走啊走，根本沒看見那條黃金大道。他的馬是從大道的正中間通過的。三王子走到王宮大門口的時候，門開了。公主高高興興地出來迎接他，說他纔是真正解救他的人並且已經是這個國家的國王了。然後，他們高興地舉行了盛大的婚禮。婚後，公主對三王子說他的爸爸已經派人找他並寬恕了他。於是，三王子騎馬回家，把全部情況告訴了老國王，對他說兩個哥哥如何欺騙了他，但他卻沒揭發他們。老國王要教訓教訓那兩個兒子。可是，他們上了海船逃走了，再也沒回來。
II. Exercise Choose the correct answer to the following questions. 1. Why did the two brothers hate the youngest prince?
A. Because the youngest prince was the most handsome.
B. Because the old king loved the youngest prince best.
C. Because the youngest prince had a beautiful wife.
D. Because they thought the youngest prince would rob them of their fortune. 2. What did the two brothers do with the youngest prince at sea?
A. They beat the youngest prince viciously in the ship.
B. They exchanged the Water of Life for sea-water when the youngest prince was asleep.
C. They put poison into the youngest prince's cup.
D. They killed the youngest prince. 3. Why didn't the huntsman kill the youngest prince?
A. Because he was a kind-hearted man.
B. Because he forgot to take bullets with him.
C. Because the youngest prince was stronger than him.
D. Because he was ill and felt uncomfortable. 4. Why didn't the youngest prince see the golden road?
A. Because he was blind then. ; B. Because he was far from the road.
C. Because he didn't know gold.
D. Because he thought of nothing but the princess. h statement is not right?
A. The youngest prince became king of the princess's kingdom at last.
B. The princess was clever.
C. The old king was foolish and not wise at all.
D. The two elder princess were afraid of being punished and fled away.
III. New Words and Expressions 生詞和詞組 nge n. 報復 nt v. 悲嘆 r v. 做聲 e v. 饒恕 iously ad. 熱情地 egroom n. 新郎
