安徒生童話:What the Old Man Does Is Always Right老爹
What the Old Man Does Is Always Right
by Hans Christian Andersen（1861）
I WILL tell you a story that was told me when I was 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.
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. 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. 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？
“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 to me， so ride to the fair.”
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 sun shone 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.
“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.
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.
“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？”
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.
“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.”
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. 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 I ever 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.”
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 to refresh 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.”
“Why that will be terrible waste，” he replied； “I should like to take them home to my old woman. 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.”
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， cattle drovers， 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.
“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.
“Well， your old woman will give it you well when you get home，” said one of the Englishmen. “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 the measure， I fancy.”
“Done！ taken！” and so the bet was made.
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. “Good evening， old woman.” “Good evening， old man.” “I've made the exchange.”
“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 on the 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 could not give all these， and her hair only falls off. How you think of everything！”
“But I changed away the sheep for a goose.”
“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.”
“What！ I really must give you a kiss for that！” exclaimed the wife. “My dear， good husband， now I'll tell you something. Do you know， almost as soon as you left me this morning， 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 dear woman.' 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.
“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.
Yes， it always pays best when the wife sees and maintains that her husband knows best， and whatever he does is right.
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.”
現在我要給你們講一個我小時候聽過的故事。從那以後，每次想到這個故事，我都覺得它比以前更加美麗了。因爲故事和許多人一個樣，隨着年齡增長，會變得越來越美麗動人，這真是很好的事情！
你一定到過鄉下的！你見過頂子用穀草鋪成的真正的農舍：蘚苔和雜草自然而然地生長着。屋脊上有一個鸛巢，鸛，人是離不開的。牆有些斜，窗子開得很低，是啊，而且只有一扇窗子打得開。烤麵包的竈突出來像個大肚子。接骨木叢斜在籬笆上，籬前一顆長着節疤的柳樹下有一個小小的水潭，有一隻鴨子或者幾隻鴨子在裏面遊着。哦，還有一隻看家狗，它不管見了誰或者甚麼東西，都要叫一陣。
我要講的正是鄉下的這樣一所房子，裏面住着兩個人，農夫和農婦。他們家中的東西少得可憐，可是，他們依舊可以再少一點的。我要說的是一匹馬，這匹馬在大道旁的溝裏找草吃。老頭子騎着它進城，鄰家來借它去使喚，他靠它給別人幹活掙得點錢。然而賣掉它或者把它換成甚麼對他們更有用的東西，掙的錢定然會更多一些。但是換甚麼呢。“老爹，這種事你最在行了！”妻子說道，“現在城裏正在趕集，騎上馬去吧，把馬賣掉得點錢回來，或是換點甚麼東西回來！你做的事情總是對的。騎上馬趕集去吧！”
於是她替他繫好圍裙，因爲這類事她畢竟比他在行些；她給他打的是雙結，看上去很帥。於是他用手板擦了擦帽子，她在他的溫暖的嘴脣上親了親，他便騎着要賣掉或是要換掉的馬上路了。可不是，老爹清楚。
太陽很辣，天上一點兒雲也沒有！路上塵土飛揚。趕集的人多極了，有乘車的，有騎馬的，有步行的。太陽火辣辣的，路上連個遮蔭的地方都沒有。
有一個人趕着一頭母牛，那頭母牛非常好，就像一頭母牛能夠做到的一樣好。“這牛一定能下很好的奶！”農夫想道，“把它換過來一定不會吃虧。”“聽着，牽牛的！”他說道，“咱們兩人談談怎麼樣！你瞧見沒有，一匹馬，我想肯定比一頭牛值錢，不過那沒有甚麼！我更用得着一頭母牛。我們換換好不好？”“好吧，當然！”牽牛的人說道，於是他們就交換了。換完以後，農夫本可以轉身回去了，他不是把要辦的事辦完了嗎。可是他既然想起要去趕集，那麼便要去集上走走，光是看看。於是他牽着他的母牛，朝集市走去。他走得很快，母牛也走得很快，他趕過了一個牽着一隻羊的人，那隻羊很不錯，毛色很好。“我要是有這麼一隻羊就好了！”農民想道。“我們大路溝邊不缺它吃的草，到冬天可以把它牽進屋裏和我們在一起。從根本上說，我們保留只羊比保留只牛還更正確一些。我們換換好嗎？”
好啊，那個有羊的人當然願意啦。於是他們作了交換，農夫牽着他的羊順着大道走。在一道籬邊的踏階那裏，他看見一個人用胳臂夾着一隻鵝。“你這隻鵝倒是很壯實的！”農夫說道，“毛很豐滿，又很肥！拿根繩子拴着它，把它養在我們的水塘裏會很不錯的。讓老婆子弄些果皮及菜葉子給它吃多好！她常說，”我們要有隻鵝多好！“這一回她可有隻鵝了——該讓她得到這隻鵝！你願換嗎？我拿羊換你的鵝，多謝你！”
當然，那人當然願意。於是他們作了交換，農夫得到了鵝。他很快便要進城了。這時路上往來的人越來越多，人畜都擠在一起。大家在大道上走，擠在溝裏，一直擠到路旁收稅人堆土豆的地方。那裏收稅人用繩子繫着他的母雞，不讓它嚇得跑丟了。那是隻禿尾巴雞，一隻眼睛眨着，很好看。母雞在“咯、咯”叫着；母雞這麼叫在想甚麼，誰也不知道。不過農夫看見它的時候，心中想道：這隻母雞可是我這一輩子見過的最漂亮的母雞，它比牧師的那隻抱窩雞還要好看，我真想要它！母雞找點穀子吃總是不成問題的，它自己就能照料自己！要是我得到這隻雞，這種交換是合算的。“我們交換好嗎？”他問道。“交換！”另外那個人說道，“這個主意倒不太離譜！”於是他們作了交換。收稅人得了鵝，農夫得了母雞。這趟進城，一路上他幹成的事真不少。天氣很熱，他也累了。他很需要喝杯酒和吃點麵包。這時他走到了小酒店，想進去。可是酒店小夥子正想走出來，他在店門口遇到了他。他揹着一個口袋，裏面裝些甚麼。“袋裏裝的是甚麼？”農夫問道。“爛蘋果！”小夥子回答道，“滿滿一袋給豬吃。”“這可真夠多的！真該讓老媽媽看看。我們去年炭棚子旁的那棵老蘋果樹，只結了一個蘋果，把它擱到櫃子上放着一直到它開裂。怎麼說也是一筆財產！我們老婆子這麼說。這下子她可以看到一大筆財產了！是的，我要讓她看看。”“好吧！你拿甚麼換？”小夥子問道。“拿甚麼？我拿我的母雞換！”於是他拿他的母雞作了交換，得了蘋果，走進了屋子，一直走到賣酒的臺子前。他把他的一口袋蘋果放了靠在火爐上，火爐裏有火，他可是一點兒沒有想到。屋子裏有許多外來人。有販馬的，有買賣牛的，還有兩個英國人，他們非常有錢，兜裏的金幣滿滿的。他們打起賭來。事情是這樣的，聽着！“滋！滋！”火爐那裏是甚麼聲音？蘋果烤熟了。“裏面是甚麼？”是啊，老爹把甚麼都說了。於是他們很快便知道了一切！關於那匹馬的，怎麼把它換成牛一直到這袋爛蘋果。“是嘛！等你回到家，老婆子該叫你夠受的了！”兩個英國人說道，“你會捱揍的！”“我會得到親吻，而不是捱揍！”農夫說道，“我那老婆子會說：老爹做的事總是對的！”“打個賭好不好！”他們說道，“滿桶的金幣！一百鎊賭一斗金幣。”“滿滿一斗不成問題！”農夫說道，“我只拿得出蘋果，連我和我家老婆子一起湊上一斗。不過那不僅只是平平的一滿鬥，而是尖尖的一滿鬥！”“賭定了，不許悔！”他們說道。於是這場賭便算打定了。旅店老闆的車子駛出來，英國人上了車，農夫上了車，爛蘋果也上了車。於是他們來到了農夫的家裏。“晚上好，老婆子！”“多謝你，老爹爹！”“換東西的事辦完了！”“是啊，你真在行的！”妻子說道，摟住了他的腰，忘記了口袋也忘記了生人。“我用馬換了一頭母牛！”“真是多謝上帝，我們有牛奶了！”妻子說道，“這下子我們有奶品吃了，桌上有黃油、乾酪啦。換得太好了！”“是的，不過我又用母牛換了一隻羊！”“這肯定就更加好了！”妻子說道，“你總是考慮得很周到；我們的草足夠一頭羊吃的。這下子我們可以喝羊奶，有羊奶酪，有羊毛襪子，是啊，還有羊毛睡衣！母牛是拿不出這些來的！它的毛都要脫掉的！你真是一個考慮問題周到的丈夫！”“不過我又拿羊換了一頭鵝！”“這麼說今年我們有馬丁節烤鵝1吃了；老爹！你總是想着讓我高興！你這個想法真是個好想法！可以把鵝拴起來，到馬丁節的時候，就可以把它養得更加肥一點！”“不過我把鵝又換了一隻母雞！”男人說道。“母雞換得太好了，”妻子說道，“母雞會下蛋，孵出來我們便有小雞了，我們有了雞場！這正是我一心一意盼着的。”“是的，不過母雞讓我換成一口袋爛蘋果了！”“我真要吻你一下了！”妻子說道。“多謝你，我的好男人！現在讓我告訴你點事。你走了以後，我就想着給你做一頓好晚餐；蔥花雞蛋糕。雞蛋我自己有，就是沒有蔥。於是我便去找學校校長，他們有蔥，我知道。可是他老婆小氣得要死，那乖婆娘！我求她借點給我——！借？她說道，我們園子裏甚麼也沒有長，連個爛蘋果也沒有！連個爛蘋果我也無法借給你。現在可好了，我可以借給她十個爛蘋果，是啊，借給她滿滿一口袋！真叫人好笑，老爹！”於是她便正正地在他嘴上親了一口。“我真喜歡這個！”兩位英國人說道。“總是走下坡路，可是總是那麼樂觀！這是很值錢的！”於是他們付給他，這位得到了一個吻，而不是挨一頓揍的農夫一桶金幣。
是的，一位妻子看出，能說明老爹是最聰明不過的，他做的事總是對的，那麼這肯定是會得到好報的。
瞧，這是一個故事！我小時候聽到的。現在你也聽到了，知道了老爹做的事總是對的。
1指11月11日，爲羅馬潘諾尼亞（今匈牙利的聖馬丁斯堡）的神父及主教“圖爾來的馬丁”（316或317-397或400）而定的節日。馬丁節前夕晚餐有吃烤鵝的風俗。馬丁生於法國的圖爾，所以人們都叫他爲“圖爾來的馬丁”。
