“So little Hans worked away in his garden. During the spring, the summer, and the autumn he was very happy,
“就这样小汉斯一直在花园中干着活。在春、夏、秋三季中他都很快乐,
but when the winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal from cold and hunger,
可冬天一到,他没有水果和鲜花拿到市场上去卖,就要过饥寒交迫的日子,
and often had to go to bed without any supper but a few dried pears or some hard nuts.
还常常吃不上晚饭,只吃点干梨和核桃就上床睡觉了。
In the winter, also, he was extremely lonely, as the Miller never came to see him then.
在冬天的日子里,他觉得特别的孤单,因为这时磨坊主从来不会去看望他。
“There is no good in my going to see little Hans as long as the snow lasts,’ the Miller used to say to his wife,
“磨坊主常常对自己的妻子说:‘只要雪没有停,就没有必要去看小汉斯,
‘for when people are in trouble they should be left alone, and not be bothered by visitors.
因为人在困难的时候,就应该让他们独处,不要让外人去打搅他们。
That at least is my idea about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then I shall pay him a visit,
这至少是我对友谊的看法,我相信自己是对的,所以我要等到春天到来,那时我会去看望他,
and he will be able to give me a large basket of primroses and that will make him so happy.’
他还会送我一大篮樱草,这会使他非常愉快的。’
“You are certainly very thoughtful about others,’ answered the Wife, as she sat in her comfortable armchair by the big pinewood fire;
“你的确为别人想得很周到,’他的妻子答道。她此刻正安坐在舒适的沙发椅上,旁边燃着一大炉柴火,
‘very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship.
‘的确很周到。你谈论起友谊可真有一套,
I am sure the clergyman himself could not say such beautiful things as you do,
我敢说就是牧师本人也说不出这么美丽的话语,
though he does live in a three-storied house, and wear a gold ring on his little finger.’
尽管他能住在三层楼的房子里,小手指头上还戴着金成指。’