“Now it happened that one evening little Hans was sitting by his fireside when a loud rap came at the door.
“有一天晚上,小汉斯正坐在炉旁烤火,忽然传来了响亮的敲门声。
It was a very wild night, and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so terribly that at first he thought it was merely the storm.
这是个气候恶劣的夜晚,风一个劲地在小屋周围狂欢乱咀。起初他还以为听到的只是风暴声呢。
But a second rap came, and then a third, louder than any of the others.
可是又传来了第二次敲门声,接着是第三次,而且比前两次更响亮。
“It is some poor traveller,’ said little Hans to himself, and he ran to the door.
“这是个可怜的行路人。’小汉斯对自己说,而且朝门口跑去。
“There stood the Miller with a lantern in one hand and a big stick in the other.
“原来门口站着的是磨坊主,他一只手里提着一个马灯,另一只手中拿着一根大拐杖。
“Dear little Hans,’ cried the Miller, ‘I am in great trouble.
“亲爱的小汉斯,’磨坊主大声叫道,‘我遇到大麻烦了。
My little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I am going for the Doctor.
我的小儿子从梯子上掉下来了,受了伤,我准备去请医生。
But he lives so far away, and it is such a bad night, that it has just occurred to me that it would be much better if you went instead of me.
可是医生住的地方太远,今晚的天气又如此恶劣,我刚才突然觉得要是你替我去请医生,会好得多。
You know I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, and so, it is only fair that you should do something for me in return.’
你知道我将要把我的小推车送给你,所以你应该为我做些事来作为回报,才算是公平的。’
“Certainly,’ cried little Hans, ‘I take it quite as a compliment your coming to me, and I will start off at once.
“当然罗,’小汉斯大声说道,‘我觉得你能来找我是我的荣幸,我这就动身。
But you must lend me your lantern, as the night is so dark that I am afraid I might fall into the ditch.’
不过你得把马灯借给我,今夜太黑了,我担心自己跌到水沟里去。’
“I am very sorry,’ answered the Miller, ‘but it is my new lantern, and it would be a great loss to me if anything happened to it.’
“很对不起,’磨坊主回答说,‘这可是我的新马灯,如果它出了什么毛病,那对我的损失可就大了。’
“Well, never mind, I will do without it,’ cried little Hans,
“噢,没关系,我不用它也行。’小汉斯高声说,
and he took down his great fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a muffler round his throat, and started off.
他取下自己的皮大衣和暖和的红礼帽,又在自己的脖子上围上一条围巾,就动身了。
“What a dreadful storm it was!
“那可真是个可怕的风暴之夜,
The night was so black that little Hans could hardly see, and the wind was so strong that he could scarcely stand.
黑得伸手不见五指,小汉斯什么也看不见。风刮得很猛,他连站都站不稳。
However, he was very courageous, and after he had been walking about three hours,
不过,小汉斯非常勇敢,他走了大约三个钟头,
he arrived at the Doctor’s house, and knocked at the door.
来到了医生的屋前,敲响了门。