Mrs. Fox's Wedding

　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　First Tale

　　Once upon a time there was an old fox with nine tails. He did not believe that his wife was faithful to him and wanted to put her to the test. He stretched himself out beneath the bench, did not move a limb, and pretended to be stone dead.

　　Mrs. Fox locked herself in her room, and her maid, Miss Cat, sat on the hearth1 and cooked.

　　As soon as it became known that the old fox had died, suitors began to appear. The maid heard someone knocking at the front door. She opened it, and there stood a young fox, who said:

　　What are you doing, Miss Cat? Are you asleep, or are you awake?

　　She answered:

　　I'm not asleep; I am awake. Do you want to know what I am doing? I am cooking warm beer with butter in it. Would you like to be my guest?

　　"No thank you, Miss," said the fox. "What is Mrs. Fox doing?"

　　The maid answered:

　　She is sitting in her room Mourning and grieving. She has cried her eyes red, Because old Mr. Fox is dead.

　　"Miss, tell her that a young fox is here who would like to court her."

　　"I'll do that, young man."

　　The cat went upstairs and knocked on the door.

　　"Mrs. Fox, are you there?"

　　"Yes, my dear, yes."

　　"A suitor is outside."

　　"What does he look like? Does he have nine bushy tails like the late Mr. Fox?"

　　"No," answered the cat. "He has but one."

　　"Then I'll not have him."

　　Miss Cat went downstairs and sent the suitor away.

　　Soon afterward2 there was another knock at the door. Another fox was there who wanted to court Mrs. Fox. He had two tails, but he did not fare any better than the first one. Then others came, each with one additional tail, but all were turned away until finally one came who had nine tails, just like old Mr. Fox. When the widow heard that, she spoke3 joyfully4 to the cat:

　　Open up the door And throw old Mr. Fox out.

　　They were just about to celebrate the wedding when beneath the bench old Mr. Fox began to stir. He attacked the entire party with blows and drove them all out of the house, including Mrs. Fox. Second Tale

　　Following the death of old Mr. Fox, the wolf presented himself as a suitor. The cat, who was serving as Mrs. Fox's maid, opened the door. The wolf greeted her, saying:

　　Good day, Mrs. Cat, Why are you sitting alone? What good things are you making there?

　　The cat answered:

　　Bread and milk. Would you like to be my guest?

　　"No thank you, Mrs. Cat." answered the wolf. "Isn't Mrs. Fox at home?"

　　The cat said:

　　She's upstairs in her room Mourning and grieving, Bemoaning5 her plight6, Because old Mr. Fox is dead.

　　The wolf answered:

　　If she wants another man, Just have her come downstairs.

　　The cat ran upstairs To give her the news. She ran to the great room, And knocked on the door With her five golden rings. "Mrs. Fox, are you in there? Do you want another man?"

　　Mrs. Fox asked, "Is the gentleman wearing red breeches, and does he have a pointed7 little face?"

　　"No," answered the cat.

　　"Then he's of no use to me."

　　After the wolf had been sent away there came a dog, a deer, a hare, a bear, a lion, and all the other animals of the forest, one after the other. But each one lacked one of the good qualities that old Mr. Fox had had, and the cat had to send each of the suitors away. Finally a young fox came.

　　Mrs. Fox asked, "Is the gentleman wearing red breeches, and does he have a pointed little face?"

　　"Yes," said the cat, "that he does."

　　"Then let him come upstairs," said Mrs. Fox, and she told the maid to make preparations for the wedding feast.

　　Cat, sweep out the kitchen, And throw the old fox out the window. He brought home many a big fat mouse, But he ate them all alone, And never gave me a one.

　　Then Mrs. Fox married young Mr. Fox, and everyone danced and celebrated8, and if they have not stopped, then they are dancing still.

　　從前，有一只狡猾的老狐貍，他很想知道自己的妻子對自己是不是真心真意的。所以，有一天他直挺挺地躺在長凳下面裝死，那樣子就像是一只死老鼠。

　　狐貍太太走進(jìn)自己的房間里，把門關(guān)上了，她的女仆貓小姐則坐在廚房的火爐旁做飯。老狐貍死了的消息很快就傳開了，不久來了一只年青的狐貍敲著門說道：

　　「貓咪小姐！貓咪小姐！

　　你今天過得好嗎？

　　你是在睡覺還是在打發(fā)時間呢？」

　　貓走過去打開門，看見門口站著一只年青的狐貍，所以她對他問：

　　「不，不，狐貍先生，這大白天我沒有睡覺，我在調(diào)制上等的白酒，閣下有空來吃午飯嗎？」

　　狐貍說道：「不了，謝謝你，請問可憐的狐貍太太怎樣了？」

　　貓小姐回答說：

　　「她整天坐在自己的房間里，淚水漣漣地哀歎自己命苦，連漂亮的眼睛都哭紅了，哎！都是因為狐貍老先生死了?！?/p>

　　年青的狐貍說道：

　　「請你去對她說，來了一只年青的狐貍，他來的目的，是向她求婚的?！?/p>

　　貓聽了，踏著輕快的腳步上樓來到狐貍太太的房間，輕輕地敲著門說道：

　　「狐貍太太，你在里面嗎？」

　　「哎！我可愛的貓咪，你找我有事嗎？」

　　「門口來了一位求婚者。」

　　狐貍太太馬上回答說：

　　「親愛的，他長得怎樣？

　　他個頭高，身子挺直嗎？

　　他有九條尾巴嗎？

　　一定要有九條尾巴，如果沒有，他就不能向我求婚?！?/p>

　　「哎呀！他只有一條尾巴?！关堈f道，「那我不會接受他?！?/p>

　　狐貍太太回答說。貓小姐下樓送走了這位求婚者。

　　不久，另一只狐貍來敲門，這只狐貍只有二條尾巴，他的遭遇不比第一位求婚者好多少，也被貓小姐打發(fā)走了。接著一連來了幾只狐貍，都被狐貍太太拒絕了。最后來了一只和老狐貍一樣長著九條尾巴的狐貍。

　　寡婦聽到這個消息，立刻跳起來說道：

　　「啊！我可愛的貓咪，打開窗戶和門，把我所有的朋友都邀來，參加我的結(jié)婚典禮，將我那令人作嘔的老傢伙，從窗子里仍到大街上去?！?/p>

　　但是，當(dāng)結(jié)婚宴會準(zhǔn)備好時，老狐貍突然跳了起來，抓起一根棍棒，把所有的來賓，包括狐貍太太一起都趕出了門。

　　過了一段時間，老狐貍真的死了，很快有一只狼來問候，他敲著門說：

　　「貓小姐，你好，你的鬍鬚多整潔啊！

　　你怎么獨自規(guī)規(guī)矩矩地坐在這兒呢？

　　你是在做好吃的東西，我說的對不對呀？」

　　貓回答說：

　　「對了，這是我今天的午餐。

　　麵包加牛奶，閣下愿意留下來吃飯還是去給你倒一杯酒來喝？」

　　狼說道：「謝謝你，別客氣！我想知道狐貍太太是不是在家?！关埢卮鹫f：

　　「她整天孤零零地坐著，悲傷地哭泣，哎呀，哎呀！

　　都是因為狐貍先生過世了?！?/p>

　　狼說道：

　　「哎——，親愛的貓咪小姐這的確是一件傷心的事，但你認(rèn)為我怎么樣？

　　她能同意我作她的丈夫嗎？」

　　貓回答道：

　　「狼先生，我可不知道她的意思，你在這兒坐一坐，我上樓去看一看?！?/p>

　　貓搬了一把椅子，非常樂意地?fù)u著耳朵，輕快地上樓去了。她來到狐貍太太的門前，用戴在腳爪上的戒指敲著門說道：「狐貍太太，你在里面嗎？」

　　寡婦說道：「喔！我在，請進(jìn)來！我的乖乖，我聽見廚房里有說話聲，告訴我那是誰呀？」

　　貓回答說：

　　「那時一只漂亮的狼，他長著一身光滑的皮毛，他正打這兒經(jīng)過，走進(jìn)來看了看（因為老狐貍先生死了），說你是否愿意，嫁給他做他的妻子。」

　　狐貍太太說問：「可他有紅紅的腳，尖尖的嘴鼻嗎？」貓說：「沒有?！埂改撬贿m合做我的丈夫?！?/p>

　　狼很快就被打發(fā)走了。接著來了一條狗，然后是山羊，再接著是一頭熊、一頭獅子，所有的獸類動物都來過，一個接一個，它們都只有老狐貍具有的某些特徵，都不合狐貍太太的意，貓奉命把他們送走了。

　　最后，終於有一只年青的狐貍來了，狐貍太太問：「他有四條紅紅的腳和尖尖的嘴鼻嗎？」貓回答說：「是的?！?/p>

　　狐貍太太吩咐道：

　　「那么，貓咪，把客廳打掃一下，看起來要乾凈整潔。

　　把老傢伙仍到街上去，這個愚蠢的老無賴，他死了我真高興。

　　我現(xiàn)在就要嫁給，一只年青可愛的狐貍?！?/p>

　　婚禮舉行了，歡樂的鐘聲敲響了。朋友和親戚們都唱起了歌，跳起了舞，舉杯暢飲，誰也不知道他們歡跳了多久，也許現(xiàn)在他們還在跳呢！