The Three SnakeLeaves
三片蛇叶
There was once on a time a poor man，who could no longer support his only son.Then said the son，“Dear father，things go so badly with us that I am a burden(burden n.担子，负担)to you.I would rather go away and see how I can earn my bread.”So the father gave him his blessing(blessing n.祝福)，and with great sorrow(sorrow n.悲哀，悲痛)took leave of him.At this time the king of a mighty empire was at war and the youth took service with him，and went out to fight.And when he came before the enemy，there was a battle，and great danger，and it rained shot until his comrades fell on all sides，and when the leader also was killed，those left were about to take flight，but the youth stepped forth，spoke boldly to them，and cried，“We will not let our fatherland be ruined.”Then the others followed him，and he pressed on and conquered(conquer vt.征服，战胜，占领，克服(困难等)，破(坏习惯等))the enemy.When the king heard that he owed(owe v.欠，应感激，应该把……归功于(to))the victory to him alone，he raised him above all the others，gave him great treasures，and made him the first in the kingdom.
从前，有一个人穷得连自己的独生儿子也养不活了，儿子便对他讲：“亲爱的爸爸，家里这么穷，我成了你的负担啦。我宁愿自己离开家，看能不能挣到饭吃。”父亲给了他祝福，难过地送他出家门。这时候，一个强大帝国的国王正和人打仗，他便投入他的军队，上了战场。他抵达前线时正赶上激烈战斗，情况危急，周围的战友们都在弹雨中纷纷倒下了。当指挥官也落马以后，其余的人就打算逃走，这时年轻人却站出来鼓舞他们的士气，大喝道：“咱们决不能让自己的祖国灭亡啊！”于是，其他人都跟着他，他向前猛冲，打垮了敌军。国王后来听说，胜利全仗他一个人，就提拔了他，还赏赐给他许多财宝，他便成为了国内的第一显赫人物。
The king had a daughter who was very beautiful，but she was also very strange.She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.“If he loves me with all his heart.”said she，“of what use will life be to him afterwards.”On her side she would do the same，and if he died first，would go down to the grave with him.This strange oath(oath n.誓言，宣誓，诅咒)had up to this time frightened away all wooers(wooer n.追求者，求爱者)，but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing，but asked her father for her.“But do you know what you must promise.”said the king.“I must be buried with her，”he replied，“if I outlive(outlive v.比……长命，比……耐久，渡过……而存在，经受住)her，but my love is so great that I do not mind the danger.”Then the king consented(consent vi.同意，赞成，答应)，and the wedding was solemnized(solemnize v.隆重庆祝)with great splendor.
国王有一个女儿，她长得非常美丽，但脾气非常古怪。她发誓绝不要任何男人做丈夫，除非此人答应在她死后把他自己也活埋。“他既然真心爱我，”她说，“我死后他还活着干吗？”反过来，丈夫要先死了，她也同样打算陪葬。这个奇怪的誓言吓得迄今没谁敢来向她求婚，但这位年轻人让她的美丽给完全迷住了，不顾一切地向她父亲提出要娶她做妻子。“但是你知道吧，你必须做出怎样的许诺。”国王问。“要是我活得比她长，我就必须为她陪葬，”年轻人回答，“不过，我爱她爱得如此深，不在乎这样的危险！”国王答应了他，接着便举行了盛大的婚礼。
They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other，and then it befell(befell vbl.降临，发生，落到)that the young queen was attacked by a severe illness，and no physician could save her.And as she lay there dead，the young king remembered what he had been obliged to promise，and was horrified(horrified adj.惊悸的，带有恐怖感的，惊骇的)at having to lie down alive in the grave，but there was no escape.The king had placed sentries(sentry n.岗哨)at all the gates，and it was not possible to avoid his fate.As the day came when the corpse(corpse n.尸体)was to be buried，he was taken down with it into the royal vault(vault n.地下的灵堂；停放尸体的地窖)and then the door was shut and bolted.
年轻的夫妇相亲相爱，过了一段幸福时光。突然，妻子得了重病，没有一个医生能治好她。于是她死了，年轻的王婿就想起自己不得不做出的许诺，想到自己要活活被埋墓穴，不禁毛骨悚然，但是又没有任何别的办法。老国王已派兵把住所有宫门，他不可能逃脱被活埋的命运。到了尸体移进王室陵墓的那一天，他也被带了下去，随后就关上墓门，加了锁杠。
