第14章 野天鵝 The Wild Swans(第3/35 頁)

his side.

他們用鑽石筆在金板上寫字，學習功課非常快，閱讀也很輕鬆，所以每個人都能看出他們是王子。

they wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, and learnt their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every one might know they were princes.

他們的妹妹艾麗莎坐在一個小玻璃凳上，有一本滿是圖畫的書，這本書的價格相當於半個王國。

their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate - glass, and had a book full of pictures, which had cost as much as half a kingdom.

哦，這些孩子確實很幸福，但這種幸福不會永遠持續下去。

oh, these children were indeed happy, but it was not to remain so always.

他們的父親是這個國家的國王，他娶了一個非常邪惡的王后，她一點也不喜歡這些可憐的孩子。

their father, who was king of the country, married a very wicked queen, who did not love the poor children at all.

他們從婚禮後的第一天就知道了這一點。

they knew this from the very first day after the wedding.

宮殿裡舉行了盛大的慶祝活動，孩子們玩起了接待賓客的遊戲。

In the palace there were great festivities, and the children played at receiving pany;

但她並沒有像往常一樣把剩下的蛋糕和蘋果給他們，而是給了他們一杯沙子，還讓他們假裝這是蛋糕。

but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea - cup, and told them to pretend it was cake.

一星期後，她把小艾麗莎送到鄉下的一個農夫和他妻子那裡，然後向國王編造了許多關於年輕王子們的不實之事，國王便不再為他們費心了。

the week after, she sent little Eliza into the country to a peasant and his wife, and then she told the king so many untrue things about the young princes, that he gave himself no more trouble respecting them.

“到外面的世界去自謀生路吧。” 王后說。

“Go out into the world and get your own living,” sa