A poor fisherman pulls a golden fish out of the sea. When it speaks, he throws it back. His wife is furious, and demands that the magic fish grant them a wish, and then another wish, and then another wish. A story of greed and over-reaching ambition.
一个贫穷的渔夫从海里捞出一条金鱼。当金鱼开口说话时，渔夫把它放回了海里。他的妻子大发雷霆，要求这条神奇的金鱼满足他们一个愿望，接着又一个愿望，然后再一个愿望。这是一个关于贪婪和过度膨胀的野心的故事。
There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, close by the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing; and one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at the sparkling waves and watching his line, all of a sudden his float was dragged away deep into the water. When he reeled in his line, he pulled out a golden fish. But the fish said, "Pray let me live! I am not a real fish. I am an enchanted prince. Put me in the water again, and let me go!"
从前有个渔夫，他和妻子住在海边的一个猪圈里。渔夫每天都出去钓鱼。有一天，他拿着鱼竿坐在岸边，望着波光粼粼的海浪，盯着鱼线，突然他的浮标被拖进了深水处。当他收线时，钓上来一条金鱼。但金鱼说：“求求你让我活下去！我不是真的鱼。我是一个被施了魔法的王子。把我放回水里，让我走吧！”
"Oh, ho!" Said the man. "You need not go on much more about the matter. I will have nothing to do with a fish that can talk, so swim away, sir, as soon as you please!" Then he put him back into the water, and the fish darted straight down to the bottom, and left a long streak of blood behind him on the wave.
“哦，哼！” 渔夫说，“你不用再多说什么了。我可不想和一条会说话的鱼打交道，所以先生，你赶紧游走，越快越好！” 然后他就把鱼放回了水里，鱼一下子就游到了水底，在水面上留下了一道长长的血痕。
When the fisherman went home to his wife in the pigsty, he told her how he had caught a golden fish, and how it had told him it was an enchanted prince, and how, on hearing it speak, he had let it go again. "Did not you ask it for anything?" Said the wife. "We live very wretchedly here, in this nasty dirty pigsty. Do go back and tell the fish we want a snug little cottage."
当渔夫回到猪圈里的妻子身边时，他告诉她自己如何钓到了一条金鱼，金鱼如何告诉他自己是一个被施了魔法的王子，以及听到鱼说话后，他如何又把它放走了。“你就没向它要点什么？” 妻子说，“我们在这又脏又臭的猪圈里过得太凄惨了。回去告诉那条鱼，我们想要一间舒适的小茅屋。”
The fisherman did not much like the business - however, he went to the seashore, and when he got back there the water looked all yellow and green. He stood at the water’s edge, and said,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
渔夫不太愿意去，但他还是去了海边。当他到达那里时，海水看起来黄绿黄绿的。他站在水边，说道
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
Then the fish came swimming to him and said, "Well, what is her will? What does your wife want?"
然后鱼游向他说：“那么，她想要什么？你的妻子想要什么？”
"Ah!" Said the fisherman. "She says that when I caught you, I ought to have asked you for something before I let you go. She does not like living any longer in the pigsty, and wants a snug little cottage."
“啊！” 渔夫说，“她说我抓到你的时候，应该在放你走之前向你要点什么。她不想再住在猪圈里了，想要一间舒适的小茅屋。”
"Go home then," said the fish, "she is in the cottage already!" So the man went home, and saw his wife standing at the door of a nice trim little cottage.
“那回家吧，” 鱼说，“她已经在茅屋里了！” 于是渔夫回家，看到他的妻子正站在一间整洁漂亮的小茅屋门口。
"Come in, come in!" Said she. "Is not this much better than the filthy pigsty we had?" There was a parlour, a bedroom, and a kitchen; and behind the cottage there was a little garden, planted with all sorts of flowers and fruits. There was a courtyard behind, full of ducks and chickens. "Ah!" Said the fisherman, "How happily we shall live now!"
“进来，进来！” 她说，“这不是比我们那肮脏的猪圈好多了吗？” 屋里有一个客厅、一间卧室和一个厨房；茅屋后面有一个小花园，种着各种各样的花和水果。后面还有一个院子，满是鸭子和鸡。“啊！” 渔夫说，“我们现在要过得多幸福啊！”
"We will try to do so, at least," said his wife.
“至少我们要努力这样过。” 他的妻子说。
Everything went right for a week or two, and then Dame Ilsabill said, "Husband, there is not nearly room enough for us in this cottage; the courtyard and the garden are a great deal too small. I should like to have a large stone castle to live in. Go to the fish again and tell him to give us a castle."
一两个星期一切都很顺利，然后伊萨比尔夫人说：“丈夫，这茅屋对我们来说空间太小了；院子和花园也太小了。我想要一座大的石头城堡来住。再去找那条鱼，让他给我们一座城堡。”
"Wife," said the fisherman, "I don’t like to go to him again, for perhaps he will be angry; we ought to be easy with this pretty cottage to live in."
“老婆，” 渔夫说，“我不想再去找他了，也许他会生气的；我们住在这漂亮的茅屋里应该知足了。”
"Nonsense!" Said the wife. "He will do it very willingly, I know. Go along and try!"
“胡说！” 妻子说，“我知道他会很乐意这么做的。快去试试！”
The fisherman went, but his heart was very heavy: and when he came to the sea, it looked blue and gloomy, though it was very calm. He went close to the edge of the waves, and said,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
渔夫去了，但他心情非常沉重。当他来到海边时，尽管海面非常平静，但看起来却是蓝色且阴沉的。他走到海浪边缘，说道：
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
"Well, what does she want now?" said the fish.
“嗯，她现在想要什么？” 鱼问。
"Ah!" Said the man, dolefully. "My wife wants to live in a stone castle."
“啊！” 男人悲伤地说，“我妻子想住在石头城堡里。”
"Go home then," said the fish, "she is standing at the gate of it already." So away went the fisherman, and found his wife standing before the gate of a great castle. "See," said she, "is not this grand?" With that they went into the castle together, and found a great many servants there, and the rooms all richly furnished, and full of golden chairs and tables. Behind the castle was a garden, and around it was a park half a mile long, full of sheep, goats, hares, and deer; and in the courtyard were stables and cow houses.
“那回家吧，” 鱼说，“她已经站在城堡门口了。” 于是渔夫离开了，发现他的妻子正站在一座大城堡的门前。“看，” 她说，“这难道不宏伟吗？” 说着，他们一起走进城堡，发现里面有很多仆人，房间都布置得很华丽，摆满了金椅子和金桌子。城堡后面有一个花园，四周是一个半英里长的公园，里面满是绵羊、山羊、野兔和鹿；院子里还有马厩和牛棚。
"Well," said the man, "now we will live cheerful and happy in this beautiful castle for the rest of our lives."
“嗯，” 男人说，“现在我们在这座美丽的城堡里余生都会过得快乐开心了。”
"Perhaps we may," said the wife, "but let us sleep upon it, before we make up our minds to that." So they went to bed.The next morning when Dame Ilsabill awoke it was broad daylight, and she jogged the fisherman with her elbow, and said, "Get up, husband, and bestir yourself, for we must be king of all the land."
“也许会吧，” 妻子说，“但在我们下定决心之前，先睡一觉再说。” 于是他们上床睡觉了。第二天早上，伊萨比尔夫人醒来时，天已经大亮，她用胳膊肘碰了碰渔夫，说：“起来，丈夫，快起来，我们得当整个国家的国王。”
"Wife, wife," said the man, "why should we wish to be the king? I will not be king."
“老婆，老婆，” 男人说，“我们为什么要当国王？我不想当国王。”
"Then I will," said she. "But wife," said the fisherman, "how can you be king? The fish cannot make you a king?"
“那我来当，” 她说。“但是老婆，” 渔夫说，“你怎么能当国王呢？鱼不可能让你当国王的。”
"Husband," said she, "say no more about it, but go and try! I will be king." So the man went away quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be king. This time the sea looked a dark grey colour, and was overspread with curling waves and the ridges of foam as he cried out,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
“丈夫，” 她说，“别再说了，快去试试！我要当国王。” 于是男人满怀忧愁地离开了，他没想到妻子竟然想当国王。这次当他呼喊时，大海呈现出深灰色，波涛汹涌，浪花飞溅：
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
"Well, what would she have now?" Said the fish. "Alas!" Said the poor man. "My wife wants to be king."
“嗯，她现在想要什么？” 鱼说。“唉！” 可怜的男人说，“我妻子想当国王。”
"Go home," said the fish, "she is king already."
“回家吧，” 鱼说，“她已经是国王了。”
Then the fisherman went home; and as he came close to the palace he saw a troop of soldiers, and heard the sound of drums and trumpets. When he went in he saw his wife sitting on a throne of gold and diamonds, with a golden crown upon her head; and on each side of her stood six fair maidens, each a head taller than the other.
然后渔夫回家了；当他走近宫殿时，他看到一队士兵，听到了鼓声和喇叭声。当他走进去时，他看到他的妻子坐在一个由黄金和钻石制成的宝座上，头上戴着一顶金冠；她的两边各站着六个美丽的少女，一个比一个高。
"Well, wife," said the fisherman, "are you king?"
“嗯，老婆，” 渔夫说，“你是国王了？”
"Yes," said she, "I am king." And when he had looked at her for a long time, he said, "Ah, wife! what a fine thing it is to be king! Now we shall never have anything more to wish for as long as we live."
“是的，” 她说，“我是国王。” 他盯着她看了很久，然后说：“啊，老婆！当国王是多么好的一件事啊！现在只要我们活着，就再也没有什么可奢求的了。”
"I don’t know how that may be," said she. "Never is a long time. I am king, it is true; but I begin to be tired of that, and I think I should like to be emperor."
“我不知道以后会怎样，” 她说，“永远是很长的时间。我确实是国王，但我开始厌倦了，我觉得我想当皇帝。”
"Alas, wife! Why should you wish to be emperor?" Said the fisherman. "Husband," said she, "go to the fish! I say I will be emperor."
“唉，老婆！你为什么想当皇帝？” 渔夫说。“丈夫，” 她说，“去找那条鱼！我说我要当皇帝。”
"Ah, wife!" Replied the fisherman. "The fish cannot make an emperor, I am sure, and I should not like to ask him for such a thing."
“啊，老婆！” 渔夫回应道，“我敢肯定，那条鱼没法让人成为皇帝，而且我也不想向它提这样的要求。”
"I am king," said Ilsabill, "and you are my slave - so go at once!" So the fisherman was forced to go; and he muttered as he went along, "This will come to no good, it is too much to ask; the fish will be tired at last, and then we shall be sorry for what we have done." He soon came to the seashore; and the water was quite black and muddy, and a mighty whirlwind blew over the waves and rolled them about, but he went as near as he could to the water’s brink, and said,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
“我是国王，” 伊萨比尔说，“而你是我的奴隶 —— 所以马上去！” 于是渔夫被迫去了；他一边走一边嘟囔着：“这不会有好结果的，要求太多了；鱼最终会厌烦的，到时候我们会为我们的所作所为感到后悔的。” 他很快就来到了海边；海水又黑又浑浊，一阵强大的旋风刮过海浪，把它们卷得翻滚起来，但他还是尽可能地靠近水边，说道：
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
"What would she have now?" Said the fish. "Ah!" Said the fisherman, "she wants to be emperor."
“她现在想要什么？” 鱼问。“啊！” 渔夫说，“她想当皇帝。”
"Go home," said the fish, "she is emperor already. "So he went home again, and as he came near he saw his wife Ilsabill sitting on a very lofty throne made of solid gold, with a great crown on her head a full two yards high; and on each side of her stood her guards and attendants in a row, each one smaller than the other - from
the tallest giant down to a little dwarf no bigger than my finger. Before her stood princes, dukes, and earls. The fisherman went up to her and said, "Wife, are you emperor?"
“回家吧，” 鱼说，“她已经是皇帝了。” 于是他又回家了，走近一看，他看到他的妻子伊萨比尔坐在一个用纯金打造的非常高大的宝座上，头上戴着一顶足有两码高的大皇冠；她的两边站着她的卫兵和侍从，一个比一个矮 —— 从最高的巨人到只有我手指大小的小矮人。在她面前站着王子、公爵和伯爵。渔夫走上前对她说：“老婆，你是皇帝了？”
"Yes," said she, "I am emperor."
“是的，” 她说，“我是皇帝。”
"Ah!" Said the man, as he gazed upon her. "What a fine thing it is to be emperor!"
“啊！” 男人看着她说道，“当皇帝是多么好的一件事啊！”
"Husband," said she, "why should we stop at being emperor? I will be pope next."
“丈夫，” 她说，“我们为什么要满足于当皇帝呢？接下来我要当教皇。”
"O wife, wife!" Said he, "How can you be pope? There is but one pope at a time in Christendom."
“哦，老婆，老婆！” 他说，“你怎么能当教皇呢？在基督教世界里，同一时间只有一个教皇啊。”
"Husband," said she, "I will be pope this very day."
“丈夫，” 她说，“我今天就要当教皇。”
"But," replied the husband, "the fish cannot make you pope."
“但是，” 丈夫回答说，“鱼没法让你当教皇。”
"What nonsense!" Said she. "If he can make an emperor, he can make a pope - go and try him." So the fisherman went. But when he came to the shore the wind was raging and the sea was tossed up and down in boiling waves. The ships were in trouble, and rolled fearfully upon the tops of the billows. In the middle of the heavens there was a little piece of blue sky, but towards the south all was red, as if a dreadful storm was rising. At this sight the fisherman was dreadfully frightened, and he trembled so that his knees knocked together. Still he went down near to the shore, and said,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
“胡说！” 她说，“如果它能让我当皇帝，就能让我当教皇 —— 快去试试。” 于是渔夫去了。但当他来到岸边时，狂风怒吼，大海波涛汹涌，浪花翻滚。船只陷入困境，在浪尖上可怕地颠簸着。天空中央有一小片蓝天，但朝南的方向全是红色的，仿佛一场可怕的风暴即将来临。看到这景象，渔夫害怕极了，他浑身颤抖，膝盖碰在一起直打哆嗦。但他还是走到靠近岸边的地方，说道：
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
"What does she want now?" said the fish. "Ah!" Said the fisherman. "My wife wants to be pope."
“她现在想要什么？” 鱼问。“啊！” 渔夫说，“我妻子想当教皇。”
"Go home," said the fish; "she is pope already."
“回家吧，” 鱼说，“她已经是教皇了。”
Then the fisherman went home, and found Ilsabill sitting on a throne that was two miles high. She had three great crowns on her head, and around her stood all the pomp and power of the church. On each side of her were two rows of burning lights of all sizes; the greatest as large as the highest and biggest tower in the world, and the least no larger than a small rush light. "Wife," said the fisherman, as he looked at all this greatness, "are you pope?"
然后渔夫回家，发现伊萨比尔坐在一个两英里高的宝座上。她头上戴着三个大皇冠，周围环绕着教会的所有排场和权势。她的两边各有两排大小不一的燃烧着的灯火；最大的像世界上最高最大的塔一样大，最小的不比一根小灯芯大。“老婆，” 渔夫看着这一切辉煌说道，“你是教皇吗？”
"Yes," said she, "I am pope."
“是的，” 她说，“我是教皇。”
"Well, wife," replied he, "it is a grand thing to be pope; and now you must be easy, for you can be nothing greater."
“嗯，老婆，” 他回答说，“当教皇是件了不起的事；现在你该满足了，因为你不可能再伟大了。”
"I will think about that," said the wife. Then they went to bed, but Dame Ilsabill could not sleep all night for thinking what she should be next. At last, as she was dropping asleep, morning broke, and the sun rose. "Ha!" Thought she, as she woke up and looked at it through the window. "After all I cannot prevent the sun rising." At this thought she was very angry, and wakened her husband, and said, "Husband, go to the fish and tell him I must be lord of the sun and moon."
“我会考虑的。” 妻子说。然后他们上床睡觉了，但伊萨比尔夫人整晚都因为想着接下来要当什么而无法入睡。最后，当她快要睡着的时候，天亮了，太阳升起来了。“哈！” 她醒来透过窗户看到太阳时想，“毕竟我无法阻止太阳升起。” 想到这里，她非常生气，把丈夫叫醒，说：“丈夫，去找那条鱼，告诉他我必须成为太阳和月亮的主人。”
The fisherman was half asleep, but the thought frightened him so much that he started and fell out of bed. "Alas, wife! Cannot you be easy with being pope?"
渔夫还半睡半醒，但这个想法把他吓得跳了起来，从床上摔了下去。“哎呀，老婆！你当了教皇还不满足吗？”
"No," said she, "I am very uneasy as long as the sun and moon rise without my permission. Go to the fish at once!"
“不，” 她说，“只要太阳和月亮不是经我允许就升起，我就不安心。马上去找那条鱼！”
Then the man went shivering with fear, and as he was going down to the shore a dreadful storm arose, so that the trees and the very rocks shook. All the heavens became black with stormy clouds, and the lightning played, and the thunders rolled. You might have seen in the sea great black waves, swelling up like mountains with crowns of white foam upon their heads. The fisherman crept towards the sea, and cried out, as well as he could,
"O man of the sea!
Hearken to me!
My wife Ilsabill
Will have her own will,
And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!"
于是男人吓得浑身发抖，当他往岸边走去时，一场可怕的暴风雨袭来，树木和岩石都在摇晃。整个天空被暴风雨云染得漆黑，闪电闪烁，雷声轰鸣。你可以看到海里巨大的黑色海浪，像山一样涌起，浪尖上带着白色的泡沫。渔夫战战兢兢地朝海边走去，竭尽全力地喊道：
“哦，海里的人！
请听我说！
我的妻子伊萨比尔
固执己见，
派我来向您讨一份礼物！”
"What does she want now?" Said the fish. "Ah!" Said he. "She wants to be lord of the sun and moon."
“她现在想要什么？” 鱼问。“啊！” 他说，“她想成为太阳和月亮的主人。”
"Go home," said the fish, "to your pigsty again."
“回家吧，” 鱼说，“回你们的猪圈去。”
And there they live to this very day.
直到今天，他们还住在那里。
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