英语小文章

Once upon a time there was a princess who was ever so proud: if any man came to woo her she would set him a riddle, and if he couldn't guess it he was laughed to scorn and sent packing. She also had it made known that whoever did guess the answer to her riddle should marry her, no matter who he might be. And indeed, in the end it so happened that three tailors were making the attempt at the same time. The two eldest reckoned that as they had already successfully sewn many a delicate stitch, they could hardly go wrong and were bound to succeed here as well; the third was a feckless, giddy young fellow who didn't even know his trade properly but thought he was bound to have luck in this case, for if not, then what luck would he ever have in any other case. The two others said to him: "You'd better just stay at home, you with your feather-brain won't get far." But the young tailor wouldn't be put off, saying that he had set his heart on this enterprise and would manage all right; and off he went, sauntering along as if the whole world belonged to him.Once upon a time there was a princess who was ever so proud: if any man came to woo her she would set him a riddle, and if he couldn't guess it he was laughed to scorn and sent packing. She also had it made known that whoever did guess the answer to her riddle should marry her, no matter who he might be. And indeed, in the end it so happened that three tailors were making the attempt at the same time. The two eldest reckoned that as they had already successfully sewn many a delicate stitch, they could hardly go wrong and were bound to succeed here as well; the third was a feckless, giddy young fellow who didn't even know his trade properly but thought he was bound to have luck in this case, for if not, then what luck would he ever have in any other case. The two others said to him: "You'd better just stay at home, you with your feather-brain won't get far." But the young tailor wouldn't be put off, saying that he had set his heart on this enterprise and would manage all right; and off he went, sauntering along as if the whole world belonged to him.

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Once there was a very rich man. He lived in a beautiful house, and had a beautiful garden. The rich man had a blue beard: so he was called  “Blue Beard”.

Near the rich man's house there lived a poor woman. She had three sons and two beautiful girls. The name of one of the girls was Ann; the name of the other was Fatima. Blue Beard wanted to marry one of the girls, but the girls did not want to marry Blue Beard.

Ann and Fatima did not want to marry the rich man because his beard was blue. Blue Beard had married many wives, but his wives had gone away. No one knew where his other wives had gone. The girls did not want to marry Blue Beard and become his wife, because no one knew where his other wives had gone. So their mother said to Blue Beard, “My girls do not want to marry you.”

Then Blue Beard said, “Come and live in my house for some days.” So they went and lived in Blue Beard's house. It was a very beautiful house, and Blue Beard was good to them in many ways.

Fatima said, “His beard is blue, but he is not a bad man. He is very good in some ways. So I will marry him.”Once there was a very rich man. He lived in a beautiful house, and had a beautiful garden. The rich man had a blue beard: so he was called  “Blue Beard”.

Near the rich man's house there lived a poor woman. She had three sons and two beautiful girls. The name of one of the girls was Ann; the name of the other was Fatima. Blue Beard wanted to marry one of the girls, but the girls did not want to marry Blue Beard.

Ann and Fatima did not want to marry the rich man because his beard was blue. Blue Beard had married many wives, but his wives had gone away. No one knew where his other wives had gone. The girls did not want to marry Blue Beard and become his wife, because no one knew where his other wives had gone. So their mother said to Blue Beard, “My girls do not want to marry you.”

Then Blue Beard said, “Come and live in my house for some days.” So they went and lived in Blue Beard's house. It was a very beautiful house, and Blue Beard was good to them in many ways.

Fatima said, “His beard is blue, but he is not a bad man. He is very good in some ways. So I will marry him.”

从前，有一位非常富有的人，他住在漂亮的房子里，还有一座美丽的花园，这个富翁长着一副蓝色的胡子，因此人们都称呼他为“蓝胡子”。

在这个富翁的房子附近住着一个贫穷的女人，她有三个儿子，还有两个美丽的女儿，一个叫安，另一个叫芬蒂玛，蓝胡子想要娶其中的一个女儿，但是两个女儿都不愿嫁给他。

安和芬蒂玛不愿嫁给这位富翁，是因为他的胡子是蓝色的。蓝胡子已经娶了很多妻子，但他的妻子都已不知去向，没有人知道他的那些妻子哪儿去了。这两姑娘不愿和蓝胡子结婚，成为他的妻子，因为谁也不知道他的妻子的去向。因此她们的母亲对蓝胡子说：“我的女儿们不想嫁给你。”从前，有一位非常富有的人，他住在漂亮的房子里，还有一座美丽的花园，这个富翁长着一副蓝色的胡子，因此人们都称呼他为“蓝胡子”。

在这个富翁的房子附近住着一个贫穷的女人，她有三个儿子，还有两个美丽的女儿，一个叫安，另一个叫芬蒂玛，蓝胡子想要娶其中的一个女儿，但是两个女儿都不愿嫁给他。

安和芬蒂玛不愿嫁给这位富翁，是因为他的胡子是蓝色的。蓝胡子已经娶了很多妻子，但他的妻子都已不知去向，没有人知道他的那些妻子哪儿去了。这两姑娘不愿和蓝胡子结婚，成为他的妻子，因为谁也不知道他的妻子的去向。因此她们的母亲对蓝胡子说：“我的女儿们不想嫁给你。”

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People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time. In fact, it is said that the floors of Cleopatra1’s palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals, and that the wise and knowing Confucius had a 600-book library specifically on how to care for roses.　　人类有史以来就钟情于玫瑰。据说，克娄巴特拉的宫殿的地面就铺满了娇嫩的玫瑰花瓣，博学的孔子有600册藏书专门讲述如何培育玫瑰。

　　The rose is a legend on its own. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.　　玫瑰本身就是一个传说。在罗马帝国时代，有一个名叫罗丹斯的美丽绝伦的少女。她的丽姿引来了无数狂热的求婚者锲而不舍地追求她。罗丹斯实在招架不住了，不得不到朋友狄安娜的神庙里躲避她的求婚者。不幸的是，狄安娜产生了嫉妒之心。当求婚者冲进了神庙的大门，要接近他们所爱恋着的罗丹斯时，狄安娜一怒之下将罗丹斯变成了一枝玫瑰花，将她的求婚者变成了花刺。People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time. In fact, it is said that the floors of Cleopatra1’s palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals, and that the wise and knowing Confucius had a 600-book library specifically on how to care for roses.　　人类有史以来就钟情于玫瑰。据说，克娄巴特拉的宫殿的地面就铺满了娇嫩的玫瑰花瓣，博学的孔子有600册藏书专门讲述如何培育玫瑰。

　　The rose is a legend on its own. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.　　玫瑰本身就是一个传说。在罗马帝国时代，有一个名叫罗丹斯的美丽绝伦的少女。她的丽姿引来了无数狂热的求婚者锲而不舍地追求她。罗丹斯实在招架不住了，不得不到朋友狄安娜的神庙里躲避她的求婚者。不幸的是，狄安娜产生了嫉妒之心。当求婚者冲进了神庙的大门，要接近他们所爱恋着的罗丹斯时，狄安娜一怒之下将罗丹斯变成了一枝玫瑰花，将她的求婚者变成了花刺。

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There was a handful of clay in the bank of a river. It was only common clay, coarse and heavy; but it had high thoughts of its own value, and wonderful dreams of the great place which it was to fill in the world when the time came for its virtues to be discovered.

Overhead, in the spring sunshine, the trees whispered together of the glory which descended upon them when the delicate blossoms and leaves began to expand, and the forest glowed the fair, clear colors, as if the dust of thousands of rubies and emeralds were hanging, in soft clouds, above the earth.
 

There was a handful of clay in the bank of a river. It was only common clay, coarse and heavy; but it had high thoughts of its own value, and wonderful dreams of the great place which it was to fill in the world when the time came for its virtues to be discovered.

Overhead, in the spring sunshine, the trees whispered together of the glory which descended upon them when the delicate blossoms and leaves began to expand, and the forest glowed the fair, clear colors, as if the dust of thousands of rubies and emeralds were hanging, in soft clouds, above the earth.
 

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