There was once a king who had a son who asked in marriage the daughter of a mighty king, she was called Maid Maleen, and was very beautiful. As her father wished to give her to another, the prince was rejected, but as they both loved each other with all their hearts, they would not give each other up, and Maid Maleen said to her father, I can and will take no other for my husband. Then the king flew into a passion, and ordered a dark tower to be built, into which no ray of sunlight or moonlight should enter. When it was finished, he said, therein shall you be imprisoned for seven years, and then I will come and see if your perverse spirit is broken. Meat and drink for the seven years were carried into the tower, and then she and her maid-in-waiting were led into it and walled up, and thus cut off from the sky and from the earth. There they sat in the darkness, and knew not when day or night began. The king's son often went round and round the tower, and called their names, but no sound from without pierced through the thick walls. What else could they do but lament and complain.

Meanwhile the time passed, and by the decline of food and drink they knew that the seven years were coming to an end. They thought the moment of their deliverance was come, but no stroke of the hammer was heard, no stone fell out of the wall, and it seemed to Maid Maleen that her father had forgotten her. As they had food only for a short time longer, and saw a miserable death awaiting them, Maid Maleen said, we must try our last chance, and see if we can break through the wall. She took the bread-knife, and picked and bored at the mortar of a stone, and when she was tired, the waiting-maid took her turn. With great labor they succeeded in getting out one stone, and then a second, and a third, and when three days were over the first ray of light fell on their darkness, and at last the opening was so large that they could look out. The sky was blue, and a fresh breeze played on their faces, but how melancholy everything looked all around. Her father's castle lay in ruins, the town and the villages were, so far as could be seen, destroyed by fire, the fields far and wide laid to waste, and no human being was visible. When the opening in the wall was large enough for them to slip through, the waiting-maid sprang down first, and then Maid Maleen followed. But where were they to go. The enemy had ravaged the whole kingdom, driven away the king, and slain all the inhabitants. They wandered forth to seek another country, but nowhere did they find a shelter, or a human being to give them a mouthful of bread, and their need was so great that they were forced to appease their hunger with nettles.

 

When, after long journeying, they came into another country, they tried to get work everywhere, but wherever they knocked they were turned away, and no one would have pity on them. At last they arrived in a large city and went to the royal palace. There also they were ordered to go away, but at last the cook said that they might stay in the kitchen and be scullions.

The son of the king in whose kingdom they were, however, was the very man who had been betrothed to Maid Maleen. His father had chosen another bride for him, whose face was as ugly as her heart was wicked. The wedding was fixed, and the maiden had already arrived, but because of her great ugliness she shut herself in her room, and allowed no one to see her, and Maid Maleen had to take her her meals from the kitchen. When the day came for the bride and the bridegroom to go to church, she was ashamed of her ugliness, and afraid that if she showed herself in the streets, she would be mocked and laughed at by the people. Then said she to Maid Maleen, a great piece of luck has befallen you. I have sprained my foot, and cannot well walk through the streets, you shall put on wedding-clothes and take my place, a greater honor than that you cannot have. Maid Maleen, however, refused it, and said, I wish for no honor which is not suitable for me. It was in vain, too, that the bride offered her gold. At last she said angrily, if you do not obey me, it shall cost you your life. I have but to speak the word, and your head will lie at your feet. Then she was forced to obey, and put on the bride's magnificent clothes and all her jewels. When she entered the royal hall, every one was amazed at her great beauty, and the king said to his son, this is the bride whom I have chosen for you, and whom you must lead to church. The bridegroom was astonished, and thought, she is like my Maid Maleen, and I should believe that it was she herself, but she has long been shut up in the tower, or dead. He took her by the hand and led her to church. On the way was a nettle-plant, and she said, oh, nettle-plant, little nettle-plant, what dost thou here alone. I have known the time when I ate thee unboiled when I ate thee unroasted.

What are you saying, asked the king's son. Nothing, she replied, I was only thinking of Maid Maleen. He was surprised that she knew about her, but kept silence. When they came to the foot-plank into the chuchyard, she said, foot-bridge, do not break, I am not the true bride.

更多 英語小故事、英文故事、英語故事、英語童話故事，請繼續關注 英語作文大全

What are you saying there, asked the the king's son. Nothing, she replied, I was only thinking of Maid Maleen. Do you know Maid Maleen. No, she answered, how should I know her, I have only heard of her.

When they came to the church-door, she said once more, church-door, break not, I am not the true bride.

What are you saying there asked he. Ah, she answered, I was only thinking of Maid Maleen. Then he took out a precious chain, put it round her neck, and fastened th

 

 

e clasp. Thereupon they entered the church, and the priest joined their hands together before the altar, and married them. He led her home, but she did not speak a single word the whole way. When they got back to the royal palace, she hurried into the bride's chamber, put off the magnificent clothes and the jewels, dressed herself in her gray gown, and kept nothing but the jewel on her neck, which she had received from the bridegroom.

When the night came, and the bride was to be led into the prince's apartment, she let her veil fall over her face, that he might not observe the deception. As soon as everyone had gone away, he said to her, what did you say to the nettle-plant which was growing by the wayside. To which nettle-plant, asked she, I don't talk to nettle-plants. If you did not do it, then you are not the true bride, said he. So she bethought herself, and said, I must go out unto my maid who keeps my thoughts for me.

She went out and sought Maid Maleen. Girl, what have you been saying to the nettle. I said nothing but, oh, nettle-plant, little nettle-plant, what dost thou here alone. I have known the time when I ate thee unboiled, when I ate thee unroasted.

The bride ran back into the chamber, and said, I know now what I said to the nettle, and she repeated the words which she had just heard. But what did you say to the foot-bridge when we went over it asked the king's son. To the foot-bridge, she answered. I don't talk to foot-bridges. Then you are not the true bride. She again said, I must go out unto my maid, who keeps my thoughts for me. And ran out and scolded Maid Maleen, girl, what did you say to the foot-bridge. I said nothing but, foot-bridge, do not break, I am not the true bride.

That costs you your life, cried the bride, but she hurried into the room and said, I know now what I said to the foot-bridge, and she repeated the words. But what did you say to the church-door. To the church-door, she replied, I don't talk to church-doors. Then you are not the true bride. She went out and scolded Maid Maleen, and said, girl, what did you say to the church-door. I said nothing but, church-door, break not, I am not the true bride.

That will break your neck for you, cried the bride, and flew into a terrible passion, but she hastened back into the room, and said, I know now what I said to the church-door, and she repeated the words. But where have you the jewel which I gave you at the church-door. What jewel, she answered, you did not give me any jewel. I myself put it round your neck, and I myself fastened it, if you do not know that, you are not the true bride. He drew the veil from her face, and when he saw her immeasurable ugliness, he sprang back terrified, and said, how do you come here. Who are you. I am your betrothed bride, but because I feared lest the people should mock me when they saw me out of doors, I commanded the scullery-maid to dress herself in my clothes, and to go

 

 

to church instead of me. Where is the girl, said he I want to see her, go and bring her here. She went out and told the servants that the scullery-maid was an impostor, and that they must take her out into the court-yard and strike off her head.

The servants laid hold of Maid Maleen and wanted to drag her out, but she screamed so loudly for help, that the king's son heard her voice, hurried out of his chamber and ordered them to set the maiden free instantly. Lights were brought, and then he saw on her neck the gold chain which he had given her at the church-door. You are the true bride, said he, who went with me to church, come with me now to my room. When they were both alone, he said, on the way to the church you did name Maid Maleen, who was my betrothed bride. If I could believe it possible, I should think she was standing before me - you are like her in every respect. She answered, I am Maid Maleen, who for your sake was imprisoned seven years in the darkness, who suffered hunger and thirst, and has lived so long in want and poverty. Today, however, the sun is shining on me once more. I was married to you in the church, and I am your lawful wife. Then they kissed each other, and were happy all the days of their lives. The false bride was rewarded for what she had done by having her head cut off.

The tower in which Maid Maleen had been imprisoned remained standing for a long time, and when the children passed by it they sang, king, klang, gloria. Who sits within this tower. A king's daughter, she sits within, a sight of her I cannot win, the wall it will not break, the stone cannot be pierced. Little Hans, with your coat so gay, follow me, follow me, fast as you may.

更多 英語小故事、英文故事、英語故事、英語童話故事，請繼續關注 英語作文大全

從前有個國王，他有一個兒子想向另一個強國的公主求婚。公主的名字叫瑪琳，生得國色天姿，相貌迷人，因為公主的父親準備把她嫁給別人，所以沒有答應王子的求婚。可他和公主早就心心相印，彼此不愿分離。瑪琳姑娘也對父親說：“今生今世我非他不嫁。”國王一聽勃然大怒，下令建造一座高塔，里面一片漆黑，不透丁點光線。塔建好后，他對女兒說：“你得呆在塔里，七年后我再來，看你固執的念頭打消了沒有。”七年的飯食和水被帶進了塔中，公主和她的侍女也被帶進了塔里，墻被封死，從此與外面的世界隔絕。她面對漆黑的塔壁靜靜地坐著，不知白天黑夜。那位王子經常繞著塔外轉來轉去，呼喚著公主的名字，可厚厚的墻內哪能聽到半點聲音？除了悲傷和抱怨，他們還能做什么呢？

時光在流逝，食物和水一天天地在減少，公主和侍女知道七年的期限就要到了，她們以為自己的出頭之日就要到了，可是卻聽不到錘子的敲擊聲，也沒有墻上石頭落地的聲音，看來她的父親已把她忘了。剩下的食物只能維持最后幾天了，眼看著她們只能等死，瑪琳姑娘說：“我們必須最后試一次，看看能否把墻弄穿。”她拿出了切面包的刀子，在石頭縫的泥灰中使勁地挖呀鉆呀，累了就讓侍女接著干。費了好大的勁，她們才拿出了一塊石頭，接著是第二塊，第三塊。三天后，第一縷陽光射了進來，照在她們所在的黑暗處；最后口子大了，她們可以看到外面的世界了：天空湛藍湛藍的，微風輕撫著她們的面龐，可是周圍的一切是多么凄涼啊！她父親的宮殿早已成為一片廢墟，目所能及的城市和村落都已成了焦土，還有大量的土地早已荒廢，遠近更是看不到人煙。缺口又弄大了，侍女先跳了下去，瑪琳公主跟在后面，可是現在她們該往哪里去呢？整個王國已被敵人洗劫一空，他們驅逐了國王，屠殺了他的所有臣民。公主和侍女只得繼續往前走，去尋找另一個國家。但無論到哪里都找不到歇腳點，一路上沒有人肯給她們施舍半點飯，她們只有靠蕁麻來充饑。經過長途跋涉，她們終于來到了另一個國家，她們開始到處找活干，可敲了許多家的門，都被拒絕了，沒有人同情她們。最后她們來到了一座大城市，她們直奔皇宮，可那里的人也叫她們走開，最后廚師收留了她們，讓她們幫著打掃。

現在這個國家的王子正巧是想向瑪琳姑娘求婚的人。王子的父親給他挑選了另一位新娘，這位新娘不僅奇丑無比，而且心狠手辣。婚期一定，新娘也已到了，可由于她生得實在太丑，她便把自己關在屋里不愿見人。少女瑪琳從廚房給她端來飯菜。新郎新娘上教堂的時候終于到了，新娘也因為自己丑陋而懊悔不已，怕自己在街上一露面，會遭來眾人的戲謔和嘲笑，于是她對少女瑪琳說：“你真是有天大的福份！我的腳扭了，不能在街上走，你就穿上我的婚紗替我一回吧！這對你來說該是莫大的榮譽和無上的光榮。”可是瑪琳姑娘卻不同意，并說：“我不希望得到任何不屬于我的榮譽。”新娘又以金錢來引誘她，可這也是徒勞。最后新娘火了，說

 

 

：“如果你不聽我的話，我就要你的命。只消我說一個字，管叫你人頭落地。”少女瑪琳只好服從了，于是她穿上新娘華麗的婚禮服，戴上了首飾。當她踏進皇宮的大廳時，在場的所有人都為她的美麗所震驚了。只聽國王對王子說：“這就是我為你挑的新娘，你就引她去教堂吧。”新郎驚呆了，心想：“她這么像我的瑪琳，這真叫我以為她就是瑪琳；可是現在她還被囚在高高的塔里，或許已死了。”于是他拉著姑娘的手，引她去教堂。她看見了一叢蕁麻，就說道：

“噢，蕁麻呀蕁麻，

小小的蕁麻，

你為何孤零零地長在這里？

我還記得那個時候

我沒有煮你，

就拿你來生吃。”

“你在說什么？”王子問。“沒什么，”少女瑪琳答道，“我只是想到了少女瑪琳。”王子很是詫異她竟會認識少女瑪琳，可他什么都沒說。當他們來到通往教堂的獨木橋時，她又說：

“獨木橋呀你莫斷，

我可不是真新娘。”

“你在說什么？”王子又問。“沒什么，”她回答說，“我只是想起了少女瑪琳。”“你認識少女瑪琳？”“噢，不，”她答道，“我怎么會認識她呢？我僅僅是聽說過她。”

當他們來到教堂的門口，她又一次說：

“教堂的門呀打不破，

我這新娘是冒牌貨。”

“你在說什么？”王子又問。“噢，”她答道，“我只是想起了少女瑪琳。”王子取出了一串珍貴的項鏈，戴在她的脖子上，替她扣好了鏈環，于是他們雙雙走進了教堂。在圣臺前，牧師把他們的手拉在一起，為他們主了婚。然后王子領著新娘回去了，可一路上新娘卻一言不發。他們一到皇宮，瑪琳就匆匆跑進丑新娘的房間，脫下身上華麗的衣服，卸下首飾，重新穿上了自己的灰罩衫，不過脖子上留下了新郎送給她的那串項鏈。

夜晚來臨時，新郎領著新娘進了新房；可新娘的頭上蒙著塊紗巾，不讓新郎發現這場騙局。當眾人散去后，新郎對新娘說：“你曾對路邊長著的蕁麻說過什么？”“對蕁麻？”新娘問道，“我沒有對蕁麻說過什么呀！”“如果你沒有對蕁麻說過什么，那你一定是假新娘。”新郎說。新娘想了，說道：“我得去找我的侍女，她總替我記著這些事兒。”

于是她就出去找到了少女瑪琳。“小丫頭，你曾對蕁麻說過什么？”“我只是說：

“噢，蕁麻呀蕁麻，

小小的蕁麻，

你為何孤零零地長在這里？

我還記得那個時候

我沒有煮你，

就拿你來生吃。”

聽到這些話，新娘立刻跑回新房，對新郎說：“我知道我對蕁麻說過什么了！”于是她就把剛聽到的話重復了一遍。“可是我們過橋時，你又對橋說了什么？”王子問道。“對橋？”新娘吃驚地問，“我什么都沒對橋說呀！”“那么你就不是真正的新娘。”新娘趕緊又說：“我得去問問我的侍女，她替我記著這些事兒。”說完就跑出去責備少女瑪琳：“臭丫頭，你究竟對橋說了什么？”“我只是說：

更多 英語小故事、英文故事、英語故事、英語童話故事，請繼續關注 英語作文大全

獨木橋呀你莫斷，

我可不是真新娘。”

“我會要你的命！”新娘叫道，可她又急忙跑進房間說：“現在我知道我對腳下的橋說過什么了！”說完就重復了少女瑪琳的話。“那么你又對教堂的門說了什么？”“對教堂的門？”新娘萬分驚訝，“我沒對教堂門說過什么呀！”“那么你是假新娘。”新娘不得不再一次出去訓斥少女瑪琳：“臭丫頭，你對教堂的門說過了些什么？”“我只是說：

教堂的門呀打不破，

我這新娘是冒牌貨。”

“那會要你的命！”丑新娘喊道，氣得她不得了，可人早又飛快地跑回了新房對王子說：“我知道我對教堂的門說過什么了！”說完就把少女瑪琳的話重復了一遍。“可是我在教堂門口給你的項鏈哪去了？”“什么項鏈？”新娘答道，“你并沒有給我項鏈呀！”“是我親手給戴上的項鏈，而且還是我替你扣好的。如果你連這都不知道，那你就不是真新娘。”他一把揭開了她臉上的面紗，猛地看到了她那無比丑陋的臉，嚇了一大跳，說：“你是誰？你怎么來這兒的？”“我是你的新娘呀！因為我害怕大伙笑話我，就讓那廚房中的丫頭穿上我的衣服，替我去了教堂。”“那丫頭在哪里？”王子問道，“我想見她，快把她帶來見我。”丑新娘趕緊出去告訴仆人，廚房那丫頭是個騙子，要他們把她帶到院子里殺掉。

仆人們拉著少女瑪琳就往外拖，她大呼救命，王子聽到了呼叫，匆忙跑出房間，他命令仆人立刻放了瑪琳。燈點上后，王子看到了他在教堂前給她的那串項鏈，“你才是真新娘，”王子說，“你和我一起進了教堂，現在和我回新房吧！”當只剩下他們倆的時候，王子說：“在去教堂的路上你提到了少女瑪琳，她原是我的未婚妻；如果我的直覺沒有錯的話，站在我面前的應是她，你真是和她一模一樣。”姑娘回答道：“我就是少女瑪琳。為了你，我在黑暗中囚禁了七年；為了你，我忍饑又挨餓；為了你，我在期待與貧窮中掙扎了許久。現在陽光終于又重新照在了我的身上。我在教堂中與你結了婚；現在，我就是你的合法妻子。”于是他們互相親吻著，從此生活幸福又美滿。那假新娘也為她所做所為付出了代價，最后被砍掉了頭。

囚禁少女瑪琳的那座塔還一直聳立著，許多年后，每當孩子們打那里經過時，總會唱：

“叮，叮，叮叮，

塔兒森森暗無光，

瑪琳姑娘心兒傷，

她的臉兒瞧不見。

墻兒高高垮不掉，

石頭堅堅推不倒。

小漢斯呀穿花褂，

在我的后面跟緊啦！

更多 英語小故事、英文故事、英語故事、英語童話故事，請繼續關注 英語作文大全