Once upon a time, a young brother and sister lived in a small village with their mother.

從前，有對年輕的兄妹跟媽媽住在一個小村莊裡

One day, their mother got work with the wealthiest family in the village

有一天，他們的媽媽得到了一份有錢人家裡的工作

and had to leave her children alone for the day.

必須讓她的小孩獨自在家一天

Watch your little sister while I’m away. I will be back in the evening with delicious rice cakes for both of you!

我不在家時，照顧好你的妹妹。我會在傍晚回來帶著好吃的米糕給你們！

Mmm! I love rice cakes!

恩！我最愛米糕了！

I will take good care of her, Mother.

我會好好照顧她的，媽媽。

Come home soon, Mother!

早點回家，媽媽！

The brother and sister decided to prepare a nice surprise for their mother on her return.

兄妹倆決定在媽媽回家時準備個驚喜給她

They went together to a nearby chestnut grove to pick some fresh chestnuts for her.

他們一起去附近的栗子樹林去採些新鮮的栗子給她

The brother brought a long pole and the sister carried a basket.

哥哥帶了一根長棍而妹妹拎著藍子

Watch, if you shake the branches like this, the chestnuts will come down by themselves.

看著，如果你像這樣搖晃樹枝，栗子會自己從樹上掉下來

Oh, this is fun! I can catch them in my basket!

喔，這好有趣！我可以用我的籃子接住它們！

Watch out, here they come!

小心喔，栗子們要掉下來拉！

When they had gathered as many as they could carry,

當他們盡可能採收到他們提得動的程度

the brother and sister sat down to peel them in their front yard.

兄妹倆在庭院坐著剝栗子的皮

They burst open the prickly shells to pick out the smooth brown chestnuts inside.

他們用力地敲開刺刺的殼為了挑出裡面的栗子

They look so good, I can’t wait to have some!

它們看起來真美味，我等不及想來些嚐嚐！

Wait, we have to roast them on the furnace first. Alright.

等等，我們必須要先在火爐上面烤過。好的

Meanwhile, their Mother was hurrying home across the hill balancing rice cakes on her head.

同時，他們的媽媽正趕著穿越山林回家並用頭頂著米糕讓身體平衡

The children must be hungry by now. I am sure they will enjoy these rice cakes.

孩子現在一定餓著了。我相信他們一定會很喜歡這些米糕的。

Suddenly, she heard a terrifying growl…

突然間，她聽到了一個可怕的咆哮聲...

What was that!?

這是什麼聲音！？

Slowly, the tiger leaped down from a tree and approached the frightened Mother, glaring at her with fierce yellow eyes.

老虎慢慢的從樹上跳下並接近被嚇著的媽媽，用它凶狠的黃色眼睛瞪視著她

I will perhaps let you go unscathed…if you hand over one of those rice cakes.

我可以讓你毫髮無傷地離開...如果你把手中的米糕都給我

Oh is that all? You can have all the rice cakes you want! Here…

喔這樣就可以了嗎？你可以把所有米糕都拿走！這給你...

Ahh..they look so tempting,..

喔...他們看起來真誘人...

As the tiger busied himself with the delicious rice cakes, the Mother turned and ran for her life.

當老虎正忙碌著享用美味的米糕，媽媽轉身並使盡全力逃跑

The mother had just reached another hill, when the same tiger blocked her path once more

當媽媽才剛跑到另一座山丘，老虎再次出現擋住她的路

I demand more rice cakes! You must have another hidden somewhere….give it to me now!

我要更多的米糕！你一定有藏些在某處...現在拿出來給我！

I am sorry…this is my last one…I have to feed my children…

我很抱歉...這是我最後一個了...我必須帶給我小孩吃...

The Mother turned and ran as fast as she could, hoping to reach home.

媽媽轉身並花最大的力氣逃跑，希望可以快點到家

But she wasn’t fast enough, and the tiger stopped her again.

但她還是跑得不夠快，老虎又讓她停下腳步

Ah, you again! Your life for a rice cake! Give one more and you can go….

喔，又是你！拿米糕來交換你的命！再給我一個就放你走...

But I gave you all I had! I don’t have anymore, I swear!

但我已經把我有的都給你了！我真的都沒有了，我發誓！

Is that so? Well, well, and how do I fill my empty belly?

是這樣嗎？這樣的話，那我應該怎麼滿足我的空肚子呢？

I am still hungry…what do you think I should do?

我還是很餓...你覺得我應該怎麼做好呢？

No…please…please let me go, I have children waiting for me…Please have mercy...

不....請....請你讓我走，我還有小孩在等我....請可憐我吧...

Oh, what a tragic story. I am so sorry for you…

多麼悲慘的故事。我真的是為你感到抱歉...

Disregarding her please, the merciless tiger grabbed her with his powerful jaws…

不顧她的請求，殘酷的老虎用它強而有力的爪子抓住她...

Still blissfully unaware, the children sat side-by-side by the warm furnace,

孩子們仍一無所知的坐在溫暖的火爐旁邊

watching the chestnuts roast in the crackling flames.

看著被火烤的栗子

Suddenly, they heard a strange voice.

突然間，他們聽到了奇怪的聲音

Oh children! Mummy’s home! Why don’t you open the door?

孩子們！媽媽回來了！為什麼你們不開門呢？

Oh! Mother! Mother! Mother is home!

喔！媽媽！媽媽！媽媽回來了！

No, wait! There’s something wrong here…that isn’t Mother’s voice…

不對，等一下！事有蹊蹺...這不像媽媽的聲音...

If you really are our Mother, show us your hand!

如果你真的是我們的媽媽，伸出你的手來！

Filled with doubt and suspicion, the brother refused to open the door.

帶著懷疑和猜忌的想法，哥哥拒絕開門

His instincts had served him well.

他的直覺還是很準確的

The voice outside the door was not their Mother, of course, but the ravenous tiger.

門外的聲音當然不是他們的媽媽，而是餓極的老虎

Finishing off the Mother, he had come to devour the children too.

吃掉媽媽以後，老虎也想把小孩一起吃掉

What a clever boy…but I can fool him.

多麼聰明的男孩...但我可以騙過他

I still have some grains of rice on my paw from all those rice cakes.

我還有些米糕的米粒殘留在爪子上

When they see it, they will believe I am their mother!

當他們看到這米粒，他們會相信我是他們的媽媽！

So the tiger confidently demonstrated his paw with the rice grains stuck to it.

當老虎很有信心地展現黏著米粒的爪子

The Brother and Sister fell for the devious trick and opened the door.

兄妹倆相信了這伎倆並打開了門

It really must be Mother! Let’s open the door and let her in.

這一定是媽媽！我們快開門讓她進來

Oh, no, a tiger!!!! Help! Help!

喔，不，是老虎！！！救命！救命！

I hope you are as tasty as your Mother!

但願你們跟你們的媽媽一樣美味！

You ate our Mother!? NO!! Mother! NO!!

你吃了我們的媽媽！？不！！媽媽！不！！

Oh, stop your whining!

喔，別哭喊了！

Hmm...you two look even plumper and juicier than her…which should I eat first?

嗯...你們倆看起來比你們的媽媽更肥美多汁...我該先吃哪一個呢？

Why don’t you help me decide? Eenie-Meenie-Minie-Moe….

為何你不幫我決定一下？ 點兵點將點到誰...

When the tiger pointed his paw at the Sister, the Brother cried out…

當老虎將爪子指向妹妹，哥哥放聲大哭

Hold on! I bet you’ve never had a chestnut!

等一下！我相信你從來沒嚐過栗子！

What? What’s a chestnut? What is it? Tell me.

那是？栗子是什麼？那是什麼？快告訴我

Well, it’s only the most delicious thing in the world! Don’t you want to try one?

這個呀，它是世界上最好吃的東西！難道你不想試一下嗎？

Desperate to save himself and his sister, the Brother had come up with a plan.

在絕望處境裡為了保全自己和妹妹的生命，哥哥想到了一個法子

Can they be more delicious than rice cakes?

栗子會比米糕好吃嗎？

Of course they are! They are perfectly scrumptious! Look, we are roasting some right now…

當然！栗子的美味絕對是無敵的！你看，我們正在火爐上烤呢...

They certainly do look delicious, so brown and crunchy…just looking at them makes my mouth water.

它們真的看起來很美味，烤得焦黃又鬆脆...看著它們讓我口水直流

I will try one!

我來嚐一個看看！

Ahh!!! My mouth!!! It burns! It burns! Ahhh!!! Help!

啊！！！我的嘴巴！！！好燙！好燙！啊！！！救命啊！

In his eagerness to snatch a chestnut,

由於老虎急迫地想拿栗子，

the foolish Tiger burned his paws and tongue on the blazing furnace.

愚蠢的它在炙熱的火爐上燙傷了自己的爪子跟舌頭

As he blundered around the room in pain and fury, the Brother and Sister seized their chance and ran.

充滿疼痛和暴怒中的老虎在房間跌跌撞撞的遊走，哥哥和妹妹抓住這個機會逃跑

Running out into the backyard, they clambered up a tree beside the well.

逃跑到後院裡，兄妹倆爬到牆邊的樹上

Oh, Brother, I am so scared of that tiger!

喔，哥哥，我真的很怕那隻老虎！

I am so scared! Shhh! Try not to cry so loudly! If he hears us, we are lost!

我真的好害怕！噓！不要哭得這麼大聲！如果它聽到我們的聲音，我們就完蛋了！

The sister stopped crying and sat still quietly.

妹妹停止哭泣並安靜地坐著

The tiger was furious with the Brother for fooling him and causing him to burn himself.

老虎對於哥哥愚弄它和讓它被火燙到感到非常生氣

Those horrid children! They will pay for this, both of them! You can run, but you can’t hide!

這些討厭的小孩！他們會付出代價的，兩個都要！你可以逃跑，但你躲不掉的！

Do you really think you can trick me and get away with it!?

你真的認為可以戲弄我後卻可以全身而退？

At that moment, the tiger glimpsed the children’s reflection in the water.

此時，老虎瞥見井水中有小孩的倒影。

Ah…that’s where you’re hiding! You thought you could hide from me?

啊...原來你們躲在這裡！你以為你可以躲過我嗎？

You are trapped now, you fools! You’re mine!!!

你們現在被困住拉，傻瓜！你們是我的！！！

What? Where are they? Where did they go? Those rascals have tricked me again!

什麼？他們在哪裡？他們去哪了？ 你們這些壞蛋又再騙了我一次！

Seeing the tiger splashing helplessly around in the water, the Brother could not restrain his laughter.

看著老虎無助地在水裡，哥哥忍不住笑了出來。

You ridiculous creature! Couldn’t you tell it was just our reflection? We’re up in a tree!

你這個可笑的生物！難道你不知道這只是我們水中的倒影嗎？我們在樹上！

Silly tiger! We fooled you again!

愚蠢老虎！我們又戲弄你一次！

A reflection!? Oh, how could I be so stupid! I will get you for this!

倒影？喔，我怎麼會這麼笨！我一定會抓到你的！

Finally realizing that the children had never been in the well,

了解到小孩們從來沒有在井裡面，

the humiliated tiger grabbed hold of the rope and dragged himself out.

被羞辱的老虎抓緊繩子，拖著身軀離開井裡

Ugh…it’s so slippery! Ow! Ouch! That hurt! I can’t do this…how did you two get up there?

哎呀...這實在太滑了！喔！好痛！我沒辦法...你們到底怎麼爬上去的？

If you tell me the truth, I won’t eat you! I promise, I promise!

如果你告訴我實情，我不會吃你的！我保證，我保證！

You won’t!? Oh, it was so simple. We just used an axe to help us up one step at a time.

你真的不會嗎！？喔，這很簡單。我們只是用斧頭來幫助我們爬上每一階

No! Why did you tell him!? But..But..

不！為什麼你要告訴它？ 只是...只是...

Ah! Thank you! Thank you very much! Ha ha ha!

謝謝你！真的很謝謝你！哈哈哈！

Grabbing an axe, the tiger scaled the tree the way the Sister had told him. The two children were horrified.

拿了把斧頭，老虎按照妹妹告訴它的方法爬到樹上去。兄妹倆嚇壞了

Please decide our fate! Send us a strong rope if we are meant to survive, or a rotten one if we must die!

請決定我們的命運！如果我們本該存活，請賞賜給我們強而有力的繩子：如果我們必須死，請賞賜給我們腐壞的繩子！

Ah! The rope has come! Let’s try it…Thank you!

繩子來了！我們快試試...謝謝！

What!? Am I to be robbed of my prey at the last minute? I will not submit to this!

什麼！？為什麼我的獵物會在最後一分鐘被搶走？我沒辦法接受！

Send me a strong rope to let me achieve my purpose or a rotten one to cast me to the earth to die!

請賞賜我強而有力的繩子讓我完成我的目的或賞賜我腐壞的繩子讓我摔到地上去！

A thick rope descended slowly from the sky.

一條粗繩緩緩地從天上下來

The instant the tiger grabbed hold of the rope, it snapped. The tiger’s rope was rotten!

老虎立即抓緊繩子，繩子斷了。老虎的繩子是腐壞的！

He fell to the ground with a crash and was killed.

老虎從天掉到地上死掉了

The Brother and Sister climbed their strong rope all the way into the sky

哥哥和妹妹爬著他們強而有力的繩子到了天上

and became the sun and the moon to shed their light upon the world day and night.

變成了太陽和月亮放射出光芒照亮全世界的白天和黑夜