English Original
Once upon a time, a king was determined to marry a maiden as beautiful as the sun. He sent a servant to search the land, but no one met his standard.
One day, the tired servant came to a tiny house and asked for water. It was passed through a lattice by a hand so soft and white that he thought it must belong to a lovely maiden. He reported this to the king, who ordered him to return and see her.
The servant went back and, through the lattice, asked who lived there. A voice replied, "My sister and I. We are poor girls." When asked their ages, the voice said, "I am fifteen, and she is twenty."
The king chose the "fifteen-year-old" and sent for her. The occupant agreed to come but warned that sunlight would turn her skin black, so she must travel in a closed carriage. The king sent his golden carriage.
That evening, a heavily veiled figure arrived. The king asked to see her face, but she refused, saying the light would turn her black. Believing her, the king married her without lifting the veil.
Alone at last, he lifted a corner of the veil and discovered a wrinkled old woman. Enraged, he threw her out the window. Her clothes caught on a nail, leaving her hanging.
As she dangled, four fairies passed by. Instead of harming her, they blessed her with youth, beauty, wisdom, and a tender heart, transforming her into the world's most beautiful maiden.
The next morning, the king saw her and was filled with remorse. He rescued her, begged forgiveness, and held a great feast in her honor.
Days later, her ninety-year-old sister visited the palace. Seeing the young queen, she demanded to know the secret of her youth and beauty. Annoyed, the queen said, "I had my old head cut off, and a new one grew."
The old woman went to a barber and demanded he cut off her head so she could become young and lovely. Despite his warnings, she insisted. The barber, who had been to France, said, "Il faut souffrir pour être belle" (One must suffer to be beautiful), and with a second blow, her head rolled off. She was dead for good.
中文翻译
从前，一位国王决心要娶一位如太阳般美丽的少女为妻。他派仆人遍寻全国，却无人符合他的标准。
一天，疲惫的仆人来到一间小屋讨水喝。水从窗格递出，那只手如此柔软白皙，他断定其主人定是位绝色佳人。他禀告国王，国王命他回去一探究竟。
仆人返回，隔着窗格询问屋内住着谁。一个声音回答：“我和我的妹妹。我们是穷苦的女孩。”问及年龄时，声音说：“我十五岁，她二十岁。”
国王选中了“十五岁”的那位，派人去接。屋里的人同意前来，但警告说阳光会使她的皮肤变黑，因此必须乘坐封闭的马车。国王派出了他的金色马车。
当晚，一位蒙着厚厚面纱的人到了。国王请求一睹芳容，但她拒绝了，说光线会让她变黑。国王信以为真，未掀面纱便与她成了婚。
独处时，国王掀开面纱一角，发现竟是一位满脸皱纹的老妇人。盛怒之下，他将她抛出窗外。她的衣服钩在了一颗钉子上，让她悬在半空。
正当她命悬一线时，四位仙女路过。她们没有伤害她，反而赐予她青春、美貌、智慧和一颗温柔的心，将她变成了世上最美的少女。
次日清晨，国王看到她，悔恨不已。他救下她，恳求原谅，并为她举行了盛大的宴会。
几天后，她九十岁的姐姐来到宫殿。看到年轻的王后，她追问变年轻美丽的秘诀。王后不胜其烦，说：“我把旧头砍掉，长出了新头。”
老妇人找到理发师，要求砍掉她的头，以便变得年轻可爱。尽管理发师警告，她仍坚持己见。这位去过法国的理发师说：“Il faut souffrir pour être belle（欲得美，必受罪）”，第二刀下去，她的头便滚落在地。她就这样一命呜呼了。