English Original
In a great palace by the sea lived a rich old lord. His favorite daughter died giving birth to a granddaughter, whom he swore never to look upon. He turned his back on the child, weeping by his window until his tears wore a channel in the stone and his long hair bound him to his chair.
The girl, named Tattercoats by the cruel servants, grew up neglected, clothed in rags and fed on scraps. Her only friend was a gooseherd, whose merry pipe music made her forget her troubles and dance with his geese.
One day, news came that the King was holding a grand ball where the Prince would choose a bride. An invitation arrived at the palace. The old lord, upon hearing the King's command, had his hair cut free, dressed in finery, and rode off to the ball, refusing to take Tattercoats despite the old nurse's pleas.
Heartbroken, Tattercoats told the gooseherd of her sorrow. He cheered her with his pipe and suggested they go to town to see the festivities. As they danced down the road with the geese, they met a handsome, well-dressed stranger asking the way to the King's castle. He joined them, and as the gooseherd played a sweet tune, the stranger fell deeply in love with Tattercoats and begged her to marry him.
She laughed and refused, saying a prince should not marry a goosegirl. To prove his sincerity, he begged her to come to the ball at midnight, just as she was, and he would dance with her before everyone.
At the stroke of twelve, Tattercoats, the gooseherd, and the noisy geese entered the splendid ballroom, to the astonishment of all. The stranger, who was the Prince, rose to meet her. He kissed her hand and declared her his chosen bride.
As he spoke, the gooseherd played his pipe. Tattercoats' rags transformed into a gown of glittering jewels, a crown appeared on her head, and the geese became pages holding her train. The King welcomed her as his daughter, and trumpets sounded for the new Princess.
The gooseherd vanished, and the old lord returned to his seaside palace, bound by his oath never to look upon his granddaughter's face. He sits there still, weeping bitterly by the window.
中文翻译
海边的一座宏伟宫殿里，住着一位富有的老勋爵。他心爱的女儿在生下孙女时去世了，他发誓永不看这个孙女一眼。他背弃了这个孩子，终日坐在窗边哭泣，泪水在石头上冲出了一道沟渠，长长的头发将他束缚在椅子上。
女孩被残忍的仆人们称为“破衣姑娘”，在忽视中长大，衣衫褴褛，靠残羹冷炙度日。她唯一的朋友是一个牧鹅少年，他那欢快的笛声能让她忘记烦恼，与他的鹅群共舞。
一天，消息传来，国王将举办一场盛大的舞会，王子将在那里选择新娘。请柬送到了宫殿。老勋爵听到国王的命令后，让人剪开束缚他的长发，穿上华服，骑马前往舞会，断然拒绝了老保姆带破衣姑娘同去的恳求。
破衣姑娘心碎不已，向牧鹅少年诉说了她的悲伤。少年用笛声鼓舞了她，并建议他们一起去镇上看看庆典。当他们和鹅群在路上跳舞前行时，遇到一位英俊、衣着华丽的陌生人询问去国王城堡的路。他加入了他们。牧鹅少年吹奏起甜美的曲调，陌生人深深地爱上了破衣姑娘，并恳求她嫁给他。
她笑着拒绝了，说王子不该娶一个牧鹅女。为了证明他的真诚，他恳求她在午夜时分来到舞会，就穿着这身破衣，他将在所有人面前与她共舞。
午夜钟声敲响时，破衣姑娘、牧鹅少年和吵闹的鹅群走进了辉煌的舞厅，令所有人震惊。那位陌生人——正是王子——起身迎接她。他亲吻她的手，宣布她为自己选中的新娘。
在他说话时，牧鹅少年吹响了笛子。破衣姑娘的破衣变成了镶满闪亮珠宝的长裙，一顶王冠出现在她头上，鹅群变成了为她托着裙裾的侍童。国王将她迎为女儿，号角为新公主奏响。
牧鹅少年消失了，老勋爵则回到了他的海边宫殿，受着自己永不看孙女面孔的誓言束缚。他至今仍坐在那里，在窗边痛苦地哭泣。