English Original
"I shall now begin my tale," said the old man. "Pray attend.
This hind you see with me is my wife. Having no children of our own, I adopted the son of a favorite slave and resolved to make him my heir.
My wife, however, conceived a great hatred for both mother and child, which she concealed from me until it was too late. When my adopted son was about ten, I was obliged to undertake a journey. Before departing, I entrusted the mother and child to my wife's care, begging her to look after them during my year-long absence. In that time, she studied magic to execute her wicked plan. Once proficient, she took my son to a distant place and transformed him into a calf. She then gave him to my steward, claiming she had bought the calf and instructing him to tend it. She also changed the slave into a cow and sent her to the steward.
Upon my return, I inquired after the slave and the child. 'Your slave is dead,' my wife said, 'and as for your son, I have not seen him for two months and know not where he is.'
I was grieved by the slave's death, but as my son had merely disappeared, I thought I should soon find him. Yet eight months passed with no tidings of him until the feast of Bairam arrived.
To celebrate, I ordered my steward to bring a fat cow for sacrifice. The cow he brought was my unfortunate slave. As I bound her and raised the knife, she began to low most piteously, her eyes streaming with tears. Astonished and moved by pity, I ordered the steward to lead her away and bring another. My wife, who was present, scoffed at my compassion, which thwarted her malice. 'What are you doing?' she cried. 'Kill this cow. It is the finest we have.'
To please her, I tried again, but again the animal's pleas disarmed me.
'Take her away and kill her,' I told the steward. 'I cannot.'
The steward did so, but upon skinning her, found she was mere bones beneath her fat appearance. Vexed, I said to him, 'Keep her for yourself. If you have a fat calf, bring it instead.'
Soon he brought a very fat calf, which, unknown to me, was my son. The calf strained against its cord to reach me, throwing itself at my feet and laying its head on the ground as if begging for its life.
I was even more surprised and touched by this than by the cow's tears.
'Go,' I said to the steward. 'Take back this calf, care for it well, and bring me another instantly.'
My wife immediately cried out, 'Husband, what are you doing? You must sacrifice this calf and no other.'
'Wife,' I answered, 'I will not sacrifice this calf.' Despite all her remonstrances, I remained firm.
I had another calf killed, and the first was led away. The next day, the steward asked to speak with me privately.
'I have news you will be glad to hear,' he said. 'I have a daughter skilled in magic. Yesterday, as I led back the calf you spared, she first smiled, then wept. I asked her why.'
'Father,' she answered, 'this calf is our master's son. I smile for joy that he lives, and I weep for his mother, sacrificed yesterday as a cow. These transformations were wrought by our master's wife, who hated them both.'
At these words, O Genius, imagine my astonishment. I went at once with the steward to speak to his daughter. First, I visited the stable to see my son, who responded mutely to my caresses. When the steward's daughter arrived, I asked if she could restore him.
'Yes,' she replied, 'on two conditions: first, that you give him to me as my husband; second, that you allow me to punish the woman who changed him.'
'To the first,' I answered, 'I agree wholeheartedly and will provide a generous dowry. To the second, I also agree, only I beg you to spare her life.'
'That I shall do,' she said. 'I will treat her as she treated your son.'
She then took a vessel of water, uttered words I did not understand, and cast the water upon him. Instantly, he became a young man again.
'My son, my dear son!' I exclaimed, kissing him in a transport of joy. 'This kind maiden has saved you from a terrible enchantment. Out of gratitude, you will marry her, I am sure.'
He consented joyfully. But before the wedding, the young girl changed my wife into a hind—the very one you see before you. I preferred this form to a stranger one, so we might see her in the family without repugnance.
Since then, my son has been widowed and has gone travelling. I am now searching for him and, unwilling to entrust my wife to others, I bring her with me. Is this not a marvellous tale?"
"It is indeed," said the genius. "For its sake, I grant you one third of this merchant's due punishment."
When the first old man had finished, the second, who led two black dogs, said to the genius, "I shall tell you what befell me, and I am certain you will find it even more astonishing than the story you have just heard. When I have related it, will you grant me also a third of the merchant's punishment?"
"Yes," replied the genius, "provided your story surpasses that of the hind."
With this agreement, the second old man began his tale.
中文翻译
"我现在开始讲述我的故事，"老人说道，"请听好。
你看到的这头雌鹿是我的妻子。我们自己没有孩子，因此我收养了一个心爱奴隶的儿子，并决定让他成为我的继承人。
然而，我的妻子对母子二人都怀有极大的憎恨，并且一直对我隐瞒，直到为时已晚。当我的养子大约十岁时，我不得不外出旅行。出发前，我将母子二人托付给妻子照顾，恳求她在我长达一年的外出期间照料他们。在此期间，她研习魔法以实施其邪恶的计划。学成之后，她将我的儿子带到一个遥远的地方，把他变成了一头小牛。然后，她把他交给了我的管家，声称是她买来的小牛，并吩咐管家照料它。她还把那个奴隶变成了一头母牛，也送到了管家那里。
我回来后，询问奴隶和孩子的下落。'你的奴隶死了，'我的妻子说，'至于你的儿子，我已经两个月没见到他了，不知道他在哪里。'
我为奴隶的死感到悲伤，但既然儿子只是失踪了，我以为很快就能找到他。然而八个月过去了，仍然没有他的消息，直到拜兰节到来。
为了庆祝，我命令管家牵一头肥牛来献祭。他牵来的牛正是我不幸的奴隶。当我绑住她并举起刀时，她开始极其可怜地哞叫，眼中涌出泪水。我既惊讶又心生怜悯，便命令管家把她牵走，另换一头。在场的妻子嘲笑我的同情心，这挫败了她的恶意。'你在干什么？'她喊道。'杀了这头牛。这是我们最好的祭品。'
为了取悦她，我又试了一次，但那动物的哀求再次让我无法下手。
'把她牵走杀掉，'我对管家说。'我下不了手。'
管家照办了，但剥皮时发现，她外表虽肥，却只剩皮包骨头。我很恼火，对他说：'你自己留着吧。如果你有肥壮的小牛，就牵一头来代替。'
很快，他牵来了一头非常肥壮的小牛，而我并不知道，那就是我的儿子。小牛拼命挣脱绳索向我奔来，扑倒在我脚下，把头贴在地上，仿佛在乞求饶命。
我对此感到的惊讶和触动，甚至超过了之前看到母牛流泪。
'去吧，'我对管家说。'把这头小牛带回去，好生照料，立刻给我另牵一头来。'
我的妻子立刻大叫起来：'丈夫，你在干什么？你必须献祭这头小牛，而不是别的。'
'妻子，'我回答，'我不会献祭这头小牛。'尽管她百般规劝，我仍坚定不移。
我让人杀了另一头小牛，而第一头被牵走了。第二天，管家请求与我私下交谈。
'我有您听了会高兴的消息，'他说。'我有个女儿精通魔法。昨天，当我牵回您赦免的那头小牛时，她先是微笑，接着哭泣。我问她为何如此。'
'父亲，'她答道，'这头小牛是我们主人的儿子。我微笑是因为他还活着而高兴，我哭泣是因为想到他的母亲昨天作为一头母牛被献祭了。这些变形都是我们主人的妻子所为，她憎恨他们母子。'
听到这些话，哦，精灵啊，你可以想象我的震惊。我立刻随管家去和他的女儿交谈。我先去马厩看我的儿子，他默默地回应着我的爱抚。当管家的女儿到来时，我问她能否让他恢复原形。
'可以，'她回答，'但有两个条件：第一，您要把他许配给我做丈夫；第二，您要允许我惩罚那个将他变形的女人。'
'对于第一个条件，'我回答，'我全心全意地同意，并将提供丰厚的嫁妆。对于第二个条件，我也同意，只求您饶她一命。'
'我会的，'她说。'我会像她对待您儿子那样对待她。'
然后，她取来一罐水，念了几句我听不懂的咒语，将水泼在他身上。顷刻间，他又变回了一个年轻人。
'我的儿子，我亲爱的儿子！'我欣喜若狂地亲吻着他，喊道。'这位善良的姑娘将你从可怕的魔法中解救出来。我相信，出于感激，你会娶她的。'
他欣然同意。但在婚礼之前，这位年轻姑娘把我的妻子变成了一头雌鹿——就是你眼前看到的这头。我宁愿她是这种形态，而不是更怪异的形态，这样我们见到她时还不至于太反感。
自那以后，我的儿子丧偶并外出旅行了。我现在正在寻找他，同时不愿将妻子托付给他人，所以把她带在身边。这难道不是一个奇妙的故事吗？"
"确实是，"精灵说。"为此，我免除这位商人应受惩罚的三分之一。"
第一位老人讲完后，牵着两条黑狗的第二位老人对精灵说："我将告诉你我的遭遇，我确信你会发现它比你刚才听到的故事更令人惊奇。等我讲完，你也会免除商人三分之一的惩罚吗？"
"会的，"精灵回答，"前提是你的故事要超过雌鹿的故事。"
达成协议后，第二位老人开始讲述他的故事。