English Original
Brother took sister by the hand and said: "Look here; we haven't had one single happy hour since our mother died. That stepmother of ours beats us regularly every day, and if we dare go near her she kicks us away. We never get anything but hard dry crusts to eat -- why, the dog under the table is better off than we are. She does throw him a good morsel or two now and then. Oh dear! if our own dear mother only knew all about it! Come along, and let us go forth into the wide world together."
So off they started through fields and meadows, over hedges and ditches, and walked the whole day long, and when it rained sister said:
"Heaven and our hearts are weeping together."
Towards evening they came to a large forest, and were so tired out with hunger and their long walk, as well as all their trouble, that they crept into a hollow tree and soon fell fast asleep.
Next morning, when they woke up, the sun was already high in the heavens and was shining down bright and warm into the tree. Then said brother:
"I'm so thirsty, sister; if I did but know where to find a little stream, I'd go and have a drink. I do believe I hear one." He jumped up, took sister by the hand, and they set off to hunt for the brook.
Now their cruel stepmother was in reality a witch, and she knew perfectly well that the two children had run away. She had crept secretly after them, and had cast her spells over all the streams in the forest.
Presently the children found a little brook dancing and glittering over the stones, and brother was eager to drink of it, but as it rushed past sister heard it murmuring:
"Who drinks of me will be a tiger! who drinks of me will be a tiger!"
So she cried out, "Oh! dear brother, pray don't drink, or you'll be turned into a wild beast and tear me to pieces."
Brother was dreadfully thirsty, but he did not drink.
"Very well," said he, "I'll wait till we come to the next spring."
When they came to the second brook, sister heard it repeating too:
"Who drinks of me will be a wolf! who drinks of me will be a wolf!"
And she cried, "Oh! brother, pray don't drink here either, or you'll be turned into a wolf and eat me up."
Again brother did not drink, but he said:
"Well, I'll wait a little longer till we reach the next stream, but then, whatever you may say, I really must drink, for I can bear this thirst no longer."
And when they got to the third brook, sister heard it say as it rushed past:
"Who drinks of me will be a roe! who drinks of me will be a roe!"
And she begged, "Ah! brother, don't drink yet, or you'll become a roe and run away from me."
But her brother was already kneeling by the brook and bending over it to drink, and, sure enough, no sooner had his lips touched the water than he fell on the grass transformed into a little Roebuck.
Sister cried bitterly over her poor bewitched brother, and the little Roe wept too, and sat sadly by her side. At last the girl said:
"Never mind, dear little fawn, I will never forsake you," and she took off her golden garter and tied it round the Roe's neck.
Then she plucked rushes and plaited a soft cord of them, which she fastened to the collar. When she had done this she led the Roe farther and farther, right into the depths of the forest.
After they had gone a long, long way they came to a little house, and when the girl looked into it she found it was quite empty, and she thought. "Perhaps we might stay and live here."
So she hunted up leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the little Roe, and every morning and evening she went out and gathered roots, nuts, and berries for herself, and tender young grass for the fawn. And he fed from her hand, and played round her and seemed quite happy. In the evening, when sister was tired, she said her prayers and then laid her head on the fawn's back and fell sound asleep with it as a pillow. And if brother had but kept his natural form, really it would have been a most delightful kind of life.
They had been living for some time in the forest in this way, when it came to pass that the King of that country had a great hunt through the woods. Then the whole forest rang with such a blowing of horns, baying of dogs, and joyful cries of huntsmen, that the little Roe heard it and longed to join in too.
"Ah!" said he to sister, "do let me go off to the hunt! I can't keep still any longer."
And he begged and prayed till at last she consented.
"But," said she, "mind you come back in the evening. I shall lock my door fast for fear of those wild huntsmen; so, to make sure of my knowing you, knock at the door and say, 'My sister dear, open; I'm here.' If you don't speak I shan't open the door."
So off sprang the little Roe, and he felt quite well and happy in the free open air.
The King and his huntsmen soon saw the beautiful creature and started in pursuit, but they could not come up with it, and whenever they thought they were sure to catch it, it bounded off to one side into the bushes and disappeared. When night came on it ran home, and knocking at the door of the little house cried:
"My sister dear, open; I'm here." The door opened, and he ran in and rested all night on his soft mossy bed.
Next morning the hunt began again, and as soon as the little Roe heard the horns and the "Ho! ho!" of the huntsmen, he could not rest another moment, and said:
"Sister, open the door, I must get out."
So sister opened the door and said, "Now mind and get back by nightfall, and say your little rhyme."
As soon as the King and his huntsmen saw the Roe with the golden collar they all rode off after it, but it was far too quick and nimble for them. This went on all day, but as evening came on the huntsmen had gradually encircled the Roe, and one of them wounded it slightly in the foot, so that it limped and ran off slowly.
Then the huntsman stole after it as far as the little house, and heard it call out, "My sister dear, open; I'm here," and he saw the door open and close immediately after the fawn had run in.
The huntsman remembered all this carefully, and went off straight to the King and told him all he had seen and heard.
"To-morrow we will hunt again," said the King.
Poor sister was terribly frightened when she saw how her little Fawn had been wounded. She washed off the blood, bound up the injured foot with herbs, and said: "Now, dear, go and lie down and rest, so that your wound may heal."
The wound was really so slight that it was quite well next day, and the little Roe did not feel it at all. No sooner did it hear the sounds of hunting in the forest than it cried:
"I can't stand this, I must be there too; I'll take care they shan't catch me."
Sister began to cry, and said, "They are certain to kill you, and then I shall be left all alone in the forest and forsaken by everyone. I can't and won't let you out."
"Then I shall die of grief," replied the Roe, "for when I hear that horn I feel as if I must jump right out of my skin."
So at last, when sister found there was nothing else to be done, she opened the door with a heavy heart, and the Roe darted forth full of glee and health into the forest.
As soon as the King saw the Roe, he said to his huntsman, "Now then, give chase to it all day till evening, but mind and be careful not to hurt it."
When the sun had set the King said to his huntsman, "Now come and show me the little house in the wood."
And when he got to the house he knocked at the door and said, "My sister dear, open; I'm here." Then the door opened and the King walked in, and there stood the loveliest maiden he had ever seen.
The girl was much startled when instead of the little Roe she expected she saw a man with a gold crown on his head walk in. But the King looked kindly at her, held out his hand, and said, "Will you come with me to my castle and be my dear wife?"
"Oh yes!" replied the maiden, "but you must let my Roe come too. I could not possibly forsake it."
"It shall stay with you as long as you live, and shall want for nothing," the King promised.
In the meantime the Roe came bounding in, and sister tied the rush cord once more to its collar, took the end in her hand, and so they left the little house in the forest together.
The King lifted the lonely maiden on to his horse, and led her to his castle, where the wedding was celebrated with the greatest splendour. The Roe was petted and caressed, and ran about at will in the palace gardens.
Now all this time the wicked stepmother, who had been the cause of these poor children's misfortunes and trying adventures, was feeling fully persuaded that sister had been torn to pieces by wild beasts, and brother shot to death in the shape of a Roe. When she heard how happy and prosperous they were, her heart was filled with envy and hatred, and she could think of nothing but how to bring some fresh misfortune on them. Her own daughter, who was as hideous as night and had only one eye, reproached her by saying, "It is I who ought to have had this good luck and been Queen."
"Be quiet, will you," said the old woman; "when the time comes I shall be at hand."
Now after some time it happened one day when the King was out hunting that the Queen gave birth to a beautiful little boy. The old witch thought here was a good chance for her; so she took the form of the lady in waiting, and, hurrying into the room where the Queen lay in her bed, called out, "The bath is quite ready; it will help to make you strong again. Come, let us be quick, for fear the water should get cold." Her daughter was at hand, too, and between them they carried the Queen, who was still very weak, into the bath-room and laid her in the bath; then they locked the door and ran away.
They took care beforehand to make a blazing hot fire under the bath, so that the lovely young Queen might be suffocated.
As soon as they were sure this was the case, the old witch tied a cap on her daughter's head and laid her in the Queen's bed. She managed, too, to make her figure and general appearance look like the Queen's, but even her power could not restore the eye she had lost; so she made her lie on the side of the missing eye, in order to prevent the King's noticing anything.
In the evening, when the King came home and heard the news of his son's birth, he was full of delight, and insisted on going at once to his dear wife's bedside to see how she was getting on. But the old witch cried out, "Take care and keep the curtains drawn; don't let the light get into the Queen's eyes; she must be kept perfectly quiet." So the King went away and never knew that it was a false Queen who lay in the bed.
When midnight came and everyone in the palace was sound asleep, the nurse who alone watched by the baby's cradle in the nursery saw the door open gently, and who should come in but the real Queen. She lifted the child from its cradle, laid it on her arm, and nursed it for some time. Then she carefully shook up the pillows of the little bed, laid the baby down and tucked the coverlet in all round him. She did not forget the little Roe either, but went to the corner where it lay, and gently stroked its back. Then she silently left the room, and next morning when the nurse asked the sentries if they had seen any one go into the castle that night, they all said, "No, we saw no one at all."
For many nights the Queen came in the same way, but she never spoke a word, and the nurse was too frightened to say anything about her visits.
After some little time had elapsed the Queen spoke one night, and said:
"Is my child well? Is my Roe well?\
I'll come back twice and then farewell."
The nurse made no answer, but as soon as the Queen had disappeared she went to the King and told him all. The King exclaimed, "Good heavens! what do you say? I will watch myself to-night by the child's bed."
When the evening came he went to the nursery, and at midnight the Queen appeared and said:
"Is my child well? Is my Roe well?\
I'll come back once and then farewell."
And she nursed and petted the child as usual before she disappeared. The King dared not trust himself to speak to her, but the following night he kept watch again.
That night when the Queen came she said:
"Is my child well? Is my Roe well?\
I've come back once and then farewell."
Then the King could restrain himself no longer, but sprang to her side and cried, "You can be no one but my dear wife!"
"Yes," said she, "I am your dear wife!" and in the same moment she was restored to life, and was as fresh and well and rosy as ever. Then she told the King all the cruel things the wicked witch and her daughter had done. The King had them both arrested at once and brought to trial, and they were condemned to death. The daughter was led into the forest, where the wild beasts tore her to pieces, and the old witch was burnt at the stake.
As soon as she was reduced to ashes the spell was taken off the little Roe, and he was restored to his natural shape once more, and so brother and sister lived happily ever after.
中文翻译
哥哥拉着妹妹的手说：“听着，自从母亲去世后，我们就没有过过一个快乐的时辰。我们的继母每天都打我们，如果我们敢靠近她，她就把我们踢开。我们只能吃到又硬又干的面包皮——唉，桌子底下的狗都比我们过得好。她时不时还会扔给它一两口好吃的。哦，天哪！要是我们亲爱的妈妈知道这一切就好了！来吧，让我们一起走进广阔的世界。”
于是他们出发了，穿过田野和草地，越过树篱和沟渠，走了一整天。下雨时，妹妹说：“上天和我们的心在一起哭泣。”
傍晚时分，他们来到一片大森林。他们又饿又累，加上所有的烦恼，疲惫不堪，便爬进一棵空心树，很快就睡着了。
第二天早上，他们醒来时，太阳已经高高挂在天空，明亮而温暖地照进树里。哥哥说：“我好渴啊，妹妹；要是我知道哪里能找到一条小溪，我就去喝点水。我好像真的听到水声了。”他跳起来，拉着妹妹的手，出发去寻找小溪。
原来，他们残忍的继母实际上是个女巫，她非常清楚两个孩子逃走了。她偷偷跟在后面，对森林里所有的溪流都施了魔法。
不久，孩子们发现一条小溪在石头上跳跃闪烁，哥哥急切地想喝。但当溪水奔流而过时，妹妹听到它在低语：“谁喝了我的水，就会变成老虎！谁喝了我的水，就会变成老虎！”
于是她喊道：“哦！亲爱的哥哥，求你别喝，不然你会变成野兽，把我撕成碎片的。”
哥哥渴得要命，但他没有喝。
“好吧，”他说，“我等到下一个泉水再说。”
当他们来到第二条小溪时，妹妹又听到它在重复：“谁喝了我的水，就会变成狼！谁喝了我的水，就会变成狼！”
她喊道：“哦！哥哥，求你也别在这里喝，不然你会变成狼，把我吃掉的。”
哥哥又没有喝，但他说：“好吧，我再等一会儿，等我们到下一个溪流，但那时，不管你说什么，我真的必须喝了，因为我再也受不了这口渴了。”
当他们到达第三条小溪时，妹妹听到它奔流而过时说：“谁喝了我的水，就会变成狍子！谁喝了我的水，就会变成狍子！”
她恳求道：“啊！哥哥，先别喝，不然你会变成狍子，从我身边跑掉的。”
但她的哥哥已经跪在小溪边，弯下腰去喝水了。果然，他的嘴唇一碰到水，他就倒在草地上，变成了一只小雄狍。
妹妹为她可怜的、被施了魔法的哥哥痛哭，小狍子也哭了，悲伤地坐在她身边。最后，女孩说：“没关系，亲爱的小鹿，我永远不会抛弃你。”她取下金色的袜带，系在狍子的脖子上。
然后她采来灯心草，编成一根柔软的绳子，系在项圈上。做完这些，她领着狍子越走越远，一直走到森林深处。
走了很长很长的路后，他们来到一座小房子前。女孩往里看，发现里面空荡荡的，她想：“也许我们可以住在这里。”
于是她找来树叶和苔藓，为小狍子铺了一张柔软的床。每天早晚，她都出去为自己采集根茎、坚果和浆果，并为小鹿采集嫩草。小鹿从她手中吃食，在她身边玩耍，显得很开心。晚上，妹妹累了，她做完祷告，就把头枕在小鹿背上，把它当枕头，沉沉地睡着了。如果哥哥能保持人形，这真的会是一种非常愉快的生活。
他们在森林里这样生活了一段时间。有一天，那个国家的国王在森林里举行了一场盛大的狩猎。整个森林回荡着号角声、犬吠声和猎人们欢快的呼喊声，小狍子听到了，也渴望加入。
“啊！”他对妹妹说，“让我去打猎吧！我再也待不住了。”
他恳求再三，直到妹妹终于同意了。
“但是，”她说，“记住晚上要回来。我会把门锁好，以防那些野蛮的猎人；所以，为了让我知道是你，敲门说：‘亲爱的妹妹，开门；我回来了。’如果你不说话，我就不开门。”
小狍子一跃而出，在自由的户外感到非常愉快。
国王和他的猎人们很快就看到了这只美丽的动物，开始追赶，但他们追不上它。每当他们以为肯定能抓住它时，它就跳到一边的灌木丛中消失了。夜幕降临时，它跑回家，敲着小房子的门喊道：“亲爱的妹妹，开门；我回来了。”门开了，它跑进去，在柔软的苔藓床上休息了一整夜。
第二天早上，狩猎又开始了。小狍子一听到号角和猎人们的“嗬！嗬！”声，就一刻也待不住了，说：“妹妹，开门，我必须出去。”
于是妹妹开了门，说：“记住天黑前回来，说你的小口诀。”
国王和他的猎人们一看到戴着金色项圈的狍子，就都骑马追了上去，但它太快太敏捷了。这样持续了一整天，但到了傍晚，猎人们逐渐包围了狍子，其中一人轻轻伤了它的脚，它一瘸一拐地慢慢跑开了。
然后，猎人偷偷跟着它来到小房子，听到它喊道：“亲爱的妹妹，开门；我回来了。”他看到门开了，小鹿跑进去后门立刻关上了。
猎人仔细记住了这一切，直接去找国王，告诉了他所见所闻。
“明天我们再打猎，”国王说。
可怜的妹妹看到她的小鹿受伤了，非常害怕。她洗掉血迹，用草药包扎好受伤的脚，说：“现在，亲爱的，去躺下休息，这样你的伤口才能愈合。”
伤口真的很轻，第二天就好了，小狍子一点感觉都没有。它一听到森林里的狩猎声，就叫道：“我受不了了，我也必须去那儿；我会小心不让他们抓住我的。”
妹妹哭了起来，说：“他们肯定会杀了你，然后我就孤零零地留在森林里，被所有人抛弃。我不能也不会让你出去。”
“那我就会伤心而死，”狍子回答说，“因为当我听到那号角声时，我感觉自己必须从皮里跳出来。”
最后，当妹妹发现别无他法时，她心情沉重地开了门，狍子欢快而健康地冲进了森林。
国王一看到狍子，就对猎人说：“现在，整天追赶它直到晚上，但要小心别伤到它。”
太阳落山后，国王对猎人说：“现在带我去看看林中的小房子。”
当他走到房子前，他敲了敲门说：“亲爱的妹妹，开门；我回来了。”然后门开了，国王走了进去，眼前站着一位他见过的最可爱的少女。
女孩大吃一惊，她本以为是小狍子，却看到一个头戴金冠的男人走了进来。但国王和善地看着她，伸出手说：“你愿意跟我回城堡，做我亲爱的妻子吗？”
“哦，愿意！”少女回答，“但你必须让我的狍子也一起来。我绝不能抛弃它。”
“只要你还活着，它就会和你在一起，什么都不会缺，”国王承诺道。
与此同时，狍子蹦跳着进来了，妹妹再次把灯心草绳系在它的项圈上，手里拿着绳头，就这样他们一起离开了森林里的小房子。
国王把孤独的少女扶上马，带她去了他的城堡，在那里举行了极其盛大的婚礼。狍子受到宠爱和抚摸，在宫殿花园里自由奔跑。
这段时间里，那个造成这些可怜孩子不幸和艰难冒险的邪恶继母，一直深信妹妹已被野兽撕成碎片，哥哥也以狍子的形态被射死了。当她听说他们多么幸福和成功时，她的心中充满了嫉妒和仇恨，一心只想着如何给他们带来新的不幸。她自己的女儿，丑陋如夜，只有一只眼睛，责备她说：“这本该是我的好运，我该成为王后。”
“安静点，”老妇人说；“时机一到，我就在手边。”
过了一段时间，有一天国王外出打猎时，王后生下了一个漂亮的小男孩。老女巫觉得这是个好机会；于是她变成侍女的样子，匆匆走进王后躺着的房间，喊道：“洗澡水准备好了；这能让你恢复体力。来吧，我们快点，免得水凉了。”她的女儿也在旁边，她们一起把还很虚弱的王后抬进浴室，放进浴缸；然后她们锁上门跑了。
她们事先在浴缸下生起了熊熊大火，这样可爱的年轻王后可能会窒息而死。
一旦她们确信王后已死，老女巫就给女儿戴上一顶帽子，把她放在王后的床上。她还设法让女儿的身材和外表看起来像王后，但即使她的魔力也无法恢复女儿失去的那只眼睛；所以她让女儿躺在缺失眼睛的那一侧，以防国王注意到什么。
晚上，国王回家听到儿子出生的消息，满心欢喜，坚持要立刻去亲爱的妻子床边看看她怎么样了。但老女巫喊道：“小心拉好窗帘；别让光线照进王后的眼睛；她必须保持绝对安静。”于是国王走开了，从不知道床上躺着的是个假王后。
午夜时分，宫殿里所有人都熟睡了，独自在育儿室照看婴儿摇篮的保姆看到门轻轻开了，进来的竟是真正的王后。她把孩子从摇篮里抱起来，放在臂弯里，喂了一会儿奶。然后她仔细抖了抖小床的枕头，放下婴儿，给他掖好被子。她也没有忘记小狍子，走到它躺着的角落，轻轻抚摸它的背。然后她默默地离开了房间。第二天早上，保姆问哨兵那晚是否看到有人进入城堡，他们都说：“没有，我们根本没看到任何人。”
许多个夜晚，王后都以同样的方式前来，但她从不说一句话，保姆太害怕了，不敢提她的来访。
过了一段时间，一天晚上王后开口说话了：
“我的孩子好吗？我的狍子好吗？\
我再来两次，然后永别了。”
保姆没有回答，但王后一消失，她就去找国王，告诉了他一切。国王惊呼：“天哪！你说什么？今晚我要亲自守在孩子的床边。”
晚上，他去了育儿室。午夜时分，王后出现了，说：
“我的孩子好吗？我的狍子好吗？\
我再来一次，然后永别了。”
她像往常一样喂奶、爱抚孩子，然后消失了。国王不敢贸然跟她说话，但第二天晚上他又守在那里。
那天晚上王后来时说：
“我的孩子好吗？我的狍子好吗？\
我回来一次，然后永别了。”
这时国王再也克制不住了，跳到她身边喊道：“你只能是我亲爱的妻子！”
“是的，”她说，“我是你亲爱的妻子！”就在那一刻，她恢复了生命，像以前一样鲜活、健康和红润。然后她告诉了国王邪恶的女巫和她女儿所做的所有残忍事情。国王立刻逮捕了她们，将她们送上审判，她们被判处死刑。女儿被带进森林，被野兽撕成了碎片，老女巫则在火刑柱上被烧死。
她一化为灰烬，小狍子身上的咒语就被解除了，他恢复了人形。从此，兄妹俩过上了幸福的生活。