English Original
There was once a miller who lived with his wife in great contentment. They had money and land, and their prosperity increased year by year. But ill-luck came like a thief in the night. As their wealth had increased, so did it decrease, year by year, until the miller could hardly call the mill his own. He was in great distress and found no rest at night, tossing about in his bed, full of care.
One morning he rose before daybreak and went out into the open air. As he stepped over the mill-dam, the first sunbeam broke forth, and he heard a rippling sound in the pond. He turned and perceived a beautiful woman rising slowly out of the water. He soon saw that she was the Nix of the Mill-pond, and in his fright did not know whether to run or stay.
The nix called him by name and asked why he was so sad. The miller, hearing her kind voice, told her how he had formerly lived in wealth but was now poor. "Be easy," answered the nix, "I will make thee richer and happier than ever before, only thou must promise to give me the young thing which has just been born in thy house." The miller thought, "What else can that be but a puppy or kitten?" and promised. The nix descended into the water, and he hurried back, consoled.
He had not yet reached home when a maid-servant cried out that his wife had given birth to a boy. The miller stood as if struck by lightning; he saw that the cunning nix had cheated him. He told his wife of his promise. "Of what use are riches if I am to lose my child?" he lamented.
Prosperity returned to the miller's house. All he undertook succeeded, and his wealth grew greater than before. But the bargain tormented his soul. He feared the nix and never let his son go near the water. "Beware," he warned, "if thou dost but touch the water, a hand will rise and draw thee down." As years passed and the nix did not appear, the miller began to feel at ease.
The boy grew up, became an excellent huntsman, married a beautiful and true-hearted maiden from the village, and they lived happily.
One day, while chasing a roe, the huntsman found himself near the mill-pond. After cleaning his hands in the water, the nix ascended, smilingly wound her dripping arms around him, and drew him down under the waves.
When her husband did not return, his wife hastened to the pond, found his hunting-pouch, and knew the misfortune. She called his name in vain, reviled the nix, but received no answer. Exhausted by grief, she fell asleep by the pond and dreamed of an old woman in a cottage on a mountain.
Upon waking, she climbed the mountain and found everything as in her dream. The old woman gave her a golden comb and instructed her to comb her hair by the pond at full moon, then lay the comb on the bank.
The wife did so. A wave bore the comb away, and her husband's head arose from the water, looking at her sorrowfully before a second wave covered him. The dream led her back to the old woman, who then gave her a golden flute with similar instructions.
At the next full moon, she played the flute by the pond. A wave took it, and this time, half of her husband's body arose. He stretched his arms towards her before being drawn down again.
In despair, she visited the old woman a third time and received a golden spinning-wheel. At the full moon, she spun until the spool was full and placed the wheel by the water. A mighty wave carried it away, and her husband rose completely in a water-spout. He sprang to shore, caught her hand, and they fled.
But the whole pond rose with a frightful roar, flooding the land. In terror, the wife implored the old woman's help. Instantly, they were transformed—she into a toad, he into a frog. The flood tore them apart and carried them far away.
When the water dispersed and they regained human form, neither knew where the other was. High mountains and deep valleys lay between them. To survive, both became shepherds, tending flocks for many years, full of sorrow and longing.
One spring day, by chance, they drove their flocks to the same valley. They did not recognize each other but felt comforted by the company. One evening under the full moon, the shepherd played a sorrowful air on his flute. The shepherdess wept, saying the moon shone just so when she last played that air and saw her beloved's head rise from the water. He looked at her, and a veil seemed to fall from his eyes—he recognized his dear wife. She, too, knew him. They embraced and kissed, and no one need ask if they were happy.
中文翻译
从前，有一位磨坊主和妻子过着心满意足的生活。他们有钱有地，家境一年比一年兴旺。但厄运像夜贼一样悄然而至。他们的财富逐年增加，却也逐年减少，直到磨坊主几乎无法称自己居住的磨坊为已有。他忧心忡忡，夜晚无法安眠，在床上辗转反侧，满腹忧愁。
一天清晨，天未亮他就起身出门。当他迈过磨坊水坝时，第一缕阳光破晓而出，他听到池塘里传来潺潺水声。他转过身，看见一位美丽的女子正缓缓从水中升起。他很快意识到她就是磨坊池塘的水妖，惊恐中不知该逃跑还是留在原地。
水妖叫出他的名字，问他为何如此悲伤。磨坊主听到她和善的声音，便告诉她自已曾经富有，如今却一贫如洗。"放心，"水妖答道，"我会让你比以前更富有、更快乐，但你须答应把你家里刚出生的那个小东西给我。"磨坊主心想："那不就是只小狗或小猫吗？"于是便答应了。水妖沉入水中，他则欣慰地匆匆赶回。
还没到家，一个女仆就冲出来喊道，他的妻子生了一个男孩。磨坊主如遭雷击般呆立当场；他明白狡猾的水妖欺骗了他。他把承诺告诉了妻子。"如果我要失去孩子，财富于我何用？"他悲叹道。
繁荣再次光顾磨坊主的家。他事事顺利，财富比以往更盛。但那份交易折磨着他的灵魂。他惧怕水妖，从不让儿子靠近水边。"小心，"他警告道，"只要你碰到水，就会有一只手伸出来把你拖下去。"年复一年，水妖未曾现身，磨坊主渐渐安心。
男孩长大了，成为一名出色的猎人，娶了村里一位美丽真诚的姑娘，两人幸福地生活在一起。
一天，猎人在追逐一头牝鹿时，不知不觉来到了磨坊池塘附近。他在水中洗手时，水妖升出水面，微笑着用湿漉漉的手臂缠住他，将他拖入波浪之下。
丈夫未归，妻子急忙赶到池塘边，发现了他的狩猎袋，心知不幸已然发生。她徒劳地呼喊他的名字，咒骂水妖，但得不到任何回应。悲痛欲绝，筋疲力尽，她在池塘边沉沉睡去，梦见山上小屋里的一个老妇人。
醒来后，她爬上高山，发现一切正如梦中所示。老妇人给了她一把金梳子，指示她在满月时到池塘边梳头，然后把梳子放在岸上。
妻子照做了。一个浪头卷走了梳子，她丈夫的头从水中升起，悲伤地望了她一眼，随即被第二个浪头淹没。梦境又将她引回老妇人那里，老妇人这次给了她一支金笛子，并给出了类似的指示。
下一个满月，她在池塘边吹奏笛子。一个浪头带走了笛子，这次，她丈夫的半截身子升出水面。他向她伸出双臂，随即又被拖了下去。
绝望中，她第三次拜访老妇人，得到了一个金纺车。满月时，她一直纺线直到线轴缠满，然后将纺车放在水边。一个巨浪卷走了纺车，她的丈夫完全出现在一股水柱中。他跳上岸，抓住她的手，两人一起逃跑。
但整个池塘发出可怕的咆哮声涨起洪水，淹没了田野。惊恐中，妻子祈求老妇人的帮助。瞬间，他们被变形了——她变成一只蟾蜍，他变成一只青蛙。洪水将他们冲散，带到遥远的地方。
洪水退去，他们恢复人形后，彼此都不知道对方身在何方。高山深谷横亘其间。为了生存，两人都成了牧羊人，放牧羊群多年，心中充满悲伤与渴望。
一个春日，机缘巧合，他们将羊群赶到了同一个山谷。他们没有认出彼此，但相伴感到慰藉。一个月圆之夜，牧羊人用笛子吹奏了一曲忧伤的旋律。牧羊女哭泣起来，说上次她吹奏此曲，看到爱人的头从水中升起时，月亮也是这般明亮。他看着她，仿佛眼前的面纱落下——他认出了他亲爱的妻子。她也认出了他。他们相拥亲吻，其幸福自不待言。