English Original
Thousands of years ago, people told strange stories and believed in many wondrous things. They believed that in the woods, streams, hills, and hollows lived fair creatures called nymphs. These nymphs were beautiful and loved flowers and murmuring brooks.
The fairest of them all was Echo, whose voice was the sweetest. But one day, Echo displeased Queen Juno. As punishment, Juno decreed: "You shall have your voice, but nothing else. You shall never speak first. You can only answer when others speak to you." Poor Echo! She grew thin and pale, thinner and paler, until at last, only her voice remained.
She wandered unseen through the woods, heard only when others spoke. On a quiet evening, you may hear her if you walk near a high rock where she loves to hide. Call to her, and she will answer. "Where are you?" you may ask. "— You?" she will reply. "Are you Echo?" you may ask. "— Echo?" she answers. "Come to me!" you cry. "— me!" she replies. "I like you," you say to her. "— you," Echo repeats.
A curious truth about Echo is that she always answers in the same tone you use. If you sing, she sings back. If you shout, she shouts. If you cry, she cries too. If you are cross and ill-natured, she will be cross and ill-natured in return.
Once, two brothers went into the woods to find Echo. They called and called but could not hear her. At last, one cried impatiently, "You are a mean old cheat!" Quick as thought came the cross reply, "— cheat!" The other boy quickly said, "He didn't mean that." The same tone came back from Echo, "— that." When the boys told their mother, she smiled and said, "That happens the world over. Gentle words will bring forth gentle words, and harsh tones will be echoed by harsh tones."
中文翻译
数千年前，人们讲述着奇异的故事，并相信许多奇妙的事物。他们相信，在森林、溪流、山丘和洼地里，居住着一种美丽的生物，他们称之为宁芙。这些宁芙美丽动人，喜爱鲜花和潺潺的小溪。
她们中最美丽的是回声（Echo），她的声音也最为甜美。但有一天，回声惹怒了天后朱诺。作为惩罚，朱诺下令：“你可以保留你的声音，但仅此而已。你永远不能先开口说话。你只能在别人对你说话时回答。”可怜的回声！她变得消瘦苍白，越来越瘦，越来越苍白，直到最后，只剩下她的声音。
她在森林中无形地游荡，只有当别人说话时才能被听见。在一个安静的夜晚，如果你走近她喜欢藏身的高耸岩石，或许能听到她。呼唤她，她就会回应。你问：“你在哪里？”她会回答：“— 哪里？”你问：“你是回声吗？”她答：“— 声吗？”你喊：“到我这儿来！”她回：“— 来！”你对她说：“我喜欢你。”回声重复道：“— 你。”
关于回声，有一个奇特的事实：她总是用你说话的语气来回应。如果你唱歌，她就唱回来。如果你喊叫，她也喊叫。如果你哭泣，她也哭泣。如果你脾气暴躁、心怀恶意，她也会以同样的暴躁和恶意回应你。
有一次，两兄弟到森林里寻找回声。他们喊了又喊，却听不到她的声音。最后，其中一个不耐烦地喊道：“你是个卑鄙的老骗子！”立刻，一个恼怒的回应传来：“— 子！”另一个男孩赶紧说：“他不是那个意思。”回声用同样的语气回应：“— 思。”当男孩们把这件事告诉母亲时，她微笑着说：“世界各地都是如此。温和的言语会换来温和的言语，而刻薄的语气也会被刻薄的语气所回应。”