English Original
Lean Lisa was of a very different way of thinking from lazy Harry and fat Trina, who never let anything disturb their peace. She scoured everything with ashes from morning till evening and burdened her husband, Long Laurence, with so much work that he had heavier weights to carry than an ass with three sacks. It was, however, all to no purpose; they had nothing and came to nothing.
One night, as she lay in bed and could hardly move one limb for weariness, she still did not allow her thoughts to go to sleep. She thrust her elbows into her husband's side and said, "Listen, Lenz, to what I have been thinking: if I were to find one florin and one was given to me, I would borrow another to put to them, and thou too shouldst give me another. Then, as soon as I had got the four florins together, I would buy a young cow."
This pleased the husband right well. "It is true," said he, "that I do not know where I am to get the florin which thou wantest as a gift from me; but, if thou canst get the money together and canst buy a cow with it, thou wilt do well to carry out thy project. I shall be glad," he added, "if the cow has a calf, and then I shall often get a drink of milk to refresh me."
"The milk is not for thee," said the woman. "We must let the calf suck that it may become big and fat, and we may be able to sell it well."
"Certainly," replied the man, "but still we will take a little milk; that will do no harm."
"Who has taught thee to manage cows?" said the woman. "Whether it does harm or not, I will not allow it, and even if thou wert to stand on thy head for it, thou shouldst not have a drop of the milk! Dost thou think, because there is no satisfying thee, Long Laurence, that thou art to eat up what I earn with so much difficulty?"
"Wife," said the man, "be quiet, or I will give thee a blow on thy mouth!"
"What!" cried she. "Thou threatenest me, thou glutton, thou rascal, thou lazy Harry!" She was just laying hold of his hair, but Long Laurence got up, seized both Lean Lisa's withered arms in one hand, and with the other he pressed down her head into the pillow, let her scold, and held her until she fell asleep for very weariness.
Whether she continued to wrangle when she awoke next morning, or whether she went out to look for the florin which she wanted to find, that I know not.
中文翻译
精瘦的丽莎与懒惰的哈里和肥胖的特丽娜想法截然不同，后者从不让任何事情打扰他们的安宁。丽莎从早到晚用灰烬擦洗一切，并让她的丈夫，高个子劳伦斯，承担了如此多的工作，以至于他背负的重量比一头驮着三个袋子的驴还重。然而，这一切都毫无用处；他们一无所有，一事无成。
一天晚上，她躺在床上，累得几乎动弹不得，却仍不让自己的思绪入睡。她用胳膊肘捅了捅丈夫的侧身，说道：“听着，伦茨，听听我一直在想什么：如果我找到一个弗罗林，再有人给我一个，我就再借一个凑上，你也得再给我一个。然后，一旦我凑齐了四个弗罗林，我就买一头小母牛。”
丈夫听了非常高兴。“确实，”他说，“我不知道从哪里能弄到你想要我作为礼物给你的那个弗罗林；但是，如果你能把钱凑齐，并能用它买一头牛，你实施你的计划是很好的。”他补充道，“如果母牛生了小牛，我会很高兴，那样我就能经常喝点牛奶提神了。”
“牛奶不是给你喝的，”女人说。“我们必须让小牛喝奶，这样它才能长得又大又肥，我们才能卖个好价钱。”
“当然，”男人回答，“但我们还是要喝一点牛奶；那没什么害处。”
“谁教你怎么管牛的？”女人说。“不管有没有害处，我都不允许，就算你为此倒立，你也不该喝到一滴牛奶！你以为，因为永远满足不了你，高个子劳伦斯，你就能吃掉我辛辛苦苦挣来的东西吗？”
“老婆，”男人说，“安静点，不然我就给你嘴上一巴掌！”
“什么！”她喊道。“你威胁我，你这个贪吃鬼，你这个无赖，你这个懒惰的哈里！”她正要抓住他的头发，但高个子劳伦斯站了起来，一只手抓住精瘦的丽莎两只干瘦的胳膊，另一只手把她的头按进枕头里，任她责骂，一直按到她因极度疲惫而睡着。
我不知道她第二天早上醒来后是否继续争吵，或者是否出去寻找她想找到的那个弗罗林。