English Original
It is now long ago, quite two thousand years, since there was a rich man who had a beautiful and pious wife. They had, however, no children, though they wished for them very much, and the woman prayed for them day and night, but still they had none.
Now there was a courtyard in front of their house in which was a juniper-tree. One day in winter, the woman was standing beneath it, paring an apple. While she was paring the apple, she cut her finger, and the blood fell on the snow. "Ah," said the woman, sighing heavily, and looking at the blood before her, "if I had but a child as red as blood and as white as snow!"
As she spoke, she felt a sudden happiness, as if her wish would come true. She went into the house. A month went by and the snow was gone. Two months, and everything was green. Three months, and all the flowers came out of the earth. Four months, and all the trees in the wood grew thicker, the green branches entwined, and the birds sang until the wood resounded. When the fifth month passed, she stood under the juniper-tree, which smelt so sweetly that her heart leapt. She fell on her knees, beside herself with joy. After the sixth month, the fruit was large and fine, and she was quite still. In the seventh month, she snatched at the juniper-berries and ate them greedily, then grew sick and sorrowful. The eighth month passed, and she called her husband to her, weeping, "If I die, bury me beneath the juniper-tree." Then she was comforted and happy. When the next month was over, she had a child as white as snow and as red as blood. When she beheld it, she was so delighted that she died.
Her husband buried her beneath the juniper-tree and wept sorely. After some time, he was more at ease, and though he still wept, he could bear it. Later, he took another wife.
By the second wife he had a daughter, but the first wife's child was a little son, as red as blood and as white as snow. The woman loved her daughter very much, but when she looked at the little boy, it seemed to cut her to the heart. She thought he would always stand in her way, and she was forever thinking how she could get all the fortune for her daughter. The Evil One filled her mind with this until she was quite wroth with the little boy. She slapped him here and cuffed him there, until the unhappy child was in continual terror, for when he came out of school he had no peace in any place.
One day the woman had gone upstairs to her room, and her little daughter went up too, and said, "Mother, give me an apple." "Yes, my child," said the woman, and gave her a fine apple out of the chest, which had a great heavy lid with a great sharp iron lock. "Mother," said the little daughter, "is brother not to have one too?" This made the woman angry, but she said, "Yes, when he comes out of school." And when she saw from the window that he was coming, it was just as if the Devil entered into her. She snatched the apple away from her daughter and said, "Thou shalt not have one before thy brother." Then she threw the apple into the chest and shut it.
Then the little boy came in at the door, and the Devil made her say to him kindly, "My son, wilt thou have an apple?" but she looked wickedly at him. "Mother," said the little boy, "how dreadful you look! Yes, give me an apple." Then it seemed to her as if she were forced to say to him, "Come with me." She opened the lid of the chest and said, "Take out an apple for thyself." While the little boy was stooping inside, the Devil prompted her, and crash! she shut the lid down. His head flew off and fell among the red apples.
She was overwhelmed with terror and thought, "If I could but make them think that it was not done by me!" So she went upstairs to her chest of drawers, took a white handkerchief, set the head on the neck again, and folded the handkerchief so that nothing could be seen. She set him on a chair in front of the door and put the apple in his hand.
After this, Marlinchen came into the kitchen to her mother, who was standing by the fire with a pan of hot water. "Mother," said Marlinchen, "brother is sitting at the door, and he looks quite white and has an apple in his hand. I asked him to give me the apple, but he did not answer me, and I was quite frightened." "Go back to him," said her mother, "and if he will not answer thee, give him a box on the ear." So Marlinchen went to him and said, "Brother, give me the apple." But he was silent, and she gave him a box on the ear, on which his head fell down. Marlinchen was terrified and began crying and screaming. She ran to her mother and said, "Alas, mother, I have knocked my brother's head off!" and she wept and wept and could not be comforted. "Marlinchen," said the mother, "what hast thou done? But be quiet and let no one know it; it cannot be helped now, we will make him into black-puddings."
Then the mother took the little boy and chopped him in pieces, put him into the pan and made him into black puddings. But Marlinchen stood by weeping and weeping, and all her tears fell into the pan, so there was no need of any salt.
Then the father came home, sat down to dinner, and said, "But where is my son?" The mother served up a great dish of black-puddings, and Marlinchen wept and could not leave off. The father again said, "But where is my son?" "Ah," said the mother, "he has gone across the country to his mother's great uncle; he will stay there awhile." "And what is he going to do there? He did not even say good-bye to me." "Oh, he wanted to go, and asked me if he might stay six weeks; he is well taken care of there." "Ah," said the man, "I feel so unhappy lest all should not be right. He ought to have said good-bye to me." With that he began to eat and said, "Marlinchen, why art thou crying? Thy brother will certainly come back." Then he said, "Ah, wife, how delicious this food is, give me some more." And the more he ate the more he wanted, and he said, "Give me some more, you shall have none of it. It seems to me as if it were all mine."
He ate and ate and threw all the bones under the table until he had finished the whole. But Marlinchen went to her chest of drawers, took her best silk handkerchief, got all the bones from beneath the table, tied them up, and carried them outside the door, weeping tears of blood. Then the juniper-tree began to stir itself, and the branches parted asunder and moved together again, just as if someone was rejoicing and clapping his hands.
At the same time, a mist seemed to arise from the tree, and in the centre of this mist it burned like a fire. A beautiful bird flew out of the fire singing magnificently, and he flew high up in the air. When he was gone, the juniper-tree was just as it had been before, and the handkerchief with the bones was no longer there. Marlinchen, however, was as gay and happy as if her brother were still alive, and she went merrily into the house to eat.
But the bird flew away and lighted on a goldsmith's house, and began to sing:
"My mother she killed me,
My father he ate me,
My sister, little Marlinchen,
Gathered together all my bones,
Tied them in a silken handkerchief,
Laid them beneath the juniper-tree,
Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!"
The goldsmith was making a gold chain when he heard the bird singing on his roof. The song seemed very beautiful to him. He stood up, but as he crossed the threshold he lost one of his slippers. He went right up the middle of the street with one shoe on and one sock, wearing his apron, holding the gold chain in one hand and pincers in the other. He stood still and said to the bird, "How beautifully thou canst sing! Sing me that piece again." "No," said the bird, "I'll not sing it twice for nothing! Give me the golden chain, and then I will sing it again for thee." "There," said the goldsmith, "there is the golden chain for thee, now sing me that song again." Then the bird came and took the golden chain in his right claw, sat in front of the goldsmith, and sang the song again.
Then the bird flew away to a shoemaker, lighted on his roof, and sang the same song. The shoemaker heard it and ran out in his shirt sleeves. "Bird," said he, "how beautifully thou canst sing!" He called his wife, daughter, children, and apprentices. They all came and looked at the beautiful bird with red and green feathers, a neck like gold, and eyes that shone like stars. "Bird," said the shoemaker, "now sing me that song again." "Nay," said the bird, "I do not sing twice for nothing; thou must give me something." "Wife," said the man, "go to the garret and bring down the pair of red shoes on the top shelf." The wife brought the shoes. "There, bird," said the man, "now sing me that piece again." Then the bird came and took the shoes in his left claw, flew back on the roof, and sang the song again.
When he had sung, he flew away. In his right claw he had the chain and in his left the shoes. He flew far away to a mill where the mill went "klipp klapp," and twenty miller's men were hewing a stone, "hick hack." The bird sat on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
"My mother she killed me,"
Then one of them stopped working.
"My father he ate me,"
Then two more stopped.
"My sister, little Marlinchen,"
Then four more stopped.
"Gathered together all my bones,
Tied them in a silken handkerchief,"
Now eight only were hewing.
"Laid them beneath"
Now only five.
"The juniper-tree,"
And now only one.
"Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!"
The last one stopped and said, "Bird, how beautifully thou singest! Sing that once more for me." "Nay," said the bird, "I will not sing twice for nothing. Give me the millstone, and then I will sing it again." "Yes," said he, "if it belonged to me only, thou shouldst have it." The others agreed. Then the bird came down, and the twenty millers raised the stone with a beam. The bird stuck his neck through the hole, put the stone on as if it were a collar, flew back to the tree, and sang the song again.
When he had done singing, he spread his wings. With the chain in his right claw, the shoes in his left, and the millstone round his neck, he flew far away to his father's house.
In the room sat the father, the mother, and Marlinchen at dinner. The father said, "How light-hearted I feel, how happy I am!" "Nay," said the mother, "I feel so uneasy, just as if a heavy storm were coming." Marlinchen sat weeping. Then the bird came and seated itself on the roof. The father said, "Ah, I feel so truly happy, and the sun is shining so beautifully, I feel just as if I were about to see some old friend again." "Nay," said the woman, "I feel so anxious, my teeth chatter, and I seem to have fire in my veins." She tore her stays open. Marlinchen sat crying. Then the bird sat on the juniper tree and sang:
"My mother she killed me,"
The mother stopped her ears and shut her eyes, but there was a roaring in her ears like a storm, and her eyes burnt like lightning.
"My father he ate me,"
"Ah, mother," said the man, "that is a beautiful bird! He sings so splendidly, and the sun shines so warm, and there is a smell just like cinnamon."
"My sister, little Marlinchen,"
Marlinchen laid her head on her knees and wept. The man said, "I am going out, I must see the bird quite close." "Oh, don't go," said the woman, "I feel as if the whole house were shaking and on fire." But the man went out.
"Gathered together all my bones,
Tied them in a silken handkerchief,
Laid them beneath the juniper-tree,
Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!"
On this, the bird let the golden chain fall, and it fell exactly round the man's neck, fitting beautifully. He went in and said, "Just look what a fine bird that is, and what a handsome gold chain he has given me!" But the woman was terrified and fell down on the floor, her cap falling off. Then the bird sang once more:
"My mother she killed me."
"Would that I were a thousand feet beneath the earth so as not to hear that!"
"My father he ate me,"
Then the woman fell down again as if dead.
"My sister, little Marlinchen,"
"Ah," said Marlinchen, "I too will go out and see if the bird will give me anything." She went out.
"Gathered together all my bones,
Tied them in a silken handkerchief,"
Then he threw down the shoes to her.
"Laid them beneath the juniper-tree,
Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!"
Then she was light-hearted and joyous. She put on the new red shoes and danced into the house. "Ah," said she, "I was so sad when I went out and now I am so light-hearted; that is a splendid bird, he has given me a pair of red shoes!" "Well," said the woman, springing to her feet, her hair standing up like flames of fire, "I feel as if the world were coming to an end! I, too, will go out and see if my heart feels lighter." As she went out at the door, crash! the bird threw down the millstone on her head, and she was entirely crushed by it.
The father and Marlinchen heard what had happened and went out. Smoke, flames, and fire were rising from the place. When that was over, there stood the little brother. He took his father and Marlinchen by the hand, and all three were right glad. They went into the house to dinner and ate.
中文翻译
很久以前，大约两千年前，有一个富人，他有一位美丽而虔诚的妻子。他们非常渴望孩子，妻子日夜祈祷，却始终没有孩子。
他们屋前的院子里有一棵杜松树。一个冬日，妻子站在树下削苹果。削苹果时，她割伤了手指，鲜血滴在雪地上。"唉，"女人沉重地叹息着，看着眼前的鲜血，"要是我能有一个像血一样红、像雪一样白的孩子就好了！"
她说着，心中突然涌起一阵幸福，仿佛愿望即将实现。她走进屋子。一个月过去，雪融化了。两个月，万物变绿。三个月，百花从地里绽放。四个月，林间树木枝叶繁茂，绿枝缠绕，鸟儿歌唱，树林回响着歌声。第五个月过去，她站在杜松树下，树散发着如此甜美的香气，令她心潮澎湃。她跪倒在地，欣喜若狂。第六个月后，果实硕大饱满，她变得异常平静。第七个月，她贪婪地抓取杜松果吃下，随后变得病弱忧伤。第八个月过去，她把丈夫叫到身边，哭着说："如果我死了，就把我埋在杜松树下。" 随后她得到了安慰，变得快乐。下个月过后，她生下了一个像雪一样白、像血一样红的孩子。当她看到孩子时，她欣喜至极，随即去世了。
丈夫将她埋在杜松树下，悲痛欲绝。过了一段时间，他稍感宽慰，虽然仍在哭泣，但已能承受。后来，他娶了另一个妻子。
第二个妻子生了一个女儿，但第一个妻子的孩子是个小儿子，像血一样红，像雪一样白。这个女人非常爱自己的女儿，但当她看到小男孩时，却心如刀割。她觉得他会永远妨碍她，并一直盘算着如何为女儿谋得全部家产。恶魔占据了她的思想，使她对这个男孩充满愤怒。她这里扇他耳光，那里揍他，让这个不幸的孩子生活在持续的恐惧中，因为放学后他无处安宁。
一天，女人上楼回房，她的小女儿也跟着上去，说："妈妈，给我一个苹果。" "好的，孩子，"女人说着，从箱子里拿出一个好苹果给她。箱子有一个又大又重的盖子，配着一把锋利的大铁锁。"妈妈，"小女儿问，"哥哥也没有一个吗？" 这惹恼了女人，但她还是说："有，等他放学回来。" 当她从窗户看到他回来时，仿佛魔鬼附身。她从女儿手中夺回苹果，说："在你哥哥之前，你不许吃。" 然后她把苹果扔回箱子，关上了盖子。
小男孩进门后，魔鬼迫使她和蔼地对他说："儿子，你想要一个苹果吗？" 但她却恶毒地看着他。"妈妈，"小男孩说，"你的样子真可怕！是的，给我一个苹果。" 这时，她感觉自己被迫对他说："跟我来。" 她打开箱盖说："自己拿一个苹果吧。" 当小男孩弯腰探进箱子时，魔鬼怂恿了她，咔嚓一声！她猛地关上盖子。男孩的头飞了出去，掉在红苹果中间。
她惊恐万分，心想："要是能让他们以为这不是我干的就好了！" 于是她上楼到她的五斗柜前，拿出一条白手帕，把头重新安在脖子上，把手帕叠好遮住一切。她把他放在门前的椅子上，把苹果放在他手里。
之后，玛琳欣来到厨房找妈妈，妈妈正站在炉火旁，面前放着一锅热水。"妈妈，"玛琳欣说，"哥哥坐在门口，他脸色苍白，手里拿着一个苹果。我让他把苹果给我，但他不回答我，我好害怕。" "回去找他，"她妈妈说，"如果他不回答你，就给他一耳光。" 于是玛琳欣走过去说："哥哥，把苹果给我。" 但他沉默不语，她就给了他一耳光，他的头随之掉了下来。玛琳欣吓坏了，开始哭喊尖叫。她跑向妈妈，说："哎呀，妈妈，我把哥哥的头打掉了！" 她哭个不停，无法安慰。"玛琳欣，"妈妈说，"你做了什么？但安静点，别让任何人知道；现在没办法了，我们把他做成黑布丁吧。"
于是，母亲把小男孩剁成碎块，放进锅里做成了黑布丁。但玛琳欣站在一旁不停地哭泣，她的眼泪全部落入锅中，所以连盐都不需要加了。
父亲回到家，坐下吃饭，问道："可是我儿子呢？" 母亲端上一大盘黑布丁，玛琳欣哭泣不止。父亲又问："可是我儿子呢？" "啊，"母亲说，"他去乡下他母亲的舅公家了；会在那儿待一阵子。" "他去那儿做什么？他甚至没跟我道别。" "哦，他想去，问我能不能待六个星期；他在那儿被照顾得很好。" "唉，"男人说，"我感到不安，怕有什么不对劲。他本该跟我道别的。" 说完他开始吃，并说："玛琳欣，你为什么哭？你哥哥肯定会回来的。" 然后他说："啊，老婆，这食物真美味，再给我一些。" 他越吃越想吃，还说："再给我一些，你们一点也别吃。我觉得这好像全是我的。"
他吃啊吃，把所有的骨头都扔到桌子底下，直到全部吃完。但玛琳欣走到她的五斗柜前，拿出她最好的丝绸手帕，从桌下捡起所有骨头，包起来，拿到门外，流着血泪。这时，杜松树开始摇动，树枝碎裂般分开又合拢，仿佛有人在欢欣鼓掌。
与此同时，一阵薄雾似乎从树中升起，雾的中心燃烧得像一团火。一只美丽的鸟从火中飞出，歌声嘹亮动听，它高高飞向空中。当它飞走后，杜松树恢复了原样，包着骨头的手帕也不见了。然而，玛琳欣却像哥哥还活着一样快乐，她高兴地进屋吃饭去了。
但那只鸟飞走了，落在一个金匠的屋顶上，开始歌唱：
"我的母亲杀了我，
我的父亲吃了我，
我的妹妹，小玛琳欣，
收集了我所有的骨头，
用丝绸手帕包好，
放在杜松树下，
叽喂，叽喂，我是多么美丽的鸟啊！"
金匠正在制作一条金链，听到鸟儿在屋顶歌唱。他觉得歌声非常美妙。他站起来，但跨过门槛时掉了一只拖鞋。他一只脚穿鞋，一只脚穿袜，系着围裙，一手拿着金链，一手拿着钳子，径直走到街中央。他站住对鸟儿说："你唱得真美！再给我唱一遍。" "不，"鸟儿说，"我不会白唱两遍！把金链给我，我就再为你唱一遍。" "给，"金匠说，"金链给你，现在再给我唱那首歌。" 于是鸟儿飞来，用右爪抓住金链，落在金匠面前，又唱了一遍歌。
然后鸟儿飞到一个鞋匠那里，落在他的屋顶上，唱起同样的歌。鞋匠听到歌声，穿着衬衫袖子就跑了出来。"鸟儿，"他说，"你唱得真美！" 他叫来妻子、女儿、孩子和学徒们。大家都来看这只美丽的鸟，它有着红绿相间的羽毛，脖子像金子一样，眼睛像星星一样闪亮。"鸟儿，"鞋匠说，"再给我唱一遍那首歌。" "不行，"鸟儿说，"我不会白唱两遍；你必须给我点东西。" "老婆，"男人说，"去阁楼，把顶层架子上的那双红鞋拿下来。" 妻子拿来了鞋子。"给，鸟儿，"男人说，"现在再给我唱一遍。" 于是鸟儿飞来，用左爪抓住鞋子，飞回屋顶，又唱了一遍歌。
唱完后，它飞走了。右爪抓着链子，左爪抓着鞋子。它飞了很远，来到一个磨坊，磨坊发出"咔嚓咔嚓"的声音，二十个磨坊工人正在劈砍石头，发出"嘿哈"声。鸟儿落在磨坊前的一棵椴树上，唱道：
"我的母亲杀了我，"
其中一个工人停下了工作。
"我的父亲吃了我，"
又有两个停下了。
"我的妹妹，小玛琳欣，"
又有四个停下了。
"收集了我所有的骨头，
用丝绸手帕包好，"
现在只有八个人在劈砍。
"放在"
现在只有五个。
"杜松树下，"
现在只有一个。
"叽喂，叽喂，我是多么美丽的鸟啊！"
最后一个人也停下了，说："鸟儿，你唱得真美！再为我唱一遍。" "不行，"鸟儿说，"我不会白唱两遍。把磨石给我，我就再唱一遍。" "好，"他说，"如果它只属于我，就给你。" 其他人也同意了。于是鸟儿飞下来，二十个磨坊工用横梁抬起了磨石。鸟儿把脖子穿过石孔，像戴项圈一样戴上磨石，飞回树上，又唱了一遍歌。
唱完后，它展开翅膀。右爪抓着链子，左爪抓着鞋子，脖子上套着磨石，它远远地飞回了父亲的家。
父亲、母亲和玛琳欣正坐在屋里吃饭。父亲说："我感觉多么轻松，多么快乐！" "不，"母亲说，"我感到很不安，就像一场大风暴要来了。" 玛琳欣坐着哭泣。这时鸟儿飞来，落在屋顶上。父亲说："啊，我感到由衷的高兴，阳光如此明媚，我感觉就像要见到老朋友一样。" "不，"女人说，"我感到很焦虑，牙齿打颤，血管里好像有火在烧。" 她扯开胸衣。玛琳欣坐着哭泣。然后鸟儿落在杜松树上唱道：
"我的母亲杀了我，"
母亲捂住耳朵，闭上眼睛，但耳中响起风暴般的轰鸣，眼中燃烧着闪电般的火光。
"我的父亲吃了我，"
"啊，妈妈，"男人说，"那是只美丽的鸟！它唱得如此美妙，阳光如此温暖，还有一股肉桂的香味。"
"我的妹妹，小玛琳欣，"
玛琳欣把头埋在膝盖上哭泣。男人说："我要出去，我必须靠近看看那只鸟。" "哦，别去，"女人说，"我感觉整个房子都在摇晃、在燃烧。" 但男人还是出去了。
"收集了我所有的骨头，
用丝绸手帕包好，
放在杜松树下，
叽喂，叽喂，我是多么美丽的鸟啊！"
听到这里，鸟儿让金链落下，正好套在男人的脖子上，非常合适。他进屋说："快看，多好的鸟啊，它给了我一条多漂亮的金链！" 但女人吓坏了，倒在地上，帽子也掉了。然后鸟儿又唱了一遍：
"我的母亲杀了我。"
"我宁愿钻到地下千尺，也不要听到这个！"
"我的父亲吃了我，"
女人再次倒下，仿佛死了一般。
"我的妹妹，小玛琳欣，"
"啊，"玛琳欣说，"我也要出去看看鸟儿会不会给我什么。" 她走了出去。
"收集了我所有的骨头，
用丝绸手帕包好，"
然后鸟儿把鞋子扔给了她。
"放在杜松树下，
叽喂，叽喂，我是多么美丽的鸟啊！"
于是她变得轻松愉快。她穿上新红鞋，跳着舞进了屋。"啊，"她说，"我出去时那么伤心，现在却这么轻松；那是只了不起的鸟，它给了我一双红鞋！" "好吧，"女人说着跳起来，头发像火焰一样竖起，"我感觉世界末日要来了！我也要出去，看看我的心会不会轻松些。" 当她走到门口时，咔嚓！鸟儿把磨石扔到她头上，她被彻底压碎了。
父亲和玛琳欣听到动静跑了出去。烟雾、火焰从那里升起。当一切平息后，小弟弟站在那里。他牵着父亲和玛琳欣的手，三人都非常高兴。他们进屋吃饭去了。