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　　TheSevenRavens英文双语童话:七只乌鸦正文

　　Therewasamanwhohadsevensons,buthehadnodaughter,greatlythoughhelongedforone.Atlasthiswifetoldhimthattheycouldagainexpectachildand,sureenough,whenitwasbornitwasababygirl.Therewasgreatrejoicing,butthechildwasweakandpuny,soweakthatithadtobechristenedatonce.Thefathertoldoneoftheboystogoquicklytothespringandfetchchristeningwater;theothersixranalongwithhim,andbecauseeachofthemwantedtobethefirsttodipthejugintothewell,itfellinandsank.Sotheretheystoodanddidn'tknowwhattodo,andnoneofthemdaredgohome.Whentheydidn'tcomebacktheirfathergotimpatientandsaid:"I'llwagerthey'vebeenplayingsomegameagainandforgottenallaboutit,thegodlessbrats."Hewasafraidthelittlegirlwouldhavetodieunbaptized,andinhisragehecriedout:"Iwishthoseboyswouldallturnintoravens."He'dscarcelyspokenthewordswhenheheardawhirringofwingsintheairoverhead,lookedupandsawsevencoal-blackravensflyingaway.

　　Theparentswereunablenowtotakebackthecurse,andyet,grief-strickenastheywereatthelossoftheirsevensons,theylooksomecomfortfromtheirbelovedlittledaughter,whosoongotwellandstrongandbecamemorebeautifulwitheverydaythatpassed.Foralongtimethelittlegirldidn'tevenknowthatshehadhadbrothers,forherparentstookcarenottomentionthem,butonedaybychancesheheardsomepeopletalkingabouther."Thegirl'sbeautiful,ofcourse,"theyweresaying,"butshe'stoblamereallyforhersevenbrothers'misfortune."Thismadeherverysad,andshewenttoherfatherandmotherandaskedwhetheritwastruethenthatshehadhadbrothersandwhathadbecomeofthem.Sonowitwasnolongerpossibleforherparentstoconcealfromherwhathadhappened,thoughtheytoldherthatithadbeenGod'swillandthatherbirthhadonlybeentheinnocentoccasionforit.Butdayafterdayshewasconscience-strickenaboutit,andfeltthatitwasherdutytofreeherbrothersfromthespellagain.Thethoughtgavehernopeace,sointheendshelefthomesecretlyandwentoffintothewideworldtotryandtraceherbrotherswherevertheymightbe,andrescuethematwhatevercost.Shetooknothingwithherbutaringbelongingtoherparentstorememberthemby,aloafofbreadforwhenshewashungry,ajugofwaterforwhenshewasthirsty,andalittlechairforwhenshewastired.

　　Shewentonandon,furtherandfurther,tillshereachedtheendoftheworld.Thereshecametothesun,butitwastoohotandterribleanditdevouredlittlechildren.Quicklysheranawayandwenttothemoon,butitwastoocoldanditwasgrislyandevil,andwhenitnoticedthechilditsail:”Ismellhumanflesh.”Soshehurriedoffasfastasshecouldandcametothestars,andtheywerefriendlyandkindtoher,andeachofthemwassittingonitsownlittlechair.Butthemorningstargotupandgaveheralittlechicken'slegandsaid:”Ifyoudon'thavethischicken'sleg,youwon'tbeabletounlocktheglassmountain,andinsidetheglassmountainiswhereyourbrothersare.”

　　Thegirltooktheleg,wrappeditupwellinapieceofcloth,andsetoffagainandwentonandonuntilshecametotheglassmountain.Thegatewaslocked,andshetriedtotakeoutthechicken'sleg;butwhensheunwrappedtheclothitwasempty,andshehadlostthegiftofthekindlystars.Whatwasshetodonow?shewantedtorescueherbrothers,butshehadnokeytotheg