Real Princess 真正的公主

There was once a Prince who wished to marry a Princess；but then she must be a real Princess. 从前有一位王子，他想找一位公主结婚，但她必须是一位真正的公主。

He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady；but there was always something wrong.

他走遍了全世界，想要寻到这样的一位公主。

Princesses he found in plenty; but whether they were real Princesses it was impossible for him to decide, for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies.

可是无论他到什么地方，他总是碰到一些障碍。公主倒有的是，不过他没有办法断定她们究竟是不是真正的公主。她们总是有些地方不大对头。

At last he returned to his palace quite cast down， because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife.

结果，他只好回家来，心中很不快活，因为他是那么渴望着得到一位真正的公主。

One evening a fearful tempest arose, it thundered and lightened, and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents: besides, it was as dark as pitch.

有一天晚上，忽然起了一阵可怕的暴风雨。天空在掣电，在打雷，在下着大雨。这真有点使人害怕！

All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King，he Prince’s father, went out himself to open it.

这时，有人在敲门，老国王就走过去开门。站在城外的是一位公主。

It was a Princess who was standing outside the door. What with the rain and the wind， she was in a sad condition: the water trickled down from her hair, and her clothes clung to her body. She said she was a real Princess.

可是，天哪！经过了风吹雨打之后，她的样子是多么难看啊！水沿着她的头发和衣服向下面流，流进鞋尖，又从脚跟流出来。她说她是一个真正的公主。

“Ah! we shall soon see that!” thought the old Queen-mother; however, she said not a word of what she was going to do; but went quietly into the bedroom, took all the bed-clothes off the bed, and put three little peas on the bedstead.

“是的，这点我们马上就可以考查出来。”老皇后心里想，可是她什么也没说。她走进卧房，把所有的被褥都搬开，在床榻上放了一粒豌豆。于是她取出二十床垫子，把它们压在豌豆上。

She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the three peas, and put twenty feather beds over the mattresses. Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.

随后，她又在这些垫子上放了二十床鸭绒被。这位公主夜里就睡在这些东西上面。

The next morning she was asked how she had slept. “Oh, very badly indeed!” she replied. “I