(单词翻译:单击)
The Demon’s Bridge
恶魔之桥
A young woman's cow had crossed the river in the morning when the water level was moderate.
一个年轻妇女的牛在早上过了河，当时水位适中。
But when the woman returned with her dog to get the cow, she was overwhelmed by how high the water had risen.
但是，当这位妇女带着她的狗回来找牛时，她被涨得如此之高的水位震撼到了。
Even if she crossed, she still couldn't lead her cow back through the river.
即使她过了河，她也不能把她的牛牵回去。
"What am l going to do?"she wondered.
“我该怎么办呢?”
Suddenly, a man appeared across the river.
突然，河对岸出现了一个人。
"A fragile young lady like you shouldn’t have to work so hard to get across a river," he said. "I’ll build you a bridge."
“像你这样脆弱的年轻姑娘，不应该这么费力地过河。”他说:“我给你建一座桥。”
The man was not the usual kind of person she met.
这个男人不是她平常遇到的那种人。
The young woman’s perception of him was that he was a sociable person.
这位年轻女子对他的看法是，他是一个善于交际的人。
He was talkative, yet something was strange about him.
他很健谈，但有点奇怪。
But her innocence allowed her to trust the man.
但她的天真让她相信了这个男人。
"I don't want to be a burden to you, sir," the woman replied.
“我不想成为你的负担，先生，”女人回答说。
"Don’t worry," he told her as he began crafting a bridge.
“别担心，”他一边动手做桥，一边对她说。
He merged the pieces of the bridge together with amazing speed.
他以惊人的速度把桥的碎片拼接在一起。
Soon, it was finished.
很快，它就完成了。
"Oh,but how can l give you money for your work? Let's compromise.
“哦，但是我要怎样才能给你工作的钱呢? 我们还是各退一步吧。
l am sure that we can find a fair solution.
我相信我们能找到一个公平的解决办法。
What do you think?" the woman asked.
你觉得怎么样?”女人问。
"The only payment I need is the first living thing that crosses the bridge," the man replied.
“我唯一需要的报酬就是第一个从桥上走过的活物。”
She thought,"This deal sounds strange.
她想:“这个交易听起来很奇怪。
Maybe he’s actually a river demon."
也许他其实是个河妖。”
She shivered because she realized that he had taken advantage of her and settled the deal somehow.
她打了个寒颤，因为她意识到他占了她的便宜，并以某种方式解决了这笔交易。
But she had a plan of her own.
但她有自己的计划。
She pulled a piece of bread from her pocket and threw it across the bridge.
她从口袋里掏出一片面包，扔到桥那边。
Her dog ran after it.
她的狗追着它跑。
"The dog is the first living thing across the bridge, "she said to the man.
“狗是第一个过桥的活物，”她对那个人说。
The man was angry.
那人很生气。
He suddenly changed into a half-human and half-fish.
他突然变成了半人半鱼。
"What's the matter with you!" he shouted.
“你有什么毛病!”他喊道。
"You tricked me. I have no use for your dog!"
“你骗了我。我用不着你的狗!”
He screamed and dived into the river.
他尖叫着跳进河里。
The woman sped across the bridge to the other side and had a happy meeting with her dog and cow.
女人飞快地过了桥，愉快地和她的狗和牛碰面了。
