After some time the king returned to his palace and saw that the prophecy was fulfilled，and the child married to his daughter.How has that come to pass，said he，“I gave quite another order in my letter.”So the queen gave him the letter，and said that he might see for himself what was written in it.The king read the letter and saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other.He asked the youth what had become of the letter entrust(edentrust v.委托)to him，and why he had brought another instead of it.“I know nothing about it，”answered he，“it must have been changed in the night，when I slept in the forest.”The king said in a passion，“You shall not have everything quite so much your own way，whosoever marries my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from the head of the devil(devil n.魔鬼，恶棍)，bring me what I want，and you shall keep my daughter.”In this way the king hoped to be rid of him for ever.But the child of good fortune answered，“I will fetch the golden hairs，I am not afraid of the devil.”Whereupon he took leave of them and began his journey.
过了一些时候，国王回到宫中，发现预言应验了，幸运儿已经与他的女儿结为夫妇。这是怎么回事？”他质问，“我在信里写的完全是另外的命令。”王后听了把信递给他，要他自己看看写的是什么。国王一读便发觉，他信被换掉了。他问少年，那托付给他的信跑到哪儿去了，为什么送交的是另一封信。“我压根儿不知道。”少年回答，“想必是夜里我在森林中睡觉，它被人换掉啦。”国王勃然大怒，说：“不能这么便宜了你，谁想娶我女儿，他必须去地狱里从魔鬼头上给我拔来三根金头发，你能弄来我所要的东西，我才让你继续做我女儿的丈夫。”国王希望这一下能永远摆脱他，可是幸运儿却回答：“我很乐意去取金头发，对那魔鬼我才不怕哪。”说完，他就告了别，开始他的旅程。
The road led him to a large town，where the watchman by the gates asked him what his trade was，and what he knew.“I know everything.”answered the child of good fortune.“Then you can do us a favor，”said the watchman，“if you will tell us why our market fountain(fountain n.泉水，喷泉，源泉)，which once flowed with wine has become dry，and no longer gives even water.”“That you shall know，”answered he，“only wait until I come back.”Then he went farther and came to another town，and there also the gatekeeper asked him what was his trade，and what he knew.“I know everything.”answered he.“Then you can do us a favor and tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now does not even put forth leaves.”“You shall know that，”answered he，“only wait until I come back.”Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he must cross.The ferryman(ferryman n.摆渡者，渡船夫)asked him what his trade was，and what he knew.“I know everything.”answered he.“Then you can do me a favor，”said the ferryman，“and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards and forwards，and am never set free.”“You shall know that，”answered he，“only wait until I come back.”
他走着走着，到了一座大城市，守城门的卫兵盘问他会什么手艺，有什么知识。“我无所不知。”幸运儿回答。“那就劳驾你告诉我们，”卫兵们说，“咱们城里市集上那口本来涌出葡萄酒的井为什么干了，连水都不再出了。”“这个我会告诉你们的，”他回答，“等我回来吧。”说完他继续往前走，到了另一座城市前。守城的卫兵又问他会什么手艺，有什么知识。“我无所不知。”他回答。“那就劳驾你告诉我们，”卫兵们说，“咱们城里那棵本来结金苹果的树，为什么现在连树叶都不长啦？”“这个我会告诉你们的，”他回答，“等我回来吧。”说完他继续往前走，到了一条大河岸边，必须过河去。船夫问他会什么手艺，有什么知识。“我无所不知。”他回答。“那就劳驾你告诉我，”船夫说，“为什么我得一直把船撑来又撑去，从来没人来接替我。”“这个我会告诉你的，”他回答，“等我回来吧。”
When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to hell.It was black and sooty(sooty adj.煤烟熏黑的，乌黑的)within，and the devil was not at home，but his grandmother was sitting in a large armchair.“What do you want？”said she to him，but she did not look so very wicked.“I should like to have three golden hairs from the devil"s head，”answered he，“else I cannot keep my wife.”“That is a good deal to ask for，”said she，“if the devil comes home and finds you，it will cost your life，but as I pity you，I will see if I cannot help you.”She changed him into an ant and said，“Creep into the folds of my dress，you will be safe there.”“Yes，”answered he，“so far，so good，but there are three things besides that I want to know—why a fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry，and no longer gives even water，why a tree which once bore golden apples does not even put forth leaves，and why a ferryman must always be going backwards and forwards，and is never set free.”“Those are difficult questions，”answered she，“but just be silent and quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out the three golden hairs.”
幸运儿过了河，找到了地狱的入口。地狱里黑沉沉的，到处是煤烟灰。魔鬼不在家，只有他的老祖母坐在一张挺宽大的安乐椅里。“你想要有什么？”她问幸运儿，样子看上去一点不凶。“我想要魔鬼头上的三根金发，”他回答，“不然我就会失去我的妻子。”“你要的太多啦，”她说，“魔鬼回来看见了你，会要你命的，不过我同情你，看一看能不能帮你的忙。”说着，她把幸运儿变成了一只蚂蚁，告诉他：“爬进我的衣褶子里去，在那儿你会很安全。”“是的，”他回答。“这样挺好，可我还希望知道三件事：为什么一口从前涌葡萄酒的井干了，连水都不再出？为什么一棵从前结金苹果的树，现在连树叶都不长了？为什么一个船夫得一直把船撑来又撑去，没有人接替？”“那些是很难回答的问题，”她说，“不过你只要悄悄地呆着，当我拔他的三根金头发时，注意听魔鬼说些什么。”
