"There is no wood for our fire. Please let me take an ax and see what I can do." 我们没有木材生火了，让我拿上斧头看看能做什么吧。

"You!" cried his father. "You do not understand wood-cutting." 你！父亲叫到，你根本不知道怎么砍树。

But the boy begged so hard that at last his father told him he might go. 但是这个男孩苦苦央求，最后他的爸爸只得让他去了。

His mother made him a very small cake, and off he started. 他妈妈只给他做了一块很小很小的蛋糕，然后他就出发了。

In the forest he met the same little old man, who said, "I am hungry. Will you please give me some cake?" 在森林里小儿子见到了同一位矮个子老人。老人说，我饿了，能给我些蛋糕吗？

"Yes, indeed," answered the boy." The cake is very plain, but you are welcome to half of it." 当然可以了，男孩回答道，这个蛋糕很普通，但你可以吃一半。

Then they sat down together under a tree, and what was the boy's surprise to find that the cake in his basket was a very fine one! 于是他们一同坐在树下，但让这个男孩惊讶的是，篮子里的蛋糕变成了一个很精致的蛋糕！

When they had eaten it, the little man said, "You are a kind lad and shall have a reward. 他们吃完蛋糕以后，矮个子老人说，你是个善良的孩子，会有好报的。

Cut down this tree, and you will find something." 砍下这棵树，你会发现一些东西的。

Then the little man went away. 然后矮个子老人便离开了。

The boy cut down the tree, and at the roots found a goose with feathers of shining gold! 男孩砍下了这棵树，在树桩处发现了一只长着闪闪发光的金羽毛的鹅！

Taking the goose under his arm, he went to an inn for the night. 他抱起这只鹅来到一家小旅馆过夜。

Why The Princess Laughed 公主为何笑了

Now the inn-keeper had three daughters, and when they saw the golden goose, they wanted it. 酒店老板有三个女儿，当她们看到金鹅的时候，她们都想得到它。