The Singing Lark
A long time ago, there once lived a father who had three daughters. One day, before he left for a long journey, he said to his daughters, “When I come back what gifts should I bring back for you?” The eldest daughter wanted pearls and the second daughter wanted diamonds. However the youngest daughter wanted a singing lark.
很久以前，一位父亲膝下有三个女儿。一天，他要到很远的地方旅行，于是对女儿们说：“我回来时，想要我给你们带什么礼物？”大女儿想要珍珠，二女儿想要钻石。而小女儿说只想要一只会唱歌的云雀。
Father promised to bring back the gifts and left for his journey. Several months later, Father had finished his journey and returned. He brought back the eldest and the second daughter's presents, but he was not able to get his youngest daughter's gift. And because he loved his youngest daughter the most, he felt very sad.
父亲答应了她们的要求后开始了他的旅程。几个月后，父亲旅行结束后，回到了家里。他带回了大女儿和二女儿的礼物，但是却没能找到小女儿的礼物。因为最宠爱小女儿，他觉得很难过。
One day as he was resting in the forest, there up on the big tree he saw a singing lark. He went up the tree to get the singing lark. All of a sudden, a lion came and said, “Who came to take away my singing lark?”
一天，当他在树林里休息时，他看到了一只正在歌唱的云雀。他立马爬上树，抓到了正在唱歌的云雀。突然，一只狮子跑过来说：“谁偷走了我的云雀？”
“If you wish to take this bird, when I go to your house, give me the first thing that comes running out. Can you promise me?” Father was worried that his youngest daughter would come out, but because he was afraid of the lion he gave his word to the lion.
“如果你想带走这只鸟的话，我去你家时，你要把第一个跑出家门的东西交给我。能答应吗？”父亲担心他的小女儿可能会出来，但因为害怕狮子，他答应了狮子。
When he arrived, as expected, the youngest daughter came running out without even putting on her shoes. Father told the youngest daughter the whole truth. The youngest daughter consoled her father and said, she would try to persuade the lion.
当他回家时，正如所料，小女儿立刻跑了出来，甚至连鞋子都没有穿。父亲告诉小女儿整个事情的经过。小女儿安慰父亲说，她会说服狮子的。
As soon as she arrived, the lion turned into a prince. The prince was cast upon a spell, during the day he was a lion and at night he lived as a prince.
可当她来到狮子身边时，狮子突然变成了王子。原来王子被咒语所困，白天变成狮子，晚上才能变回王子。
She married the prince. They also had children. Soon afterward, a few days later, a message came that her second sister was getting married. The youngest wanted to go to the wedding with her prince. However, if the prince saw daylight he would be turned into a pigeon and fly around for seven years.
就这样，小女儿嫁给了王子。很快他们也有孩子。然而几天之后，突然传来一个消息，她的二姐就要结婚了。小女儿想跟王子一起去参加婚礼。可是，如果王子看到日光的话，未来的七年里他就会变成一只鸽子。
But, because his wife wanted to go together, he started for his journey. The wife was good at blocking away the sunlight. However, inside the church there was a hole in the window and one stream of sunlight came in.
但是因为妻子想一起去，他不得不勉强上路了。妻子很细心地帮忙遮挡阳光。但不幸的是，教堂楼顶有个洞，一缕阳光照了进来。
So the prince turned into a pigeon and flew away. The wife for seven years searched for the pigeon.
于是，王子变成了鸽子飞走了。接下来的七年内，妻子一直在寻找鸽子。
She prayed to god to help her. “Dear god, please show me where he is.” God replied that he was about to marry a princess from another country.
她向上帝祈祷。“亲爱的上帝，请告诉我他到底在哪，”上帝回答说，他将要和另一个国家的公主结婚了。
She then went into the castle secretly and whispered to the prince. “Prince, you are my husband. You must leave with me.” All of a sudden the prince's spell was broken. The prince was under the terrible princess spell, and was just about to marry her.
听到这话，她偷偷地溜进城堡对王子说：“王子，你是我丈夫。你必须跟我离开这里。”突然，王子的咒语被打破了。原来王子被可怕的公主下咒了，目的就是想跟王子结婚。
The prince and his wife left for their own country. When they arrived home, their child had grown up quite a bit too. And they lived happily ever after for a long time.
王子和妻子离开了这个国家。当他们到家的时候，孩子也长大了。于是他们幸福地生活在一起。
