渔夫和他的妻子英语故事(3)

　　"Now, wife, the flounder has just given us the cottage. I don't want to go back so soon. It may make the flounder angry."

　　"Just go," said the woman. "He can do it, and he won't mind doing it. Just go."

　　The man's heart was heavy, and he did not want to go. He said to himself, "This is not right," but he went anyway.

　　When he arrived at the sea the water was purple and dark blue and gray and dense, and no longer green and yellow. He stood there and said:

　　Mandje！ Mandje！ Timpe Te！ Flounder, flounder, in the sea！ My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will

　　"What does she want then?" said the flounder.

　　"Oh," said the man sadly, "my wife wants to live in a stone palace."

　　"Go home. She's already standing before the door," said the flounder.

　　Then the man went his way, thinking he was going home, but when he arrived, standing there was a large stone palace. His wife was standing on the stairway, about to enter.

　　Taking him by the hand, she said, "Come inside."

　　He went inside with her. Inside the palace there was a large front hallway with a marble floor. Numerous servants opened up the large doors for them. The walls were all white and covered with beautiful tapestry. In the rooms there were chairs and tables of pure gold. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings. The rooms and chambers all had carpets. Food and the very best wine overloaded the tables until they almost collapsed. Outside the house there was a large courtyard with the very best carriages and stalls for horses and cows. Furthermore there was a magnificent garden with the most beautiful flowers and fine fruit trees and a pleasure forest a good half mile long, with elk and deer and hares and everything that anyone could possibly want.

　　"Now," said the woman, "isn't this nice?"