The Tale of the Three Brothers(三兄弟的故事)

The Tale of the Three Brothers

(part 1)

T

here were once three brothers who were

traveling along a lonely, winding(adj.蜿蜒的)road at twilight(n.黎明，黄昏，暮光).

In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade(vt.& vi.蹚(水))through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved（vt.挥n、舞）their wands（n.魔杖）and made a bridge appear across the treacherous （adj.不可信的）water. They were halfway across it when they found their path（n.路）blocked by a hooded（adj.戴头巾的）figure（n.人物）.

And Death（死神）spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims （n.牺牲者）, for travelers usually drowned（v.（使）淹没，（使）溺死( drown的过去式和过去分词)）in the river. But Death was cunning（adj.狡猾的）. He pretended（v.假装( pretend的过去式和过去分词)）to congratulate the

three brothers upon（prep.在……上面）their magic, and said that each had earned（v.赚得（earn的过去式和

过去分词）） a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

So the oldest brother, who was a combative

（adj.好斗的）man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence（n.存在）: a wand that must always win duels（n.决斗）for its owner, a wand worthy（adj.配得上的）of a wizard（n.男巫）who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks（n.（河的）岸）of the river, fashioned（vt.制作）a wand from a branch（n.分支; 树枝）that hung

there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

Then the second brother, who was an arrogant （adj.傲慢的，自大的;）man, decided that he wanted to humiliate（vt.羞辱）Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest（adj.谦逊的）and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth（prep.

从…离开;）from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility（隐形衣）.

(To be continued…)

upon[ə'pɒn]（prep.在……上面）

earned[ə:nd]（v.赚得（earn的过去式和过去分词））combative ['kɒmbətɪv]（adj.好斗的）existence[ɪg'zɪst(ə)ns]（n.存在）

duel['djuːəl]（n.决斗）

worthy

The Tale of the Three Brothers

(part 2)

T

hen Death stood aside(站开；躲开，避开

) and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure([əd'ventʃə]n. 冒险)they had had ,and admiring Death’s gifts.

In due(在适当的)course([kɔːs]n.路线)the brother s separated, each for his own destination([destɪ'neɪʃ(ə)n]n.目的地，终点).

The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant(['dɪst(ə)nt] adj. 遥远的)v