很久很久以前，有个诚实的小伙子，名叫幼扬，他住在一个小村子里，靠打柴为生。有一天，天气特别冷，大雪层层地覆盖着大地。幼扬背着柴，从林子里回家。天色晚了，天气也更冷了。
Long, long ago, there was an honest young man named You Yang. He lived in a small village and made a living by gathering firewood. One day, the weather was exceptionally cold, and heavy snow covered the earth layer upon layer. You Yang was heading home from the forest with a bundle of wood on his back. As dusk fell, the air grew even colder.
突然，他看见一个东西躺在雪地上。它在叫，还在动。他停下来，放下柴捆，去看它究竟是什么。当他走近以后，那东西又在雪地上叫起来，他才认出那是一只仙鹤——一只又大又漂亮的仙鹤，长着长长的两条腿。
Suddenly, he saw something lying on the snowy ground. It was crying out and moving. He stopped, set down his bundle of wood, and went to see what it was. As he approached, the creature cried out again, and he realized it was a crane—a large and beautiful crane with long legs.
那仙鹤看见幼扬走近了，便挣扎着想站起来。幼扬看到它的一只翅膀受了伤，叹道：“你这可怜的仙鹤！来，让我帮你一下。如果你再留在这里，会给冻死的。”仙鹤不再挣扎了，听凭幼扬把它抱起来。他轻轻地抚摸着它的羽毛，把它夹在臂弯下，继续朝家走去。
The crane struggled to stand up as it saw You Yang approaching. Seeing that one of its wings was injured, You Yang sighed, “You poor crane! Here, let me help you. If you stay here any longer, you will freeze to death.” The crane stopped struggling and allowed You Yang to pick it up. He gently stroked its feathers, tucked it under his arm, and continued walking home.
幼扬是个仁慈的人，有一颗善良的心。他很可怜这只漂亮的仙鹤。等到仙鹤康复之后，他就把它放了，让它飞上天空。
You Yang was a merciful man with a kind heart. He felt great pity for the beautiful crane. Once the crane had recovered, he released it and let it fly back into the sky.
几天之后的一个晚上，幼扬听到有人在敲门。他打开门，发现一个姑娘站在雪地里。
A few nights later, You Yang heard someone knocking at his door. He opened it to find a young woman standing in the snow.
借着手中的火光，幼扬可以看到，她很年轻，很漂亮，可是冻得直打哆嗦。幼扬感到很惊讶。“我在雪地里迷路了，”她用悦耳、轻柔的声音说道，“我可以在你这儿住一晚吗？”“当然可以！快请进来吧，别在雪地里站着了。”幼扬大声说。
By the light in his hand, You Yang could see that she was very young and beautiful, but she was shivering uncontrollably from the cold. You Yang was very surprised. “I am lost in the snow,” she said in a sweet, soft voice. “May I stay here for the night?” “Of course! Please, come in quickly; don’t stand out there in the snow,” You Yang said loudly.
他又重新添柴加火，并给她端来饭和热汤。她叫敖秀，像幼扬一样，也是一个善良的人。第二天有暴风雪，敖秀继续留了下来。后来，幼扬爱上了敖秀，敖秀也因幼扬的心地善良而看上了他。不久，他俩就结婚了。
He added more wood to the fire and brought her food and hot soup. Her name was Ao Xiu, and like You Yang, she was a kind-hearted person. The next day brought a blizzard, so Ao Xiu stayed on. Eventually, You Yang fell in love with Ao Xiu, and she grew fond of him because of his kindness. Before long, the two were married.
幼扬和敖秀幸福快乐地生活在一起。由于幼扬只能挣很少一点儿钱，所以生活很贫苦。新年快到了，一天夜里，他们像往常那样坐在一起，敖秀注意到丈夫正为什么事而发愁。
You Yang and Ao Xiu lived happily together. However, because You Yang could only earn a small amount of money, their life was very poor. As the New Year approached, they were sitting together one night as usual when Ao Xiu noticed her husband looking troubled.
“我的好人，”她说，“你在为什么而发愁呢？对我说了吧！”“唉——”幼扬叹口气说，“新年快到了，可是我没有钱，不能为节日准备一些大糕。我多么希望有钱哪！”敖秀默默地听他说完。
“My dear,” she said, “what are you worrying about? Tell me!” “Alas,” You Yang sighed, “the New Year is coming, but I have no money to prepare cakes for the festival. How I wish I had some money!” Ao Xiu listened to him in silence.
“幼扬，让我来织布吧！”她说，“你可以拿我织的布到集市上换几个钱。可是，我织布的时候，你不要朝屋里看。你能答应我吗？”幼扬答应了。
“You Yang, let me weave some cloth,” she said. “You can take the cloth I weave to the market and exchange it for money. But, while I am weaving, you must not look into the room. Can you promise me that?” You Yang agreed.
敖秀到那间屋里开始织布。她织了几个时辰，幼扬等得心烦了，但他还是忍耐着。终于，敖秀拿着一匹很漂亮的花布出来了，幼扬从来没有看见过这么好看的布。
Ao Xiu went into the room and began to weave. She wove for several hours. You Yang grew restless while waiting, but he remained patient. Finally, Ao Xiu came out with a bolt of beautiful patterned cloth. You Yang had never seen such exquisite fabric before.
第二天早晨，他就到集市上去卖布，卖了很多钱。幼扬非常高兴，用这些钱买了很多东西。回到家里，他要敖秀再给他织更多的布。他变成了一个贪婪的人，全然没有理会敖秀织的布越多，人就变得越瘦。但是，敖秀诚心地爱着幼扬，还是不顾一切地织布。
The next morning, he went to the market to sell the cloth and made a lot of money. You Yang was overjoyed and used the money to buy many things. When he returned home, he asked Ao Xiu to weave even more cloth for him. He had become greedy, completely failing to notice that the more cloth Ao Xiu wove, the thinner she became. However, Ao Xiu loved You Yang sincerely and continued to weave despite everything.
这一天，幼扬又一次向敖秀要布，她仍像以前那样说道：“我会给你织布，但是你要记住你答应我的事——我织布的时候，你别往屋里看。”幼扬答应了，坐下来等着，但他不一会儿就等得厌倦了。
One day, You Yang asked Ao Xiu for cloth once again. She said, as before: “I will weave cloth for you, but you must remember what you promised—do not look into the room while I am weaving.” You Yang agreed and sat down to wait, but he soon grew weary of waiting.
他能听到织布的声音，开始好奇：敖秀为什么不让自己在屋里看？幼扬就无法控制自己不往屋里瞧。他想：我只看一会儿，敖秀是不会生气的。于是，他轻手轻脚地走到门口往里瞧。
He could hear the sound of the loom and began to wonder: Why wouldn’t Ao Xiu let him look into the room? You Yang could not control his curiosity. He thought to himself: “I’ll just take a quick peek; Ao Xiu won’t be angry.” So, he crept quietly to the door and peered inside.
原来那不是敖秀，而是一只很瘦的仙鹤正拔自己的羽毛在织布。幼扬认出它就是几个月前自己救下的那只仙鹤。幼扬返回来坐下，安静地思索着：现在我知道了她的秘密，她将会怎么办呢？
It turned out it wasn’t Ao Xiu in the room, but a very thin crane plucking its own feathers to weave the cloth. You Yang recognized it as the very crane he had saved months ago. He went back and sat down, thinking quietly: “Now that I know her secret, what will she do?”
织布声停住了，敖秀走出来，手里拿着两匹布。“幼扬，”她伤心地说，“你违背了你的诺言。现在，你已经知道我是仙鹤，我不能再留在这儿了。这两匹布，你留着，卖掉一匹，另一匹也许你看见它就会想起我。”
The sound of the loom stopped, and Ao Xiu came out holding two bolts of cloth. “You Yang,” she said sadly, “you have broken your promise. Now that you know I am a crane, I can no longer stay here. Take these two bolts of cloth. Sell one, and keep the other; perhaps when you see it, you will remember me.”
“请你不要离开我！”幼扬连忙叫道，“没有你我怎么活下去呀，我爱你！”敖秀温柔地微微一笑，摇了摇头。
“Please don’t leave me!” You Yang cried out hastily. “How can I live without you? I love you!” Ao Xiu gave a gentle, faint smile and shook her head.
“不，幼扬，”她说，“我来这里是为了报答你对我的恩情，我留下来是因为爱你心地善良。但是自从我给你织布以来，你变得很贪心，我得走了。再见吧！”
“No, You Yang,” she said. “I came here to repay your kindness, and I stayed because I loved your good heart. But since I started weaving cloth for you, you have become greedy. I must go. Goodbye!”
“别走哇！求求你，敖秀！”可怜的幼扬喊着，“别丢下我孤孤单单一个人！我不说出你的秘密，不再让你给我织布了，你别走哇！”
“Don’t go! I beg you, Ao Xiu!” poor You Yang cried. “Don’t leave me all alone! I won’t tell your secret, and I won’t ask you to weave cloth anymore. Please don’t go!”
敖秀忧伤地挥手告别，走到门外，立刻变成了一只仙鹤，展开美丽的翅膀飞上了天空。幼扬绝望地望着仙鹤越飞越高，直到看不见，只有幼扬悲凉的喊声还在回荡：“敖秀，敖秀……”
Ao Xiu waved a sorrowful goodbye. As she stepped outside, she instantly transformed into a crane, spread her beautiful wings, and flew into the sky. You Yang watched in despair as the crane flew higher and higher until she vanished from sight. Only You Yang’s mournful cries continued to echo: “Ao Xiu, Ao Xiu…”
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