The Best English Fairy Tales / Лучшие английские сказки

There the fisherman found her, and took pity on the poor little girl and took her into his house, and she lived there till she was fifteen years old. So she became a fine handsome girl.

One day, it happened that the Baron went out hunting[16 - went out hunting – отправился на охоту] with some companions along the banks of the river and stopped at the fisherman’s hut to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of them said to the Baron, “You can read fates, Baron, whom will she marry, how do you think?”

“Oh! that’s easy to guess,” said the Baron; “some farmer or other.

But I’ll cast her horoscope. Come here, girl, and tell me on what day you were born.”

“I don’t know, sir,” said the girl, “I was picked up just here. The river brought me down[17 - The river brought me down – Река вынесла меня] about fifteen years ago.”

Then the Baron knew who she was, and when they went away, he rode back and said to the girl, “Listen to me, girl, I will make your fortune.

Take this letter to my brother, and you will be settled for life.” And the girl took the letter and said she would go. Now this is what he had written in the letter:

“Dear brother,

Take the bearer and put her to death immediately.”

So soon after, the girl left and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night[18 - Now that very night – Р? как раз РІ ту самую ночь] a band of robbers broke into the inn and searched the girl, who had no money and only the letter.

So they opened this and read it. The captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:

“Dear brother,

Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.”

And then he gave it to the girl. So she went on to the Baron’s brother, a noble knight, with whom the Baron’s son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother, he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were married that very day[19 - that very day – в тот же день].

Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother’s castle, and what was his surprise! But he took the girl out for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone, he took her by the arms and was going to throw her over. But she begged hard for her life[20 - she begged hard for her life – она молила пощадить её жизнь].