挤奶姑娘和她的奶桶

一个挤奶姑娘刚刚去挤了牛奶，正从田里往回走。那只亮闪闪的奶桶稳稳地顶在她的头上。她一边走，她那漂亮的小脑袋里一边忙着盘算未来的日子。

A Milkmaid had been out to milk the cows and was returning from the field with the shining milk pail balanced nicely on her head. As she walked along, her pretty head was busy with plans for the days to come.

“这些又浓又好的牛奶，”她自言自语道，“可以让我打出很多奶油。我把做好的黄油拿到集市上去卖，换来的钱可以买好多用来孵化的鸡蛋。

“This good, rich milk,” she mused, “will give me plenty of cream to churn. The butter I make I will take to market, and with the money I get for it I will buy a lot of eggs for hatching.

等小鸡都孵出来，院子里满是可爱的小鸡，那该有多好啊。等到五月节那天，我就把它们卖掉，再用这笔钱买一件漂亮的新裙子穿去集市。所有的年轻小伙子都会看着我。

How nice it will be when they are all hatched and the yard is full of fine young chicks. Then when May day comes I will sell them, and with the money I’ll buy a lovely new dress to wear to the fair. All the young men will look at me.

他们会跑来向我献殷勤，——不过我很快就会把他们都打发走！”

They will come and try to make love to me,—but I shall very quickly send them about their business!”

一想到自己要怎么解决这件事，她就骄傲地一甩头，奶桶一下子掉到了地上。所有的牛奶都流了出来，黄油、鸡蛋、小鸡、新裙子，还有挤奶姑娘所有的骄傲，也全都不见了。

As she thought of how she would settle that matter, she tossed her head scornfully, and down fell the pail of milk to the ground. And all the milk flowed out, and with it vanished butter and eggs and chicks and new dress and all the milkmaid’s pride.

鸡蛋未孵，切莫数雏。

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.