The Golden Arm
A free B1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A greedy husband digs up his late wife's golden arm from her grave, and something comes looking for it in the dark.
Here was once a man who travelled the land all over in search of a wife. He saw young and old, rich and poor, pretty and plain, and could not meet with one to his mind. At last he found a woman, young, fair, and rich, who possessed a right arm of solid gold. He married her at once, and thought no man so fortunate as he was. They lived happily together, but, though he wished people to think otherwise, he was fonder of the golden arm than of all his wife's gifts besides.
从前有个男人，走遍天下四处寻访妻子。他见过年轻的、年老的、富有的、贫穷的、美丽的、平凡的，却始终遇不到一个中意的人。终于，他找到了一个女子，年轻、美丽、富有，还有一条纯金打造的右臂。他立刻娶了她，自以为天下没有比他更幸运的男人了。他们夫妻恩爱地过日子，可是，尽管他表面上不愿让人看出来，他心里其实更爱那条金臂，胜过妻子给他的一切其他恩惠。
At last she died. The husband put on the blackest black, and pulled the longest face at the funeral; but for all that he got up in the middle of the night, dug up the body, and cut off the golden arm. He hurried home to hide his treasure, and thought no one would know.
后来她去世了。丈夫穿上了最黑的丧服，在葬礼上摆出最哀戚的表情；可尽管如此，他半夜里却爬起来，挖开坟墓，砍下了那条金臂。他匆匆赶回家藏好这件宝物，以为不会有人知道。
The following night he put the golden arm under his pillow, and was just falling asleep, when the ghost of his dead wife glided into the room. Stalking up to the bedside it drew the curtain, and looked at him reproachfully. Pretending not to be afraid, he spoke to the ghost, and said: “What hast thou done with thy cheeks so red?”
第二天夜里，他把金臂放在枕头底下，刚要入睡，他亡妻的鬼魂便飘进了房间。她走到床边，拉开帐帘，用责备的眼神看着他。他假装并不害怕，便开口对鬼魂说道：“你那红润的脸颊，如今哪里去了？”
“All withered and wasted away,” replied the ghost, in a hollow tone.
“全都枯萎腐朽了，”鬼魂用空洞的声音答道。
“What hast thou done with thy red rosy lips?”
“你那鲜红的玫瑰般的嘴唇，如今哪里去了？”
“All withered and wasted away.”
“全都枯萎腐朽了。”
“What hast thou done with thy golden hair?”
“你那金色的头发，如今哪里去了？”
“All withered and wasted away.”
“全都枯萎腐朽了。”
“What hast thou done with thy Golden Arm?”
“你那条金臂，如今哪里去了？”
“THOU HAST IT!”
“在你手里！”
