A Donzela e o Peixe

Era uma vez um viúvo que tinha três filhas. As duas mais velhas não pensavam senão em vestidos e adornos, em passeios e divertimentos, ou ficavam à janela a não fazer nada. A mais nova, porém, ocupava-se com as lidas da casa e gostava de ajudar a criada na cozinha — motivo pelo qual as irmãs lhe chamavam a "Gata-Borralheira".

Once there was a widower who had three daughters. The two eldest thought of nothing but dresses and adornments, outings and entertainment, or sat at the window doing nothing. The youngest, however, busied herself with the household chores and liked to help the servant in the kitchen — which is why her sisters called her the "Hearth-Cat".

Um dia, o pai foi à pesca e apanhou um peixe vistoso de escamas amarelas. Como a filha mais nova era a que cozinhava e era a sua preferida, deu-lho para preparar o jantar. Mas ela, ao ver o peixe ainda vivo e tão bonito, não teve coragem de o matar. Pediu ao pai que a deixasse ficar com ele, e o pai consentiu. Colocou o peixe numa bacia grande com água fresca no seu próprio quarto, e as irmãs, furiosas, queixaram-se de que, por causa da "Gata-Borralheira", ficavam sem jantar.

One day the father went fishing and caught a handsome fish with yellow scales. Since the youngest daughter was the one who cooked and was his favourite, he gave it to her to prepare dinner. But she, seeing the fish still alive and so beautiful, could not bring herself to kill it. She asked her father to let her keep it, and he agreed. She placed the fish in a large basin with fresh water in her own room, and the sisters, furious, complained that because of the "Hearth-Cat" they were left without dinner.

Nessa noite, quando a rapariga já estava deitada, ouviu o peixe dizer com uma voz suave: "Oh, donzela, lança-me ao poço! Oh, donzela, lança-me ao poço!" Repetiu-o tantas vezes que ela, por fim, se levantou e lançou o peixe ao poço do quintal. No dia seguinte foi ao jardim ver se conseguia avistar o peixe, e ao aproximar-se da borda do poço ouviu uma voz lá de dentro: "Oh, donzela, vem ao poço! Oh, donzela, vem ao poço!" Correu apavorada e não voltou mais nesse dia.

That night, when the girl was already lying down, she heard the fish say in a soft voice: "Oh, maiden, throw me into the well! Oh, maiden, throw me into the well!" It repeated this so many times that she finally got up and threw the fish into the backyard well. The next day she went to the garden to see if she could spot the fish, and as she neared the edge of the well she heard a voice from within: "Oh, maiden, come to the well! Oh, maiden, come to the well!" She ran away in fright and did not return that day.

No dia seguinte, enquanto as irmãs foram a uma festa, a donzela aproximou-se de novo do poço. A mesma voz chamou-a, e desta vez ela não resistiu. Desceu ao fundo do poço e, de repente, o peixe apareceu diante dela, tomou-lhe a mão e conduziu-a a um palácio de ouro e pedras preciosas. "Entra naquela câmara," disse-lhe, "e veste o mais belo vestido que lá encontrares. Calça os sapatinhos de ouro que estão prontos para ti. Irás à mesma festa das tuas irmãs numa carruagem magnífica que te espera à porta."

The following day, while her sisters were at a festival, the maiden again approached the well. The same voice called to her, and this time she did not resist. She descended to the bottom of the well, and suddenly the fish appeared before her, took her by the hand, and led her to a palace of gold and precious stones. "Enter that chamber," it told her, "and put on the finest dress you find there. Slip on the gold shoes that are ready for you. You will go to the same festival as your sisters in a magnificent carriage that awaits you at the door."

A donzela vestiu um traje bordado a ouro e pedras preciosas de enorme valor, desceu até à porta do palácio e encontrou a carruagem à sua espera. Entrou e foi à festa. Quando apareceu no salão, todos ficaram maravilhados com aquela donzela tão formosa e tão ricamente vestida. Ao fim da festa, ela apressou-se a sair antes das irmãs, mas na pressa perdeu um dos sapatinhos dourados. O rei, que a seguia de perto, apanhou-o do chão e mandou publicar um edital: casaria com a donzela a quem pertencesse aquele sapatinho.

The maiden dressed in a gown embroidered with gold and precious stones of immense value, descended to the palace door, and found the carriage waiting. She stepped in and went to the festival. When she appeared in the hall, everyone was astonished at such a lovely and richly dressed maiden. At the end of the festival she hurried out before her sisters, but in her haste she lost one of her golden shoes. The king, who was close behind her, picked it up and had an edict published: he would marry the maiden to whom that little shoe belonged.

Quando voltou para casa, a donzela desceu ao poço para tirar as roupas ricas. O peixe disse-lhe para regressar ao anoitecer, pois queria falar com ela. As irmãs chegaram a casa cheias de entusiasmo a contar a história da bela dama e do sapatinho perdido. Disseram que iriam ao palácio experimentar o sapatinho, certas de que ficaria em uma delas, que se tornaria rainha. "E então dar-te-ás um vestido novo, Gata-Borralheira!" disseram, a rir.

When she returned home, the maiden descended into the well to remove the rich garments. The fish told her to come back at nightfall, for it wished to speak with her. The sisters arrived home full of excitement, telling the story of the beautiful lady and the lost shoe. They said they would go to the palace to try on the shoe, certain it would fit one of them, who would become queen. "And then you shall have a new dress, Hearth-Cat!" they said, laughing.

Logo que as irmãs partiram, a donzela foi ao poço. O peixe olhou para ela e perguntou: "Oh, donzela, queres casar comigo?" Ela respondeu que não podia casar com um peixe. Mas ele suplicou-lhe tanto que ela acabou por aceitar. Nesse instante, o peixe transformou-se num jovem príncipe. "Fica a saber," disse-lhe ele, "que sou um príncipe aqui encantado, filho do rei que governa estas terras. O meu pai publicou o edital do sapatinho — vai ao palácio e, quando o rei te disser que casas com ele, diz-lhe que já estás prometida ao seu filho, o príncipe encantado."

As soon as the sisters left, the maiden went to the well. The fish looked at her and asked: "Oh, maiden, will you marry me?" She replied that she could not marry a fish. But he pleaded so earnestly that she finally agreed. At that instant, the fish transformed into a young prince. "Know then," he told her, "that I am a prince enchanted here, son of the king who governs these lands. My father has published the edict of the little shoe — go to the palace and, when the king tells you that you will marry him, tell him you are already promised to his son, the enchanted prince."

A donzela foi ao palácio com as roupas simples do dia-a-dia. Os sentinelas não a queriam deixar entrar, mas o rei, que estava à janela, ordenou que a deixassem passar. Mal lhe deu o sapatinho a experimentar, o rei ficou pasmado ao ver como ele encaixou perfeitamente no pé dela, e declarou que a faria rainha. Mas ela, com toda a reverência, explicou-lhe que não podia ser, pois estava prometida ao príncipe seu filho, que estivera encantado durante tanto tempo. O rei mal conseguiu conter a alegria ao saber que voltaria a ver o filho.

The maiden went to the palace in her simple everyday clothes. The sentinels would not let her in, but the king, who was at the window, ordered them to let her pass. No sooner had he given her the shoe to try on than the king stood in amazement at how perfectly it fit her foot, and declared he would make her queen. But she, with all reverence, explained to him that it could not be, for she was promised to his own son, who had been enchanted for so long. The king could scarcely contain his joy at learning he would see his son again.

O rei mandou imediatamente uma comitiva de nobres buscar o filho ao poço. O príncipe saiu transformado em homem, radiante, e casou com a bela donzela entre grandes festividades. Houve muita alegria e fartas celebrações no reino inteiro. Quanto às irmãs, cheias de inveja e amargura pelo que acontecera, foram castigadas: da boca delas saía apenas imundície. A Gata-Borralheira permaneceu no palácio como esposa do príncipe, que mais tarde subiu ao trono e se tornou rei.

The king immediately sent a retinue of nobles to fetch his son from the well. The prince emerged transformed into a man, radiant, and married the beautiful maiden amid great festivities. There was much joy and abundant celebration throughout the entire kingdom. As for the sisters, filled with envy and bitterness at what had happened, they were punished: from their mouths came only filth. The Hearth-Cat remained in the palace as the wife of the prince, who later ascended to the throne and became king.