光頭男孩與松鼠

Once upon a time， in a small village in Turkey， there lived a mother and her loyal son. The son was known by all as Bald Boy because even though he was still quite young he had no hair on his head at all.

Bald Boy and his mother were very poor indeed and so each day Bald Boy would take up his basket and venture out into the woods in search of food.

One day， as he was searching the forest floor for mushrooms， Bald Boy was sure that he could hear a young girl crying. When he looked up he noticed a little squirrel sitting on the branch of the tree above his head. The squirrel was crying inconsolably and so Bald Boy took the little creature in his arms. He stroked her and sang to her and assured her that everything was going to be okay.

When at last the squirrel stopped crying， the two friends got to talking and Bald Boy explained how he lived with his mother and how they were very poor.

“I need to come into this forest each day in search of food because we have no money，” he told the squirrel.

It was then that the little squirrel said， “You have been very kind to me today so I am going to help you in return.”

Then the little squirrel jumped out of Bald Boys hands and said， “Follow me.”

The young boy followed the squirrel through the forest for many hours until they reached a cliff edge that overlooked the lush green valley below.

“You must climb down this cliff，” said the squirrel.“When you reach the bottom you will find the Grouse Queen. She will ask you three questions and you must answer them all correctly to receive the prize.”

The squirrel climbed up onto Bald Boys shoulder and whispered the answers to the three questions in his ear. And once she had done so she jumped down and scampered back into the forest without another word.

Bald Boy made himself a rope out of twine. He then lowered himself down the cliff edge and made his way to where the squirrel had told him the Grouse Queen lived. When she saw him approaching， the Queen stopped Bald Boy in his tracks and demanded that he answer three questions. “If you do not answer correctly，” she said in her stern voice， “then you will lose your head.”

The Queen indicated to a cherry tree nearby. “How many cherries are growing on this cherry tree？” she asked.

“There are as many cherries on that tree as there are feathers on your back，” replied Bald Boy without hesitation.

The Queen nodded approvingly and then asked， “Where is the middle of the earth？”

“You are standing on the middle of the earth，” said Bald Boy with just a hint of doubt in his voice.

Once again the Queen nodded approvingly. Then she cleared her throat and prepared for her third and final question. She presented Bald Boy with two identical looking walnuts and asked， “Which is the heavier of these two walnuts？”

Bald Boy looked at both nuts and then tossed them into a nearby stream. One of the nuts stayed afloat but the other disappeared beneath the surface.

“The one which has sunk beneath the water is the heavier of the two， Your Majesty.”

The Queen could not deny that all three answers were correct and so she reluctantly handed Bald Boy the large pot of gold that was his rightful prize.

The young boy climbed back up the cliff and ran into the forest to thank the little squirrel for her kindness. But when Bald Boy eventually found the squirrel she was crying once more.

“Why are you so sad？” asked Bald Boy.

“I used to be a beautiful Princess until the Grouse Queen cast a spell on me and turned me into a squirrel. Now the only thing that will set me free is a single drop of Emerald Water from the lake in the dragons cave.”

Bald Boy was so grateful to the little squirrel that he instantly promised to fetch a drop of the Emerald Water. He marched into town and used some of his gold to buy the sharpest sword from the blacksmith.

When he reached the cave， Bald Boy raised his sword and did battle with the two giant snakes that guarded the entrance to the cave. The fight was fierce and bloody but Bald Boy eventually cut the heads from the evil snakes.

Deep inside the cave the evil dragon stirred. He stretched his wings and took flight to see what was happening with his snake guards. It was then that Bald Boy crept unnoticed into the dragons lair and filled his glass bottle with the precious Emerald Water. When he was sure it was safe he ran from the lair to find the little squirrel.

“I have returned，” he told his friend as he raised the bottle triumphantly into the air， “and I have the Emerald Water for you.”

Bald Boy poured some of the water into his open palm and watched it run between his fingers into the forest floor. The last drop he saved for the squirrel to drink.

As soon as she had taken the drop of Emerald Water there was a blinding flash of white light that illuminated the gloomy forest. When the light eventually faded a beautiful Princess stood before Bald Boy with tears of gratitude in her eyes.

Bald Boy escorted the Princess back to the Royal Palace， and when the Sultan saw his beautiful daughter he was overjoyed.

That was when Bald Boy remembered his poor mother waiting back home for her mushrooms. He thanked the Princess and the Sultan and he took his pot of gold and returned home to his mother after shopping for gifts and food at the local market.

The old woman could not believe the story that Bald Boy told her over dinner that night， but one thing was for sure…h(huán)er brave son would never again have to enter the forest in search of food. The old woman smiled to herself then.

從前，在土耳其的一個小村莊里住著一位母親和她的孝順兒子。雖然兒子很年輕，但是他頭上一根頭發(fā)都沒有，所以大家都叫他光頭男孩。

由于光頭男孩和他母親非常窮，所以光頭男孩每天都會提著籃子，冒險去森林尋找食物。

有一天，正當光頭男孩在森林的地面上找蘑菇時，他確定自己聽到了一個小女孩的哭聲。他抬起頭來，發(fā)現頭頂的樹枝上坐著一只小松鼠。小松鼠哭得撕心裂肺的，于是光頭男孩就把這小東西抱進懷里。他輕輕地拍撫它，唱歌給它聽，安慰它一切都會好起來的。

最后，小松鼠停止了哭泣，這兩個朋友開始聊起天來，光頭男孩說起了他和母親住在一起，家里很窮。

“我每天都要進來這片森林找食物，因為我們沒有錢?！彼麑π∷墒笕绱苏f道。

這時，小松鼠對他說：“你今天對我很好，所以我要回報你?！?/p>

然后，小松鼠從光頭男孩的手上跳下來，說道：“跟我來?！?/p>

小男孩跟著松鼠走了許多個小時的路，穿過森林，來到了一個懸崖邊上，懸崖下是青翠碧綠的山谷。

“你必須得爬下這個懸崖，”小松鼠說?！爱斈愕竭_崖底，你會看到松雞女王。她會問你三個問題，你要全部回答正確，才能得到獎品?！?/p>

小松鼠爬上了光頭男孩的肩膀，在他耳邊小聲地告訴他答案。它說完后，二話不說就從光頭男孩的肩膀上跳下來，迅速地跑進了森林。

光頭男孩用藤蔓搓成一根繩子，然后沿著繩子爬下了懸崖，走到了小松鼠告訴他的松雞女王的住處。女王看到了迎面而來的光頭男孩，攔下了他，要求他回答三個問題?！叭绻愦疱e了，”她用那冷冰冰的聲音說道，“你的頭就會被砍掉?！?/p>

女王指著旁邊的一棵櫻桃樹問道：“這棵櫻桃樹上有多少顆櫻桃？”

“這棵樹上的櫻桃就跟你背上的羽毛一樣多，”光頭男孩毫不猶豫地回答道。

女王同意地點點頭，接著問：“地面的中心在哪里？”

“你站的地方就是地面的中心，”光頭男孩說，聲音里透出一絲不確定。

女王再次同意地點點頭。然后她清清嗓子，準備問第三個，也是最后一個問題。她把兩個外觀一模一樣的胡桃交給光頭男孩，問道：“這兩個胡桃哪個比較重？”

光頭男孩看了看兩個胡桃，然后把它們投進了旁邊的一條小溪里。一個胡桃漂浮在水面上，而另一個從水面沉了下去，消失了。

“沉在水下的那個比較重，女王陛下?！?/p>

女王無法否認這三個答案都是正確的，所以她勉為其難地把一大壺金子交給光頭男孩，這是他應得的獎品。

這個小男孩沿著山崖爬了回去，跑進森林去感謝小松鼠的幫忙。但是，當光頭男孩終于找到小松鼠時，他發(fā)現它又在哭泣了。

“你為什么這么傷心？”光頭男孩問道。

“我曾經是個美麗的公主，但是松雞女王向我施了一個魔咒，把我變成了松鼠?，F在唯一能解開咒語的就是龍穴里的一滴翡翠湖水?！?/p>

光頭男孩非常感激小松鼠，于是他馬上許諾要為它取回一滴翡翠水。他進城用他的部分金子從鐵匠那里買來一把最鋒利的劍。

光頭男孩到達山洞，他提起劍與守在洞口的兩條巨蛇搏斗。戰(zhàn)斗非常激烈、血腥，但是光頭男孩最終還是把這兩條惡蛇的頭砍掉了。

洞穴深處的惡龍被驚動了。它展開翅膀，飛去查看蛇兵發(fā)生了什么事。光頭男孩趁此偷偷爬進龍窩，用瓶子裝滿珍貴的翡翠水。在確定一切安全后，他從龍窩逃出，跑去找小松鼠。

“我回來了，”他邊告訴他的朋友邊興高采烈地把瓶子舉在空中?！拔野阳浯渌o你找來了?！?/p>

光頭男孩把一些水倒在他張開的手掌上，看著水從他指間流到森林的地面上。他留下最后一滴，讓小松鼠喝掉。

當小松鼠喝下這滴翡翠水后，一道眩目的白光驟現，點亮了陰暗的森林。白光最后消失了，此時，一位美麗的公主出現在光頭男孩面前，眼含感激的淚水。

光頭男孩把公主護送回皇宮，蘇丹王看到他美麗的女兒后，高興不已。

這時，光頭男孩想起了他可憐的母親還在等著他給她帶回蘑菇。他向公主和蘇丹王表示感謝過后，就去了當地的市場買禮物和食物，然后把他那壺金子帶回家給他的母親。

那晚，光頭男孩在吃晚餐時把這個故事告訴了他母親，老婦人覺得難以置信，但有一件事是確鑿無疑的……她勇敢的兒子以后再也不用去森林找食物了。然后，老婦人會心一笑。