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5歲左右兒童

繪本節選

Long ago, there was a land green and fair. Its gently rolling hills were covered with orchards, wide pastures, and rich farmlands. Its forests echoed with bird song and were filled with deer and wild boar, pheasant and hare. The king of this land was wise and just, and the queen was loved and honored by all.

But then a sad day came to the kingdom, when the queen died after givingbirth to her third son. The king grieved for his queen, and though he loved his sons, he could no longer find joy in life. The land seemed to share the king's grief. Each year after the queen's death, a little less rain fell on the kingdom.

The crops grew sparse, the fruit was eaten by worms, and the animals became thin and weak. Finally, the land was gripped with a terrible drought. Streams dried up, crops withered, and fields turned to dust. The king grew desperate, for his subjects were on the verge of starvation.

很久以前，有一片綠油油的土地。 其平緩起伏的山丘上布滿了果園、寬闊的牧場和肥沃的農田。 它的森林里回蕩著鳥兒的歌聲，到處都是鹿和野豬、野雞和野兔。 這片土地的國王睿智公正，王后受到眾人的愛戴和尊敬。

但隨后王國迎來了悲傷的一天，王后在生下第三個兒子后去世。 國王為他的王后傷心，雖然他愛他的兒子，但他再也找不到生活的樂趣了。 這片土地似乎分擔了國王的悲痛。 王后每年死后，王國的雨水都會少一點。

莊稼變得稀疏，果實被蟲子吃掉，動物變得瘦弱無力。 最后，這片土地遭受了可怕的干旱。 溪流干涸，莊稼枯萎，田野化為塵土。 國王變得絕望，因為他的臣民處于饑餓的邊緣。