民间故事英文

篇一：神话故事英文版 - 2003 document

【潘多拉之盒】

pandoras box

once up a time, a long time ago, zeus ordered hephaestus (aphrodites husband) to make him a daughter. it was the first woman made out of clay. hephaestus made a beautiful woman and named her pandora.

zeus sent his new daughter, pandora, down to earth so that she could marry epimetheus, who was a gentle and lonely man.

zeus was not being kind. he was getting even. epimetheus and prometheus were brothers. zeus was mad at one of the brothers, prometheus, for giving people fire without asking zeus first.

zeus gave pandora a little box with a big heavy lock on it. he made her promise never to open the box. he gave the key to pandora’s husband and told him to never open the box. zeus was sure that epimetheus curiosity would get the better of him, and that either epimetheus or

his brother would open the box.

pandora was very curious. she wanted to see what was inside the box, but epimetheus said no. better not. you know your father, epimetheus sighed, referring to zeus. he’s a tricky one. one day, when epimetheus lay sleeping, pandora stole the key and opened the box.

out flew every kind of disease and sickness, hate and envy, and all the bad things that people had never experienced before. pandora slammed the lid closed, but it was too late. all the bad things were already out of the box. they flew away, out into the world.

epimetheus woke up at the sound of her sobbing.

“i opened the box and all these ugly

things flew out,” pandora cried. “i tried to catch them, but they all got away!”pandora opened the box to show him how empty it was. but the box was not quite empty. one tiny bug flew quickly out before pandora could slam the lid shut again. “hello, pandora,” said the bug, hovering just out of reach. “my name is hope.”with a nod of thanks for being set free, hope flew out into the world, a world that now held envy, crime, hate, and disease – and hope.

【回声与赫拉】

echo and hera

one day, zeus tore into the woods, looking for a

place to hide. his wife, hera, was after him again. would he never learn to stop flirting with the nymphs who lived deep in the woods? apparently not. spotting echo, he asked her to help him escape the eagle eye of his wife. one did not turn down a request from zeus, not and live to tell about it.

when hera tore into the woods after zeus, echo

sidetracked her with chatter and gossip. for some time, this worked well for zeus.

when hera figured out what was going on, she punished

echo by denying her much of her beautiful voice. all echo could do forever after was

repeat the last few sounds she heard.篇二：英语神话故事

1.an apple of discord争斗之源；不和之因；祸根

an apple of discord直译为“纠纷的苹果”，出自荷马史诗iliad中的希腊神话故事

传说希腊阿耳戈英雄(argonaut)珀琉斯(peleus)和爱琴海海神涅柔斯的女儿西蒂斯(thetis)在珀利翁山举行婚礼，大摆宴席。

他们邀请了奥林匹斯上(olympus)的诸神参加喜筵，不知是有意还是无心，惟独没有邀请掌管争执的女神厄里斯(eris)。这位女神恼羞成怒，决定在这次喜筵上制造不和。于是，她不请自来，并悄悄在筵席上放了一个金苹果，上面镌刻着“属于最美者”几个字。天后赫拉(hera)，智慧女神雅典娜(athena)、爱与美之神阿芙罗狄蒂(aphrodite)，都自以为最美，应得金苹果，获得“最美者”称号。她们争执不下，闹到众神之父宙斯(zeus)那里，但宙斯碍于难言之隐，不愿偏袒任何一方，就要她们去找特洛伊的王子帕里斯(paris)评判。三位女神为了获得金苹果，都各自私许帕里斯以某种好处：赫拉许给他以广袤国土和掌握富饶财宝的权利，雅典娜许以文武全才和胜利的荣誉，阿芙罗狄蒂则许他成为世界上最美艳女子的丈夫。年青的帕里斯在富贵、荣誉和美女之间选择了后者，便把金苹果判给爱与美之神。为此，赫拉和雅典娜怀恨帕里斯，连带也憎恨整个特洛伊人。后来阿芙罗狄蒂为了履行诺言，帮助帕里斯拐走了斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯的王后---绝世美女海伦(helen)，从而引起了历时10年的特洛伊战争。不和女神厄里斯丢下的那个苹果，不仅成了天上3位女神之间不和的根源，而且也成为了人间2个民族之间战争的起因。因此，在英语中产生了an apple of discord这个成语，常用来比喻any subject of disagreement and contention;the root of the trouble;dispute 等意义

这个成语最初为公元2世纪时的古罗马历史学家马克·朱里·尤斯丁(marcus juninus justinus)所使用，后来广泛的流传到欧洲许多语言中去，成为了一个国际性成语。

eg: he throwing us an apple of discord,we soon quarrelled again.

the dispute about inheriting estate formed an apple of discord between them.

this problem seems to be an apple of discord between the soviet union and the usa.

2.the heel of achilles 亦作the achilles heel唯一弱点；薄弱环节；要害

the heel of achilles直译是“阿基里斯的脚踵”，是个在欧洲广泛流行的国际性成语。它源自荷马史诗iliad中的希腊神话故事。

阿基里斯是希腊联军里最英勇善战的骁将，也是荷马史诗iliad里的主要人物之一。传说他是希腊密耳弥多涅斯人的国王珀琉斯和海神的女儿西蒂斯所生的儿子。阿基里斯瓜瓜坠地以后，母亲想使儿子健壮永生，把他放在火里锻炼，又捏着他的脚踵倒浸在冥河(styx)圣水里浸泡。因此阿基里斯浑身象钢筋铁骨，刀枪不入，只有脚踵部位被母亲的手捏住，没有沾到冥河圣水，成为他的唯一要害。在特洛伊战争中，阿基里斯骁勇无敌，所向披靡，杀死了特洛伊主将，著名英雄赫克托耳(hector)，而特洛伊的任何武器都无法伤害他的身躯。后来，太阳神阿波罗(apollo)把阿基里斯的弱点告诉了特洛伊王子帕里斯，阿基里斯终于被帕里斯诱到城门口，用暗箭射中他的脚踵，负伤而死。

因此，the heel of achilles,也称the achilles heel，常用以表示a weak point in something that is otherwise without fault;the weakest spot等意思。

eg:the shortage of fortitude is his heel of achilles.

his achilles heel was his pride--he would get very angry if anyone criticized his work.3.helen of troy

3.helen of troy 直译特洛伊的海伦，源自源自荷马史诗iliad中的希腊神话故事。

helen是希腊的绝世佳人，美艳无比，嫁给希腊南部邦城斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯(menelaus)为妻。后来，特洛伊王子帕里斯奉命出事希腊，在斯巴达国王那里做客，他在爱与美之神阿芙

罗狄蒂的帮助下，趁着墨涅俄斯外出之际，诱走海伦，还带走了很多财宝

此事激起了希腊各部族的公愤，墨涅俄斯发誓说，宁死也要夺回海轮，报仇雪恨。为此，在希腊各城邦英雄的赞助下，调集十万大军和1180条战船，组成了希腊联军，公推墨涅俄斯的哥哥阿枷门农(agamemnon)为联军统帅，浩浩荡荡，跨海东征，攻打特洛伊城，企图用武力夺回海轮。双方大战10年，死伤无数，许多英雄战死在沙场。甚至连奥林匹斯山的众神也分成2个阵营，有些支持希腊人，有些帮助特洛伊人，，彼此展开了一场持久的恶斗。最后希腊联军采用足智多谋的奥德修斯(odusseus)的“木马计”，里应外合才攻陷了特洛伊。希腊人进城后，大肆杀戮，帕里斯王子也被杀死，特洛伊的妇女、儿童全部沦为奴隶。特洛伊城被掠夺一空，烧成了一片灰烬。战争结实后，希腊将士带着大量战利品回到希腊，墨涅俄斯抢回了美貌的海轮重返故土。这就是特洛伊战争的起因和结局。正是由于海轮，使特洛伊遭到毁灭的悲剧，真所谓“倾国倾城”，由此产生了helen of troy这个成语。

特洛伊战争的真实性，已为19世纪德国考古学家谢里曼在迈锡尼发掘和考证古代特洛伊古城废墟所证实。至于特洛伊城被毁的真正原因，虽然众说纷纭，但肯定决不是为了一个美女而爆发这场战争的，与其说是为了争夺海轮而打了起来，毋宁说是为了争夺该地区的商业霸权和抢劫财宝而引起战争的。所谓“特洛伊的海伦”，实质上是财富和商业霸权的化身。中国历史上也有过“妲己亡商”，“西施沼吴”等传说，以及唐明皇因宠杨贵妃而招致“安史之乱”，吴三桂“冲冠一怒为红颜”等说法。汉语中有个“倾国倾城”的成语（语出《汉书·外戚传》：?一顾倾人城，再顾倾人国?。）这里的“倾”字一语双光，既可指美艳非凡，令人倾倒；也可纸倾覆邦国。其含义与helen of troy十分近似。

在现代英语中，helen of troy这个成语，除了表示a beautiful girl or woman;a beauty who ruins her country等意义外，还可以用来表示a terrible disaster brought by sb or sth you like best的意思。

4.the trojan horse木马计；暗藏的危险；奸细

the trojan horse直译特洛伊木马，是个国际性成语，在世界各主要语言中都有。来自拉丁语equns trojanus.这个成语甚至还进入到汉语词汇中，**同志在《矛盾论》中，谈到《水浒传》中宋江三打祝家庄时，就用了“木马计”这个典故。这个成语出自荷马史诗《奥德赛》。希腊人和特洛伊人交战10年之久，胜负未决。最后，希腊著名的英雄奥德修斯(odusseus)想出了一个木马计，用木头做了一匹巨马，放在特洛伊城外。全体希腊将士伪装撤退，乘船隐藏在附近的海湾里，而奥德修斯率领20名勇士事先藏进妈肚。特洛伊人误认为希腊人已经败退，大开城门，看到城外的巨大木马，以为这是希腊人敬神的礼物，就把它当作战利品拖进城来，大摆宴席，欢庆胜利。到了半夜，特洛伊人好梦正在酣，毫无戒备的时候，藏在木马里的希腊英雄们都爬了出来，打开城门，发出信号，与附近海湾里返回的希腊大军里应外合，一举摧毁了特洛伊城。

因此，the trojan horse经过不断引用而成为一个广泛流传的成语，常用来比喻the hidden danger;the covert wreckers（内奸）;to engage in underhand activities等的意义。eg:the superpowers are always sending the trojan horses to many countries in the world.

they are defeated only because of the trojan horse in their country.

5.greek gift(s)阴谋害人的礼物；黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心

greek gift(s)直译是“希腊人的礼物”，出自荷马史诗《奥德赛》以及古罗马杰出诗人维吉尔(publius virgilius maro,公元前70-前19年)的史诗《伊尼特》(aeneis)中关于特洛伊城陷落经过的叙述。

据《奥德赛》卷8记述：许多特洛伊人对如何处置希腊人留下的大木马展开了辩论，“他们有三种主张：有的主张用无情的铜矛刺透中空的木马；有的主张把它仍到岩石上；有的主张让

它留在那里作为京观，来使天神喜悦”。结果是后一说占优势，把那匹木马拖进城里来，终于遭到了亡国之灾。

维吉尔的史诗《伊尼特》，写的是特洛伊被希腊攻陷后，王子伊尼斯从混乱中携家属出走，经由西西里、迦太基到达意大利，在各地漂泊流亡的情况。史诗第2卷便是伊尼斯关于特洛伊城陷落经过的叙述，其中情节除了模拟荷马史诗的描述外，还做了更详细的补充。当特洛伊人要把大木马拖进城的时候，祭司拉奥孔(laocoon)劝说不要接受希腊人留下的东西。他说：“我怕希腊人，即使他们来送礼”这句话后来成了一句拉丁谚语：“timeo danaos,et dona ferenteso.（原文的达奈人danaos，即泛指希腊各部族人）译成英语就是：i fear the greeks ,even when bringing gifts.其简化形式就是greek gifts.可惜特洛伊人不听拉奥孔的警告，把木马作为战利品拖进城里。木马里藏着希腊的精锐部队，给特洛伊人带来了屠杀和灭亡。由此，greek gift成为一个成语，表示a gift with some sinister purposes of the enemy;one given with intent to harm;a gift sent inorder to murder sb等意思，按其形象意义，这个成语相当与英语的俚谚：when the fox preaches,take care of your geese；也与汉语“黄鼠狼给鸡拜年--不安好心”十分类似

eg:he is always buying you expensive clothes,im afraid they are greek gifts for you. to meet waterloo（倒霉，受毁灭性打击，灭顶之灾）

滑铁卢是一代天骄拿破仑遭受残败的地方。遭遇滑铁卢，对一个人来说，后果不堪设想。无怪据说二战期间，在准备诺曼底反攻时，温斯顿·丘吉尔和随员冒雨去某地开会，其随员因路滑而摔了一跤，脱口说一句“to meet waterloo！”丘吉尔竟联想到拿破仑兵败滑铁卢的典故，恼怒地斥责他：“胡说！我要去凯旋门呢！”

its greek to me．（我不知道）

英国人一般都不懂希腊语。这句话的直译是：对于我这是希腊语。自然是不明白的意思。greek kalends（幽默，诙谐方式表达的永远不）

kalends是罗马日历的第一天。古希腊不用罗马日历，永远不会有这一天。

castle in spain（西班牙城堡，幻想，梦想。相当于汉语中的空中楼阁）

中世纪某一时期，西班牙是一个颇富浪漫色彩的国家，这句成语是和castle in air（空中城堡）相齐名的。set the thames on fire（火烧泰晤士河，这是何等伟大的壮举）

但是这句成语经常是反其义应用，指那些人对某事只是夸下海口，而不是真正想去做。

from china to peru（从中国到秘鲁）

它的意义非常明白，指从世界的这一边到世界的那一边，相当于汉语的远隔重洋。

between scylla and charybdis（锡拉和卡津布迪斯之间———在两个同样危险的事物之间：一个人逃出一种危险，而又落入另一种危险）锡拉是传说中生活在意大利岩石的怪兽，卡津布迪斯是住在海峡中一端经常产生旋涡的另一个怪兽。水手为了躲避其中一个的危害，而常又落入另一个灾难。意大利这一方的海角叫凯尼斯（caenys），西西里岛那一方的海角叫皮罗鲁姆（pelorum）。

spoil egyptians（掠夺埃及———迫使敌人提供自己所需要的东西）

do in rome as romans do（在罗马，就按罗马人的方式办）

和我们的入乡随俗的意思一样。

carry coals to newcastle（把煤送到纽卡斯尔）

把某种东西送到一个人们根本不需要的地方。纽卡斯尔盛产煤，送煤到那里，岂不是多此一举。有趣的是法国也有类似的成语“deleau a la riviere（送水到大河里）。”

6.a penelopes web亦作the web of penelope故意拖延的策略；永远做不完的工作

a penelopes web或the we

b of penelope，直译为“珀涅罗珀的织物”，典故出自荷马史诗《奥德赛》卷2。

这部史诗的主人公奥德修斯是希腊半岛西南边伊大卡岛(ithaca)的国王，他有个美丽而忠诚的旗子，名叫珀涅罗珀。奥德修斯随希腊联军远征特洛伊，十年苦战结束后，希腊将士纷纷凯旋归国。惟独奥德修斯命运坎坷，归途中又在海上漂泊了10年，历尽无数艰险，并盛传他已葬身鱼腹，或者客死异域。正当他在外流浪的最后三年间，有一百多个来自各地的王孙公子，聚集在他家里，向他的妻子求婚。坚贞不渝的珀涅罗珀为了摆脱求婚者的纠缠，想出个缓宾之策，她宣称等她为公公织完一匹做寿衣的布料后，就改嫁给他们中的一个。于是，她白天织这匹布，夜晚又在火炬光下把它拆掉。就这样织了又拆，拆了又织，没完没了，拖延时间，等待丈夫归来。后来，奥德修斯终于回转家园，夫妻儿子合力把那些在他家里宴饮作乐，胡作非为的求婚者一个个杀死，终于夫妻团圆了。

由于这个故事，英语中的penelope一词成了a chaste woman（贞妇）的同义词，并产生了with a penelope faith（坚贞不渝）这个短语。而a penelopes web这个成语比喻the tactics of delaying sth on purposel;the task that can never be finished的意思

eg:mr jones made a long speech at the meeting.everyone else thought it a penelopes web.

my work is something like the penelopes web,never done,but ever in hand.

7.swan song最后杰作；绝笔篇三：一个英文写成的中国传统神话故事

一个英文写成的中国传统神话故事，关于中国四条江的形成long, long ago, rain stopped falling in china. the people prayed for rain to the jade emperor, for it was he who looked after everything in heaven, on the land and in the sea, but no matter how much they prayed, rain did not fall.

在很久很久以前的中国，遇到了一次滴水不降的旱灾。人们就向掌管天上、地下、海洋的玉皇大帝求拜，但无论他们怎么祈求，雨始终不落一滴。

four dragons lived in the east china sea in those days. they swam to shore to see what was happening, and saw people tearing grass from the caked ground, for the people had nothing else left to eat.

当时，有四条龙住在中国的东海。他们游到岸边去看怎么回事，看到人们在从结块的土地上拔草吃，因为土地上实在没有别的东西吃了。

we must do something, long dragon said, and yellow dragon nodded. we must help them ourselves, said pearl dragon, for the jade emperor will never answer their prayers. “我们得做点什么，”长龙说道，黄龙点头附和。“我们一定得帮帮他们，”珠龙说，“因为玉帝是不会答应他们的祈求的。”

they suddenly thought of a way to help. they started swimming this way and that, scooping up water with their bodies. then all four leapt into the sky. black dragon flew to the north, long dragon flew to the west, pearl dragon flew to the southernmost tip of china, and yellow dragon flew to the very center of the vast country. all at once, they let the water fall from their mouths, arms, legs, and even their tails. 他们突然想到了一个办法。他们在海里游，然后用他们的身体汲取水。然后他们四个分别腾飞天空。黑龙飞向了北面，长龙飞去了西面，珠龙飞去了中国的最南端，而黄龙则飞去了这个辽阔国度的最中心。突然，他们让水从他们的嘴巴、手脚、尾巴流出来。

the people down below looked up, but they could not see the dragons. they could only see the rain falling from the sky -- drops of rain more beautiful than any jewel. rain! they cried joyfully, and all the people and animals ran out into the rain and started to dance.

地面的人们看到了，但他们看不到龙。他们只能看到雨从天空降下来——雨滴比任何珠宝都

来得美丽。“雨！”人们欢呼雀跃，所有的人和动物都奔入雨中，欢呼起舞。

when the jade emperor saw the rain, he was furious. who dares to tamper with[干预] my world? he shouted, and then saw the four dragons swooping around in the sky. you will not escape! he thundered, and summoning[招集] mountain god, he ordered him to kill the dragons.

当玉帝看到雨，他十分震怒。“是谁干的？”他咆哮道，然后他看到了飞在空中的四条龙。“你们跑不了的！”他大吼道，然后招集山神，他命令山神杀死四条龙

mountain god sent four mountains tumbling after the dragons. the moment the creatures landed, the four mountains landed on top of them, crushing them. then an odd thing happened. suddenly four rivers formed, springing out from beneath the mountains and spreading across the whole country.

山神派了四座山去压倒四龙。当龙一到，四座上就压倒他们，压垮他们。奇怪的事情发生了，突然间形成了四条河，从山出，贯穿了整个国家。

this, people say, is how the four great rivers of china were created: the yangtze, the yellow, the pearl and the heilongjiang are all that remain of the four great dragons who once saved the people of china.

人们说，这就是中国四条大江的由来，长江、黄河、珠江和黑龙江就是这四条龙的遗赠，他们曾经挽救过中国人们的生命。