There was once an old castle in the midst of a large and thick forest, and in it an old woman who was a witch dwelt all alone. In the day-time she changed herself into a cat or a screech-owl¹, but in the evening she took her proper shape again as a human being. She could lure² wild beasts and birds to her, and then she killed and boiled and roasted them. If any one came within one hundred paces of the castle he was obliged to stand still, and could not stir from the place until she bade him be free. But whenever an innocent maiden³ came within this circle, she changed her into a bird, and shut her up in a wicker-work cage, and carried the cage into a room in the castle. She had about seven thousand cages of rare birds in the castle.

Now, there was once a maiden who was called Jorinda, who was fairer than all other girls. She and a handsome youth named Joringel had promised to marry each other. They were still in the days of betrothal⁴, and their greatest happiness was being together. One day in order that they might be able to talk together in quiet they went for a walk in the forest. “Take care,” said Joringel, “that you do not go too near the castle.”

It was a beautiful evening; the sun shone brightly between the trunks of the trees into the dark green of the forest, and the turtle-doves sang mournfully upon the young boughs⁵ of the birch-trees.

Jorinda wept now and then: she sat down in the sunshine and was sorrowful. Joringel was sorrowful too; they were as sad as if they were about to die. Then they looked around them, and were quite at a loss, for they did not know by which way they should go home. The sun was still half above the mountain and half set.

Joringel looked through the bushes, and saw the old walls of the castle close at hand. He was horror-stricken and filled with deadly fear. Jorinda was singing —-

“My little bird, with the necklace red, Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, He sings that the dove must soon be dead, Sings sorrow, sor —-jug⁶, jug, jug.”

Joringel looked for Jorinda. She was changed into a nightingale, and sang, “jug, jug, jug.” A screech-owl with glowing eyes flew three times round about her, and three times cried, “to-whoo, to-whoo, to-whoo!”

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1 owl
n.猫头鹰，枭
参考例句：
Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。 I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

2 lure
n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引
参考例句：
Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。 He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

3 maiden
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。 The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

4 betrothal
n. 婚约, 订婚
参考例句：
Their betrothal took place with great pomp and rejoicings. 他们举行了盛大而又欢乐的订婚仪式。 "On the happy occasion of the announcement of your betrothal," he finished, bending over her hand. "在宣布你们订婚的喜庆日。" 他补充说，同时低下头来吻她的手。

5 boughs
大树枝( bough的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。 A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。

6 jug
n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂
参考例句：
He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。 She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。

7 thicket
n.灌木丛，树林
参考例句：
A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。 We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。

8 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

9 lamented
adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫 We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 enchantment
n.迷惑，妖术，魅力
参考例句：
The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。 The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。

11 spat
n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声
参考例句：
Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。 There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

12 gall
v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难
参考例句：
It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。 No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

13 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。