The Twelve Apostles

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　It was three hundred years before the birth of Christ the Lord, and there lived a mother who had twelve sons, but she was so poor and needy¹ that she did not know how she would be able to keep them alive. She prayed daily to God that he might allow her sons to be together on earth with the promised savior. When her need became even greater she sent them, one after the other, out into the world to seek something to eat.

　　The oldest one was named Peter. He went forth², and had already walked far, an entire day's journey, when he found himself in a great forest. He looked for a way out, but could not find one, going instead deeper and deeper into the woods. His hunger was so great that he could barely stand upright. He finally became so weak that he had to lie down, and he believed that he was near death.

　　Suddenly there stood before him a small boy. He glistened³, and was as beautiful and as friendly as an angel. The child clapped his hands together, causing Peter to look up at him. Then he said, "Why are you sitting there so sadly?"

　　"Oh," answered Peter, "I am walking about in the world seeking something to eat, so that I might be able to see the promised savior, for that is my greatest wish."

　　The child said, "Come with me. Your wish shall be fulfilled."

　　He took poor Peter by the hand and led him between the cliffs to a large cave. They went inside, and everything glistened with gold, silver, and crystal. In the middle there stood twelve cradles next to each other.

　　Then the little angel said, "Lie down in the first one, and sleep a little. I will rock you."

　　Peter did this, and the little angel sang to him and rocked him until he fell asleep.

　　While he slept the second brother came to him. He too had been brought there by his guardian⁴ angel, and he too was rocked to sleep. In a like manner the others came as well, each in turn, until all twelve were lying there asleep in the golden cradles. There they slept for three hundred years until the night when the savior of the world was born. Then they awoke and were with him on earth, and they were called the twelve apostles.

　　在基督诞生前的三百年时，一位母亲生了十二个儿子。可她是那样的贫困潦倒，不知如何来养活这些儿子。她天天向上帝祈祷，请他施恩，让她所有的儿子能和那预言要降临人间的救世主在一起。当她生活越来越窘困时，她就把儿子一个个从身边打发出去找活路。老大叫彼得，他已出门走了一整天，走了很远的路，最后进入了一片大森林。他想找一条出去的路，却再也找不着，反而越迷越深。加之他非常饥饿，几乎都站不起来了，他实在太虚弱了，只得躺下来，并深信死神就在咫尺了。突然从他身边冒出了个小男孩，浑身上下闪着光，像天使一样和善。孩子拍了拍手，彼得只得抬起头望着他。只听小孩问道：“你为甚么这般绝望地坐在这里？”“唉！”彼得答道，“我正四处流浪，想找条活路，希望能见到那即将降临人间的救世主，那也是我最大的心愿。”

　　孩子说：“那就跟我来吧！你的愿望会满足的。”他拉着可怜的彼得的手，领着他穿过悬崖，来到一个山洞前。他们走进了山洞，里面全是金银水晶，一切都在闪闪发光。在洞的正中央有十二个摇蓝挨个儿排放着。

　　小天使说：“躺到第一个摇篮里睡一会儿，我会摇你入睡的。”彼得照做了，天使边唱歌边轻轻晃动他着，最后摇他进入了梦乡。当他睡熟时，老二也被他的保护天使领来了，他也像哥哥一样被摇着进了梦乡；接着其他兄弟一个接着一个都来了，直到最后十二个兄弟都躺在金色的摇篮里睡着了。

　　他们睡啊，睡啊，一直到三百年后的最后一个晚上，救世主降临了，那时他们醒了，最终和救世主在一起，成了人们所说的耶苏的十二门徒。