關於聖誕節的英語故事
節日是人類日常生活的濃縮和精華,反映了民族文化中最精緻,最具代表性的一面。中國的春節、西方的聖誕節分別是中西方兩個重要的節日,具有中西方文化的代表性,是探討中西方節日文化習俗差異的典型。本文是，希望對大家有幫助!
篇一
The Little Drummer Boy小鼓手的故事
david grew up in the kitchen of the inn. his father was the innkeeper. his mother cooked the food. david's older sisters cleaned the rooms, and his older brother swept the stable. david loved to sing. he would sing to his mother as she cooked the food. david made up songs and banged on pots and bowls as he sang to her. david's mother smiled at him. "someday you will sing in the temple, my son," his mother said. david grinned at his mother. "tem-ple," david said very carefully.
大衛的爸爸是一個旅店的老闆，大衛從小在旅店的處方里長大，他的媽媽做飯，他的姐姐打掃房間，他的哥哥掃馬廄。大衛喜歡唱歌，他媽媽做飯的時候他就給媽媽唱歌，大衛可以隨便編歌，唱歌的時候還在在盆盆罐罐上敲節奏。大衛的媽媽笑著對大衛說：“兒子，總有一天，你會在神殿裡面唱歌的。”大衛對媽媽露齒而笑，認真的說道：“神--殿”
david's father came into the kitchen. "how is my big boy?" david's father asked as he swung david onto his shoulders. "pum pum pum! tem-ple come!" david sang as he drummed on his father's head with a wooden spoon. david's father smiled as his son kept on drumming. "we must find this boy a drum or my poor head will not survive!" said david's father, with a laugh.
大衛的爸爸進到廚房，把大衛扛到肩頭，說“我的寶貝兒子怎麼樣啊?”。大衛在他爸爸的頭上用木勺子敲著唱到：“砰砰砰，去神殿。”大衛的爸爸笑著說：“看來我必須得給兒子找個鼓，不然我的頭就要被敲壞了”。
a few years later david got a small drum for his birthday. soon he was beating rhythms on his drum wherever he went. pat-a-rum, pat-a-rum, pat-a-rum, david drummed to copy the donkeys on the road. swish-click-click-tum, swish-click-click-tum, went david's drumming to copy his brother sweeping straw in the stable.
過了幾年，大衛過生日，就得到了一個小鼓生日禮物，於是，他走到哪裡就敲到了哪裡。啪啪啪，大衛模仿驢走路的節奏。沙沙沙，大衛模仿他哥哥掃馬廄的節奏。
one day david's father said to his family, "we are going to be very busy. caesar augustus has ordered a count of all the families in all the towns." "pum pum. pa-rum-pum-pum-pum. i counted six of us!" david sang. "why does this make us busy?" "because people will come to bethlehem to be counted with their families," said david's father. "they will need a place to stay. they will stay with us, and we will be very busy."
有一天，大衛的爸爸跟家人說：“我們接下來會很忙，凱撒奧古斯命令所有鎮的所有人都到這裡集合。”。大衛邊敲邊唱到：“咚咚咚，我家有六人，這為什麼會讓我們忙呢?”大衛的父親答到：“因為人們都會和他們的家人到伯利恆***耶穌降生地***來，他們需要一個住的地方，他們會跟我們一起住，我們會非常忙。”
david's mother cooked more food. david's sisters cleaned the rooms. david's brother swept out the stable and put new hay and pots of water in the stalls. david's father greeted the people as they came into town. soon the inn was very full. david played his drum and sang his songs for the people.
大衛的媽媽做了更多食物，大衛的姐姐打掃房間，大衛的哥哥掃馬廄，還在畜欄裡放了新干草和水。大衛的爸爸去招呼來鎮裡的人，很快旅店就住滿了，大衛就給大家打鼓唱歌。
late one night there was a knock at the door. david peeked around his father at the young man and his wife, who was on a donkey. they had no room for these people! what could they do? david's father was a kind man. "you can stay in the stable," he said. "it is warm and dry there. i can send food out to you." the young man thanked david's father and walked the donkey to the stable.
一天夜裡，有人敲門，大衛偷偷一眼，原來來了一對騎著驢的夫婦，但是旅店已滿，已經沒有地方給他們夫妻倆住了，怎麼辦呢?大衛的父親心腸非常好，他說：“你們可以住在馬廄了，那裡很暖和也很乾燥，我可以把食物給你們送過去”。年輕人謝過大衛的爸爸，然後牽著驢去了馬廄。
david helped his mother carry bread and cheese out to the young couple. his mother told him the woman was going to have a baby soon. the next day there was a lot of excitement. "the young woman who stayed in the stable last night had her baby," david's mother told him. "the baby is the king of kings, they say!" said david's father.
大衛幫他媽媽把麵包和起司送到那對年輕夫婦那裡，大衛的媽媽跟他說那個年輕的女人就快要生寶寶了，第二天發生了很多高興的事。大衛的媽媽跟他說：“那個在馬廄裡住著的女人昨晚生了個寶寶。”大衛的爸爸說：“他們說那是上帝。”
篇二
小精靈和鞋匠 The Elves and the Shoemaker
A shoemaker, through no fault of his own, had become so poor that he had only leather enough for a single pair of shoes. He cut them out one evening, then went to bed, intending to finish them the next morning. Having a clear conscience, he went to bed peacefully, commended himself to God, and fell asleep.
從前有個平凡的鞋匠，家裡窮得只剩做一雙鞋子用的皮革了。晚上他把皮革裁剪好，就去睡覺了，打算第二天一早做完它們。他在床上懷著一顆純潔而寧靜的心祈求完上帝便睡著了。
The next morning, after saying his prayers, he was about to return to his work when he found the shoes on his workbench, completely finished. Amazed, he did not know what to say. He picked up the shoes in order to examine them more closely. They were so well made that not a single stitch was out of place, just as if they were intended as a masterpiece. A customer soon came by, and he liked the shoes so much that he paid more than the usual price for them.
第二天早上他做完禱告,打算繼續工作,但他發現.在工作臺上的那雙鞋子已經做好了.天啦!鞋匠驚訝得說不出話來. 他把鞋子拿起來檢查了一下,做工非常棒,縫接處沒有絲毫偏差.就在這時，一位顧客進來了,他非常喜歡這雙鞋並用高價買下了它們.
The shoemaker now had enough money to buy leather for two pairs of shoes. That evening he cut them out, intending to continue his work the next morning with good cheer. But he did not need to do so, because when he got up they were already finished. Customers soon bought them, paying him enough that he now could buy leather for four pairs of shoes. Early the next morning he found the four pairs finished. And so it continued; whatever he cut out in the evening was always finished the following morning. He now had a respectable income and with time became a wealthy man.
鞋匠現在有足夠的錢買做兩雙鞋的皮革了.晚上他興高彩烈地裁剪好,打算第二天早上做好它們.但是他起床的時候鞋已經做好了.很快又有顧客買走了,並付給他很多錢,這下，鞋匠可以買做四雙鞋子的皮革了。而且和以前一樣，第二天早晨他發現鞋子已經做好了。這樣過了一段時間，隨著越來越多的鞋子做好了，賣出去，鞋匠很快就富了起來。
One evening shortly before Christmas, just before going to bed, and having already cut out a number of shoes, he said to his wife, "Why don't we stay up tonight and see who is giving us this helping hand."
聖誕節前的某天晚上，鞋匠一邊忙著裁剪皮革，一邊對妻子說:“不如我們整夜不睡，看看究竟是誰在幫助我們?”
His wife agreed to this and lit a candle. Then they hid themselves behind some clothes that were hanging in a corner of the room. At midnight two cute little naked men appeared. Sitting down at the workbench, they picked up the cut-out pieces and worked so unbelievable quickly and nimbly that the amazed shoemaker could not take his eyes from them. They did not stop until they had finished everything. They placed the completed shoes on the workbench, then quickly ran away.
他的妻子非常贊同,於是他們點了一根蠟燭，悄悄地藏在房間衣服的後面。半夜時分，兩個小小的光著身子的小精靈出現了。他們坐在工作臺上撿起裁剪好的皮革飛快的做了起來,鞋匠簡直不敢相信自己的眼睛。它們直到全部做好才停下來把鞋放在工作臺上,然後迅速跑走了.
The next morning the wife said, "The little men have made us wealthy. We must show them our thanks. They are running around with nothing on, freezing. Do you know what? I want to sew some shirts, jackets, undershirts, and trousers for them, and knit a pair of stockings for each of them, and you should make a pair of shoes for each of them."
第二天早上，鞋匠的妻子:“這些小精靈讓我們生活這麼富裕。我們應該報答他們,他們光著身子東奔西跑一定很冷。知道嗎?我可以縫製一些襯衫,短外套,汗衫,還有褲子和長襪,而你可以給他們做一雙鞋子.”
The husband said, "I agree," and that evening, when everything was finished, they set the presents out instead of the unfinished work. Then they hid themselves in order to see what the little men would do. At midnight they came skipping up, intending to start work immediately. When they saw the little clothes instead of the cut-out leather, they at first seemed puzzled, but then delighted. They quickly put them on, then stroking the beautiful clothes on their bodies they sang:
Sind wir nicht Knaben glatt und fein? Was sollen wir linger Schuster sein! Are we not boys, neat and fine? No longer cobblers shall we be!
鞋匠說: "完全同意,"那天晚上， 鞋匠夫婦沒有把裁剪好的皮革放在工作臺上，而是把做好的小禮物放在上面。然後，他們又悄悄的躲了起來看小人會做什麼.半夜裡，小精靈們來了,並立刻準備把東西騰空開始工作,但他們剛看見那些小衣服的時候很迷惑，然後馬上欣喜的把它們穿在身上,用手摸著漂亮的衣服唱起歌來:
“快來看看我，我是多麼漂亮!我是一個英俊瀟灑的帥小夥，沒有比干製鞋的活更使我們快樂。”
Then they hopped and danced about, jumping over chairs and benches. Finally they danced out of the house. They never returned, but the shoemaker prospered, succeeding in everything that he did.
他們神氣活現地蹦著、舞著、跳過椅子和長凳，最後跳出了房子再也沒有回來。但是鞋匠仍然生意興隆,萬事如意。
篇三
The Gold and Ivory Tablecloth
at christmastime, men and women everywhere gather in their churches to wonder anew at the greatest miracle the world has ever known. but the story i like best to recall was not a miracle—not exactly.
it happened to a pastor who was very young. his church was very old. once, long ago, it had flourished. famous men had preached from its pulpit, prayed before its altar. rich and poor alike had worshiped there and built it beautifully. now the good days had passed from the section of town where it stood. but the pastor and his young wife believed in their run-down church. they felt that with paint, hammer, and faith, they could get it in shape. together they went to work.
but late in december, a severe storm whipped through the river valley, and the worst blow fell on the little church—a huge chunk of rain-soaked plaster fell out of the inside wall just behind the altar. sorrowfully the pastor and his wife swept away the mess, but they couldn’t hide the ragged hole. the pastor looked at it and had to remind himself quickly, “thy will be done!”
the joyful purpose of the storm that had knocked a hole in the wall of the church was now quite clear.
but his wife wept, “christmas is only two days away!”
that afternoon the dispirited couple attended an auction held for the benefit of a youth group. the auctioneer opened a box and shook out of its folds a handsome gold-and-ivory lace tablecloth. it was a magnificent item, nearly 15 feet long. but it, too, dated from a long-vanished era. who, today, had any use for such a thing? there were a few halfhearted bids. then the pastor was seized with what he thought was a great idea. he bid it in for six dollars and fifty cents.
he carried the cloth back to the church and tacked it up on the wall behind the altar. it completely hid the hole! and the extraordinary beauty of its shimmering handwork cast a fine, holiday glow over the chancel. it was a great triumph. happily he went back to preparing his christmas sermon.
just before noon on the day of christmas eve, as the pastor was opening the church, he noticed a woman standing in the cold at the bus stop.
“the bus won’t be here for 40 minutes!” he called, and he invited her into the church to get warm.
she told him that she had come from the city that morning to be interviewed for a job as governess to the children of one of the wealthy families in town but she had been turned down. a war refugee, she had imperfect english.
the woman sat down in a pew and chafed her hands and rested. after a while, she dropped her head and prayed. she looked up as the pastor began to adjust the great gold-and-ivory lace cloth across the hole. she rose suddenly and walked up the steps of the chancel. she looked at the tablecloth. the pastor smiled and started to tell her about the storm damage, but she didn’t seem to listen. she took up a fold of the cloth and rubbed it between her fingers.
“it is mine!” she said. “it is my banquet cloth!” she lifted up a corner and showed the surprised pastor that there were initials monogrammed on it. “my husband had the cloth made especially for me in brussels! there could not be another like it!”
for the next few minutes, the woman and the pastor talked excitedly together. she explained that she was viennese, that she and her husband had opposed the nazis and decided to leave the country. they were advised to go separately. her husband put her on a train for switzerland. they planned that he would join her as soon as he could arrange to ship their household goods across the border.
she never saw him again. later she heard that he had died in a concentration camp.
“i have always felt that it was my fault—to leave without him,” she said. “perhaps these years of wandering have been my punishment!”
the pastor tried to comfort her, urged her to take the cloth with her. she refused. then she went away.
as the church began to fill on christmas eve, it was clear that the cloth was going to be a great success. it had been skillfully designed to look its best by candlelight.
after the service, the pastor stood at the doorway; many people told him that the church looked beautiful. one gentle-faced, middle-aged man—he was the local clock-and-watch repairman—looked rather puzzled.
“it is strange,” he said in his soft accent. “many years ago, my wife—god rest her—and i owned such a cloth. in our home in vienna, my wife put it on the table”—and here he smiled—“only when the bishop came to dinner!”
the pastor suddenly became very excited. he told the jeweler about the woman who had been in church earlier in the day.
the startled jeweler clutched the pastor’s arm. “can it be? does she live?”
together the two got in touch with the family who had interviewed her. then, in the pastor’s car, they started for the city. and as christmas day was born, this man and his wife—who had been separated through so many saddened yuletides—were reunited.
to all who heard this story, the joyful purpose of the storm that had knocked a hole in the wall of the church was now quite clear. of course, people said it was a miracle, but i think you will agree it was the season for it!