从前有一个女人,她有三个儿子。孩子们的父亲早已亡故,他们的家境十分清贫困苦。打从孩子们懂事以来,他们不记得自己吃过一顿饱饭。他们住的那幢灰色小茅舍,屋顶上长满了蓬蒿,屋檐下燕子筑了窝,四壁倾斜,眼看要倒塌下来。这幢小灰屋只有一个房间,一扇窗户。窗台上放着一个花盆,门口长着矢车菊和山楂花。 Once upon a time there was a woman who had three sons. The children’s fathers have already died, their families are extremely poor and destitute. Since the children know how to do things, they do not remember eating enough for themselves. The small gray cottage where they lived was covered with basil on the roof, and the swallows were built under the eaves. The walls were tilted and fell down. This little gray house has only one room, a window. On the window sill stood a flowerpot with cornflower and hawthorn at the door.