一篇篇流传千年的传统故事，有如一朵朵盛开的奇葩，凝结古人智慧，魅力无穷。

捏土造人的女娲、开弓射日的后羿、身老志坚的愚公、代父从军的木兰、英勇救母的沉香、千里寻夫的孟姜女、迁居断杼的孟母、缺乏团结的三个和尚……他们就像万花筒里倏忽闪现的缤纷图景，在孩童稚嫩的心灵上留下一片瑰丽与神奇。

中英双语《中国传统故事美绘本》精选了中国多个传统故事，根据流传的原貌提炼加工后编写而成。

开启孩子们的心灵，就是开启智慧的宝盒。小小孩童长大成人时，也许还会记起这些故事带给自己的生命智慧和生活哲理。

今天给大家讲述的是中英双语传统故事《花木兰》，精美的绘图、生动活泼的文字、地道流畅的英文、引人入胜的故事……电影《花木兰》正在全球热映中，今天就来看一看她的故事吧！

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在中国南北朝时期，有一位巾帼英雄，她的名字叫花木兰。

In the Northern and Southern Dynasties of China (420-589) lived a heroine, named Hua Mulan.

木兰出生在北方的一个小乡村， 父亲是退役军人，母亲勤劳善良。木兰还有一个年纪相仿的姐姐和一个年幼的弟弟。一家人辛勤劳作，虽不富裕，但生活幸福。

Born in a small village in northern China, Mulan lived with her veteran father, her hard-working and kind-hearted mother, her elder sister and a younger brother. The whole family managed to lead a happy, if not wealthy, life through their hard work.
 


木兰从小喜欢使刀弄枪，父亲一有空就带她到村外的小河边，教她练武，骑马、射箭、舞刀、使棒， 样样都练。

From childhood Mulan had taken great interest in the life of a warrior. During their spare time, her father trained her in fighting skills at the riverside nearby, everything from riding horses to shooting arrows, from swinging a broadsword to wielding a staff. 



别看她是个女孩子，一点儿也不比男孩子差。而且，经过父亲的指导，木兰到十五岁时， 十八般武艺样样精通，方圆百里没人是她的对手。

Though she was a girl, she was the equal of a man in the skills she developed. Thanks to her father’s training, Mulan had mastered the various combat skills by the age of fifteen, and no one who lived nearby was her match.

木兰还喜欢没事就翻看父亲的旧兵书，从中学到很多兵法兵略。木兰聪明伶俐，又勤劳善良，邻里都很喜欢她。

Also, Mulan liked to read her father’s old books about the art of war, from which she acquired much knowledge about military skills and strategies. As Mulan was a smart, lively, diligent and nice girl, all her neighbors adored.

这天，木兰练剑回到家，见父亲紧锁愁眉，母亲也唉声叹气。木兰担心起来，这段时间北方番兵南下， 侵略国境，边境形势紧张，人心惶惶。

One day, after Mulan had finished her swordsmanship practice, she went back home only to find something unusual. Her father seemed anxious, with furrowed brows, and her mother was moaning and groaning. Mulan was immediately worried, thinking of the recent border skirmishes. Recently the Huns had begun to invade the border, and the northern boundary was at risk. People lived in panic.


她赶紧问 :“爹， 出什么事了？”父亲见了木兰，只是叹气不语。母亲说 :“朝廷要征兵打仗了，十二卷军书，每卷都有你爹的名字，可你爹现在体弱多病，咱家又无适龄男丁， 这可如何是好？”是啊，父亲日渐衰老，弟弟太年幼， 才八岁，木兰和姐姐又是女孩，怎么办呢？

Then Mulan asked, “Dad, what happened? ”Without answering, Mulan’s father only heaved a great sigh. Her mother said, “The Emperor is calling up soldiers. Twelve conscription notices have been delivered, each one with your Dad’s name on it. But your father is ailing and no one else is available; what should we do? ” Yes, it was tough. Father was aging. Brother was only an eight-year old child. Mulan and her sister could not be chosen. What could they do?

木兰坐在织布机前，心不在焉地摆弄着织布机，半天也没织出一块布。姐姐见木兰愁眉苦脸直叹气，就拉上她到屋外给两只兔子喂食。

Sitting in front of the loom, Mulan meant to weave, but her mind kept wandering and no weaving got done for a long time. Seeing Mulan’s worried look, her sister took her out of the room to feed their animals. 

木兰见姐姐边喂边指着其中一只兔子说 :“估计明年就能生下几个兔宝宝了吧？” 木兰很奇怪，问姐姐:“你怎么知道这只是母兔呢？没准儿两只都是公兔呢？”姐姐说:“当然啊，我天天喂养它们，自然分得清楚。

“She may have babies next year, ” her sister said, pointing to one of their two rabbits. “How do you know this is a female rabbit? Perhaps both of them are males, ” said Mulan. “Of course I know. I have fed them for a long time, so I can separate the female from the male easily. 
 


不过，从外观看起来，这两只兔子没什么差别，别人可分不清！”听了姐姐的话，木兰眼睛一亮，一个大胆想法突然在她脑中闪现，她拉着姐姐就朝屋里跑去。

But judging by their looks alone, others can’t tell which is which. ” Her sister’s words lit up Mulan’s mind like a flash, and she rushed back to the house, dragging her sister along.

木兰问父亲 :“爹，女儿的武艺怎么样？”

“How are my combat skills, Dad? ” Mulan asked her father in the house.

“我女儿的武艺超群，即使男子也不是我女儿的对手呢 !”父亲自豪地说道。“嗯，嗯。”母亲、姐姐和弟弟也点头同意。

“My daughter’s combat skills are outstanding. She even outperforms men!” her father said proudly. And her mother, sister and brother also nodded yes. 

“所以， 我要代父从军。”木兰一脸严肃地说道。

“So, then, I plan to take Dad’s place in the army, ” Mulan announced in a grave voice.



母亲首先吓了一跳，姐姐也觉得不可思议，弟弟更是对木兰说道:“阿姐， 你没开玩笑吧！你是一个女子，朝廷征兵要求是男子！”

Her mother was taken aback; her sister felt it unimaginable and her brother said to her, “Sister, are you kidding? You are a girl. Soldiers are men! ” 

木兰斩钉截铁地说 :“如果我女扮男装，有谁知道我是一个女子呢？”

“If I disguise myself as a man, who will know? ” Mulan asserted. 

“不行，”父亲严肃地说道，“战场凶险难测，非同儿戏啊！”

“No way, ” her father said seriously. “The battlefield is full of unexpected dangers, not a place for fun! ”



“爹，娘，木兰心意已决，望你们成全。爹爹年老体弱， 怎经得起战场的艰辛。我虽为女儿身，但一直羡慕男儿豪气干云，且我常有报国之志，此次若能奔赴边疆报效国家， 也不辜负了我的一身好武艺。”
 
“Dad, Mom, I have made up my mind on the plan. Please let it be. Dad’s health is failing; how can he manage the rigors of battle. I’m a girl, but I have always admired men’s strength and heroism. I wish to serve my country. If I can join the army, all my efforts in skills training will be worthwhile, ” Mulan said.

父亲见女儿这般坚决，也只好同意。第二天， 木兰即到集市，买了马匹、盔甲和武器等装备。木兰束上头发，穿上战袍，披上盔甲，骑上战马，英姿飒爽——好一个英俊的男子！

Mulan was so resolute that her father had to agree. The next day, she went to the market to buy herself a horse and some gear. Binding up her long hair, putting on the armor, mounting the steed—Mulan transformed herself into a handsome young man!
 
父亲告诫木兰:“你要记住，走路时，步伐要大；说话时，声音要粗；在人前，要昂首挺胸，显出一副男子气概。”木兰将父亲的话谨记在心。

“Mulan, remember, it is time to show your manliness: steps big; voice rough; shoulders back and chest high,” her father told her. Mulan kept all of it in mind.

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