Audiobook Dictation: “Long ago there lived a merchant…”

Long ago there lived a merchant who had three daughters.

很久以前，有个商人，他有三个女儿。

Every year at a certain day of a certain month he went away to a distant city to collect money on an account.

每年到了某月某日，他都要到远方的一座城市去收账。

His wife and daughters remained at home, and all went well until one sad day the wife died.

妻子和女儿们留在家里，一切都好好的，直到有一天，妻子不幸去世了。

That year the merchant looked forward to his journey with dread for he would have to leave his daughters alone.

那一年，商人一想到出门就心生恐惧，因为他得把女儿们单独留在家里。

"I cannot bear to go away," he said to them.

“我实在不忍心离开，”他对女儿们说。

"My heart is filled with fear lest some evil may befall you during my absence."

“我心里满是恐惧，生怕我不在的时候你们会遭遇什么不测。”

He worried about the matter night and day.

他日日夜夜为这件事发愁。

However, the question of leaving three such pretty girls unprotected was a thing not to be regarded lightly.

然而，把三个如此漂亮的姑娘撇下、无人保护，可不是能掉以轻心的事。

"Do not be afraid to leave us, dear father," said his daughters. "Nothing will harm us while you are away."

“亲爱的父亲，别怕留下我们，”女儿们说，“您不在的时候，什么也伤害不了我们。”

"How do you know?" asked their father.

“你们怎么知道？”父亲问。