A FATHER had one son and one daughter, the former remarkable for his good looks, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness. While they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to look together into a mirror that was placed on their mother’s chair. The boy congratulated himself on his good looks; the girl grew angry, and could not bear the self-praises of her Brother, interpreting all he said (and how could she do otherwise?) into reflection on herself. She ran off to her father, to be avenged on her Brother, and spitefully accused him of having, as a boy, made use of that which belonged only to girls. The father embraced them both, and bestowing his kisses and affection impartially on each, said, “I wish you both would look into the mirror every day: you, my son, that you may not spoil your beauty by evil conduct; and you, my daughter, that you may make up for your lack of beauty by your virtues.”
ある父親に息子と娘が一人ずついた。息子はとても顔立ちがよく、娘はひどく器量が悪かった。ある日、二人が子どもらしく遊んでいると、たまたま母親の椅子の上に置いてあった鏡を、いっしょにのぞきこんだ。男の子は自分の顔立ちのよさにすっかり得意になった。女の子は腹を立て、兄弟の自慢に耐えられなかった。彼の言うことはすべて自分へのあてつけだと受け取ったのである（そう受け取るほかなかったのも無理はない）。女の子は兄弟に仕返しをしようと父親のところへ駆けていき、男の子のくせに女の子だけが使うもの〔鏡〕を使ったと、意地悪く言いつけた。父親は二人をいっしょに抱きしめ、どちらにも分けへだてなくキスをして愛情を注いで、こう言った。「おまえたち二人とも、毎日鏡を見てほしいね。息子よ、おまえは悪い行いでその美しさを台なしにしないように。そして娘よ、おまえは美しさの足りないところを、良い心がけで補えるようにね。」