Once upon a time there lived a poor widow who had one little boy. At first sight you would not have thought that he was different from a thousand other little boys; but then you noticed that by his side hung the scabbard of a sword, and as the boy grew bigger the scabbard grew bigger too. The sword which belonged to the scabbard was found by the little boy sticking out of the ground in the garden, and every day he pulled it up to see if it would go into the scabbard. But though it was plainly becoming longer and longer, it was some time before the two would fit.英文原著 · 《The Crimson Fairy Book》
'It is thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword; give it to me that I may take out the wooden sides of it and put in new ones.' And he took the scabbard in one hand and the sword in the other, and came and stood behind the giant, as if he would have sheathed the sword in the scabbard. But with it he struck a blow at the head of the giant, and it rolled from his body. After that they despoiled the castle of its gold and jewels, and returned, bearing the sword of the giant, to Arthur's court.英文原著 · 《The Lilac Fairy Book》
``The scabbard of the sword was too glittering for the regulations''--the ghost of a smile hovered on Conwell's lips--``and I could not wear it, and could only wear a plain one for service and keep this hanging in my tent on the tent-pole. John Ring used to handle it adoringly, and kept it polished to brilliancy.--It's dull enough these many years,'' he added, somberly. ``To Ring it represented not only his captain, but the very glory and pomp of war.英文原著 · 《Acres of Diamonds》
``But, unknown to everybody, and unnoticed, John Ring had dashed back to my tent. I think he was able to make his way back because he just looked like a mere boy; but however that was, he got past the Confederates into my tent and took down, from where it was hanging on the tent- pole, my bright, gold-scabbarded sword.英文原著 · 《Acres of Diamonds》
He had confessed it to her. And she had promised him. He needed her. The words she had spoken to Madge, not dreaming then of their swift application. They came back to her. "God has called me. He girded His sword upon me." What right had she to leave it rusting in its scabbard, turning aside from the pathway pointed out to her because of one weak, useless life, crouching in her way. It was not as if she were being asked to do evil herself that good might come.英文原著 · 《All Roads Lead to Calvary》
blind fool! can't you very well see, These are three roasting spits my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! roasting spits with scabbards on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home! I went into the parlour, and there for to see, And there I saw three cloaks hang, by one, by two, and by three; O! I called to my loving wife, and 'Anon, kind sir!' quoth she; 'O! what do these three cloaks do here, without the leave of me?'
'Why, you old fool!英文原著 · 《Ancient Poems》