《童话镇》第44期:魔法需要付出代价

 Well, well, well. 看看这是谁

You're starting to show. 肚子一天天大起来了

A little bird told me you wanted to speak. 鸟儿捎来口信说你想谈谈

Yes. 是的

I'd like to alter¹ the bargain. 我想更改之前的条件

That's not what I do. 那不是我的风格

But I think you'll want to. 但我觉得你会愿意的

I'm having twins. 我怀了双胞胎

Is that so? 真的吗

Let's have a look. 让我瞧瞧

And you would, what, give up both? 你愿意把两个孩子都交出来

Why is that? I wonder. 为什么  我很好奇啊

My husband--he's... 我丈夫他

He's having a hard time. Our kingdom is poor. 现在日子不好过  我们的王国日渐贫穷

We're losing money. Our crops are dying². 财政困难  庄稼枯萎

We can't support ourselves or our people. 我们都没办法养活自己和我们的人民

And you would trade your other child for... 你想用另一个孩子换什么

comfort? 求个安慰吗

I can always have more children, 孩子可以再生

but I can't make crops grow where the soil is dead. 但是我不能让贫瘠的土地上长出庄稼来

In exchange for our other child, 如果你想要我的另一个孩子

you will see to it that our land is once again fertile³. 你就要保证我们的土地从此富饶

I think it's more than fair. 这个条件不过分吧

Yes! 不过分

Yes, yes. 一点也不过分

It is, if what you're saying is true. 如果你所言属实的话

It is, and all you have to do 我的话字字属实

is sign on the dotted line. 你只要在这里签字即可

What a lovely quill⁴! 羽毛笔很好看啊

Wherever did you get it? 从哪儿弄来的

It's from our castle. 是我们城堡里的

You know, the only way to stop me is through magic. 你知道只有魔法才能阻止我

I'm not trying to stop you. 我没想阻止你

Of course you're not, because as we all know, 你当然没有  因为我们都知道

all magic comes with a price, 所有的魔法都必须付出代价

and if you were to use it to, say...imprison me, 如果你要用魔法  比如说  囚禁我

then your debt to me would only grow, 你欠我的就更多了

 

1 alter   

vt.改变，变更；vi.改变，变样

参考例句：

• We have to alter the house into a barn.我们不得不把房子改建成谷仓。
• She is trying to alter the coat.她正设法改那件衣服。

2 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

3 fertile   

adj.肥沃的，富饶的；多产的，丰产的

参考例句：

• The district is fertile of wheat.该地区盛产小麦。
• Plants grow well in fertile soil.植物在肥沃的土壤里长势良好。

4 quill   

n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶

参考例句：

• He wrote with a quill.他用羽毛笔写字。
• She dipped a quill in ink,and then began to write.她将羽毛笔在墨水里蘸了一下，随后开始书写。