温馨:卷福写给圣诞老人的一封信

 　　12月7日是英国国家书信日（National Letter Writing Day），鼓励大家回归传统书信。今年的这一天，“卷福”本尼迪克特?康伯巴奇给圣诞老人写了一封信

　　本身英国就有浓厚的文学传统，2013年出现了一个Letters Live的盛会，专门邀请名人朗诵书中的片段，包括一些信件。明年的Letters Live将在3月10~15日开幕，于是在英国国家书信日这天，Letters Live邀请一些名人给圣诞老人Father Christmas写一封信。

　　卷福在手写信中写道：“我希望你能让孩子们更多地享受童年天真烂漫的时光，让魔法和欢笑的日子延长，让他们远离疯狂的现实世界，笑容灿烂、远离眼泪。”

　　另外，他还说会给圣诞老人留波特酒和肉馅饼，希望自己能得到一把光剑。

　　Benedict Cumberbatch has written a letter to Santa Claus asking him for "a little more time for children to be children".

　　He was writing to promote the Letters Live event next March, which celebrates the power of literary correspondence.

　　The Sherlock star wrote:

　　Dear Father Christmas,

　　So my friend has asked me to write to you... I have to confess it's been hard to know what to say. Mainly because like most adults I feel preposterous¹ asking anything of you because our time with you is surely done. Now we get our own presents, control our own fates, take responsibility for our own actions, and live in the world we have created... so it's not for us to turn around and plead for your help with the environment, the migrant crisis, the NHS, education, food banks, human rights, fundamentalism and wars. Though God knows we need all the help we can get with all these man-made problems and more.

　　And it's not that you aren't compassionate² and full of joy. You're great. In spite of you being changed into different colours for corporations and being bastardised to represent materialism³ gone mad - despite probably originating in some season based pagan druid ritual a million thought miles from requests for spontaneously combusting hoverboards... Kidadults cynically⁴ pointing this out after having their moment of belief in you are wasting everyone's precious time. Because you are not for them. You are for the children. Children who need some magic in a world where the borders between innocence⁵ and responsibility, playful imagination and cold, adult obstacles are continually shrinking.

　　This is what I'd like to ask you to help with. A little more time for children to be children. Stretch the moment of magic and playfulness. Distract them from the realities of a world gone mad so that they can laugh with their breath rather than sob⁶ with their tears.

　　卷福（本尼迪克特·蒂莫西·卡尔顿·康伯巴奇）的真迹

　　Especially those caring for family members, or suffering illness, hunger or poverty. Especially those hiding in buildings as bombs rain down, or being handed shaking with fear or cold into a boat to escape environmental disaster or war. Please help to light up their worlds with a moment of joy and hope.

　　Spare a thought too for those millions who want to write to you but through illiteracy⁷ can't. Hear their words and help to give them the time and chance to learn how to read and write so they can better their lives and escape their impoverished⁸ beginnings.

　　I feel a little sorry for you. And I guess I’ve done exactly what I said I wouldn’t … Asked you to help with adult problems and solve some of the greatest worries we have for our children. I promise to leave some extra port and mince⁹ pies for you!

　　Lots of love

　　Benedict x

　　P.S. Please could I have that lightsaber now?

　　参考译文：

　　亲爱的圣诞老人：

　　我的朋友叫我写信给你。。。我不得不承认实在很难知道该对你说什么。主要是因为像大部分成年人一样，我觉得对你要求点什么好像很荒谬，因为我们和你已经没有交集了。现在的我们自己给自己买礼物，掌握自己的命运，对自己的行为负责，并且生活在我们自己的创造的世界里面。。。所以我们没有理由找你帮忙来解决我们自己所造成的那些问题，比如环境问题、移民危机、NHS医保系统、教育、食物银行、人权、原教旨主义和战争。尽管天晓得，我们真的需要任何能得到的帮助来面对这些人造的危机和麻烦。

　　并不是说你没有同情心或者没有充满欢乐。你很棒。尽管你被各种商业机构篡改得面貌全非，被妖魔化而代表了疯狂的拜金主义——简直像异教徒的仪式一般每到这个季节就要求礼物填满欲望，比如那种有可能突然就自燃了的悬滑板（Hoverboards 见下图，在英国青少年里特别流行。）那些童心未灭的成人们冷笑着指出你是在浪费每个人的宝贵时间，却忘了他们自己也曾相信你。因为你不是他们的。你是孩子们的。那些孩子们需要你的魔力，因为在这个世界，天真与责任、充满乐趣的想象力与冰冷的成人的障碍之间的界限正在不断的萎缩逝去。

　　这才是我想请求你帮助的。让孩子们有更多的时间只做孩子吧。延伸这魔力与乐趣的时间。让他们不去关注这疯狂的真实世界，让他们可以欢笑而不是流泪。尤其是那些不得不照顾家庭的、身患疾病的、受饿受穷的孩子们。尤其是那些藏身在位于爆炸雨里的建筑中、或不得不又冻又怕的颤抖着被塞进船里才能逃出灾难和战争环境中的孩子们。请你照亮他们的世界，给他们一丝希望和欢乐。

　　当我想到今年你的处境艰难的时候。。。当我仔细思考，我不能确定找你要一把星球大战里面的光剑并且真的得到它（额，并不曾得到过）能胜过控制时空介质而令美好的童年再多停留一阵子。

　　?但对于那些真的给你写信、憧憬着你会在天明前给他们放好礼物而入睡的孩子们，你带来了好奇和敬畏。你激发了善行，并且至少在记忆里，孩子们在最后一分钟试图弥补做错的事情并希望不会因为做错事而被你惩罚。还希望你要照顾一下上百万的不能读写的人们，他们想要给你写信却不行。倾听他们的声音，给他们时间和机会学习读和写，这样他们就可以过上更好的生活，逃离贫困的处境。

　　我现在对你感到抱歉了。我好像刚刚做了我明明说了我不会做的事。。。我希望你能帮忙解决成人制造的麻烦，缓解我们对我们的孩子最大的担忧。我保证你，我会给你留超多的肉馅饼的！！

　　爱你哟

　　Benedict , 么么哒

　　P.S. 现在我能拿到我的光剑了吗？

1 preposterous   

adj.荒谬的，可笑的

参考例句：

• The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。
• It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

2 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。

3 materialism   

n.［哲］唯物主义，唯物论；物质至上

参考例句：

• Idealism is opposite to materialism.唯心论和唯物论是对立的。
• Crass materialism causes people to forget spiritual values.极端唯物主义使人忘掉精神价值。

4 cynically   

adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地

参考例句：

• "Holding down the receiver,'said Daisy cynically. “挂上话筒在讲。”黛西冷嘲热讽地说。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
• The Democrats sensibly (if cynically) set about closing the God gap. 民主党在明智（有些讽刺）的减少宗教引起的问题。 来自互联网

5 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

6 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

7 illiteracy   

n.文盲

参考例句：

• It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining.从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转，这是令人鼓舞的。
• We must do away with illiteracy.我们必须扫除文盲。

8 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 mince   

n.切碎物；v.切碎，矫揉做作地说

参考例句：

• Would you like me to mince the meat for you?你要我替你把肉切碎吗？
• Don't mince matters,but speak plainly.不要含糊其词，有话就直说吧。