首发：~第3章 小美人鱼 The Little Mermaid 续
“你很愚蠢，但你会得偿所愿的，不过这会给你带来悲伤的，我美丽的公主。
“it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way, and it will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess
你想摆脱你的鱼尾，像陆地上的人类一样有两条支撑物（双腿），这样年轻的王子就可能爱上你，你也可能拥有一个不朽的灵魂。”
you want to get rid of your fish’s tail, and to have two supports instead of it, like human beings on earth, so that the young prince may fall in love with you, and that you may have an immortal soul”
然后巫婆大声而令人厌恶地笑了起来，癞蛤蟆和蛇都掉到地上，在那里扭动着。
and then the witch laughed so loud and disgustingly, that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground, and lay there wriggling about
“你来得正是时候，” 巫婆说；
“you are but just in time,” said the witch;
“因为明天日出之后，在又一年结束之前我都无法帮助你了。
for after sunrise to - morrow i should not be able to help you till the end of another year
我会为你准备一剂药，明天日出之前你必须带着它游到陆地，坐在岸边喝下它。
i will prepare a draught for you, with which you must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise, and sit down on the shore and drink it
你的尾巴就会消失，收缩成人类所说的腿，你会感到剧痛，就好像有一把剑穿过你的身体。
your tail will then disappear, and shrink up into what mankind calls legs, and you will feel great pain, as if a sword were passing through you
但是所有看到你的人都会说你是他们见过的最美丽的小人儿。
but all who see you will say that you are the prettiest little human being they ever saw
你仍然会有同样轻盈优美的姿态，没有舞者会跳得如此轻盈；
you will still have the same floating gracefulness of movement, and no dancer will ever tread so lightly;
但是你每走一步都会感觉好像踩在锋利的刀刃上，而且一定会流血。
but at every step you take it will feel as if you were treading upon sharp knives, and that the blood must flow
如果你能忍受这一切，我就会帮助你。”
if you will bear all this, i will help you”
“是的，我愿意。” 小公主颤抖着声音说道，因为她想到了王子和不朽的灵魂。
“yes, i will,” said the little princess in a trembling voice, as she thought of the prince and the immortal soul
“但是再考虑一下吧，” 巫婆说；
“but think again,” said the witch;
“因为一旦你的身形变得像人类，你就不再是美人鱼了。
for when once your shape has bee like a human being, you can no more be a mermaid
你再也不能穿过海水回到你的姐妹们身边，或者再次回到你父亲的宫殿；
you will never return through the water to your sisters, or to your father’s palace again;
而且如果你没有赢得王子的爱，以至于他不愿意为了你而忘记他的父亲和母亲，全心全意地爱你，并且让牧师将你们的手结合在一起，使你们成为夫妻，那么你将永远不会拥有不朽的灵魂。
and if you do not win the love of the prince, so that he is willing to forget his father and mother for your sake, and to love you with his whole soul, and allow the priest to join your hands that you may be man and wife, then you will never have an immortal soul
在他与别人结婚后的第一个早晨，你的心就会破碎，你就会变成浪尖上的泡沫。”
the first morning after he marries another your heart will break, and you will bee foam on the crest of the waves”
“我愿意这么做。” 小美人鱼说，她变得像死人一样苍白。
“i will do it,” said the little mermaid, and she became pale as death
“但我也必须得到报酬，” 巫婆说，“我索要的可不是小数目。
“but i must be paid also,” said the witch, “and it is not a trifle that i ask
在这海底深处居住的所有人当中，你的声音是最甜美的，而且你相信你也能用它来迷住王子，但你必须把这个声音给我；
you have the sweetest voice of any who dwell here in the depths of the sea, and you believe that you will be able to charm the prince with it also, but this voice you must give to me;
我要用你所拥有的最好的东西来换取我的药。
the best thing you possess will i have for the price of my draught
我必须把我自己的血混进去，这样它就会像双刃剑一样锋利。”
my own blood must be mixed with it, that it may be as sharp as a two - edged sword”
“但是如果你拿走我的声音，” 小美人鱼说，“我还剩下什么呢？”
“but if you take away my voice,” said the little mermaid, “what is left for me”
“你美丽的外形、优雅的步态和富有表现力的眼睛；
“your beautiful form, your graceful walk, and your expressive eyes;
当然凭借这些你就能俘获一个男人的心。
surely with these you can enchain a man’s heart
怎么，你失去勇气了吗？
well, have you lost your courage
伸出你的小舌头，这样我就能把它割下来作为报酬；然后你就能得到这强效的药了。”
put out your little tongue that i may cut it off as my payment; then you shall have the powerful draught”
“就这样吧。” 小美人鱼说。
“it shall be,” said the little mermaid
然后巫婆把她的大锅放在火上，准备熬制魔药。
then the witch placed her cauldron on the fire, to prepare the magic draught
“干净是件好事，” 她说着，用蛇擦洗锅子，她把蛇系成一个大结；
“cleanliness is a good thing,” said she, scouring the vessel with snakes, which she had tied together in a large knot;
然后她刺向自己的胸部，让黑血滴进锅里。
then she pricked herself in the breast, and let the black blood drop into it
