10 Ch10-The Ancient Question

CHAPTER TEN The Ancient Question "AHHH!" screamed Jack and Annie. The giant sea serpent arched its long neck into the sky. Its scaly green skin glistened in the late sunlight. Staring at Jack and Annie, its eyes burned like bright yellow lamps. Jack and Annie were frozen with terror.

“啊!”杰克和安妮尖叫起来。 巨大的海蛇把它的长脖子拱向天空。 它那鳞状的绿色皮肤在晚些时候的阳光下闪闪发光。 它盯着杰克和安妮，眼睛像亮黄色的灯一样燃烧着。 杰克和安妮吓呆了。

The monster opened its mouth. Inside were hideous fangs and a purple forked tongue. The serpent made a terrible hissing sound! Jack and Annie huddled together on the rock. Frantic seal barks came from far away. "Teddy!" yelled Jack. "Kathleen!" "Their magic can't help us now!" cried Annie. "They're stuck in their seal—" Before she could finish, the sea serpent's deep voice boomed through the cove: "WHO ARE YOU? AND WHY ARE YOU SSSTEALING THE SSSWORD OF LIGHT?" Jack was too stunned to answer. But Annie shouted back at the monster. "We're Jack and Annie! We're on a mission for Merlin!"

怪物张开了嘴。 里面是丑陋的尖牙和紫色的分叉舌头。 蛇发出了可怕的嘶嘶声!杰克和安妮在岩石上挤作一团。 远处传来狂乱的海豹叫声。 “泰迪!”杰克喊道。“凯瑟琳!”“他们的魔法帮不了我们了!”安妮叫道。 “他们被困在海豹里了——”她还没来得及说完，海蛇低沉的声音就从海湾里传来:“你是谁? 你为什么要偷光之剑?”杰克吓得说不出话来。 但安妮对着怪物喊了起来。 “我们是杰克和安妮!”我们在为梅林执行任务!”

"SSSSSSSSS!" the serpent hissed angrily. Its purple tongue flicked as it coiled its body around the rocky island. Then the monster arched its neck and lowered its huge head. Again, the ancient voice boomed through the cove: "TO BE WORTHY OF THE SSSWORD, YOU MUSSST ANSSSWER THE QUESSSTION OF THE SSSWORD." "What is the question?" shouted Annie. "SSSSSSSSS!" hissed the serpent. It turned away and circled the rocks again. Soon its scaly green body was coiled twice around the little rocky island. It's going to crush us! Jack thought with horror. Maybe they had strength enough to stab the

“嘶嘶嘶嘶!”蛇愤怒地嘶嘶叫道。 它把身体盘绕在岩石岛上时，紫色的舌头轻弹着。 然后怪物拱起脖子，低下巨大的头。 那古老的声音又一次响彻山谷:“为了配得上剑，你必须回答剑的问题。” “什么问题?”安妮喊道。 “嘶嘶嘶嘶!”蛇嘶嘶地说。 它转过身来，又绕着岩石转了一圈。 不久，它那长满鳞片的绿色身躯就绕着小岛绕了两圈。 它会把我们压垮的!杰克惊恐地想。 也许他们有足够的力量去刺

monster before it squashed them. "Pick up the sword!" he shouted at Annie. Together Jack and Annie lifted the mighty sword. They gripped its handle and pointed the gleaming blade at the sea serpent. "Don't come any closer!" Jack yelled. The serpent came closer. Its eyes flashed. Its forked tongue darted in and out. It opened its mouth wide. "Wait! Stop!" Annie shouted at the sea serpent. "Give us a chance! Ask us the question!" The serpent closed its mouth. Then it arched its neck, and its huge head dipped down right in front of Jack and Annie. In a low, deep voice, it said, "WHAT ISSS THE PURPOSSSE OF THE

在怪物压扁他们之前。 “拿起剑!”他对安妮喊道。 杰克和安妮一起举起了那把巨大的剑。 他们抓住剑柄，把闪闪发光的剑刃对准那条海蛇。 “别再靠近了!”杰克喊道。 蛇靠近了。它的眼睛闪闪发光。 它分叉的舌头进进出出。 它张大了嘴巴。“等等!住手!”安妮对着海蛇喊道。 “给我们一个机会吧!”问我们问题吧!”蛇闭上了嘴。 然后它拱起脖子，硕大的脑袋就在杰克和安妮面前低下。 它用低沉的声音说:“这是什么

SSSWORD? THAT ISSS THE ANCIENT QUESSSTION." "Okay! The purpose of the sword! Just a minute!" shouted Annie. She turned to Jack. "What is the purpose of the sword?" she asked. "To defeat your enemies?" Jack said.

SSSWORD吗?这是一个古老的问题。” “好吧!剑的目的!等一下!”安妮喊道。 她转向杰克。“这把剑有什么用?”她问。 “为了打败你的敌人?”杰克说。

Annie shook her head. "That doesn't sound right." "To force them to give up?" Jack said. "To slay them?" "No, I'm sure that's not right," said Annie. "SSSSSSSSS!" the serpent hissed at them impatiently. "Then what?" said Jack. "I don't know," said Annie, "but maybe— maybe it's not about fighting at all! Look at it!" Jack stared at the gleaming sword. Its silver blade glowed against the red sunset sky. Staring at the wondrous sword, Jack felt calmer. A strange sense of joy and relief came over him.

安妮摇了摇头。“这听起来不对。” “强迫他们放弃?”杰克说。 “杀他们?”“不，我肯定那不对，”安妮说。 “嘶嘶嘶嘶!”蛇不耐烦地对他们嘶嘶地说。 “然后呢?”杰克说。“我不知道，”安妮说，“但也许——也许根本不是为了打架!看看它!”杰克盯着那把闪闪发光的剑。 它银色的刀刃在晚霞的红色天空映衬下闪闪发光。 盯着这把神奇的剑，杰克平静了下来。 一种奇怪的喜悦和宽慰感袭上他的心头。