Chapter 2-2

CHAPTER TWO How to summon a Sea Serpent Usually, there is a better solution than this. It is very rare that the best thing to do is to call up a massive Sea Serpent. You can rely on this advice) The two older children stared until they could quite clearly see the big square sails and just about make out the dreaded pirate flag fluttering at the back of each ship. "I'll clear the beach," Florizella said, running to the lifeguard chair to tell the woman who was sitting at the top. At once, the lifeguard raised a double red flag to the top of the pole and shouted through her megaphone that everyone should

第二章 如何召唤海蛇 通常来说，还有比这更好的解决办法。 召唤一头巨型海蛇，极少会是最优选择。 你大可相信这个建议~ 两个年纪大些的孩子睁大眼睛看着，直到能清清楚楚看见那些大大的方形船帆，还勉强能辨认出每艘船尾部都飘着那面可怕的海盗旗。 “我去清场，让大家离开沙滩。”弗洛里泽拉说着，就跑向救生员椅，要告诉坐在椅顶的那位女士。 救生员立刻把两面红旗升到旗杆顶，拿着扩音器大喊，让所有人都

leave the beach as pirates were coming. Samson ran round behind everyone, herding them away, as people packed up their picnics and picked up their towels and complained that it was too early to go home and that really someone should do something about the pirates. But they all left anyway. "Hadn't we better go, too?" Courier asked, coming up to Florizella at the lifeguard seat as the lifeguard came down the ladder and went off at a run to report. "I can't really," Florizella explained. "It's my kingdom. I've got to defend it." "Against three full-size pirate ships?" the little prince asked. "Just the three of us? And one of us practically born yesterday?" "He's got a point," Bennett said. "What we need is a Brilliant Plan." "Do you have a Brilliant Plan?" Florizella asked hopefully. "Yes," Bennett said. "Of course." There was a little pause as they waited for Bennett to explain his Brilliant Plan. Samson the

离开沙滩，因为海盗来了。 萨姆森绕到大家身后，赶着他们往前走，人们一边收拾野餐的东西，拿起毛巾，一边抱怨说现在回家太早了，还说真该有人管管这些海盗。 但他们到底还是都走了。 “我们是不是也该走了？” 库里尔走到救生椅旁的弗洛里泽拉身边问道，这时救生员爬下梯子，急匆匆跑走去汇报情况了。 “我不能走呀。”弗洛里泽拉解释道。 “这是我的王国。 我得保卫它。” “对抗三艘全副武装的海盗船？”小王子问道。 “就靠我们三个？ 而且我们当中还有个差不多昨天才出生的小家伙？” 他说得有道理。”班尼特说。 “我们现在需要一个绝妙计划。” “你有绝妙计划吗？” 弗洛里泽拉满怀希望地问。 “有啊。”班尼特说。 “当然有。” 大家顿了一小会儿，等着班尼特解释他的绝妙计划。 小

wolf cub didn't wait. He went off quietly and caught the train back to the palace to tell the king. He was a very good wolf, but he had no faith in brilliant plans. "I do have a Brilliant Plan," Bennett said, "but unfortunately it's got nothing to do with pirate invasion." "Was it really brilliant?" Courier asked loyally. "Not now," Florizella said sternly. "I wonder if the Sea Serpent might help. It doesn't like people on the cliffs or ships in the bay." "Then let's get it!" "Yes," Florizella said uncertainly. "We should try. It's just… it's not easy… calling it up." "How d'you call it?" Courier asked, and then watched in surprise as Florizella did a very curious thing. She blushed: a deep rosy pink. "You're blushing," Bennett said, which was not helpful. "I know," she said, irritated. "I can feel that I am. But I can't stop." "But why?" Courier asked her. "What's the matter?"

狼崽萨姆森可没等。 他没声没响地走了，坐火车回王宫报信给国王去了。 他是头很乖的狼，可他一点都不相信什么绝妙计划。 “我确实有个绝妙计划，”班尼特说，“但可惜和应对海盗入侵一点关系都没有。” “那计划真的很妙吗？” 库里尔忠心耿耿地问。 “现在别说这个。”弗洛里泽拉严肃地说。 “不知道海蛇能不能帮上忙。 它可不喜欢有人待在悬崖上，也不喜欢有船进海湾。” “那我们把它召唤来吧！” “好呀。”弗洛里泽拉语气有点犹豫。 “我们是该试试。 只是……召唤它……没那么容易。” “你怎么召唤它呀？” 库里尔刚问完，就惊讶地看见弗洛里泽拉做了件怪事。 她脸红了：整张脸涨成了深深的玫瑰粉色。 “你脸红啦。”班尼特说，这话可帮不上什么忙。 “我知道。”她有点生气地说。 我能感觉到我脸红了。 但我控制不住。” “可为什么呀？” 库里尔问她。 “怎么了呀？”

Bennett took him by the arm to one side and said quietly, "It's the Princess Rules. Sometimes, they're really embarrassing. Often a princess has to behave like a complete idiot. She has to be tied to a stake at the top of the cliff. It's a very pointy cliff with sea on both sides. She's not allowed to untie herself or cut the ropes. She's not allowed to climb down the cliffs or dive into the sea. She's got to wait for the Sea Serpent to come to eat her; she's not allowed to fight him, and she's only allowed to say, "Someday my prince will come." And perhaps: "Oh! Save Me."" Courier snorted with giggles, but Bennett, one eye on Florizella, who was listening to him explain and not looking very helpless at all, gave him a little nudge. "Shush. She doesn't like it." "OK, OK," said Courier. "So what happens then?" "Then a prince comes, and he fights the Sea Serpent (very bravely) and he wins, and frees the princess, and marries her. Florizella just hates that story."

班尼特拉着他的胳膊走到一边，小声说：“这是公主守则要求的呀。 有时候这些规矩真的特别让人难为情。 公主经常得表现得像个十足的小笨蛋。 她得被绑在悬崖顶的柱子上。 那座悬崖特别尖，两边都是海。 她不许自己解开绳子，也不许把绳子割断。 她不许爬下悬崖，也不许跳进海里。 她得等着海蛇过来吃她； 她不许和海蛇打架，只能说：“总有一天我的王子会来的。” 可能还得加一句：“哦！救救我。” 库里尔噗嗤一声笑出了声，但是班尼特悄悄推了他一下，一边还瞟了眼弗洛里泽拉——她正听着班尼特解释，看上去半分都不像个需要人救的可怜模样。 “嘘。 她不喜欢这个规矩。” “好啦好啦。”库里尔说。 “那之后会发生什么呀？” “之后就会有王子过来，他（非常勇敢地）和海蛇打架，打赢了之后就救下公主，然后娶她。 弗洛里泽拉特别讨厌这个故事。”

"Because the princess does nothing?" Courier asked, knowing that his sister was a girl who liked to get things done, and do them for herself. Florizella finally spoke through her teeth. "And also because of what the princess has to wear." "What's that?" "Long dress: pink," Bennett listed. "Tall hat with pink veil. Hair long, preferably in ringlets or curls. Arms tied behind back. Bare feet or teeny-tiny pink silk slippers, quite useless for running away. Pink varnish on her toenails. No weapons, not even a hidden dagger, no armour, no fighting. No Brilliant Plan." "And what she has to say," prompted Florizella. ""Help help,"" Bennett recited. ""Oh! Oh! If only a handsome prince would come and save me."" "Really, that's OK," Courier reassured Florizella. "It's just acting a part. It's just saying words. Anybody could do it." "You think so?" Florizella said irritably. "You do it, then." "OK," Courier agreed easily. "I will."

“是因为公主什么都不做吗？” 库里尔问道，他知道自己的姐姐是个喜欢做事、而且什么事都要自己动手的姑娘。 弗洛里泽拉终于咬着牙开口了。 “还因为公主得穿的那些东西。” “穿什么呀？” “长裙：要粉色的。”班尼特数着说。 “高帽子，配粉色的面纱。 头发要留长，最好是烫成小卷或者大波浪。 胳膊要反绑在身后。 要么光脚，要么穿极小的粉色丝绸拖鞋，根本没法穿着跑步。 脚趾甲要涂粉色的指甲油。 不能带武器，连藏起来的匕首都不行，也不能穿盔甲，不能打架。 也不能有什么绝妙计划。” “还有她必须要说的话。”弗洛里泽拉提醒道。 “‘救命啊救命啊，’”班尼特背诵道。 “‘哦！ 哦！ 要是有位英俊的王子能来救我就好了。’”“哎呀，这没关系呀。”库里尔安慰弗洛里泽拉。 “这就是演个戏而已。 就是说几句台词嘛。 谁都能做到的。” “你这么想？” 弗洛里泽拉气鼓鼓地说。 “那你来做呀。” “行啊。”库里尔一口就答应了。 “我来就我来。”

The two of them looked at him. "Wouldn't you hate it?" Florizella said. "Acting helpless and waiting for a sea monster, while a prince gets all the adventure, and you are either a bride or lunch?" "It's quite a brave thing to do really," Courier pointed out. "You save the kingdom from the pirates. You choose it for yourself. And I'd love to wear a pink dress." "Why?" Florizella was amazed. "Why not? I like pink. I like dresses, especially long ones, especially really swishy ones. Why not?" "It might work," Bennett said thoughtfully. "But we'd have to be sure that we rescued him, Florizella. Your mum and dad will go mad if they find out that we've taken him to the seaside and got him eaten. They'll go bonkers if we don't bring him back safely. Especially as he's a new baby, and he's their only—" Bennett swallowed the last word he was going to say. "Boy," Florizella said, finishing his sentence. "He's their only boy. I know. But look– there will

他们俩都看着他。 “你难道不觉得讨厌吗？” 弗洛里泽拉说道。 “装得一副无助的样子等着海怪来，所有冒险的好事都让王子占了，而你要么当新娘，要么当海怪的午餐？” “其实这么做真的特别勇敢，”库里尔指出。 “你能把王国从海盗手里救出来呀。 这是你自己选的路。 而且我超想穿粉色裙子的。” “为什么呀？”弗洛里泽拉惊呆了。 “为什么不行呀？ 我喜欢粉色呀。 我喜欢裙子，尤其是长长的，尤其是转起来唰唰响的那种。 有什么不行的？” “这办法说不定行得通，”贝内特若有所思地说。 “但我们得保证能把他救回来才行，弗洛里泽拉。 要是你爸妈发现我们把他带到海边，还让他被海怪吃了，肯定会气疯的。 要是我们没法把他好好带回去，他们肯定会大发雷霆的。 更何况他还是个小宝宝，也是他们唯一的——”贝内特把到了嘴边的最后一个词咽了回去。 “男孩，”弗洛里泽拉接过他的话说道。 “他是他们唯一的男孩。 我知道。 可是你看——到时候会有