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The Psammead looked a little happier when it heard that, and it said, “Well, you can talk to me, if you want to. Per-haps I’ll answer you and perhaps I won’t. Now say something.”
听到那个这个赛米德显得稍微高兴些了，它说：“好吧，如果你们愿意，你们可以和我说说话。我也许回答你们的问题，也许不回答。现在说什么吧。”
At first the children could not think of anything to say, but then Robert asked, “How long have you lived here?”
开头孩子们想不出要说什么，然而不一会儿罗伯特就问：“你在这儿住多久了？”
“Oh, thousands of years,” the Psammead answered.
“哦，几千年了吧，”赛米德回答说。
The children waited, but the Psammead was silent.
孩子们等赛米德往下说，但它不说话了。
“Please tell us more,” Robert said.
“请多告诉我们一些情况，”罗伯特说。
“Well, all right, then,” the Psammead said. “There were lots of us then,” it went on. “People sent their children out to look for Psammeads, and when they found us, we gave them a wish.”
“唔，行，那好，”赛米德说。“当初我们有许多人马呢，”它接着说。“人们打发孩子们去找赛米德，找到时我们就给他们实现一个愿望。”
“What happened to all the Psammeads, then?” Robert asked.
“那后来赛米德都怎么样了？”罗伯特问。
“Well, if they get wet, they get ill and they usually die, and that’s what happened. Most of them got wet and died. And I’m not going to tell you another thing.”
“噢，要是它们弄湿了自己，就会生病，常常会死的，事情就是那样。大部分赛米德弄湿了，死了。我不再告诉你们别的事了。”
“Oh, just one more question, please,” said Robert. “Do you give wishes now?”
“哦，请再回答一个问题，”罗伯特说，“你现在还帮人们实现愿望吗？”
“You’ve had one,” said the Psammead. “You wished to see me, and here I am.”
“你们已经实现一个了。”赛米德说，“你们希望看到我，我就来了。”
“Oh, please. Just one more,” Anthea cried.
“噢，求求你了。就再来实现一个愿望吧。”安西娅叫道。
“Well, all right, but be quick! I’m tired of you!”
“唔，那好吧，可是快点！你们真烦人！”
It is very difficult to think of a really good wish, in just a second or two. Then Anthea remembered a wish of hers and Jane’s. She knew that the boys wouldn’t like it, but it was better than nothing.
一两秒内就想出一个好愿望真困难。接着安西娅记起了她和简的一个愿望。她知道男孩子们不会喜欢它，可总比没有强。
“I wish we were all very, very beautiful,” she said.
“我希望我们都非常非常漂亮，”她说。
The Psammead pushed out its long eyes and got bigger and fatter, and the children waited. Then it said,” I’m sorry. I haven’t done this for a long time. I’ll try again, but l can only do one wish a day for you. Do you agree to that?”
赛米德将双眼从眼眶伸出去好远，并变大变胖了，孩子们等待着。一会儿，它说：“对不起。我很久没这样做了。我再试一次，但是一天只能为你们实现一个愿望。你们同意吗？”
“Yes, oh yes!” the children cried.
“同意，同意！”孩子们喊道。
“But remember, the wish is only for a day,” said the Psammead. “When the sun goes down, everything goes back to what it was.”
“但是记住，只能维持一个白天。”赛米德说，“太阳落下去时，一切就恢复原样了。”
The Psammead slowly got bigger, then suddenly went small again. “That’s all right!” it said. At once it turned and went back into the sand at the bottom of the hole.
赛米德慢慢地大起来，然后突然又变小了。“好了！”它说。它马上转过身回到洞底的沙中去了。
The children stood there for a second, and then Anthea turned to speak to the others. But they were not there! She was looking at three strangers— a girl with beautiful red hair and big blue eyes, and two very good-looking boys. Suddenly she understood. They had their wish. The strangers were Robert and Cyril and Jane—but now they were beautiful. Cyril’s hair was golden now, and Robert’s was black.
孩子们站了一下，然后安西娅转身去和其他的孩子说话。可他们不在了！她看见三个陌生人——一个长着漂亮的红头发和大大的蓝眼睛的女孩，还有两个很好看的男孩。她忽然明白了。他们的愿望实现了：陌生人就是罗伯特、西里尔和简——只是他们现在漂亮了。西里尔的头发现在是金色的了，罗伯特则是黑头发。
“I liked you better before!” Robert cried angrily to his brother and sisters. “Jane’s hair looks like carrots, and Cyril looks really stupid with long golden hair.”
“我更喜欢你们原来的样子！”罗伯特生气地对他的姐弟们叫着，“简的头发像胡萝卜，西里尔长着金色长发的样子看起来真傻。”
They went to find Baby, but he was just the same as he was before.
他们去找小弟弟，可他还是原来的样子。
“Perhaps it’s because he’s young. He can’t have wishes. We’ll have to remember that next time,” Anthea said, and she held out her arms to him. But Baby’s mouth turned down at the corners and then he began to cry loudly. He did not know them!
“也许是因为他大小了吧。他也不会希望要什么。下次我们得记住。”安西娅说着并向他伸出手臂。可小弟弟撇着嘴开始大哭起来。他不认识他们！
