《公主与龙》

Once there was a Princess who didn’t behave like a princess.
很久以前，有一位一点也不像公主的公主。
The King and Queen were shocked by her frightful manners.
就连国王和王后也被她可怕的行为礼仪震惊了。
Her tangled hair and ragged clothes made her nanny cry.
她乱作一团的头发和脏兮兮的衣服让她的保姆难过得掉眼泪。
"Don't touch me! I'm perfect."
“别碰我！我很完美。”
The cook, try as he might, could never serve a meal the Princess liked.
她的厨师，虽然十分努力，但是从来没有一顿饭能让公主满意。
"Spaghetti a la meatballs and chocolate peanut butter cake."
“肉丸意大利面加花生巧克力黄油蛋糕。”
"Throw it to the swine!"
“扔出去喂猪吧！”
No one ever saw her smile, except when she played a mean trick on the old knight.
从来没有人看到她微笑过，除了她捉弄守卫她的老骑士的时候。
"Eat up your nice worm!"
“快把你的虫子吃了！”
"Don't act like her."
“别像她那样。”
"She's a disgrace."
“她太不像话了。”
"Never, never."
“千万别这样。”
All the Mothers and Fathers in the kingdom warned their children not to be like her.
王国里所有的爸爸妈妈都警告自己的孩子不要像公主那样。
"No! No! No!"
“不不不！”
"Isn't she terrible!"
“她是不是太糟糕了！”
One day, a dragon was seen moving into a cave in the mountain.
有一天，有人看到一条龙飞进了山里的山洞里。
The Mothers and Fathers were frightened and ran to the King and Queen for help.
爸爸妈妈们都吓坏了，跑向国王和王后寻求帮助。
The King and Queen were worried too.
国王和王后也十分忧虑。
"It's green!" "It's big!" "It's hungry!" "Help!"
“它是绿色的！”“它好大！” “它很饿！” “救命！”
They knew that dragons like to kidnap princess.
他们知道龙喜欢绑架公主。


But most upset of all was the old knight, as it was his job to protect the royal child.
但是最烦恼的是老骑士，因为他的本职工作就是保护皇室孩子的安全。
"It's come for our little dear."
“它冲着我们的小宝贝来了。”
"Oh me!" "Oh my!"
“我的天！”
This news gave the Princess a mean idea.
听到这个消息，公主有了个馊主意。
Wouldn’t it be jolly to watch the old knight fight a dragon?
看老骑士去跟龙打架不是很有趣吗？
She would let the monster capture her.
她打算让那个怪物抓住她。
That night, while everyone was asleep, the Princess tiptoed
那天晚上，趁着大家都进入梦乡。公主悄悄溜了出来，
out and made her way up to the terrible creature’s cave.
找到了可怕的怪物所在的山洞。
But inside, she found a dragon daintily playing a piano.
但是山洞里面，公主却发现，有一只龙优雅地弹着钢琴。
The Dragon was not at all what the Princess expected.
这个龙跟公主想得一点也不一样。
The Dragon was equally surprised.
龙同样很吃惊。
"I'm the Princess. Capture me!"
“我是公主。来抓我啊！”
"I wouldn't dream of it."
“我做梦也没想过这样做。”
The Princess thought dragons were fierce.
公主认为，龙都是很凶猛的。
But this Dragon wasn’t fierce at all.
但是这条龙一点也不凶猛。
"Don't dragons roar loudly, chase knights and kidnap princesses?"
“龙不都是大喊大叫，追赶骑士，绑架公主吗？”
"The others do. I don't like to"
“其它的龙是，我可不喜欢。”
The Dragon thought princesses were gentle.
龙认为，公主都是很温柔的。
But this Princess wasn’t gentle at all.
但是这个公主一点都不温柔。
"Don't you take ballet, read good books, and wear lovely gowns?"
“公主不都是跳跳芭蕾、读读书、穿漂亮礼服吗？”
"Not me. I hate it!"
“我不是，我讨厌这些！”


The Princess knew she could be a better dragon than the Dragon.
公主想，我可比这只龙更适合当龙。
The Dragon knew it could be a better princess than the Princess.
龙想，我可比这个公主更适合当公主。
"I'd shake mountains with my roar.
“我要喊得地动山摇。”
"I'd study the violin."
“我想学小提琴。”
Suddenly, they both had an idea.
突然，他们都有了个好主意。
They shook hands and agreed to change places that very night.
就在那个晚上，他们握手同意互相交换位置。
"I'll be the princess."
“我要做公主。”
"And I'll be the dragon."
“我要做龙。”
"Get going Greenie! This is my place now!"
“快走吧，小绿龙！现在这是我的地盘了！”
"A tisket, a tasket, a green and yellow basket......"
“嘀嘀嗒嗒，黄绿相间的小篮子......”
And wasn’t nanny surprised the next morning?
第二天早上公主的保姆能不惊奇吗？
The dragon had put on a lovely blue gown.
这条龙穿着漂亮的蓝色礼服。
It curtsied sweetly and wanted some powder for its nose.
它有礼貌地行礼，还想在鼻子上扑一些粉。
"How lovely you look, Princess!"
“您看起来太可爱了，公主！”
"Why, thank you, Nancy dear."
“啊，谢谢您，亲爱的夫人。”
The King and Queen were overjoyed at the change.
国王和王后看着这些改变简直太高兴啦。
"Good morning. Isn't it a lovely day? Please pass the butter."
“早上好！多好的一天！请把黄油递给我。”
"How polite you are, Princess." "What perfect manners, Princess."
“公主你太有礼貌了。” “公主太优雅了。”
The cook nearly dropped the Egg Benedict when the Princess asked for more.
当“公主”向厨师要更多的班尼迪克煎蛋时，厨师惊讶地差点把盘子丢了。
"Simply divine. May I have seconds please?
“好极了，请问我能来第二份吗？”
From that time on, life was much more pleasant.
从那时起，生活变得愉快多了。