Where are my princesses?

我的公主們呢？

Oh, they are all doing their work.

哦，他們都在做自己的工作。

You have brought my daughters up well, mother.

你把我的女兒們撫養得很好，媽媽。

Yes, they are growing up to be beautiful and wise mermaids.

是的，她們正在成長為美麗聰慧的美人魚。

The six beautiful mermaid princesses come gliding into the queen's chamber.

六位美麗的人魚公主滑翔著來到王后的房間。

Grandma, look at the beautiful things we have collected.

奶奶，看看我們收集的這些美麗的東西。

The queen looks at her youngest granddaughter.

王后看著她最小的孫女。

My child, you do not seem to have brought back anything.

孩子，你似乎什麼也沒帶回來。

Grandma, the beautiful red flowers outside the castle give me more pleasure, and I am happiest when you tell me tales of the wonderful world above the sea.

奶奶，城堡外美麗的紅花給了我更多的快樂，而我最開心的時候，就是您給我講海面上奇妙世界的故事。

You shall see everything once you turn fifteen.

十五歲之後，你就會看到一切。

Oh, grandma, that is so long, long away.

哦，奶奶，那已經是很久很久以前的事了。

Till then, your sisters will tell you what they see.

在那之前，你的姐妹們會告訴你她們看到了什麼。

When the eldest princess turned fifteen, she rose above the sea to see the world beyond.

長公主十五歲那年，她升到了海面上，看到了外面的世界。

Hello, grandma.

你好，奶奶

Oh, dear sisters, I laid on a sandbank under the shining moonlight.

哦，親愛的姐妹們，我躺在月光照耀下的沙岸上。

I saw glimpses of a town and heard the sounds of music, and I even saw carriages go by.

我看到了小鎮的一角，聽到了音樂聲，甚至看到了馬車經過。

Soon, it was time for the second princess to see the world.

很快，二公主就該去看看這個世界了。

When I rose up, the sun was setting and looked like a ball of orange fire.

當我起床時，太陽已經落山，看上去就像一團橙色的火球。

Soft clouds floated about lazily, and a flock of graceful white swans flew past.

柔軟的雲朵懶洋洋地漂浮著，一群優雅的白天鵝飛過。

It was like a dreamland.

這裡就像一個夢境。

It was now time for the third princess to rise to the surface.

現在是三公主浮出水面的時候了。

Oh, dear sisters, I swam up a white river.

哦，親愛的姐妹們，我游上了一條白色的河流。

You cannot imagine the sights I saw.

你無法想象我所看到的景象。

Green hills, magnificent trees and plants, and I even saw little human children.

青山綠水，草木蔥蘢，我甚至還看到了人類的小孩子。

But then a weird creature came running towards me, making awful noises, and I had to quickly swim away.

但這時，一個奇怪的生物向我跑來，發出可怕的聲音，我不得不迅速遊開。

The children were asking why the dog was barking so much, so I guessed that horrible thing was a dog.

孩子們問我為什麼狗叫得那麼厲害，於是我猜那可怕的東西就是狗。

Soon came time for the fourth princess to venture forth to see the world.

不久，四公主也該去看看這個世界了。

But she was very shy and just stayed in the ocean.

但她非常害羞，只是呆在海里。

Uh, well, I stayed in the middle of the ocean, but I did see some naughty dolphins splashing.

呃，好吧，我呆在海中央，但我確實看到了一些調皮的海豚在嬉水。

There were also some huge whales, but I was scared to go near them.

還有一些巨大的鯨魚，但我不敢靠近它們。

What?

什麼？

You really did not go near the land?

你真的沒有靠近那片土地？

How can you be so boring?

你怎麼能這麼無聊？

You can see the sea any time, you silly thing.

你隨時都能看到大海，你這個傻瓜。

Finally, the youngest princess turned fifteen.

終於，小公主滿十五歲了。

Well, my precious, your dream is now going to be fulfilled.

好了，我的寶貝，你的夢想就要實現了。

Go.

走吧

The princess rose above the sea.

公主升到了海面之上。

Ah, the colour of the sea is like emeralds.

啊，大海的顏色就像綠寶石。

The icebergs look like beautiful pearls.

冰山就像一顆顆美麗的珍珠。

The stars above are glittering like the diamonds on grandma's tiara.

天上的星星閃閃發光，就像奶奶頭飾上的鑽石。

Soon, the princess's curiosity was aroused by a ship afloat nearby.

不久，公主的好奇心被附近的一艘船引起了。

She swam close to it, and every time the waves lifted her up, she could see the people on the ship.

她遊得很近，每當海浪把她托起，她就能看到船上的人。

They were singing and dancing, as though celebrating.

他們載歌載舞，彷彿在慶祝。

What beautiful clothes they are wearing!

她們穿的衣服真漂亮！

Suddenly, the princess saw the most handsome young man with beautiful brown eyes.

突然，公主看到了一個最英俊的年輕人，他有一雙美麗的棕色眼睛。

As she was gazing at him, everyone on the ship started clapping.

就在她凝視著他的時候，船上的所有人都開始鼓掌。

The princess realized that this grand celebration was for his sixteenth birthday.

公主意識到，這個盛大的慶典是為了慶祝他的 16 歲生日。

Oh, he is so good-looking!

哦，他長得真帥！

And such a sweet sixteen to my fifteenth!

我的第十五個生日也是如此甜蜜！

Suddenly, the calm of the sea soon turned into a restless grumble, and the lashing waves and heavy clouds and lightning indicated a massive storm brewing up.

突然，平靜的海面很快變成了躁動不安的咕噥聲，驚濤拍岸、烏雲密佈、電閃雷鳴，預示著一場巨大的風暴正在醞釀之中。

Huge waves tossed the ship about, and the ship tilted over.

巨浪將船掀翻，船身傾斜。

To her dismay, the princess saw the prince sink into the deep waters.

公主驚愕地看到王子沉入了深海。

Oh, my darling prince is going down into the ocean!

哦，我親愛的王子要下海了！

Maybe I can now live with him.

也許我現在可以和他一起生活了。

What am I thinking of?

我在想什麼？

Humans cannot live under water.

人類不能在水下生活。

I have to save him!

我必須救他

The princess looked frantically all around, and finally spotted the prince.

公主慌亂地四處張望，終於發現了王子。

She held him in her slender but strong arms, swam with him to the surface of the water.

她用纖細而有力的雙臂抱住他，和他一起遊向水面。

Then, keeping his head adrift, she led him to a beach.

然後，她讓他的頭保持漂浮狀態，帶他來到一片海灘。

The next morning, the sun rose on a once again calm sea.

第二天清晨，太陽再次從平靜的海面上升起。

The prince's eyes remained closed, but the sun's rays brought some color to his ashen cheeks.

王子的眼睛依然緊閉著，但陽光給他灰暗的臉頰帶來了些許色彩。

The princess kissed his high and smooth forehead, and stroked back his wet hair.

公主親吻他高聳光滑的額頭，撫摸他溼漉漉的頭髮。

Suddenly, she heard the chattering of some young girls, and quickly swam away and hid herself among some high rocks.

突然，她聽到了幾個年輕女孩的嘰嘰喳喳聲，便迅速遊開，藏到了幾塊高高的岩石中。

She watched as one girl approached the prince, and then went to call the others for help.

她看著一個女孩走近王子，然後去叫其他人幫忙。

My darling prince is coming to life!

我親愛的王子活過來了

How happy I am!

我是多麼幸福

Will he remember how I saved him?

他會記得我是怎麼救他的嗎？

The princess slowly made her way to her father's castle.

公主慢慢地向父親的城堡走去。

She became very quiet, and did not tell her sisters what had happened.

她變得非常安靜，沒有告訴姐姐們發生了什麼。

Often, she would visit the place where she had left the handsome prince, but she never saw him, and became more sad.

她經常會去那個她離開英俊王子的地方，但她從未見過他，是以變得更加悲傷。

Finally, she shared her misery with her sister.

最後，她向姐姐傾訴了自己的苦悶。

Oh, my dear!

哦，親愛的

Why did you not share this with anyone?

你為什麼不與任何人分享？

Don't worry.

別擔心

We will see what we can do to help you.

我們將盡力幫助您。

Thank you, dear sister.

謝謝你，親愛的姐姐。

I was afraid you would make fun of me for falling in love with a human prince.

我怕你會取笑我愛上了一個人類王子。

Well, it is very foolish.

嗯，這是非常愚蠢的。

But you are our sister, and we have to help you.

但你是我們的姐妹，我們必須幫助你。

Sisters, my friends know where the prince's palace is.

姐妹們，我的朋友們知道王子的宮殿在哪裡。

What are we waiting for?

我們還在等什麼？

Let's go!

我們走吧

The princesses rose to the surface near the prince's palace.

公主們在王子的宮殿附近浮出水面。

The palace sure is very beautiful.

宮殿確實非常漂亮。

Oh, those beautiful marble statues!

哦，那些美麗的大理石雕像！

I wish one of them would kiss me.

我希望他們中有人能吻我。

Stop acting silly!

別再裝傻了！

Oh, I was just kidding.

哦，我只是開個玩笑。

I think I better take you all back home before you create any trouble.

在你們製造麻煩之前，我想我最好把你們都帶回家。

The princesses reluctantly made their way back to the castle.

公主們依依不捨地返回城堡。

Now I know where my darling prince lives.

現在我知道我親愛的王子住在哪裡了

I can come any time to see him.

我隨時都可以去看他。

I wonder if he remembers I saved his life.

不知道他還記不記得我救過他的命。

The princess now wanted to know more about humans, so she went to her grandma.

公主現在想更多地瞭解人類，於是她去找奶奶。

Tell me, grandma, do humans never die?

告訴我，奶奶，人類永遠不會死嗎？

Silly child, of course humans die.

傻孩子，人當然會死。

They live shorter lives than us.

他們的壽命比我們短。

When we die, we become the foam on the water's surface.

我們死後，就會變成水面上的保麗龍。

But humans have immortal souls, and only their body dies.

但人類有不朽的靈魂，只有身體會死亡。

Grandma, how can I get an immortal soul?

奶奶，我怎樣才能獲得不朽的靈魂？

Well, if you find a man who loved you so much that he would be willing to marry you, that could happen.

好吧，如果你找到一個愛你愛到願意娶你的男人，那也是有可能的。

But child, the fishtail that you have which is considered so beautiful in our world is considered ugly in the human world.

但是，孩子，你的魚尾辮在我們的世界裡被認為是美麗的，而在人類的世界裡卻被認為是醜陋的。

I will not give up my love so easily.

我不會輕易放棄我的愛。

Let me see if the sea witch can help me.

讓我看看海巫能否幫我。

Ah, who do we have here?

啊，這是誰？

Come, come, I have been expecting you.

來吧，來吧，我一直在等你。

So the princess wishes to become a human to win over the heart of her charming prince.

於是，公主希望變成人類，以贏得迷人王子的芳心。

Mwahaha!

Mwahaha！

Oh, madam, please help me.

哦，女士，請幫幫我。

I will give you a magic potion.

我會給你神奇的藥水。

Swim with it to land tomorrow before sunrise and drink it on the shore and you will be transformed into a beautiful and graceful young lady.

明天日出前，帶著它游到陸地上，在岸上喝下它，你就會變成一位美麗優雅的少女。

Really?

真的嗎？

Will you do that for me?

你能為我這樣做嗎？

Hold your horses, princess.

別急，公主

When your fishtail changes to two human legs, you will feel a searing pain and every step you take will feel like you are treading on sharp knives.

當你的魚尾變成兩條人腿時，你會感到灼痛，每走一步都像踩在鋒利的刀子上。

Once you become a human being, you can never become a mermaid again.

一旦成為人類，就再也無法變成美人魚了。

Never be able to go down to the depths of the sea to see your family.

永遠無法下海看望家人。

Oh, I will do anything for my love.

哦，為了我的夫妻，我願意做任何事。

My price for granting you this wish would be your sweet voice.

實現你這個願望的代價就是你甜美的嗓音。

What?

什麼？

Oh, how can you be so cruel?

哦，你怎麼能這麼殘忍？

Well, I am a witch, you know.

你知道，我是個女巫。

How will I tell my prince of my love?

我要如何向我的王子表達我的愛意？

You can show your love for him with your expressive eyes.

你可以用富有表現力的眼神來表達你對他的愛。

Thus, the princess changed to a human.

於是，公主變成了人類。

She had severe pain when it happened, but her pain seemed to vanish when she saw the prince and the prince also could not take his eyes off the beautiful maiden.

事情發生時，她疼痛難忍，但當她看到王子時，她的疼痛似乎消失了，王子也目不轉睛地盯著美麗的少女。

Where have you come from, pretty lady?

你從哪裡來，美女？

The princess could not reply and just stared at him.

公主無法回答，只是呆呆地看著他。

You cannot speak?

你不能說話？

The princess shook her head and seeing her pained expression, the prince took her hand.

公主搖了搖頭，看到她痛苦的表情，王子握住了她的手。

Hey, it's okay.

嘿，沒關係。

I can see in your eyes what you are thinking.

我能從你的眼神中看出你在想什麼。

Come with me to the palace.

跟我回皇宮

The mermaid was dressed in beautiful clothes and precious jewels.

美人魚穿著漂亮的衣服，戴著珍貴的珠寶。

The king and queen were enthralled with her beauty and grace.

國王和王后被她的美麗和優雅深深吸引。

Everyone enjoyed the graceful dance movements of the princess which she performed with severe pain.

大家都很喜歡公主忍著劇痛表演的優美舞姿。

Very often, the princess would catch a puzzled look on the prince's face and one day he asked her, I don't know why, but you seem very familiar.

有一天，王子問公主："不知道為什麼，你看起來很面熟。

However, the prince did not show any signs of recognizing her and the princess's hopes began to fade.

然而，王子並沒有認出她的跡象，公主的希望開始破滅。

Soon, she heard the prince was going to marry the princess of a neighboring kingdom.

不久，她聽說王子要娶鄰國的公主。

Oh no!

哦，不

If the prince marries someone else, that will be the end of my life as a human.

如果王子娶了別人，那我作為人類的生命也就結束了。

The prince's wedding was to be held on a ship.

王子的婚禮將在船上舉行。

The mermaid princess gazed mournfully at the ocean and suddenly spotted her sisters, all of them with their heads shorn of their beautiful tresses, waving wildly at her.

人魚公主哀傷地望著大海，突然發現她的姐妹們都剃光了美麗的頭髮，瘋狂地向她揮手。

What are you all doing here and what have you all done with your beautiful hair?

你們都在這裡做什麼？你們都對自己美麗的頭髮做了什麼？

We could not see your misery anymore, so we begged the witch to give you back your voice in exchange for our hair.

我們無法再看到你的痛苦，於是我們懇求女巫用我們的頭髮換回你的聲音。

Thank you so much, dear sisters, but the prince is marrying someone else.

非常感謝你們，親愛的姐妹們，但是王子要和別人結婚了。

You silly girl, go and tell him you can speak now.

傻姑娘，去告訴他你現在可以說話了。

No, I cannot do it, even if it breaks my heart.

不，我不能這麼做，即使這會讓我心碎。

The princess dove into the ocean, knowing she would drown as she was no longer a mermaid.

公主跳入大海，她知道自己會淹死，因為她不再是美人魚了。

Someone saw her jumping and ran to inform the prince.

有人看到她在跳，就跑去通知王子。

The prince dove down after her and brought her up.

王子跟著她俯衝下去，把她提了上來。

Now I remember why I thought I knew you.

現在我想起來，為什麼我以為我認識你了。

You're the one who saved me in the shipwreck.

是你在海難中救了我。

I love you, my darling, and it does not matter to me if you cannot speak.

我愛你，親愛的，即使你不能說話也沒關係。

The prince took the mermaid princess to the ship.

王子帶著人魚公主上了船。

Father, forgive me, but I cannot marry anyone else.

父親，請原諒我，但我不能嫁給別人。

This is my beloved.

這是我的夫妻。

The prince placed the wedding band on his beloved's finger.

王子將婚戒戴在夫妻的手指上。

As soon as he did so, the princess's melodious voice returned.

他話音剛落，公主悠揚的聲音又響了起來。

My darling, you can speak?

親愛的，你會說話嗎？

Oh, this is the happiest day of my life.

哦，這是我一生中最幸福的一天。

Ah, I can now look forward to a wonderful life with my beloved prince and see my sisters when they come up from the sea.

啊，我現在可以期待與我心愛的王子一起過上美好的生活了，當我的姐妹們從海里上來的時候，我就能見到她們了。