'Don't you like giving wishes？'Anthea asked.
“你不喜欢帮人实现愿望吗？”安西娅问。
'No， I don't，'he said . ' Go away and leave me alone！'
“对，不喜欢。”它说，“走开，别打扰我！”
But Anthea went on. ' Listen，'she said. ' If you do what we want today，we'll never ask you for another wish. '
可安西娅接着说了下去。“听着，”她说，“如果你实现了我们今天的愿望，我们就再也不要别的了。”
'I'll do anything for that，'it said. ' I really don't enjoy giv-ing wishes. It's very hard work， you know， and I get so tired. '
“那样的话我可以做任何事情。”它说，“我实在是不喜欢实现人们的愿望。这是件难事，你知道，我变得这么累了。”
'Well， first I wish that Lady Chittenden will find that she has never lost her jewels. '
“唔，首先我希望奇滕登夫人发现她的珠宝从没丢。”
The Psammead got bigger， and then went small again. 'Done！'it said.
赛米德变大，又变小。“办好了！”它说。
'I wish that Mother won't get to the police. '
“希望妈妈别到警察局去。”
'Done！'the Psammead said again.
“办好了！”赛米德又说。
'And I wish，' said Jane suddenly，'that Mother and Martha will forget all about the jewels. '
“我还希望，”简突然说，“妈妈和马莎把珠宝的事全忘了。”
'Done！'the Psammead said， but its voice was tired. 'Now，it went on ，' will you wish something for me？'
“办好了！”赛米德说，可它的声音显得很累。“现在你们能为我许愿吗？”
'Can't you give yourself wishes？' asked Cyril.
“你不能为自己实现愿望吗？”西里尔问。
'Of course not，'the Psammead said. 'Wish that you will never tell anyone about me. '
“当然不能。”赛米德说，“希望你们别把我的事告诉任何人。”
'Why？' asked Robert.
“为什么？”罗伯特问。
'Well， you children always ask for stupid things. But adults aren't like that. If they get hold of me，they'll want to wish for real， important things—
“唉，你们孩子们老要愚蠢的东西。大人们可不那样。要是他们抓住我，他们就希望要真正的、重要的东西
like free houses for poor people，and new schools for children everywhere in the country，and money to give to old people. Boring things like that.
——比方给穷人免费住房啦，给全国各地的孩子建新学校啦，给老人们钱啦。就那种使人厌烦的事。
And they'll find a way to keep them after the sun goes down. And what will happen to the world if all those changes come at once？
而且他们会想办法在日落后留住它们。如果所有的那些变化立刻发生，世界会怎么样？
There'll be terrible trouble. So go on ， wish it！ Quick！'
那可就会有麻烦了。所以接着许愿！快点！”
Anthea said the Psammead's wish，and it got very，very big. When it was small again， it said，' Now， I'm very tired. Do you want one last wish？'
安西娅说出了赛米德的愿望，它变得非常非常大。当它又变小了时，它说：“现在我很累了。你们想要最后一个愿望吗？”
'Thank you for everything，'said Jane. ' Have a good long sleep— and I wish that we'll see you again someday. '
“感谢你做的一切。”简说，“美美地睡一觉——我还希望有一天能再见到你。”
Then，for the last time， the Psammead went big，then small again. It looked at them all once more with its long eyes，and then dug itself quickly into the sand.
然后赛米德最后一次变大又变小。它用柄眼把他们全又看了一遍，然后很快地钻进沙子里去了。
And when they arrived home again，everything was all right. Mother came home and she and Martha remembered nothing， and Lady Chittenden found that her jewels were not lost.
当他们又到家里时，一切都是好好的。母亲回到家，她和马莎什么都忘了，而且奇滕登夫人发现她的珠宝没丢。
'Will we ever see the Psammead again， do you think？'Jane said to the others， later in the garden.
“你们认为我们究竟还能再见到赛米德吗？”晚些时候简在花园里对其他孩子们说。
And，of course，they did， but not in this story. It was in a very， very different place. It was in a… But I must say no more.
当然喽，他们又见到它了，可不是在这个故事里见到的。是在与这里很不一样的一个地方。那是在一个……可我不该再多说了。