''I know very well what you have come here for,'' said the witch.

“我很清楚你为什么来，”女巫说。

''It is very foolish of you! all the same you shall have your way, because it will lead you into misfortune, my fine princess.

你真是愚蠢！一切都会一样，这会让你陷入不幸，我的公主。

You want to get rid of your fish's tail, and instead to have two stumps to walk about upon like human beings,

你不要鱼尾巴，却要像人类一样架在两个桩子上行走，

so that the young prince may fall in love with you, and that you may win him and an immortal soul.''

这样年轻的王子就会爱上你，你就能得到不朽的灵魂。

Saying this, she gave such a loud hideous laugh that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground and wriggled about there.

说完，她发出了巨大的可怕笑声，以至于蟾蜍和蛇纷纷掉在地上并在地上蠕动起来。

''You are just in the nick of time,'' said the witch;

女巫说：“你太年轻了。”

''after sunrise to-morrow I should not be able to help you until another year had run its course.

“明天日出之后，其实我应当明年的日出之后再帮你。

I will make you a potion, and before sunrise you must swim ashore with it, seat yourself on the beach and drink it;

我会给一瓶药水，在日出之前，你必须带着它一起上岸，坐在沙滩上把它喝掉；

then your tail will divide and shrivel up to what men call beautiful legs.

然后你的尾巴就会分开并蜕成男人所谓的美腿。

But it hurts; it is as if a sharp sword were running through you.

但这会痛得像一把锋利的剑贯穿你的全身。