小紅皇后

The Little Red Queen

女祭司伊特夫特被綁在巨石陣旁的廣場上的一根柱子上。華麗搖滾人偶圍著柱子轉圈，單調地喃喃自語著他們慣常的咒語。

Priestess Itfut stood tied to a pole in the square beside the megalith. The glamrocks were circling the pole, monotonously mumbling their usual mantra.

「媽呀，我又來了 我的天，我怎麼能抗拒你？ 媽呀，它又顯現了嗎？

‘Mamma mia, here I go again My my, how can I resist you? Mamma mia, does it show again?

「我的天，我是多麼想念你 媽呀，我又來了，」

My my, just how much I’ve missed you Mana-mia, here I go again,’

他們不時停下來，轉向圓圈的中心，大聲尖叫。

They paused from time to time turning to the center of the circle and shrieking loudly.

「小紅皇后！我們要吃掉她！吃掉她！」然後他們繼續跺腳和喃喃自語。

“Little Red Queen! We will eat her! Eat her!” Then they resumed their stomping and muttering.

「是的，我心碎了 自從我們分開的那天起 為什麼，我為什麼要讓你走？ 媽呀，現在我真的知道了 我的天，我永遠無法讓你走。」

‘Yes, I’ve been brokenhearted Blue since the day we parted Why, why did I ever let you go? Mamma mia, now I really know My my, I could never let you go.’

被喚醒的模型人偶的外觀沒有改變。他們穿著同樣的灰色連帽長袍，擁有同樣灰色的蠟製雙手。儘管他們情緒激動地呼喊，他們的臉上卻毫無表情。女祭司像一位堅定的印第安酋長在刑柱上一樣驕傲地站著。她對這些野蠻人不屑一顧，默默地將目光固定在他們頭頂遠處的一個點上。受害者的冷靜開始激怒華麗搖滾人偶。

The outward appearance of the awakened mannequins had not changed. They wore the same grey hooded robes and had the same grey, wax hands. Despite their emotional cries, their faces were totally without expression. The priestess held herself as proudly as a staunch Indian chief at a torture post. She paid no attention to the savages silently fixing her gaze on a spot in the distance above their heads. Their victim’s coolness was beginning to irritate the glamrocks.

他們停止跺腳和喃喃自語，轉身面對她，伸出舌頭，發出嚎叫，瘋狂地搖著頭。這個動作顯然未能對囚犯產生預期的效果，事實上，伊特夫特臉上露出了一絲諷刺的微笑。

They stopped stomping and mumbling, turned to face her and stuck out their tongues, letting out a howl and wildly shaking their heads. This action clearly failed to have the desired effect on the prisoner, quite the opposite in fact as an ironic smile spread across Itfut’s face.

「小紅皇后！」他們繼續說，要麼是威脅他們的受害者，要麼是激起自己的不滿。「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“Little Red Queen!” they continued, either to threaten their victim or agitate their own displeasure. “Eat her! Eat her!”

然後野蠻人想出了一個新的儀式。每個人輪流跑到俘虜面前，摘下他們的兜帽，用光頭在她的肚子上摩擦，然後轉身面對其他人，喊道「小紅皇后！」然後迅速拉起兜帽，跳離柱子，回到隊列中。其他人也友好地加入進來。

Then the savages thought up a new ritual. Each in turn ran up to the captive, removed their hood and rubbed their bald head on her belly, before turning to face the others, shouting ‘Little Red Queen!’ And then just as quickly, they pulled their hood back up and jumped away from the post and back into line. The others joined inamiably.

「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“Eat her! Eat her!”

顯然，他們缺乏足夠的想像力來想出更多樣的詞語和動作。但他們並不需要這些。從他們得意的叫喊來看，這種對待本身被認為是對「皇后」表現出無與倫比的無禮和大膽。

Evidently, they lacked sufficient imagination to think of a wider variety of words and actions. But they did not need it. Judging by their triumphant cries, this treatment alone was considered an expression of unequalled insolence and audacity towards the ‘queen’.

當他們都參加完儀式後，最勇敢的華麗搖滾人偶決定做一些非凡的事情。這個華麗搖滾人偶跑到受害者的背後，做了一個可怕的鬼臉，伸出舌頭舔了舔伊特夫特衣服上的鑽石項圈。人群發出贊同的嚎叫。但這個膽大妄為的人並沒有就此止步；他走上前，提出了關鍵問題。

After they had all taken part in the ritual, the bravest of all the glamrocks decided to do something extraordinary. This glamrock ran behind the victim’s back, made a horrible grimace, stuck out his tongue and licked the diamond collar on Itfut’s dress. The crowd responded with a howl of approval. But the daredevil did not stop there; stepping forward, he pronounced the essential question.

「我們要怎麼吃掉她？怎麼吃？」

“How will we eat her? How?”

一如既往，人群的回答分成兩種不同的版本。「我們要炸她！」一組人喊道。

As usual, the crowd’s replies showered forth in two different versions. “We’ll fry her!” shouted one group.

「不！煮她！」另一組人重複道。

“No! Boil her!” repeated the other.

野蠻人現在很容易發出「r」這個字母，所以爭吵至少沒有任何語音問題。這就像一場誰喊得最大聲誰就贏的討價還價。第一組贏了。

The savages easily pronounced the letter ‘r’ now, so the squabble continued at least without any phonetic problems. It was like a bargaining in which the one who yells the loudest wins. The first group won.

「炸她！」他們喊道，現在友好地達成了一致。

“Fry her!” they shouted, now amicably unanimous.

不知從哪裡冒出來的，一群華麗搖滾人偶拖出了一個直徑如人的大鐵板。其他人開始各自的任務，有的生火，有的伸出舌頭，眼睛鼓起來圍著受害者跳舞。整個狂歡伴隨著兩種標準的叫喊，「小紅皇后！」和「我們要吃掉她！吃掉她！吃掉她！」

Out of nowhere, a handful of glamrocks dragged up a huge griddle the height of a human in diameter. The others set to various tasks, some starting the fire, others dancing around the victim with their tongues sticking out and their eyes bulging. The entire bacchanalia was accompanied by two standard yelps of, ‘Little Red Queen!’ and ‘We’ll eat her! Eat her! Eat her!’

「瑪蒂爾達！」伊特夫特的聲音終於被聽到了。「瑪蒂爾達——！」伊特夫特大聲但平靜地呼喚她的朋友，就像她只是在邀請她睡覺的朋友來共進早餐一樣。

“Matilda!” The sound of Itfut’s voice was finally heard. “Matilda-a-a!” Itfut called out to her friend loudly but calmly as if she were doing nothing more than inviting her sleeping friend to join her for breakfast.

毫無疑問，現在因為噪音醒來，瑪蒂爾達赤腳跑出巨石陣，仍然穿著睡衣。

No doubt waking now on account of the noise, Matilda ran barefoot out of the megalith still in her pajamas.

「啊——！」瑪蒂爾達喊道。「你們在做什麼，噁心的怪胎？立刻放了她！芙蒂！」瑪蒂爾達跑到柱子旁，試圖解開繩子，但它們綁得太緊了。

“A-a-ah!” cried Matilda. “What are you doing, you disgusting freaks? Free her, now! Futi!” Matilda ran to the post and tried to untie the straps, but they were fastened too tightly.

「啊，你們這些怪胎！立刻放了她！」

“Ah, you freaks! Free her this instant!”

華麗搖滾人偶被嚇了一跳，停止了他們的行動，開始興奮地喊叫。

Taken aback, the glamrocks stopped what they were doing and started shouting in excitement.

「瑪娜蒂達！瑪娜蒂達！我們的瑪娜！！」

“Mana-tida! Mana-tida! Our Mana!!”

「你們要做什麼？」瑪蒂爾達問，意識到她必須以某種方式控制這些野蠻人。

“What do you have to do?” asked Matilda, realizing that she had to gain control of the savages somehow.

「讀胡言亂語！」他們齊聲回答。「你們不應該做什麼？」

“Read gibberish!” they answered in chorus. “What mustn’t you do?”

「我們不能做不被允許的事！」 「更具體點。你們不能做什麼？」 「我們不能互相吃掉！」

“We mustn’t do what isn’t allowed!” “More specifically. What mustn’t you do?” “We mustn’t eat each other!”

「那你們打算做什麼？」 「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“And what are you planning to do?” “Eat her! Eat her!”

「但有人告訴過你們不能互相吃掉！」

“But you’ve been told that you mustn’t eat each other!’

「是的！我們不能吃掉自己人。她不是我們的一員！」這是華麗搖滾人偶的鐵證如山的論點，他們繼續以同樣的熱情往火裡添柴。

“Yes! We mustn’t eat our own. She’s not one of us!” This was the glamrocks’ sure-fire argument and they continued tossing firewood into the fire with the same enthusiasm as before.

「但我是你們的瑪娜！」瑪蒂爾達反對道。「我禁止你們！這是我的朋友，你們現在就解開她，放了她！」

“But I am your mana!” objected Matilda. “I forbid you! This is my friend and you will untie her right now and let her go!”

「我們不能！」華麗搖滾人偶回答。「我們必須吃掉她！」

“We can’t!” answered the glamrocks. “We must eat her!”

「他們不能，蒂莉，」伊特夫特平靜地說。「他們本能地遵循他們的劇本，就像無條件反射一樣。」

“They can’t, Tili,” said Itfut calmly. “They follow their scenario instinctively like an unconditioned reflex.”

「我們來看看！嘿！你們聽到我說話嗎？你們不被允許吃掉她！」

“We’ll see about that! Hey! Do you hear me? You’re not allowed to eat her!”

「可以，我們可以！」

“Yes, we are, we are!”

「如果你們這麼做，會有一場大災難！」 「不會的，不會的。」

“If you do, there’ll be an almighty crash!” “No there won’t. There won’t.”

「會的，會的！她也是瑪娜！我們都是瑪娜。」

“There will, there will! She is mana too! We are both manas.”

華麗搖滾人偶看起來有些困惑。他們互相交談，然後，其中一個膽大妄為的，曾經舔過女祭司項圈的人走上前來。

The glamrocks looked slightly confused. They talked amongst themselves and, then, one of them, the daredevil who had dared lick the priestess’s collar, stepped forward.

「讓她證明她是瑪娜！」瑪蒂爾達擔憂地看了伊特夫特一眼。

“Let her prove she’s mana!” Matilda threw Itfut a worried look.

「別擔心，蒂莉，只要讓他們解開我。」

“Don’t worry, Tili, just make them untie me.”

「聽著，你們這些火雞，解開她！」瑪蒂爾達命令道。「然後你們就會看到她也是瑪娜！」然後她轉向芙蒂，低聲說，「芙蒂，你打算怎麼做？」

“Listen, you turkeys, untie her!” ordered Matilda. “Then you’ll see that she’s mana too!” Then she turned to Futi and whispered, “Futi, what are you planning to do?”

「破解劇本，」伊特夫特回答。「怎麼做？」

“Hack the script,” replied Itfut. “How?”

她們的對話被兩個開始解開繩子的華麗搖滾人偶打斷了，其他人圍成一個緊密的圈子。那個膽大妄為的人站在中心。當他們解開女祭司的時候，他習慣性地開始唱歌。

Their conversation was interrupted by two glamrocks who started unbinding the straps, while the others surrounded them in a tight circle. The daredevil stood at the center. As soon as they had freed the priestess, he started singing out of habit.

「小紅皇后……」但還沒等他唱完，伊特夫特就向他撲去，抓住他的膝蓋下方，猛地把他拉向自己。華麗搖滾人偶向後倒下。女祭司沒有給他任何恢復的時間，壓在他身上，雙手夾住他的頭，長時間地把嘴唇貼在他的嘴上。

“Little Red Quee...” But before he could finish the line, Itfut leaped towards him, grabbed him just below the knees and pulled him sharply towards her. The glamrock fell over backwards. Giving him no time to recover, the priestess fell down on top of him, clasped his head between her palms and shoved her lips up against his in a long kiss.

然後她站起來，開始轉圈並大笑。

Then she stood up and started turning circles and laughing.

膽大妄為的人躺在地上目瞪口呆，而其他人，包括瑪蒂爾達，都完全靜止地盯著芙蒂張著嘴。伊特夫特突然停下來，伸出一隻手臂，開始繞著他們轉圈，手掌在每個人身上滑過。然後轉過身來，連續三次問同樣的問題。

The daredevil lay on the ground stunned while the others including Matilda stood completely still staring at Futi open-mouthed. Itfut stopped suddenly, stretched out an arm and began to circle them, running her palm across each as she went. Then turning around, she asked the same question three times.

「你們意識到我在做夢，我在夢中看到你們嗎？」 「你們意識到我在做夢，我在夢中看到你們嗎？」 「你們意識到我在做夢，我在夢中看到你們嗎？」

“Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?” “Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?” “Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?”

華麗搖滾人偶目瞪口呆，似乎不明白這個問題，但這不是讓他們擔心的。「她吻了！她吻了他！她是瑪娜嗎？她也是瑪娜嗎？」他們驚訝地喊道。

The glamrocks were dumbfounded and did not seem to understand the question, but that was not what worried them. “She kissed! She kissed him! Is she mana? Is she also mana?” They exclaimed in great surprise.

「你是誰？」膽大妄為的人問她，還沒完全從震驚中恢復過來。

“Who are you?” the daredevil asked her, still not quite recovered from his shock.

「這是偉大而全能的女祭司伊特夫特！」瑪蒂爾達莊嚴地宣布，恭敬地舉起雙手向女祭司致敬。

“This is the great and omnipotent priestess Itfut!” Matilda solemnly proclaimed, reverently raising her hands to the priestess.

「瑪娜法塔！瑪娜法塔！」華麗搖滾人偶擔憂地重複道。「偉大的伊特夫特。」

“Mana-fata! Mana-fata!” the glamrocks repeated concerned. “The great Itfut.”

「是的，」伊特夫特回答。「是的，現在，為了讓你們真正明白，我要吃掉你們所有人！」

“Yes,” Itfut responded. “Yes, and now, so that you really get it, I’m going to eat you all!”

華麗搖滾人偶把這個消息當真了，真的很擔心。「不！不！」他們喊道。

The glamrocks took the news literally and were seriously worried. “No! No!” They cried out.

「是的！是的！」伊特夫特逗弄他們說。

“Yes! Yes!” said Itfut teasing them.

「這不被允許！這不被允許！阿布！」

“It’s not allowed! It’s not allowed! Aboo!”

「是的，是被允許的，」瑪蒂爾達融入她的角色說。「我也要吃掉你們。我們都是瑪娜，並且一起吃掉你們所有人。阿巴！」

“Yes, is it, it is!” said Matilda living into her role. “I’m going to eat you too. We are both mana and together we will eat you all. Aba!”

無法想出反駁的論點，野蠻人擠在一起，因恐懼而顫抖。劇本被破解，角色被顛倒。朋友們站在一起，雙手叉腰，審視著他們的受害者。火已經燒得很旺，鐵板就在旁邊。

Failing to come up with a counter argument, the savages huddled together trembling with fear. The script was hacked, and the roles were reversed. The friends stood beside each other with their hands on their hips and cast an appraising eye over their victims. The fire was already burning well, and the griddle lay close by.

「可恥的華麗搖滾人偶！」瑪蒂爾達用威脅的聲音喊道。「是的，可憐又無用！」女神憤怒地喊道。

“Disgraceful glamrocks!” shouted Matilda in a threatening voice. “Yes, pathetic and worthless!” shouted the diva angrily.

「他們有什麼用？」 「肉！」

“What are they good for?” “Meat!”

「讓我們吃掉他們！」 「我們要吃掉他們！」

“Let’s eat them!” “We’ll eat them!”

瑪娜開始以威脅的姿態向華麗搖滾人偶走去。華麗搖滾人偶嚎叫著，膽怯地向後退。

The mana began moving towards the glamrocks with a threatening stance. The glamrocks howled and edged backwards timidly.

「瑪娜法塔，我餓得像狼一樣！是的，像狼！」 「瑪娜蒂達，我能吃下一匹馬！整匹馬！」

“Mana-fata, I’m as hungry as a wolf! Yes, a wolf!” “Mana-tida, I could eat a horse! A whole horse!”

「腦子是我的，全是我的！所有的腦子都是我的！它們美味又肥美！」

“The brains are mine, all mine! All the brains for me! They’re so deliciously fatty!”

「眼睛是我的！它們又脆又香！我喜歡它們爆開的感覺！」 「無用的華麗搖滾人偶！」

“The eyes are mine! They’re so crunchy! I love the way they pop!” “Useless glamrocks!”

「讓我們吃掉他們！是的，吃掉他們！」

“Let’s eat them! Yes, eat them!”

血腥的瑪娜如此投入她們的新角色，以至於即使是女神的家居睡衣和女祭司的優雅長裙也未能讓她們懷疑這些女人的意圖的嚴肅性。

The bloodthirsty mana were so living in their new role that even the diva’s home pajamas and the priestess’s elegant dress did not prompt them to doubt the seriousness of the women’s intentions.

「我們要怎麼吃掉他們？怎麼吃？」瑪蒂爾達問。「讓我們炸了他們！」伊特夫特回答。

“And how will we eat them? How?” asked Matilda. “Let’s fry them!” responded Itfut.

「不，讓我們活吃他們！」 「不！我們要炸了他們！」

“No, let’s eat them alive!” “No! We’ll fry them!”

「不，活吃！我們要活吃他們！」

“No, alive! We’ll eat them alive!”

她們轉過身來面對彼此，開始了一場幾乎要演變成打鬥的激烈爭論。

They turned to face one another starting a serious argy bargy which almost turned into a fight.

最終達成一致（炸了他們），瑪娜們跑向鐵板，雙手抓住兩側，果斷地把它架在火焰上。甩了甩手臂，她們捲起袖子，帶著掠奪者的目光直視華麗搖滾人偶。華麗搖滾人偶尖叫著四散逃開。瑪娜們帶著狡猾的尖叫聲追了上去。

Finally coming to an agreement (fry them) the manas ran towards the griddle, took hold of it on both sides and decisively set it up above the flames. Having shaken their arms out, they rolled up their sleeves and stared right at the glamrocks with a predatory look. The glamrocks scattered in all directions shrieking. The manas set after them with treacherous screams.

「抓住他們！」 「捉住他們！」 「壓碎他們！」 「扼住他們！」

“Catch them!” “Hold them!” “Crush them!” “Throttle them!”

華麗搖滾人偶在廣場上亂竄，彷彿已經命中註定。他們從未想到可以沿著城市街道逃跑。如果不是瑪娜們最終成功抓住其中一個，就是那個被女祭司伊特夫特吻過的膽大妄為者，誰知道這場像捉迷藏一樣的混亂追逐會持續多久。他們把他打倒在地，拖向火堆。這個可憐的華麗搖滾人偶被恐懼弄得無能為力，除了發出撕心裂肺的尖叫外什麼也做不了。其餘的人再次擠在一起，驚恐地觀察著事態的發展。

The glamrocks rushed around the square as if already doomed. The thought never entered their heads that they could just run away along the city streets. Who knows how long the chaotic running around, like a game of tag, might have gone on for if the manas had not finally succeeded in catching one of them, the very same daredevil, whom priestess Itfut kissed. They knocked him to the ground and dragged him towards the fire. The sorry glamrock was rendered helpless by fear and could do nothing except release a heart-rending scream. The rest huddled together again and fearfully observed events as they unfolded.

把受害者拖到火堆旁，瑪娜們抓住他的手腳，開始左右搖晃，打算把他扔到鐵板上，同時說著，「我們要吃掉他！吃掉他！炸了他！吃掉他！」

Having dragged their victim towards the fire, the manas grabbed him by the hands and feet and began swinging him from side to side with the intention of throwing him onto the griddle, all the while saying, “We’ll eat him! Eat him! Fry him! Eat him!”

整個場景伴隨著野蠻人充滿恐懼和即將發生悲劇的嚎叫。儘管華麗搖滾人偶相當沉重，朋友們還是找到了力量把他左右搖晃。最終，兩位朋友在不需要互相交流的情況下理解了計劃，把華麗搖滾人偶扔到一邊，扔到地上。華麗搖滾人偶，包括那個被打敗的囚犯，期待地凍住了。喘了一口氣後，女神和女祭司看向華麗搖滾人偶，然後看向彼此，突然哈哈大笑起來，搖晃著身體，無法控制地笑著。

The entire scene was accompanied by the howls of the savages filled with horror and a sense of impending tragedy. Despite the fact that the glamrock was quite heavy, the friends found the strength to sway him from side to side. Eventually, understanding the plan without needing to speak a word to each other, the two friends flung the glamrock away to the side and onto the ground. The glamrocks, including the defeated prisoner, froze with anticipation. Having caught their breath for a second, the diva and the priestess looked over at the glamrocks, then at each other and suddenly broke into chuckles, rocking from side to side with uncontrollable laughter.

小紅女王

The Little Red Queen

女祭司Itfut被綁在巨石（megalith）旁廣場的一根柱子上，而那些光彩耀人的玩物（glamrocks）則在柱子周圍兜圈，單調地喃喃念著它們慣常的咒語。

Priestess Itfut stood tied to a pole in the square beside the megalith. The glamrocks were circling the pole, monotonously mumbling their usual mantra.

“Mamma mia, here I go again

‘Mamma mia, here I go again My my, how can I resist you? Mamma mia, does it show again?

“My my, just how much I’ve missed you

My my, just how much I’ve missed you Mana-mia, here I go again,’

它們不時停下來，轉向圓圈中央，再大聲尖叫起來。

They paused from time to time turning to the center of the circle and shrieking loudly.

「小紅皇后！我們要吃掉她！吃掉她！」隨後它們恢復了跺腳與低語。

“Little Red Queen! We will eat her! Eat her!” Then they resumed their stomping and muttering.

「是的，自從離別那天起，我就傷心欲絕，藍得心碎。為什麼，為什麼我竟讓你離去？Mamma mia, now I really know

‘Yes, I’ve been brokenhearted Blue since the day we parted Why, why did I ever let you go? Mamma mia, now I really know My my, I could never let you go.’

醒來的模特兒外表並未改變，她們穿著同樣的灰色連帽長袍，手也依舊像蠟那般灰白。儘管不斷哭喊著情感激動的言語，臉上始終靜若無表情。女祭司立姿自若，宛如堅定的印第安酋長站在折磨臺前，絲毫不理會那些野蠻人默默地將目光固定在她頭頂遠處的一點。而受害者那份冷靜，正逐漸激怒那些光彩耀人的玩物（glamrocks）。

The outward appearance of the awakened mannequins had not changed. They wore the same grey hooded robes and had the same grey, wax hands. Despite their emotional cries, their faces were totally without expression. The priestess held herself as proudly as a staunch Indian chief at a torture post. She paid no attention to the savages silently fixing her gaze on a spot in the distance above their heads. Their victim’s coolness was beginning to irritate the glamrocks.

他們停止跺腳與低語，轉身面對她，紛紛吐出舌頭、嚎叫並瘋狂地搖頭。這一舉動顯然不但沒能對囚犯產生預期效果，反而讓Itfut臉上展露出一抹諷刺的微笑。

They stopped stomping and mumbling, turned to face her and stuck out their tongues, letting out a howl and wildly shaking their heads. This action clearly failed to have the desired effect on the prisoner, quite the opposite in fact as an ironic smile spread across Itfut’s face.

「小紅皇后！」他們繼續喊道，無論是為了威脅受害者還是宣洩自身的不滿，「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“Little Red Queen!” they continued, either to threaten their victim or agitate their own displeasure. “Eat her! Eat her!”

接著，那些野蠻人想出了一個新儀式：他們依次衝向囚犯，解下帽子後把他們光禿禿的腦袋摩擦在她的肚子上，再轉向其他人大聲喊著「【小紅皇后】」；隨後，他們迅速重新戴上帽子，跳離柱子並回到隊伍中，其餘的人也友好地跟了上來。

Then the savages thought up a new ritual. Each in turn ran up to the captive, removed their hood and rubbed their bald head on her belly, before turning to face the others, shouting ‘Little Red Queen!’ And then just as quickly, they pulled their hood back up and jumped away from the post and back into line. The others joined inamiably.

「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“Eat her! Eat her!”

顯然，他們缺乏足夠的想像力來構思出更多變化的詞句與動作，但這正是無需的：從他們勝利的叫喊聲中看來，這樣的表現已足以彰顯出對所謂「皇后」的前所未有的狂妄與大膽。

Evidently, they lacked sufficient imagination to think of a wider variety of words and actions. But they did not need it. Judging by their triumphant cries, this treatment alone was considered an expression of unequalled insolence and audacity towards the ‘queen’.

當所有人都參與完這個儀式後，所有光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 中最勇敢的一位決定做出非凡之舉。他跑到受害者的背後，做出一個可怕的鬼臉，伸出舌頭並舔了舔Itfut衣服上的鑽石領圈；群眾隨即發出一陣贊同的嚎叫。但這位膽大妄為者並未就此停手，上前一步，提出了那個關鍵問題。

After they had all taken part in the ritual, the bravest of all the glamrocks decided to do something extraordinary. This glamrock ran behind the victim’s back, made a horrible grimace, stuck out his tongue and licked the diamond collar on Itfut’s dress. The crowd responded with a howl of approval. But the daredevil did not stop there; stepping forward, he pronounced the essential question.

「我們要怎麼吃掉她？怎麼吃？」

“How will we eat her? How?”

像往常一樣，群眾的回答分成了兩個版本迅速湧現出來，其中一組喊道：「我們要炸她！」

As usual, the crowd’s replies showered forth in two different versions. “We’ll fry her!” shouted one group.

另一組則重複道：「不！煮掉她！」

“No! Boil her!” repeated the other.

這些野蠻人如今已能輕鬆發出「r」音，所以爭論至少從發音上來說沒問題。這就像一場喊話競賽——誰喊得最響，誰就贏；最初那組獲勝了。

The savages easily pronounced the letter ‘r’ now, so the squabble continued at least without any phonetic problems. It was like a bargaining in which the one who yells the loudest wins. The first group won.

「炸掉她！」他們齊聲喊道，現已達成友好一致。

“Fry her!” they shouted, now amicably unanimous.

出人意料地，一群光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 突然拖出一塊與人等高的巨大鐵板，其他人各自分工，有的著手點火，有的圍著受害者跳舞，伸出舌頭、瞪大眼睛。整個狂歡場面伴隨著兩句標準的口號：「小紅皇后！」和「我們要吃掉她！吃掉她！吃掉她！」

Out of nowhere, a handful of glamrocks dragged up a huge griddle the height of a human in diameter. The others set to various tasks, some starting the fire, others dancing around the victim with their tongues sticking out and their eyes bulging. The entire bacchanalia was accompanied by two standard yelps of, ‘Little Red Queen!’ and ‘We’ll eat her! Eat her! Eat her!’

「Matilda！」最終，Itfut的聲音傳了過來，「Matilda—啊—啊！」她大聲卻平靜地呼喚著她的朋友，彷彿只是在邀請那沉睡中的友人一起共進早餐。

“Matilda!” The sound of Itfut’s voice was finally heard. “Matilda-a-a!” Itfut called out to her friend loudly but calmly as if she were doing nothing more than inviting her sleeping friend to join her for breakfast.

在這陣喧鬧聲中無疑喚醒了Matilda，她還穿著睡衣，赤腳從巨石 (megalith) 裡跑了出來。

No doubt waking now on account of the noise, Matilda ran barefoot out of the megalith still in her pajamas.

「啊—啊—啊！」Matilda驚叫道，「你們這些噁心的怪物究竟在幹什麼？趕快放了她，現在就放了她！Futi！」她奔向柱子，企圖解開緊緊纏繞的繫帶，但那些繫帶實在系得太緊。

“A-a-ah!” cried Matilda. “What are you doing, you disgusting freaks? Free her, now! Futi!” Matilda ran to the post and tried to untie the straps, but they were fastened too tightly.

「啊，你們這些怪物！立即放了她！」

“Ah, you freaks! Free her this instant!”

被嚇了一跳，那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 停下了手頭動作，興奮地大聲呼喊起來。

Taken aback, the glamrocks stopped what they were doing and started shouting in excitement.

“Mana-tida! Mana-tida! 我們的 Mana!!”

“Mana-tida! Mana-tida! Our Mana!!”

Matilda問道：「你們究竟該做些什麼？」她意識到必須設法控制這些野蠻人。

“What do you have to do?” asked Matilda, realizing that she had to gain control of the savages somehow.

他們齊聲回答：「讀胡言亂語！」隨後又問：「你們不可做什麼？」

“Read gibberish!” they answered in chorus. “What mustn’t you do?”

「我們不可做那些不被允許的事！」「更具體點，你們不可做什麼？」「我們不能互相吃掉！」

“We mustn’t do what isn’t allowed!” “More specifically. What mustn’t you do?” “We mustn’t eat each other!”

「那你們打算怎麼辦？」「吃掉她！吃掉她！」

“And what are you planning to do?” “Eat her! Eat her!”

「可是你們已被告知，不可以互相吞食啊！」

“But you’ve been told that you mustn’t eat each other!’

「是的，我們不能吃自己的同類。她不是我們中的一員！」這是那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 堅不可摧的論調，他們隨後依舊滿懷熱情地往火堆中扔木柴。

“Yes! We mustn’t eat our own. She’s not one of us!” This was the glamrocks’ sure-fire argument and they continued tossing firewood into the fire with the same enthusiasm as before.

Matilda反駁道：「但我是你們的 mana！我命令你們！她是我的朋友，現在就快解開她的束縛，把她放走！」

“But I am your mana!” objected Matilda. “I forbid you! This is my friend and you will untie her right now and let her go!”

那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks)回答道：「我們不能！我們必須吃掉她！」

“We can’t!” answered the glamrocks. “We must eat her!”

Itfut平靜地說：「Tili，他們不能。他們本能地按照自己的劇情行動，就像不受控制的反射一樣。」

“They can’t, Tili,” said Itfut calmly. “They follow their scenario instinctively like an unconditioned reflex.”

「我們走著瞧！嘿！你們聽清楚了！你們不准吃她！」

“We’ll see about that! Hey! Do you hear me? You’re not allowed to eat her!”

「是的，我們會，會的！」

“Yes, we are, we are!”

「如果你們這麼做，必將引發一場滔天大災難！」

“If you do, there’ll be an almighty crash!” “No there won’t. There won’t.”

「一定會，一定會！她也是 mana！我們兩人都是 mana！」

“There will, there will! She is mana too! We are both manas.”

那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 顯得有些困惑，彼此竊竊私語後，其中一個膽大妄為的家伙——之前曾敢舔女祭司領圈的那個——走上前來。

The glamrocks looked slightly confused. They talked amongst themselves and, then, one of them, the daredevil who had dared lick the priestess’s collar, stepped forward.

「讓她證明她也是 mana！」Matilda擔心地向Itfut投去一記問候的目光。

“Let her prove she’s mana!” Matilda threw Itfut a worried look.

「別擔心，Tili，只要讓他們放開我就好。」

“Don’t worry, Tili, just make them untie me.”

「聽著，你們這群笨蛋，放開她！」Matilda命令道，「這樣你們就會明白她也是 mana！」隨後，她轉向Futi低語道：「Futi，你打算怎麼辦？」

“Listen, you turkeys, untie her!” ordered Matilda. “Then you’ll see that she’s mana too!” Then she turned to Futi and whispered, “Futi, what are you planning to do?”

「破解劇本，」Itfut答道，「怎麼破解？」

“Hack the script,” replied Itfut. “How?”

正談話間，兩個光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 開始解開繫帶，其他人則迅速圍成一個緊密的圈。那膽大妄為者站在正中央，一旦釋放了女祭司，他便下意識地開始唱起歌來。

Their conversation was interrupted by two glamrocks who started unbinding the straps, while the others surrounded them in a tight circle. The daredevil stood at the center. As soon as they had freed the priestess, he started singing out of habit.

「小紅皇后……」話尚未說完，Itfut突然躍向他，伸手在其膝下抓住，猛地將他拉向自己，那光彩耀人的玩物頓時向後摔倒。趁他尚未恢復，女祭司便跳上他的身上，雙手緊扣著他的頭，隨即熱烈長吻起來。

“Little Red Quee...” But before he could finish the line, Itfut leaped towards him, grabbed him just below the knees and pulled him sharply towards her. The glamrock fell over backwards. Giving him no time to recover, the priestess fell down on top of him, clasped his head between her palms and shoved her lips up against his in a long kiss.

隨後，她站起來，開始原地轉圈大笑。

Then she stood up and started turning circles and laughing.

那名膽大妄為者驚愕地臥倒在地，而包括Matilda在內的其他人則呆立不動，一臉瞠目結舌地盯著Futi。Itfut忽然停下腳步，伸出一隻手臂，開始繞著他們走動，每經過一個人便用手掌輕撫一番。然後，她轉身，再連續問了同樣的問題三次。

The daredevil lay on the ground stunned while the others including Matilda stood completely still staring at Futi open-mouthed. Itfut stopped suddenly, stretched out an arm and began to circle them, running her palm across each as she went. Then turning around, she asked the same question three times.

「你們知道我正在做夢，而且夢中見到你們嗎？」 「你們知道我正在做夢，而且夢中見到你們嗎？」 「你們知道我正在做夢，而且夢中見到你們嗎？」

“Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?” “Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?” “Do you realize that I am dreaming, and I am seeing you in my dream?”

那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 明顯愣住了，似乎沒聽懂問題，但這並非他們真正擔心的事。「她吻了！她吻了他！她是 mana？她也是 mana嗎？」他們驚叫著。

The glamrocks were dumbfounded and did not seem to understand the question, but that was not what worried them. “She kissed! She kissed him! Is she mana? Is she also mana?” They exclaimed in great surprise.

「你是誰？」那位膽大妄為者仍未從震驚中回過神來，問道。

“Who are you?” the daredevil asked her, still not quite recovered from his shock.

「這就是偉大且全能的女祭司 Itfut！」Matilda莊嚴地宣告，滿懷敬意地雙手向那女祭司舉起。

“This is the great and omnipotent priestess Itfut!” Matilda solemnly proclaimed, reverently raising her hands to the priestess.

「Mana-fata! Mana-fata!」那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 憂心忡忡地重複道，「偉大的 Itfut。」

“Mana-fata! Mana-fata!” the glamrocks repeated concerned. “The great Itfut.”

「是的，」Itfut回答道，「是的，而且，現在為了讓你們徹底明白，我要把你們全部吃掉！」

“Yes,” Itfut responded. “Yes, and now, so that you really get it, I’m going to eat you all!”

那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 將這話當真，頗為緊張，「不！不！」他們齊聲叫喊。

The glamrocks took the news literally and were seriously worried. “No! No!” They cried out.

Itfut戲謔地說：「是的！是的！」

“Yes! Yes!” said Itfut teasing them.

「這是不允許的！這是不允許的！Aboo!」

“It’s not allowed! It’s not allowed! Aboo!”

Matilda投入角色地說：「是的，確實如此！我也要吃掉你們。我們都是 mana，聯手一起要把你們全都吃掉。Aba!」

“Yes, is it, it is!” said Matilda living into her role. “I’m going to eat you too. We are both mana and together we will eat you all. Aba!”

面對無法提出反駁理由，這些野蠻人結成一團，顫抖著縮在一起。劇本已被破解，角色徹底顛倒。朋友們併肩而立，雙手叉腰，銳利地打量著他們的受害者。火勢早已旺盛燃起，旁邊就放著那塊巨大鐵板。

Failing to come up with a counter argument, the savages huddled together trembling with fear. The script was hacked, and the roles were reversed. The friends stood beside each other with their hands on their hips and cast an appraising eye over their victims. The fire was already burning well, and the griddle lay close by.

Matilda威脅地大聲喊道：「可恥的光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks)！」天后則憤怒地吼著：「是的，真可悲，毫無價值！」

“Disgraceful glamrocks!” shouted Matilda in a threatening voice. “Yes, pathetic and worthless!” shouted the diva angrily.

「它們有什麼用處？」 「肉！」

“What are they good for?” “Meat!”

「讓我們吃掉它們！」 「我們就要吃掉它們！」

“Let’s eat them!” “We’ll eat them!”

mana們開始以威嚇的姿態向光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 跨步逼近，那些對方發出嚎叫，膽怯地向後退縮。

The mana began moving towards the glamrocks with a threatening stance. The glamrocks howled and edged backwards timidly.

「Mana-fata，我餓得像隻狼！是的，一隻狼！」 「Mana-tida，我能吃下一匹馬！整匹馬都行！」

“Mana-fata, I’m as hungry as a wolf! Yes, a wolf!” “Mana-tida, I could eat a horse! A whole horse!”

「腦袋全是我的，都給我！全都屬於我！它們如此鮮美多油，簡直美味無比！」

“The brains are mine, all mine! All the brains for me! They’re so deliciously fatty!”

「眼睛是我的！它們酥脆得很！我喜歡它們啪啪作響的感覺！」 「沒用的光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks)！」

“The eyes are mine! They’re so crunchy! I love the way they pop!” “Useless glamrocks!”

「讓我們吃掉它們！是的，吃掉它們！」

“Let’s eat them! Yes, eat them!”

那些嗜血的 mana 完全投入了他們的新角色，連天后家的睡衣和女祭司那優雅的禮服都無法使他們對這些女子意圖的真誠起一絲疑心。

The bloodthirsty mana were so living in their new role that even the diva’s home pajamas and the priestess’s elegant dress did not prompt them to doubt the seriousness of the women’s intentions.

「那我們要怎麼吃掉他們？怎麼吃？」Matilda問道，「我們炸掉他們！」Itfut回答。

“And how will we eat them? How?” asked Matilda. “Let’s fry them!” responded Itfut.

「不，我們要活吃他們！」 「不！我們還是炸掉他們！」

“No, let’s eat them alive!” “No! We’ll fry them!”

「不，用活的！我們要活吃他們！」

“No, alive! We’ll eat them alive!”

他們互相轉身，激烈爭辯，差點就鬧成一場打鬥。

They turned to face one another starting a serious argy bargy which almost turned into a fight.

最終決定炸掉他們後，mana們迅速衝向那塊巨大鐵板，雙手抓住板的兩側，果斷地將它固定在火焰之上。抖了抖手臂，捲起袖子，他們帶著掠食者般的目光直盯著那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks)。對方見狀，喊叫著四散逃竄，而mana們則伴隨著詭譎的尖叫聲追了上去。

Finally coming to an agreement (fry them) the manas ran towards the griddle, took hold of it on both sides and decisively set it up above the flames. Having shaken their arms out, they rolled up their sleeves and stared right at the glamrocks with a predatory look. The glamrocks scattered in all directions shrieking. The manas set after them with treacherous screams.

「抓住他們！」 「按住他們！」 「碾碎他們！」 「勒死他們！」

“Catch them!” “Hold them!” “Crush them!” “Throttle them!”

那些光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 在廣場上瘋狂奔竄，彷彿已經命中注定，絲毫沒有想到可以沿著城市街道逃跑。誰又能預料，如果mana們最終未能捉住其中那個曾敢親吻女祭司 Itfut 領圈的膽大妄為者，這場混亂追逐（猶如捉迷藏）又會持續多久。他們最終將那傢伙打倒在地，拖向熊熊火堆。可憐的光彩耀人的玩物被恐懼征服，除了一聲撕心裂肺的尖叫外，無能為力。其餘的光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks) 又再次抱成一團，驚恐地目睹著事態發展。

The glamrocks rushed around the square as if already doomed. The thought never entered their heads that they could just run away along the city streets. Who knows how long the chaotic running around, like a game of tag, might have gone on for if the manas had not finally succeeded in catching one of them, the very same daredevil, whom priestess Itfut kissed. They knocked him to the ground and dragged him towards the fire. The sorry glamrock was rendered helpless by fear and could do nothing except release a heart-rending scream. The rest huddled together again and fearfully observed events as they unfolded.

將受害者拖到火堆旁後，mana們抓住他的手腳，開始左右搖晃，打算把他甩上鐵板，一邊喊著：「我們要吃掉他！吃掉他！炸掉他！吃掉他！」

Having dragged their victim towards the fire, the manas grabbed him by the hands and feet and began swinging him from side to side with the intention of throwing him onto the griddle, all the while saying, “We’ll eat him! Eat him! Fry him! Eat him!”

整個場面伴隨著充滿驚懼與末日氛圍的喊叫聲。儘管那個光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrock) 相當笨重，朋友們卻仍憑著力量將他左右搖擺。最終，兩位朋友心照不宣地將那光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrock) 甩向一旁摔落在地上，其餘的光彩耀人的玩物 (glamrocks)，包含那位被打敗的囚犯，都驚恐地緊張不動。稍作喘息後，天后與女祭司彼此對視，隨即露出掩飾不住的笑容，左右搖晃著，放聲大笑。

The entire scene was accompanied by the howls of the savages filled with horror and a sense of impending tragedy. Despite the fact that the glamrock was quite heavy, the friends found the strength to sway him from side to side. Eventually, understanding the plan without needing to speak a word to each other, the two friends flung the glamrock away to the side and onto the ground. The glamrocks, including the defeated prisoner, froze with anticipation. Having caught their breath for a second, the diva and the priestess looked over at the glamrocks, then at each other and suddenly broke into chuckles, rocking from side to side with uncontrollable laughter.