今天的这段对话，在讨论乌鸦精灵，
 
聊一聊关于乌鸦精灵的事，为什么他要偷太阳来照亮世界
 
来听今天的讲解:
 
A: Hi, I wonder if you can help me. I'm trying to do some research about the spirit of the raven.  I have some details already, but I would like to hear more.
 
你好不知道你能不能帮帮我。我想研究乌鸦精灵。我已经有了一些详细资料，但我想再多听听。
 
B: Well. you've come to the right place.  I'm somewhat of a local expert on the spirit of the raven.
 
好的，你算是找对地方了。我可以说是当地这方面的专家。
 
A: Excellent. Well. I know that the raven stole the sun to light up a dark universe, but I don't really know the details.
 
太好了。我知道乌鸦把太阳偷走，照亮了整个黑暗的世界，但细节我就不太清楚了。
 
B: That's true, the raven was a thief, but in a good way.
 
是有这么回事，乌鸦是个贼，但，是个义贼。
 
A: A chief! But this story is very old, isn't it?
 
一个贼！不过这个故事很老了，是不是？
 
B:Yes, the story stretches back thousands of years. We native Canadians tell this story to children, generation after generation.
 
是的，这个故事有几千年的历史．我们十生十长的加拿大人把这个故事讲给孩子听，就这样一代代流传了下来。
 
A: So, what do you know about the spirit of the raven?
 
那么，你对乌鸦精灵都知道些什么？
 
B:This story tells, as you said, of the Raven who stole the sun to light up a dark universe.
 
正像你刚才所说的，这个故事讲述了乌鸦把太阳偷走照亮了整个黑暗的世界。
 
A: But why did he need to light up the universe? I mean, didn't we have a sun then?
 
但是，为什么他要偷太阳来照亮世界？我是说，那时我们没有太阳吗？
 
B: It is told by the elders that, at the beginning of time, the Trickster Spirit looked around and saw only darkness.
 
据老人们讲，在远古时代，魔术师神下来到处察看，结果只看见漆黑一片。
 
A:Right, so there was no sun. But why do we think of the raven? You said the Trickster Spirit stole it?
 
是这样，所以当时没有太阳。但我们为什么会想到乌鸦？你说是魔术师神偷的？
 
B: The Trickster Spirit transformed himself into the raven and then set out to find the light and bring it to the world.
 
魔术师神把自己变成乌鸦，然后动身去寻找光明，并把光明带给了我们这个世界。
 
A: So. is this a story used for teaching us lessons about life? What exactly can we learn from it?
 
所以，这个故事就是用来教给我们一些生活经验吗？我们究竟能从这个故事中学到什么呢？
 
B: Well. We can all identify with the Trickster Spirit, because he is half-human He is creator and spoiler, hero and clown.
 
是这样，我们大家都认同魔术师神，因为他是半人半神。他既是创造者又是毁灭者，是英雄又是小丑。
 
A: So, he is uNPRedictable, one minute inspiring awe for his creativity, the next moment provoking laughter at his foolishness.
 
所以他是不可预测的，他一发挥创造力就令我们对他肃然趁敬，接着他一糊涂又引起大家对他的讥笑。
 
B: Exactly. The moral teachings are laced with humour and an easy acceptance of the truth that nobility and foolishness can reside in the same person-and you can never predict which face will show itself next.
 
一点不错。道德说教经常要带点幽默，这样大家更容易接受事实的真相。同样一个人也会同时有高贵和愚蠢的一面——而且你永远也无法预测接下来会出现哪张面孔。
 
A: Thanks for giving me this extra information, I didn't realize that the spirit of the raven was so signi6cant in Canadian culture.
 
谢谢你给我那么多新信息，我不知道乌鸦精灵在加拿大文化中如此重要。