莎維德麗與薩蒂亞萬：智勝死神的公主傳奇 - 伊索爾特·吉萊斯皮：英語精讀講義

Princess Savitri of the Madra kingdom was as benevolent, 文法

馬德拉王國的薩維特里公主是如此仁慈，

brilliant, and bright as the sun god she was named for.

如同賜予她名字的太陽神一樣才華橫溢、光芒四射。

Her grace was known throughout the land

她的優雅舉國聞名，

and many powerful princes and wealthy merchants flocked to her family's palace to seek her hand in marriage. 慣用語

許多權勢顯赫的王子和富有的商人都湧向她家族的宮殿，向她求婚。

But upon witnessing her blinding splendor in person,

但在親眼目睹了她那令人目眩的迷人風采後，

the men lost their nerve. 慣用語

這些男人們都失去了勇氣。

Unimpressed with these suitors,

公主對這些求婚者毫無興趣，

the princess determined to find a husband herself.

決定自己去尋找一位丈夫。

Mounting her golden chariot, 文法

她登上金色的戰車，

she traveled through rolling deserts,

穿過綿延起伏的沙漠、

glittering cities,

繁華閃耀的城市，

and snow-capped mountains,

和白雪皚皚的山峰，

rejecting many men along the way.

一路上拒絕了許多男子。

Eventually,

最終，

Savitri ventured deep into the jungle, 片語搭配

薩維特里深入叢林，

where she met a young man chopping wood.

在那裡她遇到了一位正在砍柴的年輕男子。

His name was Satyavan,

他的名字叫薩蒂亞萬，

and like her,

就像她一樣，

he loved the tranquil forest.

他熱愛這寧靜的森林。

But the princess saw he was not at peace. 用詞

但公主看出他並不平靜。

After talking for hours,

在交談了幾個小時後，

Satyavan told her of his plight. 用詞

薩蒂亞萬向她講述了自己的困境。

His parents had once been wealthy rulers 文法

他的父母曾經是富有的統治者，

until his father was blinded and overthrown in a violent coup. 文化背景

直到他的父親在一次暴力的政變中被弄瞎雙眼並被推翻。

Now,

如今，

Satyavan worked tirelessly to support their meager new life.

薩蒂亞萬不知疲倦地工作，以維持他們貧困的新生活。

His determination and devotion moved the princess. 用詞

他的決心和孝心打動了公主。

As they gazed into each other's eyes,

當他們凝視著彼此的眼睛時，

she knew she'd finally found an equal. 用詞

她知道她終於找到了勢均力敵的伴侶。

Savitri rushed home to tell her father the good news,

薩維特里急忙趕回家，想把這個好消息告訴父親，

only to find him conversing with Narada, 講解

卻發現他正與納拉達交談，

a traveling sage and wisest messenger of the gods.

那是一位雲遊的聖人，也是眾神中最睿智的信使。

At first,

起初，

her father was thrilled to learn of Satyavan.

她的父親得知薩蒂亞萬的事後感到很高興。

But Narada revealed a tragic prophecy.

但納拉達揭示了一個悲慘的預言。

Her betrothed had only a year to live. 講解

她的未婚夫只剩下了一年的壽命。

Savitri's blood ran cold. 慣用語

薩維特里聽後毛骨悚然。

She'd waited so long to find her partner.

她等了這麼久才找到她的伴侶。

Was she already doomed to lose him? 用詞

難道她已經注定要失去他了嗎？

The princess would not accept these terms. 語氣意圖

公主不接受這樣的條件。

She swore before Narada, 語氣意圖

她在納拉達、

her family,

她的家人，

and Satyavan himself that she would never marry another.

以及薩蒂亞萬本人面前發誓，她絕不會再嫁給別人。

Satyavan was her one true love, 片語搭配

薩蒂亞萬是她唯一的真愛，

and their fates were entwined forever. 慣用語

他們的命運已永遠交織在一起。

Moved by her powerful words, 文法

聖人被她這番強有力的話語所感動，

the sage told the princess to follow an ancient spiritual regimen. 文化背景

告訴公主要遵循一種古老的精神修行。

With regular prayer, 文法

通過定期的祈禱、

periods of fasting,

幾段時期的齋戒，

and preparation of special herbs and plants,

以及準備特殊的藥草和植物，

she might be able to prolong Satyavan's life. 文法

她或許能夠延長薩蒂亞萬的壽命。

After a simple wedding,

舉行了簡單的婚禮後，

the couple returned to the jungle to live in keeping with the sage's instructions. 片語搭配

兩人回到叢林，遵照聖人的指示生活。

This modest existence was a far cry from her lavish upbringing, 慣用語

這種簡樸的生活與她曾經奢華的成長環境有天壤之別，

but they were happy in each other's company. 片語搭配

但在彼此的陪伴下，他們很幸福。

A year passed,

一年過去了，

and the fated day arrived.

命定的日子到來了。

On their first anniversary,

在他們結婚一週年紀念日那天，

the sun grew horribly hot,

太陽變得異常炎熱，

and Satyavan's brow began to burn.

薩蒂亞萬的額頭開始滾燙。

Savitri barely had time to drag him into the shade 文法

薩維特里剛勉強把他拖進陰涼處，

before he grew still and cold.

他便變得渾身僵硬冰冷。

Through her tears,

透過淚水，

the princess saw an immense figure on the horizon.

公主看到地平線上出現了一個巨大的身影。

This was Yamraj, 文化背景

這就是閻摩王，

the god of death,

死神，

come to escort Satyavan's soul to the afterlife. 文法

來護送薩蒂亞萬的靈魂前往來世。

But Savitri was not giving up yet. 片語動詞

但薩維特里仍未放棄。

She followed the god for hours in the beating sun.

她在烈日下足足跟了神明幾個小時。

Yama thundered at the princess to leave him in peace, 語氣意圖

閻摩大聲喝令公主離去讓他清靜，

but even as her feet bled and throat burned, 表達脈絡

但即使雙腳流血、喉嚨灼痛，

Savitri would not turn back.

薩維特里也不願回頭。

Eventually, Yamraj paused.

最終，閻摩王停下了腳步。

He would grant her one wish as a reward for her persistence, 片語搭配

作為對她堅持不懈的獎勵，他願意滿足她一個願望，

but she couldn't ask for her husband's life.

但她不能索要她丈夫的性命。

Without hesitating,

薩維特里毫不猶豫地

Savitri asked the god to restore her father-in-law's sight. 片語搭配

請求死神恢復她公公的視力。

The wish was granted, 文法

願望實現了，

and Yamraj rode on.

閻摩王繼續前行。

But still,

但是，

Savitri's footsteps echoed behind him.

薩維特里的腳步聲仍然在他身後迴響。

Exasperated,

煩躁不已的

the god granted her a second wish.

神答應了她的第二個願望。

This time,

這一次，

she asked for Satyavan's kingdom to be restored.

她請求恢復薩蒂亞萬的王國。

Again,

又一次，

the wish was granted,

願望實現了，

and Yamraj began his descent into his subterranean kingdom. 文化背景

閻摩王開始向他的地下王國下降。

But when he glanced back,

但當他回頭瞥了一眼時，

he was astounded to see the bedraggled princess stumbling along. 文法

驚訝地看到那位狼狽不堪的公主還在踉踉蹌蹌地跟著。

He'd never seen such devotion to the dead, 用詞

他從未見過對死者如此深厚的癡情，

and he honored her dedication with one final wish. 片語搭配

於是他用最後的一個願望來表彰她的奉獻。

Savitri wished to be the mother of many children. 文法

薩維特里希望成為許多孩子的母親。

The god agreed and waved to dismiss her. 語氣意圖

死神同意了，揮手讓她離開。

But the princess only repeated the vow she'd made one year earlier. 片語搭配

但公主只是重複了她一年前立下的誓言。

Her fate was forever entwined with Satyavan.

她的命運已與薩蒂亞萬永遠交織在一起。

How could she bear many children if Yamraj would not return her husband? 表達脈絡

如果閻摩王不歸還她的丈夫，她怎麼可能生下許多孩子呢？

Hearing this clever question,

聽到這個聰明的問題，

the god relented, 用詞

神心軟了，

knowing he'd been beaten. 慣用語

知道自己被打敗了。

With Yamraj's blessing and respect, 片語搭配

帶著閻摩王的祝福和敬意，

Satyavan was returned to Savitri,

薩蒂亞萬回到了薩維特里身邊，

and the two walked back to the land of the living, 慣用語

兩人一同走回了生者的世界，

united in a love that not even death could destroy. 表達脈絡

團結在連死亡都無法摧毀的愛中。

Not all negotiations with death end quite so well. 表達脈絡

並非所有與死神的談判都能有如此完美的結局。

But then again, 表達脈絡

但話又說回來，

not everyone makes one fatal mistake. 用詞

也並非每個人都會犯下一個致命的錯誤。

Find out what Orpheus should have done differently to save his love, 文化背景

想了解奧菲斯為了拯救他的摯愛本該怎麼做，

Eurydice,

尤麗狄絲，

with this video.

請看這段影片。

Or keep the winning streak going with the tale of the doctor who defied death. 慣用語

或者繼續觀看這位挑戰死神的醫生的故事，延續連勝紀錄。