卷福写给圣诞老人的信

绘/木 南

卷福写给圣诞老人的信

A Letter to Father Christmas from Benedict Cumberbatch

绘/木 南

Dear Father Christmas,

So my friend has asked me to write to you... I have to confess①confess 英 ［kən'fes］ 美 ［kən'fɛs］ vt. vi.承认；坦白；忏悔；供认eg. Now， I must confess that I'm at my wit's end. 现在我必须承认我已毫无办法。it's been hard to know what to say. Mainly because like most adults I feel preposterous②preposterous 英 ［prɪ'pɒst（ə）rəs］ 美 ［prɪ'pɑstərəs］ adj. 荒谬的；可笑的asking anything of you because our time with you is surely done. Now we get our own presents, control our own fates, take responsibility for③takeresponsibilityfor对……负责eg.You'llneverhavethepowertochangethesituationuntilyoutakeresponsibilityforit.你永远不会行使自己的权力去改变这个情况，直到有一刻你承担了这个责任。our own actions, and live in the world we have created... so it's not for us to turn around and plead for④plead for v. 请求；为……辩护your help with the environment, the migrant crisis, the NHS, education, food banks, human rights, fundamentalism and wars. Though God knows we need all the help we can get with all these man-made⑤man-made 美 ［'mæn'med］ adj. 人造的；人工的；合成的problems and more.

And it's not that you aren't compassionate and full of joy. You're great. In spite of you being changed into different colours for corporations and being bastardised⑥bastardised bastardise的过去式 bastardise ［'bæstədaiz］ ［主英国英语］ = bastardize vi. 退化；变劣vt. 使……品质低落；判定……为私生子to represent materialism⑦materialism 英 ［mə'tɪərɪəlɪz（ə）m］ 美 ［mə'tɪrɪəlɪzəm］ n. 唯物主义；唯物论；物质主义gone mad—despite probably originating in some season based pagan druid ritual a million thought miles from requests for spontaneously⑧spontaneously英 ［spɒn'teɪnɪəslɪ］ 美 ［spɔn'teniəsli］ adv. 自发地；自然地；不由自主地combusting⑨combust 英 ［kəm'bʌst］ vt. 燃烧；消耗 n. 燃料hoverboards... Kidadults cynically pointing this out⑩point out 指出，指明after having their moment of belief in you are wasting everyone's precious time. Because you are not for them. You are for the children. Children who need some magic in a world where the borders between innocence and responsibility, playful imagination and cold, adult obstacles are continually shrinking.

This is what I'd like to ask you to help with. A little more time for children to be children. Stretch⑪combust 英 ［kəm'bʌst］ vt. 燃烧；消耗 n. 燃料the moment of magic and playfulness. Distract them from the realities of a world gone mad so that they can laugh with their breath rather than sob with their tears. Especially those caringfor family members, or suffering illness, hunger or poverty. Especially those hiding in buildings as bombs rain down, or being handed shaking with fear or cold into a boat to escape environmental disaster or war. Please help to light up their worlds with a moment of joy and hope.

When I think about it you've got it tough this year... And when I really think about it I'm not sure that asking you for a lightsaber and getting one (not that I ever did by the way) is equatable with⑫beequatablewith与……等同controlling the space time continuum⑬continuum英 ［kən'tɪnjʊəm］ 美 ［kən'tɪnjuəm］ n. ［数］ 连续统；［经］ 连续统一体；闭联集and making the good of childhood last a little longer.

But you do inspire wonder and awe amongst those that write you letters and go to sleep hoping there might be a new object in their possession come dawn. You inspire good behaviour and, at least in my memory, some desperate last minute attempts to redeem⑭redeem 英 ［rɪ'diːm］ 美 ［rɪ'dim］ vt. 赎回；挽回；兑换；履行；补偿；恢复bad behaviour so as not to be overlooked. Spare a thought too for those millions who want to write to you but through illiteracy can't. Hear their words and help to give them the time and chance to learn how to read and write so they can better their lives and escape their impoverished⑮impoverished 英 ［ɪm'pɒvərɪʃt］ 美 ［ɪm'pɑvərɪʃt］ adj. 穷困的；用尽了的，无创造性的beginnings.

I feel a little sorry for you. And I guess I've done exactly what I said I wouldn't... Asked you to help with adult problems and solve some of the greatest worries we have for our children. I promise to leave some extra port and mince pies for you!

Lots of love

Benedict x

P.S. Please could I have that lightsaber now?

亲爱的圣诞老人：

我的朋友叫我写信给你……我不得不承认实在很难知道该对你说什么。主要是因为像大部分成年人一样，我觉得对你要求点什么好像很荒谬，因为我们和你已经没有交集了。现在的我们自己给自己买礼物，掌握自己的命运，对自己的行为负责，并且生活在我们自己创造的世界里面……所以我们没有理由找你帮忙来解决我们自己所造成的那些问题，比如环境问题、移民危机、NHS医保系统、教育、食物银行、人权、原教旨主义和战争。尽管天晓得，我们真的需要任何能得到的帮助来面对这些人造的危机和麻烦。

并不是说你没有同情心或者没有让我们快乐。你很棒。尽管你被各种商业机构篡改得面貌全非，被妖魔化而代表了疯狂的拜金主义——简直像异教徒的仪式，一般每到这个季节就要求礼物填满欲望，比如那种有可能突然就自燃了的悬滑板。那些童心未泯的成人冷笑着指出你是在浪费每个人的宝贵时间，却忘了他们自己也曾相信你。因为你不是他们的。你是孩子们的。那些孩子需要你的魔力，因为在这个世界上，天真与责任、充满乐趣的想象力与冰冷的成人的障碍之间的界限正在不断地萎缩逝去。

这才是我想请求你帮助的。让孩子们有更多的时间只做孩子吧。延伸这魔力与乐趣的时间。让他们不去关注这疯狂的真实世界，让他们可以欢笑而不是流泪。尤其是那些不得不照顾家庭的、身患疾病的、挨饿受穷的孩子们。尤其是那些藏身在位于爆炸雨里的建筑中，或不得不又冻又怕的颤抖着被塞进船里才能逃出灾难和战争环境中的孩子。请你照亮他们的世界，给他们一丝希望和欢乐。

当我想到今年你的处境艰难的时候……当我仔细思考，我不能确定找你要一柄星球大战里面的光剑并且真的得到它（呃，并不曾得到过）能胜过控制时空介质而令美好的童年再多停留一阵子。

但对于那些真的给你写信、憧憬着你会在天明前给他们放好礼物而入睡的孩子们，你带来了好奇和敬畏。你激发了善行，并且至少在记忆里，孩子们在最后一分钟试图弥补做错的事情并希望不会因为做错事而被你惩罚。还希望你要照顾一下上百万的不能读写的人们，他们想要给你写信却不行。倾听他们的声音，给他们时间和机会学习读和写，这样他们就可以过上更好的生活，逃离贫困的处境。

我现在对你感到抱歉了。我好像刚刚做了我明明说了我不会做的事……我希望你能帮忙解决成人制造出来的麻烦，缓解我们对我们的孩子最大的担忧。我向你保证，我会给你留超多的肉馅饼的！

爱你哟

Benedict ， 么么哒

P.S. 现在我能拿到我的光剑了吗？