Audiobook Dictation: “Long ago there lived a merchant…”

Long ago there lived a merchant who had three daughters.

很久以前，有個商人，他有三個女兒。

Every year at a certain day of a certain month he went away to a distant city to collect money on an account.

每年到了某月某日，他都要到遠方的一座城市去收帳。

His wife and daughters remained at home, and all went well until one sad day the wife died.

妻子和女兒們留在家裡，一切都好好的，直到有一天，妻子不幸去世了。

That year the merchant looked forward to his journey with dread for he would have to leave his daughters alone.

那一年，商人一想到出門就心生恐懼，因為他得把女兒們單獨留在家裡。

"I cannot bear to go away," he said to them.

「我實在不忍心離開，」他對女兒們說。

"My heart is filled with fear lest some evil may befall you during my absence."

「我心裡滿是恐懼，生怕我不在的時候你們會遭遇什麼不測。」

He worried about the matter night and day.

他日日夜夜為這件事發愁。

However, the question of leaving three such pretty girls unprotected was a thing not to be regarded lightly.

然而，把三個如此漂亮的姑娘撇下、無人保護，可不是能掉以輕心的事。

"Do not be afraid to leave us, dear father," said his daughters. "Nothing will harm us while you are away."

「親愛的父親，別怕留下我們，」女兒們說，「您不在的時候，什麼也傷害不了我們。」

"How do you know?" asked their father.

「你們怎麼知道？」父親問。