You'd probably only write to the Queen if you had a very specific favour to ask.
如果你有一个非常特别的请求，你也许只能写信给女王了。
At least, that was one young girl's motivation for penning a letter to the current monarch .
至少，这是一个小女孩给现任女王写信的原因。
Five-year-old Lyndsay Simpson badly wants a pet swan - and who can blame her? Lyndsay had even gone as far as to decide where she'd keep them (the bath).
5岁的林赛·辛普森非常想要一只宠物天鹅，可谁能责怪她呢？林赛甚至都想好要在哪儿养它们了（浴缸里）。
When it came to making her dream a reality, the youngster knew there was just one woman in the UK who can help with this request. After all, the Queen owns every swan in Britain , right?
那如何才能让她的梦想成真，这个小女孩知道，在英国只有一个人能帮她这个忙。毕竟，女王拥有英国的每一只天鹅，对吧？
Well, not quite.
嗯，也不完全是这样。
Not only did Lyndsay get a reply, but it also debunked a common misconception about the Queen (and swans).
不过，林赛不仅收到了答复，而且信中解释了人们对于有关女王拥有天鹅的误解。
According to The Times, Jennie Vine, a deputy correspondence coordinator at the Palace, stated that the Queen had taken 'careful note' of Lyndsay's request - but had some bad news for her.
据《泰晤士报》报道，皇宫通信副统筹表示，女王“认真留意了”林赛的请求，但有坏消息要告诉她。
"The Queen has asked me to thank you for your letter...from which Her Majesty has taken careful note of your comments regarding the keeping of swans as pets.”
“女王让我感谢你的来信……而且女王陛下认真留意了关于你想养宠物天鹅的请求。”
"I should perhaps explain that it is a common misconception that The Queen owns all the swans in the United Kingdom ."
“我也许应该向你解释一下，关于女王拥有英国所有的天鹅，这是一个常见的误解。”
"Her Majesty owns mute swans and only exercises her right of ownership over swans on certain parts of the River Thames."
“女王殿下拥有白天鹅，而且只在泰晤士河的特定区域她才会行使自己对白天鹅的所有权。”
"It should be remembered that as wild birds, swans now enjoy statutory protection."
“你应该记得，天鹅是野生鸟类，如今它们受法律保护。”
"The Queen was encouraged to know of your interest in the birdlife and thought it kind of you to write as you did."
“女王看到了你对鸟类的兴趣很受鼓舞，并且很感谢你能写信给她。”
This sweet response - which Lyndsay was obviously overjoyed at receiving - also came with a booklet on swan upping.
林赛在收到这封贴心的答复信的时候显然高兴极了，而且她还收到了随信寄来的一本“数天鹅”活动的小册子。
When asked what she would have fed her swans, Lyndsay replied: "Whatever the Queen feeds her swans".
当被问及她会用什么来饲养天鹅的时候，林赛回答道：“女王用什么饲养天鹅，我就用什么”。
（来源：沪江英语 翻译：Dlacus）
