You'd probably only write to the Queen if you had a very specific favour to ask.
如果你有一個非常特別的請求，你也許只能寫信給女王了。

At least, that was one young girl's motivation for penning a letter to the current monarch .
至少，這是一個小女孩給現(xiàn)任女王寫信的原因。

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歲的林賽·辛普森非常想要一只寵物天鵝，可誰能責(zé)怪她呢？林賽甚至都想好要在哪兒養(yǎng)它們了（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?
那如何才能讓她的夢想成真，這個小女孩知道，在英國只有一個人能幫她這個忙。畢竟，女王擁有英國的每一只天鵝，對吧？

Well, not quite.
嗯，也不完全是這樣。

Not only did Lyndsay get a reply, but it also debunked a common misconception about the Queen (and swans).
不過，林賽不僅收到了答復(fù)，而且信中解釋了人們對于有關(guān)女王擁有天鵝的誤解。

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.
據(jù)《泰晤士報》報道，皇宮通信副統(tǒng)籌表示，女王“認真留意了”林賽的請求，但有壞消息要告訴她。

"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.”
“女王讓我感謝你的來信……而且女王陛下認真留意了關(guān)于你想養(yǎng)寵物天鵝的請求。”

"I should perhaps explain that it is a common misconception that The Queen owns all the swans in the United Kingdom ."
“我也許應(yīng)該向你解釋一下，關(guān)于女王擁有英國所有的天鵝，這是一個常見的誤解。”

"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?lián)碛邪滋禊Z，而且只在泰晤士河的特定區(qū)域她才會行使自己對白天鵝的所有權(quán)?！?/div>

"It should be remembered that as wild birds, swans now enjoy statutory protection."
“你應(yīng)該記得，天鵝是野生鳥類，如今它們受法律保護?！?/div>

"The Queen was encouraged to know of your interest in the birdlife and thought it kind of you to write as you did."
“女王看到了你對鳥類的興趣很受鼓舞，并且很感謝你能寫信給她。”

This sweet response - which Lyndsay was obviously overjoyed at receiving - also came with a booklet on swan upping.
林賽在收到這封貼心的答復(fù)信的時候顯然高興極了，而且她還收到了隨信寄來的一本“數(shù)天鵝”活動的小冊子。

When asked what she would have fed her swans, Lyndsay replied: "Whatever the Queen feeds her swans".
當(dāng)被問及她會用什么來飼養(yǎng)天鵝的時候，林賽回答道：“女王用什么飼養(yǎng)天鵝，我就用什么”。

（翻譯：Dlacus）