Once upon a time, there was a witch, who was famous for casting spells in the form of questions, thus being known as Querida the Question Witch. One grey, cloudy morning, Querida woke up from an unrestful sleep and was feeling extremely moody. Therefore, after getting dressed, she glided down the staircase into her drawing room where there stood a portrait. However, it was no ordinary portrait.
從前從前，有一個以問問題來施展魔咒而出名的巫女，她名為『問題巫婆可麗妲』。一個陰暗、烏雲罩頂的早晨，可麗妲一早起來感到心情特別不好；於是，換完衣服後，她便衝下樓梯來到裏面放著一幅畫像的客廳。然而，那並不只是幅普通的畫像。
"O Knowledgeable portrait in the hall, tell me: who's the happiest of them all?" Querida inquired the portrait, which replied with the utmost solemnity.
「噢，博學的畫像啊！告訴我：誰是世界上最幸福的人？」可麗妲問道。
"Certainly not thee, Querida! There are plenty out there who are happier than thee!"
「絕對不會是你呀，可麗妲。這世上比你幸福的人多的是呢！」畫像以嚴肅的表情回答道。
"That, I know already!" Querida rolled her eyes, swallowed her anger and reminded herself that she had to be patient to get anything out of this stingy portrait, "Get to the point, please! Who is it?"
「這我本來就知道了！」可麗妲翻著白眼，嚥下了那口氣，並提醒自己要有耐心後繼續說：「請～講重點！道底是誰？」
"Her name is...........Gabriella!" The portrait replied jubilantly as he took great pleasure in seeing Querida angry, especially if it's first thing in the morning.
「她的明字是........嘉碧拉！」畫像興高采烈地回答道，因為他最喜歡看到巫婆生氣了，尤其是在一大清早。
"Who?"
「誰？」
"Or should I say....Princess Gabriella, after she was married to the Prince three hundred and sixty-four days and five hours ago." The portrait spoke extremely slowly so as to make the witch even more frustrated.
「我應該說：嘉碧拉公主，因為她在364天又5小時前嫁給了王子。」畫像故意講話很慢，來氣急性子的巫婆。
Just when Querida was about to lose her temper and shout, the person in the portrait disappeared and in the frame appeared the image of a prince and his bride happily enjoying breakfast in a luxurious dining room.
正當可麗妲要失去理智，破口大罵時，畫像裏的人像消失了，而畫中出現了王子和他的妻子幸福的在富麗堂皇的餐廳享用早餐的溫馨畫面。
"OMG!" Querida exclaimed in astonishment, "Isn't this.........?"
「我的天啊！」可麗妲驚叫道：「這不是........？」
Suddenly, Querida's smartphone rang, as she slid open the lock screen, she discovered that she had a video-call.
突然，可麗妲的智慧型手機響了，當她滑開鎖定頁面後，發現有視訊來電。
"Hullo Aunty Querida! I hope I haven't woken you up from your daydreams! I'm just calling to see if you're still in one piece, you know, just making sure that you haven't turned yourself into a frog or something." In fact, it was her niece- Cindy calling her.
「你好啊，可麗妲阿姨！我想我應該沒有打擾到你做白日夢吧？我只不過是看看你現在怎樣了，看你有沒有把自己變成了一隻青蛙或是什麼的。」事實上，是她的姪女～莘蒂打給她的。
"I see that you are still as rude as before, just like your mother was!" Querida replied, "I was very well until you called, for your information! In fact, I have just received the intelligence from that annoying portrait that your stepsister Gabriella was married to the prince. Was she not? And she is now living a life of bliss and luxury whilst you're stuck with that appalling stepmother of yours! Hahahaha!"
「看來你還是跟以前以樣沒禮貌呀？跟你媽一模一樣！」可麗妲答道。「若你真想知道的話：我直到你打來前都很好！事實上，我剛剛才從那幅討厭的畫像得知原來你那個沒血緣關係的姊姊嫁給了王子呀？不是嗎？她現在正過著幸福美滿、雍容華貴的生活；而你呢？則是天天得面對你那個討人厭的後母！哈哈哈哈！」
"O c'mon Aunty Querida, do not even mention that detestable name of hers!" Cindy's eyes flashed angrily and started screaming frantically, "I was supposed to marry the prince! I was the one that danced with him at the night of the Grand Ball, and I was the one that left the beautiful shoe with him so he could find me! Nonetheless, he suddenly changed his schedule and visited our house earlier than expected; so I was completely taken by surprise and didn't have time to put my make-up on. O curse that wicked stepmother of mine, who knew about the change in schedule from the Prince's Facebook page and deliberately concealed it from me! And curse that atrocious Gabriella, who was naturally beautiful and seduced the prince despite the fact that she was not the one the Prince was looking for all along! O...."
「噢，阿姨！你就別再提那件事兒了！」莘蒂聲氣得瞪大了雙眼。「本來應該是我要嫁給王子的！舞會那天晚上也是我和王子共舞的！也是我特意留下鞋子好讓王子能找到我的！要怪都要怪王子啦！他突然改變了行程，提早繞到我們家來拜訪，害我妝都來不及畫。還有我那個可惡的後母，從臉書得知王子要改變行程也故意不通知我。再來就是那個假惺惺的嘉碧拉，不僅長得天生麗質，而且明知王子在找的根本不是她還故意勾引王子！哼！」
"Who told you to be such a fool then?" Querida cut in curtly, "Just like your mother, who married that father of yours who did not even know how to perform magic, and gave up her magical powers! If it wasn't for her act of foolishness, you would've become a witch, and an evil one, too! Hahahaha! But, it is not entirely irreversible, maybe I will help you here!"
「誰叫你那麼儍呀？」可麗妲冷冷地答道。「就跟妳媽一樣，嫁給了你那個完全不會魔法的爸爸後還寧願放棄了法力。要不是因為她，妳現在就是個邪惡的女巫了！哈哈哈哈！但是，還是有救的，說不定，我會幫妳呢！」
~To be Continued~
～待續～
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