【精英翻譯】的部落格

最神聖的蜥蜴

The Holiest of Lizards

精英翻譯社轉自https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0054/321732/web/

There is a strange type of lizard that lives in Latin America called the common basilisk. Why is it strange you ask? Well, it's not this creature's diet that makes it unique. The common basilisk is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and meat. It's also not the creature's appearance that is so strange. The common basilisk is bright green and can grow up to three feet in length. Rather, it's a special ability that sets it apart from other lizards. This amazing creature can actually walk on water, a characteristic that has earned it the nickname "Jesus Christ lizard."

有一種居住於拉丁美洲的奇特蜥蜴，稱為雙冠蜥（common basilisk）。你可能會納悶牠有何 奇特之處，其實讓雙冠蜥獨一無二的原因，不在於牠的飲食習慣，牠是雜食性動物（意指葷素不忌）；也不在於長相怪異，雙冠蜥呈亮綠色，可生長至三英呎長。讓雙冠蜥有別於其他蜥蜴的原因，就在於雙冠蜥擁有某種特殊能力──這種驚人的生物能在水上行走。這樣的特性讓牠獲得「耶穌基督蜥蜴」的別稱。

According to Christian religious beliefs, Jesus Christ walked on water in front of his followers. If the story is true, Jesus was able to do this because he was the son of God.

根據基督教的信仰，耶穌基督曾在信徒面前行走於水面上。假使此故事為真，耶穌之所以擁 有此能力，是因為他是上帝之子。

With the Jesus Christ lizard on the other hand, God has nothing to do with its ability to walk on water. It relies on long toes with webbed skin to keep it from falling in. These webbed toes increase the surface area of the lizard's footprint, making it less likely that its foot will break the surface of the water. The webbing on its toes is also retractable, which means that it can fold up and then unfold again whenever the Jesus lizard needs to walk on water.

不過，耶穌基督蜥蜴水上輕功的能力，與上帝的神蹟無關，而是因為帶蹼的長腳趾能防止牠 掉入水中。蹼狀腳趾增加了腳的面積，利用表面張力原理減少掉入水中的機率。而且腳趾上的蹼還可伸縮自如，趾蹼可摺攏，並在耶穌基督蜥蜴需要行走於水面時展開。

To be truthful, the Jesus Christ lizard doesn't walk on water. After all, no matter how webbed its toes are, if it took a leisurely stroll on top of a lake, it would definitely fall in. The Jesus Christ lizard runs on water, and it maintains a very quick pace of 1.5 meters per second. It can usually stay on the surface for about 4.5 meters before falling in. It is also a very good swimmer and can hold its breath for up to half an hour.

坦白說，耶穌基督蜥蜴並非行走於水面。畢竟，無論指蹼面積多大，假使牠悠閒地漫步於湖 面上，絕對會掉入水中。耶穌基督蜥蜴彷彿水上飛一般，維持1.5 公尺的秒速快跑於水面上。牠通常可以在水面奔馳大約4.5 公尺的距離，才會掉入水中。耶穌基督蜥蜴亦為游泳健將，屏住呼吸的時間可長達半小時。