在華語日常交流對話中，當別人問的問題需要一個很長的解釋時，我們可能會以 “說來話長” 回答。在本期節目中，主持人 Neil 和菲菲教你 “說來話長” 的英文表達方式和具體用法，聽他們的對話。
文字稿
（關於台詞的備註: 請注意這不是廣播節目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能沒有體現錄製、編輯過程中對節目做出的改變。）
Feifei
Hello! 大家好。Welcome to Authentic Real English from BBC Learning English. 我是馮菲菲。
Neil
… and hello, I’m Neil. Err, sorry to mention it, Feifei, but why is there a big coffee stain on your top?
Feifei
Because I spilt coffee all over me!
Neil
Oh, that was silly… and did I notice when you arrived that you were limping?
Feifei
哎，別提了! Thereby hangs a tale.
Neil
What? Did you trip over a tail?
Feifei
No, no. I mean there’s more to tell you. 在英語裡，表達 “thereby hangs a tale” 的意思是 “說來話長，其中大有文章”。當別人問的問題需要一段很長的解釋時，我們就可以用 “thereby hangs a tale” 來告訴他們你的回答會很長，因為有很多要解釋的東西。“Thereby hangs a tale” 這個表達出自莎士比亞的喜劇《皆大歡喜》。Now, let me explain why I have a coffee stain and a limp.
Neil
If it involves me, then no!
Feifei
It does.
Neil
Oh, well. Shall we have some examples of ‘thereby hangs a tale’?
Examples
A: Why are you covered in mud?
B: Well, thereby hangs a tale.
I won that medal for bravery – and thereby hangs a tale.
What a journey! All the main roads were closed so we had to drive cross-country – and thereby hangs a tale.
Feifei
你正在收聽的是 BBC英語教學的 “道地英語” 節目。本期節目中，我們給大家介紹如何用表達 “thereby hangs a tale” 來告訴別人一個問題的回答有一個很長的解釋，也就是我們常說的 “說來話長”。Neil, can you guess what’s happened?
Neil
Hmm, so you have a limp, and you have a coffee stain on your top – were you dancing with a full cup of coffee?
Feifei
I wasn’t. In fact, I was walking to the studio, carefully carrying my coffee, when I tripped over a bag of potatoes in the corridor.
Neil
Ah, that’s my bag of potatoes!
Feifei
I thought so, but why is there a bag of potatoes in the corridor?
Neil
Ah, well, thereby hangs a tale!
Feifei
I’m all ears.
Neil
I’ll tell you later. It’s time to go now. Bye.
Feifei
Bye!
