中国禁闻: 英语传统童谣选译

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

英语传统童谣选译

【看中国2013年07月17日讯】

1.

Formed long ago yet made today,

Employed while others sleep,

What few would like to give away,

Nor any wish to keep.

谜语（打一家具）

形成很久前，完工在今天，

受雇正在别人眠，

很少有人想放弃，

也没人愿长留连。

（谜底：床）

——早见于1842年JOH

2. Two Cats of Kilkenny

There once were two cats of Kilkenny ,

Each thought there was one cat too many;

So they fought and they fit,

And they scratched and they bit,

Till, excepting their nails,

And the tips of their tails,

Instead of two cats, there weren't any.

吉坎尼县两只猫

吉坎尼县有过两只猫，

各自认为另只是赘料;

他们打斗怒气冲，

他们互相抓又咬，

直到除了剩甲爪，

还有他们尾巴梢，

再没其他属两猫。

——早见于十八世纪英国童瑶集Mother Goose，“吉坎尼”是爱尔兰县名。“吉坎尼两猫”后来逐渐成为“双方愚蠢地互妒、互斗、互残直至互灭”的著名同义语，成为大众讽渝典故。

3.

Two brothers we are,

Great burdens we bear,

On which we are bitterly pressed;

The truth is to say, we are full all the day,

And empty when we go to rest.

谜语，打一生活用品

我们哥俩负担重，

被人强压好苦痛。

说真的，我们整天塞得满，

到了休息里面空。

(谜底：鞋)

——早见于Royal Riddle Book,1820年

4.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?

I've been to London to look at the queen.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?

I frightened a little mouse under her chair.

猫咪，猫咪，去过啥地方？

我到伦敦见女王。

猫咪，猫咪，那边你干啥行当？

我把王椅下面小鼠吓惊慌。

——早见于Songs for the Nursery,1805年

5.

Jack Sprat could eat no fat,

His wife could eat no lean,

And so between them both, you see,

They licked the platter clean.

瘦子杰克不吃油，

老婆吃肥不吃瘦，

你看他们两人间，

盘子舔得光溜溜。

早见于Paroemiologia Anglo-Latina,John Clarke,1639年。

6.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

小星星，

眨呀眨眼睛，

你干什么我纳闷！

高高挂在世界上，

就象钻石在天顶。

When the blazing sun is gone,

When he nothing shines upon,

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle all the night.

当那炎日下山冈，

当他不再照上方，

然后你就微光显，

闪呀闪呀整夜长。

Then the traveller in the dark,

Thanks you for your tiny spark,

He could not see which way to go,

If you did not twinkle so.

于是行人冒黑暗，

感谢微光你辉灿，

他本不知怎么走，

如果你不亮闪闪。

In dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye,

Till the sun is in the sky.

你守空中夜暗蓝，

透我窗帘常偷看，

永远你不闭上眼，

直到太阳出天边。

As your bright and tiny spark,

Light the traveller in the dark,

Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle little star.

你的星光小又明，

映照黑夜行路人。

我虽不知你干啥，

但见小星眨呀眨眼睛。

--Jane Taylor,1783-1824

7.

If wishes were horses,

Beggars would ride;

If turnips were watches,

I would wear one by my side.

如果愿望是乘马，

乞丐也会骑上它，

如果萝卜是怀表，

我也弄只身边挂。

——早见于JOH,1846年

8.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,

Had a wife and couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell,

And there he kept her very well.

彼得，彼得，吃南瓜，

有了老婆养不活她，

把她放进了南瓜瓤，

那里养得顶呱呱。

——早见于MG's Quarto,1825年（大南瓜中有小妇人）

9.

A was an archer, who shot at a frog;

B was a butcher, he had a great dog;

C was a captain, all covered with lace;

D was a drunkard, and had a red face;

E was an esquire, with pride on his brow;

F was a farmer, and followed the plough;

G was a gamester, who had but ill luck;

H was a hunter, and hunted a buck;

I was an innkeeper, who lov’d to bouse;

J was a joiner, and built up a house;

K was King William, once governed this land;

L was a lady, who had a white hand;

M was a miser, and hoarded up gold;

N was a nobleman, gallant and bold;

O was an oyster girl, and went about town;

P was a parson, and wore a black gown;

Q was a queen, who wore a silk slip;

R was a robber, and wanted a whip;

S was a sailor, and spent all he got;

T was a tinker, and mended a pot;

U was a usurer, a miserable elf;

V was a vintner, who drank all himself;

W was a watchman, and guarded the door;

X was expensive and so became poor;

Y was a youth, that did not love school;

Z was a zany, a poor harmless fool.

A是弓箭手，对蛙射和扣。

B是屠宰郎，有狗非常棒。

C是船长官，全身饰花边。

D是醉酒汉，一张通红脸。

E是乡绅佬，容貌很自豪。

F是农民，犁铧后面跟。

G是一赌棍，只有坏命运。

H是猎人族，行猎得公鹿。

I是开旅馆，他爱把酒灌。

J是拼装工，房屋建一栋。

K是威廉王，曾把此地掌。

L是女士，手儿白滋滋。

M守财奴，黄金多积储。

N是贵族，胆大阔装束。

O是牡蛎女，镇上走来去。

P是一牧师，身穿黑袍子。

Q是国王妻，身穿长绸衣。

R是强盗，鞭打很必要。

S是海员，赚来全用完。

T是白铁工，补好锅罐洞。

U放高利贷，可怜身子矮。

V是酒商人，自己样样饮。

W警卫员，把门来看管。

X乱花钱，所以变穷汉。

Y少年郎，上学不喜欢。

Z是一小丑，无害穷笨牛。

——早见于Little Book for Little Children,T.W.1712年

10.

Little Polly Flinders,

Sat among the cinders,

Warming her pretty little toes;

Her mother came and caught her,

And whipped her little daughter,

For spoiling her nice new clothes.

小菠莉，脏又乱，

坐在煤灰间，

烘暖美脚尖。

妈妈过来正发现，

鞭子抽打小女儿，

因为新衣糟蹋惨。

——早见于Original Ditties for the Nursery, 1805年。

11.

Baby, baby, naughty baby,

Hush, you squalling thing, I say.

Peace this moment, peace, or maybe

Bonaparte will pass this way

宝宝，淘气宝宝，

麻烦东西，我说，你别闹，

快安静，要不，会，

波拿巴人过这道。

Baby, baby, he's a giant,

Tall and black as Rouen steeple,

Sups and dines and lives reliant

Every day on naughty people.

宝宝，他是大妖，

象鲁城尖塔黑又高，

他的三餐全依靠，

天天抓那淘气包。

Baby, baby, if he hears you,

As he gallops past the house,

Limb from limb at once he'll tear you,

Just as pussy tears a mouse.

宝宝，他如听见你，

当他跑马过这里，

马上撕碎你肢体，

象撕老鼠那猫咪。

And he'll beat you, beat you, beat you,

And he'll beat you all to pap,

And he'll eat you, eat you eat you,

Every morsel snap, snap, snap.

他会把你敲，敲，敲，

敲你全部成酱料，

他会把你吃，吃，吃，

一口一口咬，咬，咬。

——早见于Notes and Queries,1877年。“波拿巴人”指拿破仑等。Rouen,法国城市。

12.

As I was going to ST. Ives,

I met a man with seven wives,

Each wife had seven sacks,

Each sack had seven cats,

Each cat had seven kits,

Kits cats, sacks and wives,

How many were going to ST. Ives

当我去艾城走一遭，

碰见七个老婆跟个阔老，

每个老婆有七个大包，

每个包里有七只大猫，

每只大猫有七只小猫，

老婆，大包，大猫，小猫，

到艾城去的有多少？

——早见于Harley MS 7316,1730年。谜底根据不同理解为无或一。

13.

If you should meet a crocodile,

Don’t take a stick and poke him;

Ignore the welcome in his smile,

Be careful not to stroke him.

For as he sleeps upon the Nile,

He thinner gets and thinner;

And whenever you meet a crocodile,

He’s ready for his dinner.

一旦你和鳄鱼撞见，

别用棍棒拨弄触探，

别理他的欢迎笑颜，

当心别去抚摩近前。

当他躺在尼罗河边，

越来越瘦蔫，

无论何时你和鳄鱼撞见，

他都准备把你当作美餐。

——原注：无名氏

14、Tom, Jill and Bob

Tom tied a kettle to the tail of a cat,

Jill put a stone in the blind man’s hat,

Bob threw his grandmother down the stairs--

And they all grew up ugly, and nobody cares.

汤姆、吉尔和鲍勃

汤姆水壶拴猫尾，

吉尔石子放进盲人帽子里，

鲍勃推搡奶奶落楼梯，

他们长大全丑鄙，没人理。

15. Winter

When icicles hang by the wall,

And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,

And Tom bears logs into the hall,

And milk comes frozen home in pail;

When blood is nipped, and ways be foul,

Then nightly sings the staring owl,

Tu-whit, tu-who! a merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

When all aloud the wind doth blow,

And coughing drowns the parson’s saw,

And birds sit brooding in the snow,

And Marian’s nose looks red and raw,

When Roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,

Then nightly sings the starling owl,

Tu-whit, tu-who! a merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

寒冬

屋墙外边挂冰溜，

羊倌迪克呵着手，

汤姆木柴背进厅，

桶里牛奶到家冰。

严寒侵血路难行，

定睛夜鸣猫头鹰，

“秃忽、秃忽”声调欢，

油腻琼女翻锅罐。

呼啸寒风摧刮遍，

牧师名言咳声淹，

鸟妈护幼伏雪中，

玛莲鼻子冻通红，

烤蟹嘶嘶响碗盆，

定睛夜鸣猫头鹰，

“秃忽、秃忽”声调欢,

油腻琼女翻锅罐。

——作者William Shakespeare（莎士比亚），1564-1616年

16.

What are heavy? sea-sand and sorrow,

What are brief? today and tomorrow,

What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth,

What are deep? the ocean and truth.

什么是沉重？海沙和悲痛。

什么是短暂？今天和明天。

什么脆弱易损？春花和青春。

什么是深沉？真理和海溟。

——作者Christina Rossetti, 1830-1894年

17. The months 月份歌

January brings the snow,

Makes our feet and fingers glow.

一月带来雪冻，

使我们手脚通红。

February brings the rain,

Thaws the frozen lake again.

二月带来雨水泻，

湖面重新冰冻解。

March brings breezes loud and shrill,

Stirs the dancing daffodil.

三月风声响又尖，

摇动起舞黄水仙。

April brings the primrose sweet,

Scatters daisies at our feet.

四月带来鲜甜报春花，

雏菊零落出脚下。

May brings flocks of pretty lambs,

Skipping by their fleecy dams.

五月带来群群可爱羊羔，

在绵柔的妈妈旁边蹦跳。

June brings tulips, lilies, roses,

Fill the children’s hands with posies.

六月带来百合、玫瑰、郁金香，

花束满握孩子们的手中央。

Hot July brings cooling showers,

Apricots and gillyflowers.

炎炎七月带来凉快阵雨天，

还有杏子、紫罗兰。

August brings the sheaves of corn,

Then the harvest home is borne.

八月带来捆捆谷粮，

于是要承担收割和进仓。

Warm September brings the fruit,

Sportsmen then begin to shoot.

温暖九月水果上市，

运动员开始投射、冲刺。

Fresh October brings the pheasant,

Then to gather nuts is pleasant.

清凉十月带来野鸡，

采集坚果使人快意。。

Dull November brings the blast,

Then the leaves are whirling fast.

阴沉十月带来强风，

于是树叶快速卷腾。

Chill December brings the sleet,

Blazing fire and Christmas treat.

寒冷十二月带来雨凇，

圣诞请客炉火熊熊。

——作者Sara Coleridge， 1802-52年

18.

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,

To buy little Johnny a galloping horse;

It trots behind and it ambles before,

And Johnny shall ride till he can no more.

骑上木马班县去，

买奔马为小强尼。

先前溜蹄后小跑，

直到强尼骑得吃不消。

——宝宝骑在大人膝上时人们所唱，早见于Nancy Cock’s PSB, 1780年

19.

I had a cow that gave such milk,

I dressed her in the finest silk;

I fed her on the finest hay,

And milked her twenty times a day.

我养过母牛产奶恁不凡，

我把最好绸衣给她穿，

我用最好干草来喂她，

每天挤她奶汁二十遍。

——早见于1765-1825年间多次出版的Mother Goose，末句点出“表面恩惠原是为了狠心榨取”。

20.

For Want of a Nail

For want of a nail the shoe was lost,

For want of a shoe the horse was lost,

For want of a horse the rider was lost,

For want of a rider the battle was lost,

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost,

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

因一枚钉子缺欠，使蹄铁完蛋;

因一块蹄铁缺欠，使军马完蛋;

因一匹军马缺欠，使信兵完蛋;

因一名信兵缺欠，使战役完蛋;

因一场战果缺欠，使王国完蛋，

这全起因一枚马蹄钉缺欠。

——著名古老军事格言，二战中英美联合后勤司令部曾悬为墙训。

作者George Herbert，1593-1633年．

21. The Night will Never Stay

The night will never stay,

The night will still go by,

Though with a million stars,

You pin it to the sky;

Though you bind it with the blowing wind,

And buckle it with the moon,

The night will slip away,

Like sorrow or a tune.

黑夜决不会久留，

黑夜还是要离走，

虽然你用百万星，

把它钉在天上头，

虽然刮风你捆紧，

再用月亮来扣定，

黑夜但还会溜去，

就象曲调或悲情。