英語傳統童謠選譯

【看中國2013年07月17日訊】 看中國網站 禁止建立鏡像網站 。

1.
Formed long ago yet made today,
Employed while others sleep,
What few would like to give away,
Nor any wish to keep.
謎語（打一傢俱）
形成很久前，完工在今天，
受雇正在別人眠，
很少有人想放棄，
也沒人願長留連。
（謎底：床）
——早見於1842年JOH 看中國網站 禁止建立鏡像網站 。

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.
吉坎尼縣兩隻貓
吉坎尼縣有過兩隻貓，
各自認為另只是贅料;
他們打鬥怒氣沖，
他們互相抓又咬，
直到除了剩甲爪，
還有他們尾巴梢，
再沒其他屬兩貓。
——早見於十八世紀英國童瑤集Mother Goose，「吉坎尼」是愛爾蘭縣名。「吉坎尼兩貓」後來逐漸成為「雙方愚蠢地互妒、互鬥、互殘直至互滅」的著名同義語，成為大眾諷渝典故。

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.
謎語，打一生活用品
我們哥倆負擔重，
被人強壓好苦痛。
說真的，我們整天塞得滿，
到了休息裡面空。
(謎底：鞋)
——早見於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.
貓咪，貓咪，去過啥地方？
我到倫敦見女王。
貓咪，貓咪，那邊你幹啥行當？
我把王椅下面小鼠嚇驚慌。
——早見於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.
瘦子傑克不吃油，
老婆吃肥不吃瘦，
你看他們兩人間，
盤子舔得光溜溜。
早見於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，
你幹什麼我納悶！
高高掛在世界上，
就像鑽石在天頂。

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle all the night.
當那炎日下山岡，
當他不再照上方，
然後你就微光顯，
閃呀閃呀整夜長。

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.
於是行人冒黑暗，
感謝微光你輝燦，
他本不知怎麼走，
如果你不亮閃閃。

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.
你守空中夜暗藍，
透我窗簾常偷看，
永遠你不閉上眼，
直到太陽出天邊。

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。
我雖不知你幹啥，
但見小星眨呀眨眼睛。

--Jane Taylor,1783-1824

7.
If wishes were horses,
Beggars would ride;
If turnips were watches,
I would wear one by my side.
如果願望是乘馬，
乞丐也會騎上它，
如果蘿蔔是懷錶，
我也弄隻身邊挂。
——早見於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，
有了老婆養不活她，
把她放進了南瓜瓤，
那裡養得頂呱呱。
——早見於MG's Quarto,1825年（大南瓜中有小婦人）

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，對蛙射和扣。
B是屠宰郎，有狗非常棒。
C是船長官，全身飾花邊。
D是醉酒漢，一張通紅臉。
E是鄉紳佬，容貌很自豪。
F是農民，犁鏵後面跟。
G是一賭棍，只有壞命運。
H是獵人族，行獵得公鹿。
I是開旅館，他愛把酒灌。
J是拼裝工，房屋建一棟。
K是威廉王，曾把此地掌。
L是女士，手兒白滋滋。
M守財奴，黃金多積儲。
N是貴族，膽大闊裝束。
O是牡蠣女，鎮上走來去。
P是一牧師，身穿黑袍子。
Q是國王妻，身穿長綢衣。
R是強盜，鞭打很必要。
S是海員，賺來全用完。
T是白鐵工，補好鍋罐洞。
U放高利貸，可憐身子矮。
V是酒商人，自己樣樣飲。
W警衛員，把門來看管。
X亂花錢，所以變窮漢。
Y少年郎，上學不喜歡。
Z是一小丑，無害窮笨牛。
——早見於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，髒又亂，
坐在煤灰間，
烘暖美腳尖。
媽媽過來正發現，
鞭子抽打小女兒，
因為新衣糟蹋慘。
——早見於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
寶寶，淘氣寶寶，
麻煩東西，我說，你別鬧，
快安靜，要不，會，
波拿巴人過這道。
Baby, baby, he's a giant,
Tall and black as Rouen steeple,
Sups and dines and lives reliant
Every day on naughty people.
寶寶，他是大妖，
像魯城尖塔黑又高，
他的三餐全依靠，
天天抓那淘氣包。

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.
寶寶，他如聽見你，
當他跑馬過這裡，
馬上撕碎你肢體，
像撕老鼠那貓咪。
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.
他會把你敲，敲，敲，
敲你全部成醬料，
他會把你吃，吃，吃，
一口一口咬，咬，咬。
——早見於Notes and Queries,1877年。「波拿巴人」指拿破崙等。Rouen,法國城市。

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
當我去艾城走一遭，
碰見七個老婆跟個闊老，
每個老婆有七個大包，
每個包裡有七隻大貓，
每隻大貓有七隻小貓，
老婆，大包，大貓，小貓，
到艾城去的有多少？
——早見於Harley MS 7316,1730年。謎底根據不同理解為無或一。

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.
一旦你和鱷魚撞見，
別用棍棒撥弄觸探，
別理他的歡迎笑顏，
當心別去撫摩近前。

當他躺在尼羅河邊，
越來越瘦蔫，
無論何時你和鱷魚撞見，
他都準備把你當作美餐。
——原註：無名氏

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.
湯姆、吉爾和鮑勃
湯姆水壺拴貓尾，
吉爾石子放進盲人帽子裡，
鮑勃推搡奶奶落樓梯，
他們長大全醜鄙，沒人理。

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
屋牆外邊挂冰溜，
羊倌迪克呵著手，
湯姆木柴背進廳，
桶裡牛奶到家冰。
嚴寒侵血路難行，
定睛夜鳴貓頭鷹，
「禿忽、禿忽」聲調歡，
油膩瓊女翻鍋罐。
呼嘯寒風摧刮遍，
牧師名言咳聲淹，
鳥媽護幼伏雪中，
瑪蓮鼻子凍通紅，
烤蟹嘶嘶響碗盆，
定睛夜鳴貓頭鷹，
「禿忽、禿忽」聲調歡,
油膩瓊女翻鍋罐。

——作者William Shakespeare（莎士比亞），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.
什麼是沈重？海沙和悲痛。
什麼是短暫？今天和明天。
什麼脆弱易損？春花和青春。
什麼是深沉？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.
一月帶來雪凍，
使我們手腳通紅。
February brings the rain,
Thaws the frozen lake again.
二月帶來雨水瀉，
湖 面重新冰凍解。

March brings breezes loud and shrill,
Stirs the dancing daffodil.
三月風聲響又尖，
搖動起舞黃水仙。
April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.
四月帶來鮮甜報春花，
雛菊零落出腳下。

May brings flocks of pretty lambs,
Skipping by their fleecy dams.
五月帶來群群可愛羊羔，
在綿柔的媽媽旁邊蹦跳。
June brings tulips, lilies, roses,
Fill the children’s hands with posies.
六月帶來百合、玫瑰、鬱金香，
花束滿握孩子們的手中央。

Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.
炎炎七月帶來涼快陣雨天，
還有杏子、紫羅蘭。
August brings the sheaves of corn,
Then the harvest home is borne.
八月帶來捆捆谷糧，
於是要承擔收割和進倉。

Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
溫暖九月水果上市，
運動員開始投射、衝刺。
Fresh October brings the pheasant,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
清涼十月帶來野雞，
採集堅果使人快意。。

Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves are whirling fast.
陰沉十月帶來強風，
於是樹葉快速卷騰。
Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire and Christmas treat.
寒冷十二月帶來雨凇，
聖誕請客爐火熊熊。

——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.
騎上木馬班縣去，
買奔馬為小強尼。
先前溜蹄後小跑，
直到強尼騎得吃不消。
——寶寶騎在大人膝上時人們所唱，早見於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.
我養過母牛產奶恁不凡，
我把最好綢衣給她穿，
我用最好乾草來餵她，
每天擠她奶汁二十遍。
——早見於1765-1825年間多次出版的Mother Goose，末句點出「表面恩惠原是為了狠心榨取」。

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.

因一枚釘子缺欠，使蹄鐵完蛋;
因一塊蹄鐵缺欠，使軍馬完蛋;
因一匹軍馬缺欠，使信兵完蛋;
因一名信兵缺欠，使戰役完蛋;
因一場戰果缺欠，使王國完蛋，
這全起因一枚馬蹄釘缺欠。
——著名古老軍事格言，二戰中英美聯合後勤司令部曾懸為牆訓。
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.
黑夜決不會久留，
黑夜還是要離走，
雖然你用百萬星，
把它釘在天上頭，
雖然颳風你捆緊，
再用月亮來扣定，
黑夜但還會溜去，
就像曲調或悲情。

——作者Eleanor Farjeon，1881-1965年。
（第一部分共21首完）

(文章僅代表作者個人立場和觀點)

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