鵝媽媽童謠

【There was a crooked man.　一個扭曲的男人】

　　

There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile.
（一個扭曲的男人，走了一哩扭曲的路。）

He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
（手拿扭曲的六便士，踏上扭曲的台階；）

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
（買一隻歪歪扭扭的貓兒，貓兒抓歪歪扭扭的老鼠。）

And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
（他們一起住歪歪扭扭的小屋。）

　　

【THREE BLIND MICE　三隻瞎眼的老鼠】

　　

Three blind mice! See how they run!
（三隻瞎眼的老鼠！看牠們跑的方式！）

They all ran after the farmer's wife,
（牠們追著農夫的老婆，）

who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
（她用餐刀切了牠們的尾巴。）

Did you ever see such a thing in your life as three blind mice?
（你這輩子見過像這樣的東西嗎？和三隻瞎眼的老鼠一樣。）

　　

【SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE　唱一首六便士之歌】

　　

Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye;
（唱一首六便士之歌，袋子裡裝滿黑麥；）

four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie!
（二十四隻黑畫眉，被放在派裡面烤！）

When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing;
（當派被剝開，畫眉開始唱歌；）

was not that a dainty dish to set before the king?
（那不是放在國王桌前，十分可口的一餐嗎？）

The king was in his counting-house, counting out his money;
（國王在帳房數錢；）

the queen was in the parlor, eating bread and honey.
（王后在客廳吃麵包蜂蜜。）

The maid was in the garden, hanging out the clothes;
（女僕在花園曬衣；）

when down came a black bird and snapped off her nose.
（一隻黑畫眉飛來，啄走了她的鼻子。）

　　

【Lizzie Borden Took An Axe.　莉茲波頓拿起斧頭】

　　

Lizzie Borden took an axe, hit her father forty whacks.
（莉茲波頓拿起斧頭，砍了爸爸四十下。）

When she saw what she had done, she hit her mother forty-one.
（當媽媽看見她做了甚麼，她也砍了媽媽四十一下。）

【My mother has killed me.　我媽媽殺了我】

　　

My mother has killed me.　（我媽媽殺了我。）

My father is eating me.　（我爸爸吃了我。）

My brothers and sisters sit under the table,
（我的兄妹們坐在桌子下，）

picking up my bones, and they bury them under the cold marble stones.
（揀起我的骨頭，埋在冰冷的石墓裡。）

　　

【There was a man, a very untidy man.　邋遢的男人】

　　

There was a man, a very untidy man.
（有一個非常邋遢的男人，）

Whose fingers could nowhere be found to put in his tomb;
（他的手指到處找不到，沒辦法放進墳墓；）

he had rolled his head far underneath the bed;
（他的頭滾落在床下；）

he had left legs and arms lying all over the room.
（左腳和手臂到處散亂在房間裡。）

　　

【Who killed led Cock Robin?　誰殺了知更鳥？】

　　

Who killed Cock Robin?　（誰殺了知更鳥？）

I, said the Sparrow. With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin.
（是我，麻雀說。我殺了知更鳥，用我的弓和箭。）

Who saw him die?　（誰看到他死？）

I, said the Fly. With my little eye, I saw him die.
（是我，蒼蠅說。我看到他死，用我的小眼睛。）

Who caught his blood?　（誰取走他的血？）

I, said the Fish. With my little dish, I caught his blood.
（是我，魚說。我取走他的血，用我的小碟子。）

Who'll make his shroud?　（誰來做壽衣？）

I , said the Beetle. With my thread and needle, I'll make the shroud.
（是我，甲蟲說。我將為他做壽衣，用我的針和線。）

Who'll dig his grave?　（誰來挖墳墓？）

I, said the Owl. With my pick and shovel, I'll dig his grave.
（是我，貓頭鷹說。我將為他挖墳墓，用我的鑿子和鏟子。）

Who'll be the person?　（誰來當牧師？）

I, said the Rook. With my little book, I'll be the person.
（是我，烏鴉說。我將為他當牧師，用我的小本子。）

Who'll be the clerk?　（誰來當執事？）

I, said the Lark. If it's not in the dark, I'll be the clerk.
（是我，雲雀說。如果不是在暗處，我將當執事。）

Who'll carry the link?　（誰拿火炬來？）

I, said the Linnet. I'll fetch it in a minute, I'll carry the link.
（是我，紅雀說。我將拿它片刻，我將拿火炬來。）

Who'll be chief mourner?　（誰來當主祭？）

I, said the Dove. I mourn for my love, I'll be chief mourner.
（是我，鴿子說。我將當主祭，為吾愛哀悼。）

Who'll carry the coffin?　（誰來抬棺？）

I, said the Kite. If it's not through the night, I'll carry the coffin.
（是我，鳶說。若不經過夜晚，我將抬棺。）

Who'll bear the pall?　（誰來扶棺？）

We, said the Wren. Both the cock and the hen, we'll bear the pall.
（是我們，鷦鷯說。還有公雞和母雞，我們將扶棺。）

Who'll sing a psalm?　（誰來唱讚美詩？）

I, said the Thrush. As she sat on a bush, I'll sing a psalm.
（是我，畫眉說。當他埋入灌木叢中，我將唱讚美詩。）

Who'll toll the bell?　（誰來敲喪鐘？）

I, said the Bull. Because I can pull, so Cock Robin, farewell.
（是我，牛說，因為我可以拉鐘，所以，再會了，知更鳥。）

All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing, when they heard the bell toll, for poor Cock Robin.
（當喪鐘為那可憐的知更鳥響起，空中所有的鳥都悲嘆哭泣。）

　　

NOTICE　（啟事）

To all it concerns, this notice apprises, the Sparrow's for trial, at next bird assizes.
（關係人請注意，下回小鳥審判，受審者為麻雀。）

　　　

【Ten little nigger boys went out to dine.　十個小黑人】

　　

Ten little nigger boys went out to dine; one choked his little self, and then there were nine.
（十個小黑人外出吃飯，一個噎死還剩下九個。）

Nine little nigger boys sat up very late; one overslept himself, and then there were eight.
（九個小黑人熬夜到很晚，一個睡過頭還剩下八個。）

Eight little nigger boys traveling in Devon; one said he'd stay there, and then there were seven.
（八個小黑人到丹文遊玩，一個說要留下還剩下七個。）

Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks; one chopped himself in half, and then there were six.
（七個小黑人砍棍子，一個把自己砍成兩半還剩下六個。）

Six little nigger boys playing with a hive; a bumble-bee stung one, and then there were five.
（六個小黑人玩蜂窩，一隻黃蜂盯住一個還剩五個。）

Five little nigger boys going in for law; one got in chancery, and then there were four.
（五個小黑人進了法院，一個被留下還剩下四個。）

Four little nigger boys going out to sea; a red herring swallowed one, and then there were three.
（四個小黑人到海邊，一條紅色的鯡魚吞下還剩下三個。）

Three little nigger boys walking in the Zoo; a big bear bugged one, and then there were two.
（三個小黑人走進動物園裡，一隻大熊抓走一個還剩下兩個。）

Two little nigger boys sitting in the sun; one got frizzled up, and then there was one.
（兩個小黑人坐在太陽下，一個熱死只剩下一個。）

One little nigger boy living all alone; he got married, and then there were none.
（一個小黑人覺得好寂寞，他上吊後一個也不剩。）