英美著名儿童诗一百首 [48]
declared:
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of j et, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purr'd applause.
Still had she gazed, but'midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The Genii of the stream:
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betray'd a golden gleam.
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw
With many an ardent wish
She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize——
What female heart can gold despise
What Cat's averse to Fish
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between—
Malignant Fate sat by and smiled—
The slippery verge her feet beguiled;
She tumbled headlong in!
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mew'd to every watery God
Some speedy aid to send:—
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd,
Nor cruel Tom nor Susan heard—
A favourite has no friend!
From hence, ye Beauties, undeceived,
Know one false step is ne'er retrieved,
And be with caution bold:
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize,
Nor all that glisters, gold!
■ 八十五 淹死在金鱼缸里的爱猫
托玛斯·格雷
在一只高高瓷缸的表面，
中国的工艺，彩釉鲜艳，
盛开着蓝色的花朵，
一只雌猫，端庄幽娴——
沉静的赛狸玛，趴在缸沿，
凝视着下面的湖波。
敏感的尾巴，表露愉快：
圆脸漂亮，胡须雪白，
脚掌如丝绒柔软，
外衣可以同龟甲媲美，
两耳似黑玉，两眼如翡翠，
她见了就呜呜赞叹。
她凝神注视，只见下面
有两个水中精灵出现，
像天使在自由翱翔：
鳞片形成推罗紫铠甲，
紫铠看上去富丽豪华，
还透出闪闪金光。
不幸的美女看得出了神：
胡须先一探，再把爪子伸，
充满热切的心愿，
她想去抓住猎物，没成功，——
哪个女人见黄金不心动？
哪只猫见鱼不嘴馋？
孟浪的小姐！她目不转睛，
一再伸爪子，一再躬身，
全不知下面是深渊——
命运这凶神坐一旁微笑——
脚爪子闪失，被缸沿滑倒；
她一头栽进了波澜！
她八次从水里冒出半身，
喵喵叫喊，求各路水神
快快地前来相救：——
海豚没来，海仙不露面，
苏珊和狠心的汤姆没听见——
是宠儿，怎会有朋友！
还没受骗的美人呵，醒醒，
要懂得一失足就成千古恨，
要大胆更要细心：
使人目眩心迷的诱惑
并非都可以合法取得，
闪光的不都是黄金！
屠 岸译
① 托玛斯·格雷（1716－1771），英国诗人。一生只写了十几首诗，少而精。他的《墓畔哀歌》等名作流传至今。
■ 86 TO A CHILD Written in her album
William Wordsworth
Small service is true service while it lasts.
Of humblest Friends, bright Creature! scorn not one;
The Daisy, by the shadow that it casts,
Protects the lingering dew-drop from the Sun.
■ 八十六 给一个女孩
——写在她的照相簿上
威廉·华兹华斯
坚持小小的服务是真正的服务。
聪明人！别藐视任何谦卑的友伴；
雏菊投下自己的影子来保护
流连的露珠，免得被太阳晒干。
方谷绣 屠 岸译
■ 87 MEDDLESOME MATTY
Ann Taylor①
O How one ugly trick has spoiled
The sweetest and the best!
Matilda, though a pleasant child,
One
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of j et, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purr'd applause.
Still had she gazed, but'midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The Genii of the stream:
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betray'd a golden gleam.
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw
With many an ardent wish
She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize——
What female heart can gold despise
What Cat's averse to Fish
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between—
Malignant Fate sat by and smiled—
The slippery verge her feet beguiled;
She tumbled headlong in!
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mew'd to every watery God
Some speedy aid to send:—
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd,
Nor cruel Tom nor Susan heard—
A favourite has no friend!
From hence, ye Beauties, undeceived,
Know one false step is ne'er retrieved,
And be with caution bold:
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize,
Nor all that glisters, gold!
■ 八十五 淹死在金鱼缸里的爱猫
托玛斯·格雷
在一只高高瓷缸的表面，
中国的工艺，彩釉鲜艳，
盛开着蓝色的花朵，
一只雌猫，端庄幽娴——
沉静的赛狸玛，趴在缸沿，
凝视着下面的湖波。
敏感的尾巴，表露愉快：
圆脸漂亮，胡须雪白，
脚掌如丝绒柔软，
外衣可以同龟甲媲美，
两耳似黑玉，两眼如翡翠，
她见了就呜呜赞叹。
她凝神注视，只见下面
有两个水中精灵出现，
像天使在自由翱翔：
鳞片形成推罗紫铠甲，
紫铠看上去富丽豪华，
还透出闪闪金光。
不幸的美女看得出了神：
胡须先一探，再把爪子伸，
充满热切的心愿，
她想去抓住猎物，没成功，——
哪个女人见黄金不心动？
哪只猫见鱼不嘴馋？
孟浪的小姐！她目不转睛，
一再伸爪子，一再躬身，
全不知下面是深渊——
命运这凶神坐一旁微笑——
脚爪子闪失，被缸沿滑倒；
她一头栽进了波澜！
她八次从水里冒出半身，
喵喵叫喊，求各路水神
快快地前来相救：——
海豚没来，海仙不露面，
苏珊和狠心的汤姆没听见——
是宠儿，怎会有朋友！
还没受骗的美人呵，醒醒，
要懂得一失足就成千古恨，
要大胆更要细心：
使人目眩心迷的诱惑
并非都可以合法取得，
闪光的不都是黄金！
屠 岸译
① 托玛斯·格雷（1716－1771），英国诗人。一生只写了十几首诗，少而精。他的《墓畔哀歌》等名作流传至今。
■ 86 TO A CHILD Written in her album
William Wordsworth
Small service is true service while it lasts.
Of humblest Friends, bright Creature! scorn not one;
The Daisy, by the shadow that it casts,
Protects the lingering dew-drop from the Sun.
■ 八十六 给一个女孩
——写在她的照相簿上
威廉·华兹华斯
坚持小小的服务是真正的服务。
聪明人！别藐视任何谦卑的友伴；
雏菊投下自己的影子来保护
流连的露珠，免得被太阳晒干。
方谷绣 屠 岸译
■ 87 MEDDLESOME MATTY
Ann Taylor①
O How one ugly trick has spoiled
The sweetest and the best!
Matilda, though a pleasant child,
One