Книга Чистый nonsense - Эдвард Лир

X

X was King Xerxes, whomPapa much wished to know;But this he could not do, becauseXerxes died long ago.

Ц

Ц – Царь персидский Ксеркс;Папа что было силС ним познакомиться хотел,Да Ксеркс давно почил.

Y

Y was a Youth, who kickedAnd screamed and cried like mad;Papa he said, ‘Your conduct isAbominably bad!’

Ю

Ю – некий Юнош, онВопил и всех лягал;Папа сказал: «Ведёшь себяКак редкостный нахал!»

Z

Z was a Zebra stripedAnd streaked with lines of black;Papa said once, he thought he'd likeA ride upon his back.

З

З – Зебра, зверьПолосно-полосат;Папа проехаться верхомНа зебре был бы рад.

From Posthumous Works, Letters & Diary

Из посмертных изданий, писем и дневников

Dingle Bank

He lived at Dingle Bank – he did; — He lived at Dingle Bank;And in his garden was one Quail, Four tulips, and a Tank;And from his windows he could seeThe otion and the River Dee.

His house stood on a Cliff, – it did, In aspic it was cool;And many thousand little boys Resorted to his school,Where if of progress they could boastHe gave them heaps of buttered toast.

But he grew rabid-wroth, he did, If they neglected books,And dragged them to adjacent cliffs With beastly Button Hooks,And there with fatuous glee he threwThem down into the otion blue.

And in the sea they swam, they did, — All playfully about,And some eventually became Sponges, or speckled trout; —But Liverpool doth all bewailTheir Fate; – likewise his Garden Quail.

Дингл-Бэнк

Он жил в местечке Дингл-Бэнк,В Дингл-Бэнке жил всегда;В саду тюльпаны, штуки три,И Перепел, ну да;Из окон видел впередиОн акиан и речку Ди.

Дом на скале стоял, ну да,Туда под тёплый кровСходились толпы сорванцов,Смышлёных школяров;И каждый разумом крепчалИ тосты с маслом получал.

Но если некий ученикБежал от книг, тогдаУчитель в ярость приходил,Тащил его, ну да,И радостно с окрестных скалВ лазурный акиан спускал.

И неучи в морских волнахБарахтались, ну да,Форелью пёстрой становясьИль губками, беда;Весь Ливерпуль о них скорбел —И Перепел печально пел.

Spots of Greece

Papa once went to Greece, And there I understandHe saw no end of lovely spots About that lovely land.He talks about these spots of Greece To both Mama and meYet spots of Greece upon my dress They can’t abear to see!I cannot make it out at all — If ever on my FrockThey see the smallest Spot of Greece It gives them quite a shock!Henceforth, therefore – to please them both These spots of Greece no moreShall be upon my frock at all — Nor on my Pinafore.

Достопятна[3] Греции

Был в Греции Папа,И там, я поняла,Он видел пятна красоты,Которым несть числа.О них он только и твердитОбеим нам с Мама,Но пятна грецкие на мнеВыводят их с ума!Бывает, пятнышко одноУкрасит мой наряд —Родители – все из себя,Ругаются, корят!И впредь – чтоб старшим угодить,На платье ни одноНе заведётся у меняКрасивое пятно.

Epitaph

‘Beneath these high Cathedral stairsLie the remains of Susan Pares.Her name was Wiggs, it was not Pares,But Pares was put to rhyme with stairs.’

Эпитафия

«В соборе сем в тени ступенейПочиет в мире Сьюзан Пеней.Звалась при жизни Уиггз, не Пеней,Но Пеней – рифма для ступеней».

The Youthful Cove

In medio Tutorissimus ibis. “Thou shalt walk in the midst of thy Tutors.”

ONCE on a time a youthful cove As was a cheery ladLived in a villa by the sea. — The cove was not so bad;

The dogs and cats, the cows and ass, The birds in cage or groveThe rabbits, hens, ducks, pony, pigs All loved that cheery lad.

Seven folks – one female and six male, — Seized on that youthful cove;They said – ”To edjukate this chap Us seven it doth behove.”

The first his parrient was, – who taught The cove to read and ride,Latin, and Grammarithemetic, And lots of things beside.

Says Pa, “I’ll spare no pains or time Your school hours so to cut,And sqare and fit, that you will make No end of progress – but —,”

Says Mrs. Grey, – ”I’ll teach him French, Pour parler dans cette pays —Je cris, qu’il parlera bien, Même comme un Francais – Mais – ”

Says Signor Gambinossi, – ”Si Progresso si farà,Lo voglio insegnare qui, La lingua mia, – ma,” —

Says Mr. Grump, – ”Geology, And Mathetics stiffI’ll teach the cove, who’s sure to go Ahead like blazes, – if – ”

Says James – ”I’ll teach him everyday My Nastics: now and thenTo stand upon his ‘ed; and make His mussels harder, – when” —

Says Signor Bianchi, – ”Lascia far; — La musica da me,Ben insegnata gli serà; — Farà progresso, – Se – ”

Says Edmund Lear – ”I’ll make him draw A Palace, or a hut,Trees, mountains, rivers, cities, plains, And p’rapps to paint them – but – ”

So all these 7 joined hands and sang This chorus by the sea; —“O! Ven his edjukation’s done, By! Vot a cove he’ll be!”

Юный недоросль

In medio Tutorissimus ibis.