the bab ballads(巴布民谣)-第7节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
To humour them； he did the same As they of Rum…ti…Foo。
His flock； I've often heard him tell； （His name was PETER） loved him
well； And； summoned by the sound of bell； In crowds together came。 〃Oh；
massa； why you go away？ Oh； MASSA PETER； please to stay。〃 （They
called him PETER； people say； Because it was his name。）
He told them all good boys to be； And sailed away across the sea； At
London Bridge that Bishop he Arrived one Tuesday night； And as that
night he homeward strode To his Pan…Anglican abode； He passed along
the Borough Road； And saw a gruesome sight。
He saw a crowd assembled round A person dancing on the ground；
Who straight began to leap and bound With all his might and main。 To see
that dancing man he stopped； Who twirled and wriggled； skipped and
hopped； Then down incontinently dropped； And then sprang up again。
The Bishop chuckled at the sight。 〃This style of dancing would delight
A simple Rum…ti…Foozleite。 I'll learn it if I can； To please the tribe when I
get back。〃 He begged the man to teach his knack。 〃Right Reverend Sir； in
half a crack！ Replied that dancing man。
The dancing man he worked away； And taught the Bishop every day …
The dancer skipped like any fay … Good PETER did the same。 The Bishop
buckled to his task； With BATTEMENTS； and PAS DE BASQUE。 （I'll tell
you； if you care to ask； That PETER was his name。）
〃Come； walk like this；〃 the dancer said； 〃Stick out your toes … stick in
your head； Stalk on with quick； galvanic tread … Your fingers thus extend；
The attitude's considered quaint。〃 The weary Bishop； feeling faint； Replied；
34
… Page 35…
The Bab Ballads
〃I do not say it ain't； But 'Time！' my Christian friend！〃
〃We now proceed to something new … Dance as the PAYNES and
LAURIS do； Like this … one； two … one； two … one； two。〃 The Bishop； never
proud； But in an overwhelming heat （His name was PETER； I repeat）
Performed the PAYNE and LAURI feat； And puffed his thanks aloud。
Another game the dancer planned … 〃Just take your ankle in your hand；
And try； my lord； if you can stand … Your body stiff and stark。 If； when
revisiting your see； You learnt to hop on shore … like me … The novelty
would striking be； And must attract remark。〃
〃No；〃 said the worthy Bishop； 〃no； That is a length to which； I trow；
Colonial Bishops cannot go。 You may express surprise At finding Bishops
deal in pride … But if that trick I ever tried； I should appear undignified In
Rum…ti…Foozle's eyes。
〃The islanders of Rum…ti…Foo Are well…conducted persons； who
Approve a joke as much as you； And laugh at it as such； But if they saw
their Bishop land； His leg supported in his hand； The joke they wouldn't
understand … 'T would pain them very much！〃
35
… Page 36…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： The Precocious Baby。 A
Very True Tale （TO BE SUNG TO
36
… Page 37…
The Bab Ballads
THE AIR OF THE 〃WHISTLING
OYSTER。〃）
An elderly person … a prophet by trade … With his quips and tips On
withered old lips； He married a young and a beautiful maid； The cunning
old blade！ Though rather decayed； He married a beautiful； beautiful maid。
She was only eighteen； and as fair as could be； With her tempting
smiles And maidenly wiles； And he was a trifle past seventy…three： Now
what she could see Is a puzzle to me； In a prophet of seventy … seventy…
three！
Of all their acquaintances bidden （or bad） With their loud high jinks
And underbred winks； None thought they'd a family have … but they had； A
dear little lad Who drove 'em half mad； For he turned out a horribly fast
little cad。
For when he was born he astonished all by； With their 〃Law； dear me！〃
〃Did ever you see？〃 He'd a pipe in his mouth and a glass in his eye； A hat
all awry … An octagon tie … And a miniature … miniature glass in his eye。
He grumbled at wearing a frock and a cap； With his 〃Oh； dear； oh！〃
And his 〃Hang it！ 'oo know！〃 And he turned up his nose at his excellent
pap … 〃My friends； it's a tap Dat is not worf a rap。〃 （Now this was
remarkably excellent pap。）
He'd chuck his nurse under the chin； and he'd say； With his 〃Fal； lal；
lal〃 … 〃'Oo doosed fine gal！〃 This shocking precocity drove 'em away： 〃A
month from to…day Is as long as I'll stay … Then I'd wish； if you please； for
to toddle away。〃
His father； a simple old gentleman； he With nursery rhyme And 〃Once
on a time；〃 Would tell him the story of 〃Little Bo…P；〃 〃So pretty was she；
So pretty and wee； As pretty； as pretty； as pretty could be。〃
But the babe； with a dig that would startle an ox； With his 〃C'ck！ Oh；
my！ … Go along wiz 'oo； fie！〃 Would exclaim； 〃I'm afraid 'oo a socking ole
fox。〃 Now a father it shocks； And it whitens his locks； When his little babe
calls him a shocking old fox。
37
… Page 38…
The Bab Ballads
The name of his father he'd couple and pair （With his ill…bred laugh；
And insolent chaff） With those of the nursery heroines rare … Virginia the
Fair； Or Good Goldenhair； Till the nuisance was more than a prophet could
bear。
〃There's Jill and White Cat〃 （said the bold little brat； With his loud；
〃Ha； ha！〃） 〃'Oo sly ickle Pa！ Wiz 'oo Beauty； Bo…Peep； and 'oo Mrs。 Jack
Sprat！ I've noticed 'oo pat MY pretty White Cat … I sink dear mamma
ought to know about dat！〃
He early determined to marry and wive； For better or worse With his
elderly nurse … Which the poor little boy didn't live to contrive： His hearth
didn't thrive … No longer alive； He died an enfeebled old dotard at five！
MORAL。
Now； elderly men of the bachelor crew； With wrinkled hose And
spectacled nose； Don't marry at all … you may take it as true If ever you do
The step you will rue； For your babes will be elderly … elderly too。
38
… Page 39…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： To Phoebe
〃Gentle； modest little flower； Sweet epitome of May； Love me but for
half an hour； Love me； love me； little fay。〃 Sentences so fiercely flaming
In your tiny shell…like ear； I should always be exclaiming If I loved you；
PHOEBE dear。
〃Smiles that thrill from any distance Shed upon me while I sing！
Please ecstaticize existence； Love me； oh； thou fairy thing！〃 Words like
these； outpouring sadly You'd perpetually hear； If I loved you fondly；
madly； … But I do not； PHOEBE dear。
39
… Page 40…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： Baines Carew； Gentleman
Of all the good attorneys who Have placed their names upon the roll；
But few could equal BAINES CAREW For tender…heartedness and soul。
Whene'er he heard a tale of woe From client A or client B； His grief
would overcome him so He'd scarce have strength to take his fee。
It laid him up for many days； When duty led him to distrain； And
serving writs； although it pays； Gave him excruciating pain。
He made out costs； distrained for rent； Foreclosed and sued； with
moistened eye … No bill of costs could represent The value of such
sympathy。
No charges can approximate The worth of sympathy with woe； …
Although I think I ought to state He did his best to make them so。
Of all the many clients who Had mustered round his legal flag； No
single client of the crew Was half so dear as CAPTAIN BAGG。
Now； CAPTAIN BAGG had bowed him to A heavy matrimonial yoke
… His wifey had of faults a few … She never could resist a joke。
Her chaff at first he meekly bore； Till unendurable it grew。 〃To stop
this persecution sore I will consult my friend CAREW。
〃And when CAREW'S advice I've got； Divorce A MENSA I shall try。〃
（A legal separation … not A VINCULO CONJUGII。）
〃Oh； BAINES CAREW； my woe I've kept A secret hitherto； you
know；〃 … （And BAINES CAREW； ESQUIR
