love-songs of childhood-第1节
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Love…Songs of Childhood
by Eugene Field
To Mrs。 Belle Angler
Dearest Aunt：
Many years ago you used to rock me to sleep； cradling me in your
arms and singing me petty songs。 Surely you have not forgotten
that time； and I recall it with tenderness。 You were very
beautiful then。 But you are more beautiful now； for； in the years
that have come and gone since then； the joys and the sorrows of
maternity have impressed their saintly grace upon the dear face I
used to kiss； and have made your gentle heart gentler still。
Beloved lady； in memory of years to be recalled only in thought；
and in token of my gratitude and affection； I bring you these
little love…songs； and reverently I lay them at your feet。
Eugene Field
Chicago； November 1； 1894
THE LOVE…SONGS
By Eugene Field
THE ROCK…A…BY LADY
〃BOOH〃！
GARDEN AND CRADLE
THE NIGHT WIND
KISSING TIME
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS
BEARD AND BABY
THE DINKEY…BIRD
THE DRUM
THE DEAD BABE
THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD
So； so； ROCK…A…BY SO！
THE SONG OF LUDDY…DUD
THE DUEL
GOOD…CHILDREN STREET
THE DELECTABLE BALLAD OF THE WALLER LOT
THE STORK
THE BOTTLE TREE
GOOGLY…GOO
THE BENCH…LEGGED FYCE
LITTLE MISS BRAG
THE HUMMING TOP
LADY BUTTON…EYES
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE
THE BROOK
PICNIC…TIME
SHUFFLE…SHOON AND AMBER…LOCKS
THE SHUT…EYE TRAIN
LITTLE…OH…DEAR
THE FLY…AWAY HORSE
SWING HIGH AND SWING LOW
WHEN I WAS A BOY
AT PLAY
A VALENTINE
LITTLE ALL…ALONEY
SEEIN' THINGS
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING
THE DOLL'S WOOING
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE
FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS
〃FIDDLE…DEE…DEE〃
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
THE ROCK…A…BY LADY
The Rock…a…By Lady from Hushaby street
Comes stealing； comes creeping；
The poppies they hang from her head to her feet；
And each hath a dream that is tiny and fleet …
She bringeth her poppies to you； my sweet；
When she findeth you sleeping！
There is one little dream of a beautiful drum …
〃Rub…a…dub！〃 it goeth；
There is one little dream of a big sugar…plum；
And lo！ thick and fast the other dreams come
Of popguns that bang； and tin tops that hum；
And a trumpet that bloweth！
And dollies peep out of those wee little dreams
With laughter and singing；
And boats go a…floating on silvery streams；
And the stars peek…a…boo with their own misty gleams；
And up； up； and up； where the Mother Moon beams；
The fairies go winging！
Would you dream all these dreams that are tiny and fleet？
They'll come to you sleeping；
So shut the two eyes that are weary； my sweet；
For the Rock…a…By Lady from Hushaby street；
With poppies that hang from her head to her feet；
Comes stealing； comes creeping。
〃BOOH！〃
On afternoons； when baby boy has had a splendid nap；
And sits； like any monarch on his throne； in nurse's lap；
In some such wise my handkerchief I hold before my face；
And cautiously and quietly I move about the place；
Then； with a cry； I suddenly expose my face to view；
And you should hear him laugh and crow when I say 〃Booh〃！
Sometimes the rascal tries to make believe that he is scared；
And really； when I first began； he stared； and stared； and stared；
And then his under lip came out and farther out it came；
Till mamma and the nurse agreed it was a 〃cruel shame〃 …
But now what does that same wee； toddling； lisping baby do
But laugh and kick his little heels when I say 〃Booh！〃
He laughs and kicks his little heels in rapturous glee； and then
In shrill； despotic treble bids me 〃do it all aden！〃
And I … of course I do it； for； as his progenitor；
It is such pretty； pleasant play as this that I am for！
And it is； oh； such fun I and sure that we shall rue
The time when we are both too old to play the game 〃Booh！〃
GARDEN AND CRADLE
When our babe he goeth walking in his garden；
Around his tinkling feet the sunbeams play；
The posies they are good to him；
And bow them as they should to him；
As fareth he upon his kingly way；
And birdlings of the wood to him
Make music； gentle music； all the day；
When our babe he goeth walking in his garden。
When our babe he goeth swinging in his cradle；
Then the night it looketh ever sweetly down；
The little stars are kind to him；
The moon she hath a mind to him
And layeth on his head a golden crown；
And singeth then the wind to him
A song； the gentle song of Bethlem…town；
When our babe he goeth swinging in his cradle。
THE NIGHT WIND
Have you ever heard the wind go 〃Yooooo〃？
'T is a pitiful sound to hear！
It seems to chill you through and through
With a strange and speechless fear。
'T is the voice of the night that broods outside
When folk should be asleep；
And many and many's the time I've cried
To the darkness brooding far and wide
Over the land and the deep：
Whom do you want； O lonely night；
That you wail the long hours through？〃
And the night would say in its ghostly way：
〃Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！〃
My mother told me long ago
（When I was a little tad）
That when the night went wailing so；
Somebody had been bad；
And then； when I was snug in bed；
Whither I had been sent；
With the blankets pulled up round my head；
I'd think of what my mother'd said；
And wonder what boy she meant！
And 〃Who's been bad to…day？〃 I'd ask
Of the wind that hoarsely blew；
And the voice would say in its meaningful way：
〃Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！〃
That this was true I must allow …
You'll not believe it； though！
Yes； though I'm quite a model now；
I was not always so。
And if you doubt what things I say；
Suppose you make the test；
Suppose； when you've been bad some day
And up to bed are sent away
From mother and the rest …
Suppose you ask； 〃Who has been bad？〃
And then you'll hear what's true；
For the wind will moan in its ruefulest tone：
〃Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！
Yoooooooo！〃
KISSING TIME
'T is when the lark goes soaring
And the bee is at the bud；
When lightly dancing zephyrs
Sing over field and flood；
When all sweet things in nature
Seem joyfully achime …
'T is then I wake my darling；
For it is kissing time！
Go； pretty lark； a…soaring；
And suck your sweets； 0 bee；
Sing； 0 ye winds of summer；
Your songs to mine and me；
For with your song and rapture
Cometh the moment when
It's half…past kissing time
And time to kiss again！
So … so the days go fleeting
Like golden fancies free；
And every day that cometh
Is full of sweets for me；
And sweetest are those moments
My darling comes to climb
Into my lap to mind me
That it is kissing time。
Sometimes； maybe； he wanders
A heedless； aimless way …
Sometimes； maybe； he loiters
In pretty； prattling play；
But presently bethinks him
And hastens to me then；
For it's half…past kissing time
And time to kiss again！
JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS
Father calls me William； sister calls me Will；
Mother calls me Willie； but the fellers call me Bill！
Mighty glad I ain't a girl … ruther be a boy；
Without them sashes； curls； an' things that's worn by Fauntleroy！
Love to chawnk green apples an' go swimmin' in the lake …
Hate to take the castor…ile they give for bellyache！
'Most all the time； the whole year round； there ain't no flies on me；
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be！
Got a yeller dog named Sport； sick him on the cat；
First thing she knows she doesn't know where she is at！
Got a clipper sled； an' when us kids goes out to slide；
'Long comes the grocery cart； an' we all hook a ride！
But sometimes when the grocery man is worrited an' cross；
He reaches at us with his whip； an' larrups up his hoss；
An' then I laff an' holler； 〃Oh； ye never teched me！〃
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be！
Gran'ma says she hopes that when I git to be a man；
I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother； Dan；
As was et up by the cannibuls that lives in Ceylon's Isle；
Where every prospeck pleases； an' only man is vile！
But gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show；
Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone； or else I guess she'd know
That Buff'lo Bill an' cow…boys is good enough for me！
Excep' jest 'fore Christmas； when I'm good as I kin be！
And then old Sport he hangs around； so solemn…like an' still；
His eyes they seem a…sayin'： 〃What's the matter； little Bill？〃
The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become
Of them two enemies of hern that used to make things hum！
But I am so perlite an' 'tend so earnestly to biz；
That mother says to father： 〃How improved our Willie is！〃
But father； havin' been a boy hisself； suspicions me
When； jest 'fore Christmas； I'm as good as I kin be！
For Christmas； with its lots an' lots of candies；
