50 bab ballads(50篇巴布歌谣)-第3章
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And I shouted and I danced until he'd quite a crowd around him … And
I rushed away exclaiming； 〃I have found him！ I have found him！〃
And I heard the gentle pieman in the road behind me trilling； 〃'Tira；
lira！' stop him； stop him！ 'Tra！ la！ la！' the soup's a shilling！〃
But until I reached ELVIRA'S home； I never； never waited； And
ELVIRA to her FERDINAND'S irrevocably mated！
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
（
WHOEVER SHE MAY BE。）
OH！ little maid！ … （I do not know your name Or who you are； so； as a
safe precaution I'll add） … Oh； buxom widow！ married dame！ （As one of
these must be your present portion） Listen； while I unveil prophetic lore
for you； And sing the fate that Fortune has in store for you。
You'll marry soon … within a year or twain … A bachelor of CIRCA two
and thirty： Tall； gentlemanly； but extremely plain； And when you're
intimate； you'll call him 〃BERTIE。〃 Neat … dresses well； his temper has
been classified As hasty； but he's very quickly pacified。
You'll find him working mildly at the Bar； After a touch at two or three
professions； From easy affluence extremely far； A brief or two on Circuit 〃
soup〃 at Sessions； A pound or two from whist and backing horses； And；
say three hundred from his own resources。
Quiet in harness； free from serious vice； His faults are not particularly
shady； You'll never find him 〃SHY〃 … for； once or twice Already； he's been
driven by a lady； Who parts with him … perhaps a poor excuse for him Because
she hasn't any further use for him。
Oh！ bride of mine … tall； dumpy； dark； or fair！ Oh！ widow … wife；
maybe； or blushing maiden； I've told YOUR fortune； solved the gravest
care With which your mind has hitherto been laden。 I've prophesied
correctly； never doubt it； Now tell me mine … and please be quick about it！
You … only you … can tell me； an' you will； To whom I'm destined
shortly to be mated； Will she run up a heavy MODISTE'S bill？ If so； I
want to hear her income stated （This is a point which interests me greatly）。
To quote the bard； 〃Oh！ have I seen her lately？〃
Say； must I wait till husband number one Is comfortably stowed away
at Woking？ How is her hair most usually done？ And tell me； please； will
she object to smoking？ The colour of her eyes； too； you may mention：
Come； Sibyl； prophesy … I'm all attention。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
OF all the youths I ever saw None were so wicked； vain； or silly； So
lost to shame and Sabbath law； As worldly TOM； and BOB； and BILLY。
For every Sabbath day they walked （Such was their gay and
thoughtless natur） In parks or gardens； where they talked From three to six；
or even later。
SIR MACKLIN was a priest severe In conduct and in conversation； It
did a sinner good to hear Him deal in ratiocination。
He could in every action show Some sin； and nobody could doubt him。
He argued high； he argued low； He also argued round about him。
He wept to think each thoughtless youth Contained of wickedness a
skinful； And burnt to teach the awful truth； That walking out on Sunday's
sinful。
〃Oh； youths；〃 said he； 〃I grieve to find The course of life you've been
and hit on … Sit down；〃 said he； 〃and never mind The pennies for the chairs
you sit on。
〃My opening head is 'Kensington；' How walking there the sinner
hardens； Which when I have enlarged upon； I go to 'Secondly' … its
'Gardens。'
〃My 'Thirdly' comprehendeth 'Hyde；' Of Secresy the guilts and
shameses； My 'Fourthly' … 'Park' … its verdure wide … My 'Fifthly'
comprehends 'St。 James's。'
〃That matter settled； I shall reach The 'Sixthly' in my solemn tether；
And show that what is true of each； Is also true of all； together。
〃Then I shall demonstrate to you； According to the rules of
WHATELY； That what is true of all； is true Of each； considered
separately。〃
In lavish stream his accents flow； TOM； BOB； and BILLY dare not
flout him； He argued high； he argued low； He also argued round about
him。
〃Ha； ha！〃 he said； 〃you loathe your ways； You writhe at these my
words of warning； In agony your hands you raise。〃 （And so they did； for
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
To 〃Twenty…firstly〃 on they go； The lads do not attempt to scout him；
He argued high； he argued low； He also argued round about him。
〃Ho； ho！〃 he cries； 〃you bow your crests … My eloquence has set you
weeping； In shame you bend upon your breasts！〃 （And so they did； for
they were sleeping。）
He proved them this … he proved them that … This good but wearisome
ascetic； He jumped and thumped upon his hat； He was so very energetic。
His Bishop at this moment chanced To pass； and found the road
encumbered； He noticed how the Churchman danced； And how his
congregation slumbered。
The hundred and eleventh head The priest completed of his stricture；
〃Oh； bosh！〃 the worthy Bishop said； And walked him off as in the picture。
16
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
E
〃NANCY BELL。〃 （1）
'TWAS on the shores that round our coast From Deal to Ramsgate
span； That I found alone on a piece of stone An elderly naval man。
His hair was weedy； his beard was long； And weedy and long was he；
And I heard this wight on the shore recite； In a singular minor key：
〃Oh； I am a cook and a captain bold； And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And a bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite； And the crew of the captain's gig。〃
And he shook his fists and he tore his hair； Till I really felt afraid； For I
couldn't help thinking the man had been drinking； And so I simply said：
〃Oh； elderly man； it's little I know Of the duties of men of the sea； And
I'll eat my hand if I understand However you can be
〃At once a cook； and a captain bold； And the mate of the NANCY brig；
And a bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite； And the crew of the captain's gig。〃
Then he gave a hitch to his trousers； which Is a trick all seamen larn；
And having got rid of a thumping quid； He spun this painful yarn：
〃'Twas in the good ship NANCY BELL That we sailed to the Indian
Sea； And there on a reef we come to grief； Which has often occurred to
me。
〃And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned （There was seventy…seven
o' soul）； And only ten of the NANCY'S men Said 'Here！' to the muster…
roll。
〃There was me and the cook and the captain bold； And the mate of the
NANCY brig； And the bo'sun tight； and a midshipmite； And the crew of
the captain's gig。
〃For a month we'd neither wittles nor drink； Till a…hungry we did feel；
So we drawed a lot； and； accordin' shot The captain for our meal。
〃The next lot fell to the NANCY'S mate； And a delicate dish he made；
Then our appetite with the midshipmite We seven survivors stayed。
〃And then we murdered the bo'sun tight； And he much resembled pig；
Then we wittled free； did the cook and me； On the crew of the captain's
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
〃Then only the cook and me was left； And the delicate question；
'Which Of us two goes to the kettle？' arose； And we argued it out as sich。
〃For I loved that cook as a brother； I did； And the cook he worshipped
me； But we'd both be blowed if we'd either be stowed In the other chap's
hold； you see。
〃'I'll be eat if you dines off me；' says TOM； 'Yes； that；' says I； 'you'll be；
… 'I'm boiled if I die； my friend；' quoth I； And 'Exactly so；' quoth he。
〃Says he； 'Dear JAMES； to murder me Were a foolish thing to do； For
don't you see that you can't cook ME； While I can … and will … cook YOU！'
〃So he boils the water； and takes the salt And the pepper in portions
true （Which he never forgot）； and some chopped shalot。 And some sage
and parsley too。
〃'Come here；' says he； with a proper pride； Which his smiling features
tell； ''T will soothing be if
