50 bab ballads(50篇巴布歌谣)-第4章
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and parsley too。
〃'Come here;' says he; with a proper pride; Which his smiling features
tell; ''T will soothing be if I let you see How extremely nice you'll smell。'
〃And he stirred it round and round and round; And he sniffed at the
foaming froth; When I ups with his heels; and smothers his squeals In the
scum of the boiling broth。
〃And I eat that cook in a week or less; And … as I eating be The last of
his chops; why; I almost drops; For a wessel in sight I see!
* * * *
〃And I never larf; and I never smile; And I never lark nor play; But sit
and croak; and a single joke I have … which is to say:
〃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!'〃
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
TI…
FOO。
FROM east and south the holy clan Of Bishops gathered to a man; To
Synod; called Pan…Anglican; In flocking crowds they came。 Among them
was a Bishop; who Had lately been appointed to The balmy isle of Rum…ti…
Foo; And PETER was his name。
His people … twenty…three in sum … They played the eloquent tum…tum;
And lived on scalps served up; in rum … The only sauce they knew。 When
first good BISHOP PETER came (For PETER was that Bishop's name);
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
19
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
〃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!〃
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
BABY。 A VERY TRUE TALE。 (TO
BE SUNG TO 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;
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
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。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
〃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。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
;
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 T