第 12 节
作者:
世纪史诗 更新:2022-11-23 12:13 字数:9322
(〃Scale〃 and 〃balance〃 is punning; you see)。
There was haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH; There was lumbering
DOODLE…DUM…DEY; Despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH; And good little
TOOTLE…TUM…TEH … Exemplary TOOTLE…TUM…TEH。
One day there was grief in the crew; For they hadn't a morsel of meat;
And BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO Was dying for something to eat …
〃Come; provide me with something to eat!
〃ALACK…A…DEY; famished I feel; Oh; good little TOOTLE…TUM…
TEH; Where on earth shall I look for a meal? For I haven't no dinner to…
day! … Not a morsel of dinner to…day!
〃Dear TOOTLE…TUM; what shall we do? Come; get us a meal; or; in
truth; If you don't; we shall have to eat you; Oh; adorable friend of our
youth! Thou beloved little friend of our youth!〃
And he answered; 〃Oh; BUNGALEE BOO; For a moment I hope you
will wait; … TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO Is the Queen of a
neighbouring state … A remarkably neighbouring state。
〃TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO; She would pickle
deliciously cold … And her four pretty Amazons; too; Are enticing; and not
very old … Twenty…seven is not very old。
〃There is neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH; There is rollicking TRAL…
THE…RAL…LAH; There is jocular WAGGETY…WEH; There is musical
DOH…REH…MI…FAH … There's the nightingale DOH…REH…MI…FAH!〃
So the forces of BUNGALEE BOO Marched forth in a terrible row;
And the ladies who fought for QUEEN LOO Prepared to encounter the foe
… This dreadful; insatiate foe!
But they sharpened no weapons at all; And they poisoned no arrows …
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not they! They made ready to conquer or fall In a totally different way …
An entirely different way。
With a crimson and pearly…white dye They endeavoured to make
themselves fair; With black they encircled each eye; And with yellow they
painted their hair (It was wool; but they thought it was hair)。
And the forces they met in the field:… And the men of KING BORRIA
said; 〃Amazonians; immediately yield!〃 And their arrows they drew to the
head … Yes; drew them right up to the head。
But jocular WAGGETY…WEH Ogled DOODLE…DUM…DEY (which
was wrong); And neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH Said; 〃TOOTLE…TUM; you
go along! You naughty old dear; go along!〃
And rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH Tapped ALACK…A…DEY…AH
with her fan; And musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH Said; 〃PISH; go away; you
bad man! Go away; you delightful young man!〃
And the Amazons simpered and sighed; And they ogled; and giggled;
and flushed; And they opened their pretty eyes wide; And they chuckled;
and flirted; and blushed (At least; if they could; they'd have blushed)。
But haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH Said; 〃ALACK…A…DEY; what
does this mean?〃 And despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH Said; 〃They think
us uncommonly green! Ha! ha! most uncommonly green!〃
Even blundering DOODLE…DUM…DEY Was insensible quite to their
leers; And said good little TOOTLE…TUM…TEH; 〃It's your blood we desire;
pretty dears … We have come for our dinners; my dears!〃
And the Queen of the Amazons fell To BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO; …
In a mouthful he gulped; with a yell; TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…
LOO … The pretty QUEEN TOL…THE…ROL…LOO。
And neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH Was eaten by PISH…POOH…BAH;
And light…hearted WAGGETY…WEH By dismal ALACK…A…DEY…AH …
Despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH。
And rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH Was eaten by DOODLE…
DUM…DEY; And musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH By good little TOOTLE…
DUM…TEH … Exemplary TOOTLE…TUM…TEH!
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Ballad: The Periwinkle Girl
I've often thought that headstrong youths Of decent education;
Determine all…important truths; With strange precipitation。
The ever…ready victims they; Of logical illusions; And in a self…
assertive way They jump at strange conclusions。
Now take my case: Ere sorrow could My ample forehead wrinkle; I
had determined that I should Not care to be a winkle。
〃A winkle;〃 I would oft advance With readiness provoking; 〃Can
seldom flirt; and never dance; Or soothe his mind by smoking。〃
In short; I spurned the shelly joy; And spoke with strange decision …
Men pointed to me as a boy Who held them in derision。
But I was young … too young; by far … Or I had been more wary; I knew
not then that winkles are The stock…in…trade of MARY。
I had not watched her sunlight blithe As o'er their shells it dances … I've
seen those winkles almost writhe Beneath her beaming glances。
Of slighting all the winkly brood I surely had been chary; If I had
known they formed the food And stock…in…trade of MARY。
Both high and low and great and small Fell prostrate at her tootsies;
They all were noblemen; and all Had balances at COUTTS'S。
Dukes with the lovely maiden dealt; DUKE BAILEY and DUKE
HUMPHY; Who ate her winkles till they felt Exceedingly uncomfy。
DUKE BAILEY greatest wealth computes; And sticks; they say; at no…
thing; He wears a pair of golden boots And silver underclothing。
DUKE HUMPHY; as I understand; Though mentally acuter; His boots
are only silver; and His underclothing pewter。
A third adorer had the girl; A man of lowly station … A miserable
grov'ling Earl Besought her approbation。
This humble cad she did refuse With much contempt and loathing; He
wore a pair of leather shoes And cambric underclothing!
〃Ha! ha!〃 she cried。 〃Upon my word! Well; really … come; I never!
Oh; go along; it's too absurd! My goodness! Did you ever?
〃Two Dukes would Mary make a bride; And from her foes defend her〃
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… 〃Well; not exactly that;〃 they cried; 〃We offer guilty splendour。
〃We do not offer marriage rite; So please dismiss the notion!〃 〃Oh
dear;〃 said she; 〃that alters quite The state of my emotion。〃
The Earl he up and says; says he; 〃Dismiss them to their orgies; For I
am game to marry thee Quite reg'lar at St。 George's。〃
(He'd had; it happily befell; A decent education; His views would have
befitted well A far superior station。)
His sterling worth had worked a cure; She never heard him grumble;
She saw his soul was good and pure; Although his rank was humble。
Her views of earldoms and their lot; All underwent expansion … Come;
Virtue in an earldom's cot! Go; Vice in ducal mansion!
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Ballad: Thomson Green And
Harriet Hale (To be sung to the Air of
〃An 'Orrible Tale。〃)
Oh list to this incredible tale Of THOMSON GREEN and HARRIET
HALE; Its truth in one remark you'll sum … 〃Twaddle twaddle twaddle
twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!〃
Oh; THOMSON GREEN was an auctioneer; And made three hundred
pounds a year; And HARRIET HALE; most strange to say; Gave
pianoforte lessons at a sovereign a day。
Oh; THOMSON GREEN; I may remark; Met HARRIET HALE in
Regent's Park; Where he; in a casual kind of way; Spoke of the
extraordinary beauty of the day。
They met again; and strange; though true; He courted her for a month
or two; Then to her pa he said; says he; 〃Old man; I love your daughter
and your daughter worships me!〃
Their names were regularly banned; The wedding day was settled; and
I've ascertained by dint of search They were married on the quiet at St。
Mary Abbot's Church。
Oh; list to this incredible tale Of THOMSON GREEN and HARRIET
HALE; Its truth in one remark you'll sum … 〃Twaddle twaddle twaddle
twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!〃
That very self…same afternoon They started on their honeymoon; And
(oh; astonishment!) took flight To a pretty little cottage close to Shanklin;
Isle of Wight。
But now … you'll doubt my word; I know … In a month they both
returned; and lo! Astounding fact! this happy pair Took a gentlemanly
residence in Canonbury Square!
They led a w