打油诗，不奇怪，古今中外人人爱；

画家利尔有高招，诗画相配妙手裁。

莫笑诗画多荒诞，幽默夸张放异彩；

轻松一读妙趣生，地道英语学得快。

书中自有欢喜在，开卷有益乐满怀；

老人一翻心态好，少儿奇思妙想开。

天南地北见识广，说东道西显诗才；

一卷在手身心乐，恬然启航下学海。

There was an Old Man with a nose,

Who said, "If you choose to suppose

That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"

That remarkable Man with a nose.

有个老头儿鼻子长，

他说：“要是你们都这样想，

认为我的鼻子长，那可实在太荒唐！”

好个大名鼎鼎的长鼻王。

There was an Old Man on some rocks,

Who shut his Wife up in a box:

When she said, "Let me out," he exclaimed, "Without doubt

You will pass all your life in that box."

礁石上一老头儿将老婆，

关进了箱子又上了锁；

她叫：“让我出去。”他却说：“别急，

你就在箱中把一生过。”

There was a Young Person of Smyrna,

Whose Grandmother threatened to burn her;

But she seized on the Cat, and said, "Granny, burn that!

You incongruous Old Woman of Smyrna!"

有个姑娘住在士麦那[1]，

奶奶扬言要烧死她；

她抓起一只猫：“奶奶，你有种烧，

士麦那女人说话得算话！”

There was an Old Person of Rheims,

Who was troubled with horrible dreams;

So to keep him awake they fed him with cake,

Which amused that Old Person of Rheims.

兰斯[2]有一个老头，

恶梦缠住他一宿；

为了让他不睡着，人们喂他吃蛋糕，

可逗乐了兰斯的老头。

There was an Old Man on a hill,

Who seldom, if ever, stood still;

He ran up and down in his Grandmother's gown,

Which adorned that Old Man on a hill.

山上有一位老翁，

腿脚不歇真好动；

他穿着奶奶的大睡袍，山上山下来回跑，

活脱脱一个老顽童。

There was an Old Man of Leghorn,

The smallest that ever was born;

But quickly snapt up he was once by a Puppy,

Who devoured that Old Man of Leghorn.

来亨[3]有个小老头，

个儿小世界数一流；

有次实在不凑巧，被狗儿逮了个正着，

一口吞了这小老头。

There was an Old Person of Chili,

Whose conduct was painful and silly;

He sate on the stairs, eating apples and pears,

That imprudent Old Person of Chili.

智利有个傻老头，

蠢得让人真难受；

他一屁股坐在楼梯上，又啃苹果又把梨尝，

这荒唐的智利傻老头。

There was an Old Man in a pew,

Whose waistcoat was spotted with blue;

But he tore it in pieces, to give to his Nieces,

That cheerful Old Man in a pew.

教堂长椅上有个老汉，

穿的马甲印满蓝点图案；

他却将马甲撕成碎片，分给侄女每人一片——

这长椅上的快活老汉。

There was an Old Man with a gong,

Who bumped at it all the day long;

But they called out, "Oh, law! you're a horrid old bore!"

So they smashed that Old Man with a gong.

从前有个老家伙，

整天敲着他的锣；

大伙儿齐声喊：“天哪！你怎么烦得没个完！”

于是把老头和锣都打破。

There was an Old Man of Jamaica,

Who suddenly married a Quaker;

But she cried out, "Oh, lack! I have married a black!"

Which distressed that Old Man of Jamaica.

有一个牙买加老伯伯，

讨了个费城[4]人当老婆；

她的老婆却大喊：“天哪，我怎么嫁了个黑汉！”

这可愁死了牙买加的老伯伯。

There was an Old Man of Kilkenny,

Who never had more than a penny;

He spent all that money in onions and honey,

That wayward Old Man of Kilkenny.

基尔肯尼[5]一老汉，

家财不超过一铜板；

有天他将家财全出手，买了蜂蜜和葱头，

这基尔肯尼的怪老汉。

There was an Old Man who said, "How

Shall I flee from this horrible Cow?

I will sit on this stile, and continue to smile,

Which may soften the heart of that Cow."

曾经有一个老头，

他问：“咋避开这一头恶牛？

且让我台阶上坐着，依然笑得乐呵呵，

或许能感化这凶狠的牛。”

There was an Old Man of Columbia,

Who was thirsty, and called out for some beer;

But they brought it quite hot, in a small copper pot,

Which disgusted that man of Columbia.

哥伦比亚一老头，

口渴了嚷着要啤酒；

啤酒铜杯装，端来啤酒烫，

这让他渴得更难受。

There was a Young Lady of Troy,

Whom several large flies did annoy;

Some she killed with a thump, some she drowned at the pump, And some she took with her to Troy.

特洛伊[6]有位年轻女郎，

几只大苍蝇惹得她抓狂；

她“啪啪”拍死几只，用水泵又淹死几只，

剩下的带回了特洛伊家乡。

There was an Old Man in a tree,

Who was horribly bored by a Bee;

When they said, "Does it buzz?" he replied, "Yes, it does!

It's a regular brute of a Bee."

有个老头儿躲在树顶，

被一只蜜蜂烦得要命；

有人问：“它可嗡嗡叫？”他答：“真是受不了！

好只该死的丧门星！”

There was a Young Lady of Hull,

Who was chased by a virulent Bull;

But she seized on a spade, and called out, "Who's afraid?"

Which distracted that virulent Bull.

赫尔[7]有位年轻女郎，

不幸被一头恶牛追上；

她抄起铁锹一把， 大叫道：“谁怕！”

这才把恶牛轰到一旁。

There was an Old Lady of Chertsey,

Who made a remarkable curtsey;

She twirled round and round, till she sank underground,

Which distressed all the people of Chertsey.

切特西[8]有位老太太，

屈膝礼行得真精彩；

看她滴溜溜地转，不陷入地下不算完，

这让切特西的乡亲很悲哀。

There was an Old Person of Dutton,

Whose head was as small as a button;

So to make it look big he purchased a wig,

And rapidly rushed about Dutton.

达顿[9]有一个老头，

脑袋小得像扭扣；

为了假装头大，特地买来蓬假发，

戴上它到各处去游走。

There was a Young Lady whose chin

Resembled the point of a pin;

So she had it made sharp, and purchased a harp,

And played several tunes with her chin.

有位尖下巴女郎，

下巴尖似针尖样儿；

她把它磨了又打，再买把竖琴回家，

用下巴弹着曲儿把歌唱。

There was an Old Man who said, "Hush!

I perceive a young bird in this bush!"

When they said, "Is it small?" he replied, "Not at all;

It is four times as big as the bush!"

有个老汉道：“嘘，闭嘴！

有只小鸟儿躲在树丛内！”

有人问：“鸟很小吗？”他答：“哪儿的话！

它大约比这树丛大四倍！”

There was an Old Man with a flute,—

A "sarpint" ran into his boot!

But he played day and night, till the "sarpint" took flight,

And avoided that Man with a flute.

有个老头儿爱吹笛，

一条蛇钻进他靴子里；

他没日没夜在吹奏，蛇儿没趣地溜走，

从此怕老头儿再吹笛。

There was a Young Lady of Russia,

Who screamed so that no one could hush her;

Her screams were extreme,—no one heard such a scream

As was screamed by that Lady of Russia.

俄罗斯有位年轻女士，

叫起来没人能够阻止；

她尖叫震天响，没人比得上，

好一位俄罗斯女士。

There was a Young Lady of Portugal,

Whose ideas were excessively nautical;

She climbed up a tree to examine the sea,

But declared she would never leave Portugal.

葡萄牙有个年轻女郎，

一心只想出海远航：

她攀上一棵树，瞭望海阔处，

却说绝不离故乡。

There was a Young Lady of Tyre,

Who swept the loud chords of a lyre;

At the sound of each sweep she enraptured the deep,

And enchanted the city of Tyre.

提尔[10]有一位女郎，

扫帚清扫琴弦忙；

一扫帚来一曲歌，且扫且弹真快乐，

全城乡亲听了多欢畅。

There was an Old Person of Ischia,

Whose conduct grew friskier and friskier;

He danced hornpipes and jigs, and ate thousands of figs,

That lively Old Person of Ischia

伊斯基尔[11]有个老汉，

越老越是活泼贪玩儿；

种种舞蹈都难不倒他，无花果千斤他都能吞下，

好个生龙活虎的老汉。

There was an Old Person of Bangor,

Whose face was distorted with anger;

He tore off his boots, and subsisted on roots,

That borascible Person of Bangor.

班戈[12]一老头火气大，

一发怒脸变色把人吓，

他扯掉靴子扔一旁，只靠树根充饥肠，

活脱脱一个凶神恶煞。

There was an Old Man of Vienna,

Who lived upon Tincture of Senna;

When that did not agree, he took Camomile Tea,

That nasty Old Man of Vienna.

维也纳有个糟老汉，

每天泻药当茶饭；

还嫌泻药效果差，再来一杯甘菊茶，

真是个恶心的糟老汉。

There was an Old Man of the East,

Who gave all his children a feast;

But they all ate so much, and their conduct was such,

That it killed that Old Man of the East.

东方有一位老先生，

盛宴款待他的孩子们；

他们大喝又大吃，举止无礼又放肆，

把老先生气得丢了魂。

There was an Old Man in a boat,

Who said, "I'm afloat! I'm afloat!"

When they said, "No, you ain't!" he was ready to faint,

That unhappy Old Man in a boat.

有个老头在船底躺，

他道：“我会水上漂，我会水上漂！”

有人说：“不，你说了不算！”他听后气得晕翻，

这船中老头把气受饱。

There was an Old Man of the Coast,

Who placidly sat on a post;

But when it was cold he relinquished his hold,

And called for some hot buttered toast.

海边有一个怪老汉，

常傻坐在柱子的顶端；

每当天气一转凉，他赶紧下到地面上，

叫份涂油烤面包来当饭。

There was an Old Person of Buda,

Whose conduct grew ruder and ruder,

Till at last with a hammer they silenced his clamor.

By smashing that Person of Buda.

布达[13]有个疯老头，

行为越来越荒谬；

整天大喊又大叫，大伙儿终于受不了，

只好给了他一榔头。

There was an Old Man of Kamschatka,

Who possessed a remarkably fat Cur;

His gait and his waddle were held as a model

To all the fat dogs in Kamschatka.

卡姆萨克[14]有个老头，

养了一条极肥的疯狗。

它走路摇摇晃晃，竟被当做榜样，

当地胖狗全学着它走。

There was an Old Man of Moldavia,

Who had the most curious behavior;

For while he was able, he slept on a table,

That funny Old Man of Moldavia.

摩尔达维亚[15]有个怪老头，

行为古怪让人摸不透；

只要一等到机会，就把餐桌当床睡。

这荒唐可笑的怪老头。

There was an Old Person of Gretna,

Who rushed down the crater of Etna;

When they said, "Is it hot?" he replied, "No, it's not!"

That mendacious Old Person of Gretna.

格雷特纳[16]一老头，

奔向埃特纳[17]火山口；

有人问：“那儿可热？”他答：“不热！”

真是个死要面子活受罪的怪老头。

There was an Old Person of Hurst,

Who drank when he was not athirst;

When they said, "You'll grow fatter!" he answered "What matter?"

That globular Person of Hurst.

赫斯特[18]有一个胖老头，

不饥不渴也不离酒肉；

有人说：“你太胖了，”他答：“怕什么！”

这圆滚滚的胖老头。

There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who sat on a Horse when he reared;

But they said, "Never mind! you will fall off behind,

You propitious Old Man with a beard!"

大胡子老头儿坐马背，

马儿忽腾起了前腿；

大伙儿说：“别怕，快从马屁股后面下，

你真是个走运的老鬼！”

There was an Old Man of Madras,

Who rode on a cream-colored Ass;

But the length of its ears so promoted his fears,

That it killed that Old Man of Madras.

马德拉斯[19]一老头胆子小，

骑上头米黄色毛驴真逍遥；

驴子耳朵长，搅得他心慌，

居然一命呜呼吓死掉。

There was an Old Man of Berlin,

Whose form was uncommonly thin;

Till he once, by mistake, was mixed up in a cake,

So they baked that Old Man of Berlin.

柏林有个干瘪老头，

浑身上下皮包骨头；

有一次不小心，被人裹进饼，

送进烤箱烤了个透。

There was an Old Person of Dover,

Who rushed through a field of blue clover;

But some very large Bees stung his nose and his knees,

So he very soon went back to Dover.

有个老头儿住在多佛[20]，

从片苜蓿地匆匆穿过；

几只大蜜蜂将他紧追，叮他的鼻子刺他的腿，

吓得他赶紧逃回多佛。

There was an Old Man of the West,

Who never could get any rest;

So they set him to spin on his nose and his chin,

Which cured that Old Man of the West.

西方有一怪老翁，

手脚犯了多动症；

人们把他转圈圈，鼻子下巴作支点，

竟治愈了他的多动症。

There was an Old Person of Leeds,

Whose head was infested with beads;

She sat on a stool and ate gooseberry-fool,

Which agreed with that Person of Leeds.

利兹[21]有位老太太，

成串的珍珠满头戴；

她坐上小板凳，大吃醋栗羹，

此物老太太最偏爱。

There was an Old Person of Cheadle

Was put in the stocks by the Beadle

For stealing some pigs, some coats, and some wigs,

That horrible person of Cheadle.

奇德尔[22]有个老家伙，

被捕头逮住上了枷锁；

他被指控偷衣服，偷了假发还偷了猪，

真是个可恶的老家伙。

There was an Old Person of Cadiz,

Who was always polite to all ladies;

But in handing his daughter, he fell into the water,

Which drowned that Old Person of Cadiz.

加迪斯[23]有位老先生，

对女士恭敬又热忱；

一回携女过跳板，不慎落水浪里翻，

竟淹死了这位老先生。

There was an Old Person of Anerley,

Whose conduct was strange and unmannerly;

He rushed down the Strand with a Pig in each hand,

But returned in the evening to Anerley.

一老头住在阿纳利[24]，

举止粗野又怪异；

一只手拎一头猪，赶往斯特兰德路[25]，

傍晚又回阿纳利。

There was an Old Man of the Isles,

Whose face was pervaded with smiles;

He sang "High dum diddle," and played on the fiddle,

That amiable Man of the Isles.

英伦三岛一老翁，

脸上常绽放着笑容；

他嗒嘀嗒唱起歌一首，又拉起小提琴伴奏，

这笑容可掬的老翁。

There was a Young Lady of Wales,

Who caught a large Fish without scales;

When she lifted her hook, she exclaimed, "Only look!"

That ecstatic Young Lady of Wales.

威尔士[26]一女郎真高兴，

钓了条大鱼没有鳞；

她扯起钓鱼竿，大喊：“快来看！”

这女郎得意得忘了形。

There was an Old Person of Basing,

Whose presence of mind was amazing;

He purchased a steed, which he rode at full speed,

And escaped from the people of Basing.

贝森[27]一老头儿真机灵，

遇事儿别提多镇定；

他买来一匹快马骑，顿时脚下烟尘起，

甩掉了乡亲不曾停。

There was a Young Lady of Welling,

Whose praise all the world was a-telling;

She played on the harp, and caught several Carp,

That accomplished Young Lady of Welling.

惠灵[28]有一位年轻女郎，

世上传遍了对她的颂扬；

她弹着竖琴哼着调，一边又把鲤鱼钓，

好个多才多艺的惠灵女郎。

There was an Old Man who supposed

That the street door was partially closed;

But some very large Rats ate his coats and his hats,

While that futile Old Gentleman dozed.

有个老头儿上了当，

还以为街门已关上；

谁知来了群大耗子，大啃他的上衣和帽子，

这蠢老头儿却睡得香。

There was an Old Person of Tartary,

Who divided his jugular artery;

But he screeched to his Wife, and she said, "Oh, my life!

Your death will be felt by all Tartary!"

鞑靼地区[29]有个老汉，

把自己脖颈用刀抹断；

他大喊老婆救命，老婆哭道：“哎哟，你这老命！

让全城乡亲都为你不安！”

There was an Old Person whose habits

Induced him to feed upon Rabbits;

When he'd eaten eighteen, he turned perfectly green,

Upon which he relinquished those habits.

某老头子有个恶习，

吞吃兔子才能耐饥；

有次吃到第十八只，脸色发青如同僵尸，

从此发誓戒除这恶习。

There was an Old Man of Whitehaven,

Who danced a quadrille with a Raven;

But they said, "It's absurd to encourage this bird!"

So they smashed that Old Man of Whitehaven.

怀特黑文[30]一老头真放浪，

与只乌鸦跳舞也欢畅；

人们说：“太可笑，去招惹这鸟！”

便给了这老头一顿棍棒。

There was an Old Man of the West,

Who wore a pale plum-colored vest;

When they said, "Does it fit?" he replied, "Not a bit!"

That uneasy Old Man of the West.

有位老教士住在西，

淡紫色法衣身上披；

有人问：“穿着可舒服？”他答：“一点儿也不！”

这老教士可真受饱了气。

There was a Young Lady of Sweden,

Who went by the slow train to Weedon;

When they cried, "Weedon Station!" she made no observation,

But thought she should go back to Sweden.

瑞典一女士没心眼，

搭慢车朝威敦[31]一路颠；

有人喊：“这是威敦！”她没吭声，

却想着要返回瑞典。

There was an Old Man of Marseilles,

Whose daughters wore bottle-green veils:

They caught several Fish, which they put in a dish,

And sent to their Pa at Marseilles.

马赛[32]一老头福气好，

女儿们都戴绿面罩；

她们钓上鱼几尾，精心烹调成美味，

送给她们老爸作佳肴。

There was an Old Person of Chester,

Whom several small children did pester;

They threw some large stones, which broke most of his bones,

And displeased that Old Person of Chester.

切斯特[33]有个倒霉老头，

几个小孩和他纠缠不休；

他们扔起大石头砸向他，将他浑身的骨头打，

这老头被欺负得真难受。

There was an Old Man of the Wrekin,

Whose shoes made a horrible creaking;

But they said, "Tell us whether your shoes are of leather,

Or of what, you Old Man of the Wrekin?"

有个老头住在里金[34]，

鞋总嘎吱响个不停；

有人问：“这鞋是皮的，还是别的，

你这来自里金的乡亲？”

There was an Old Man of the Cape,

Who possessed a large Barbary Ape;

Till the Ape, one dark night, set the house all alight,

Which burned that Old Man of the Cape.

好望角有个老头，

家中养了只猕猴；

一天夜里漆黑如墨，猴子放了一把大火，

竟烧死了好望角的老头。

There was a Young Lady whose nose

Was so long that it reached to her toes;

So she hired an Old Lady, whose conduct was steady,

To carry that wonderful nose.

有位女士鼻子长，

鼻尖拖到脚趾上；

为此她招募，一稳重老妇，

替她来把长鼻扛。

There was an Old Person of Burton,

Whose answers were rather uncertain;

When they said, "How do you do?" he replied, "Who are you?"

That distressing Old Person of Burton.

伯敦[35]有一位老翁，

口齿不清耳半聋；

别人问候：“您好吗？”他却回答：“谁问话？”

这令人哭笑不得的老翁。

There was a Young Lady of Norway,

Who casually sat in a doorway;

When the door squeezed her flat, she exclaimed, "What of that?"

This courageous Young Lady of Norway.

挪威有个年轻姑娘，

懒洋洋坐在门坎儿上；

门儿一动把她挤扁，只听她叫“哎呀，好险！”

好个勇敢的挪威姑娘。

There was an Old Person of Ems

Who casually fell in the Thames;

And when he was found, they said he was drowned,

That unlucky Old Person of Ems.

埃姆斯[36]一老头河边过，

不小心泰晤士河里落；

等到人们发现时，他早已经被淹死，

这老头的不幸真没法说。

There was an Old Man of Apulia,

Whose conduct was very peculiar;

He fed twenty sons upon nothing but buns,

That whimsical Man of Apulia.

阿普利亚[37]有个老头，

行为古怪得近乎执拗；

他养了二十个儿子，却只喂他们吃包子，

这老头的古怪真少有。

There was a Young Girl of Majorca,

Whose Aunt was a very fast walker;

She walked seventy miles, and leaped fifteen stiles,

Which astonished that Girl of Majorca.

马约卡岛[38]有个女孩，

她的姨妈走路飞快；

一口气赶七十英里，还跳越了十五道栅篱，

惊坏了马约卡岛的小女孩。

There was an Old Man of Quebec,—

A beetle ran over his neck;

But he cried, "With a needle I'll slay you, O beadle!"

That angry Old Man of Quebec.

魁北克[39]有个老伯伯，

一蟑螂爬上了他的脖；

他大叫：“小东西，看我用针戳死你！”

这怒气冲冲的魁北克老伯。

There was a Young Lady of Poole,

Whose soup was excessively cool;

So she put it to boil by the aid of some oil,

That ingenious Young Lady of Poole.

普尔[40]有个年轻女郎，

煮好的汤她嫌太凉；

她把油加到炉内，很快汤又煮沸，

好个灵巧的年轻女郎。

There was a Young Lady of Bute,

Who played on a silver-gilt flute;

She played several jigs to her Uncle's white Pigs:

That amusing Young Lady of Bute.

比特[41]一女士爱吹笛，

吹着支镶银的长笛；

对着叔叔的大白猪，奏起音乐跳起了舞，

这比特的女士真有趣。

There was an Old Lady of Prague,

Whose language was horribly vague;

When they said, "Are these caps?" she answered, "Perhaps!"

That oracular Lady of Prague.

布拉格有个老太太，

她的话含糊又难猜。

有人问：“这是帽子？”她答：“貌似！”

好个说话似猜谜的老太太。

There was an Old Person of Philoe,

Whose conduct was scroobious and wily;

He rushed up a Palm when the weather was calm,

And observed all the ruins of Philoe.

法洛[42]一老头有怪癖，

行为荒唐又诡秘；

每当没风又没雨，他总是攀上棵棕榈，

法洛满城废墟收眼底。

There was a Young Lady of Parma,

Whose conduct grew calmer and calmer:

When they said, "Are you dumb?" she merely said, "Hum!"

That provoking Young Lady of Parma.

帕尔马[43]有一位女郎，

越来越不爱把话讲，

有人问：“你哑巴啦？”她只答：“哈！”

这惹人恼火的女郎。

There was an Old Man with a poker,

Who painted his face with red ochre.

When they said, "You 're a Guy!" he made no reply,

But knocked them all down with his poker.

一老头手持拨火钳，

用红泥涂了个大花脸；

有人说：“你是盖伊[44]！”他不搭理，

却把他们打翻在跟前。

There was an Old Person of Sparta,

Who had twenty-five sons and one "darter;"

He fed them on Snails, and weighed them in scales,

That wonderful Person of Sparta.

斯巴达有一个老头儿，

有二十五个儿子一个女儿；

他拿蜗牛喂他们，又用天平称他们，

真是个奇怪的老头儿。

There was an Old Person of Prague,

Who was suddenly seized with the plague;

But they gave him some butter, which caused him to mutter,

And cured that Old Person of Prague.

布拉格一老头真要命，

一不留神染上了瘟病；

人家黄油往他嘴里送，弄得那老头直咕哝，

最后居然救了他的命。

There was an Old Man on whose nose

Most birds of the air could repose;

But they all flew away at the closing of day,

Which relieved that Old Man and his nose.

某老头儿的鼻子真稀奇，

天上大半鸟儿可往上栖；

每到黄昏的时候，它们拍翅齐飞走，

才让老头和鼻子去歇息。

There was an Old Man of Peru,

Who watched his wife making a stew;

But once, by mistake, in a stove she did bake

That unfortunate Man of Peru.

秘鲁一老头真倒霉，

看老婆炖一锅大杂烩；

可惜事儿不凑巧，他被塞进炉里烤，

这秘鲁的老头真倒霉。

There was a Young Lady of Turkey,

Who wept when the weather was murky;

When the day turned out fine, she ceased to repine,

That capricious Young Lady of Turkey.

土耳其有个年轻女郎，

天一阴沉便眼泪汪汪；

天一转晴，她就有好心情，

好个任性的土耳其女郎。

There was an Old Man of the North,

Who fell into a basin of broth;

But a laudable cook fished him out with a hook,

Which saved that Old Man of the North.

北方住着一老翁，

不慎掉入肉汤中；

有个厨师真厉害，用钩把他钩上来，

竟救了这北方的老翁。

Who possessed a large Cow, but he lost her;

But they said, "Don't you see she has run up a tree,

奥斯塔[45]曾有一老头，

丢失了自己的大奶牛；

人们说：“难道你没有看到，那牛爬上了树梢？

你这招人讨厌的瞎老头！”

There was an Old Person of Troy,

Whose drink was warm brandy and soy,

Which he took with a spoon, by the light of the moon,

In sight of the city of Troy.

有个老头住在特洛伊，

专爱喝酱油和白兰地；

借着皎皎月色，他挥着调羹大喝，

一边眺望着特洛伊。

There was a Young Person of Crete,

Whose toilette was far from complete;

She dressed in a sack spickle-speckled with black,

That ombliferous Person of Crete.

克里特[46]有个小姑娘，

从早到晚梳妆忙；

她套上只麻袋当衣衫，麻袋上点着黑斑斑，

好个妩媚动人的小姑娘。

There was an Old Person of Mold,

Who shrank from sensations of cold;

So he purchased some muffs, some furs, and some fluffs,

And wrapped himself well from the cold.

莫尔德[47]有个老头，

天一冷便缩得发抖；

羽毛、皮毛、绒毛他买了不老少，

将自己裹得像个大毛球。

There was a Young Lady of Clare,

Who was madly pursued by a Bear;

When she found she was tired, she abruptly expired,

That unfortunate Lady of Clare.

克莱尔[48]一女郎真倒霉，

被一头恶熊没命地追；

追得她精疲力竭腿无力，扑通倒地断了气，

这克莱尔女郎真倒霉。

There was an Old Person of Tring,

Who embellished his nose with a ring;

He gazed at the moon every evening in June,

That ecstatic Old Person of Tring.

特灵[49]有一位老汉，

鼻子上面装了个环；

六月夜晚月光亮，他独自来把明月赏，

好个自得其乐的痴老汉。

There was a Young Lady of Dorking,

Who bought a large bonnet for walking;

But its color and size so bedazzled her eyes,

That she very soon went back to Dorking.

杜金[50]一姑娘出风头，

买来顶大帽子街上走；

帽子太大颜色艳，遮了视线眩花了眼，

她绕了圈又回到家门口。

There was an Old Man of Nepaul,

From his horse had a terrible fall;

But, though split quite in two, with some very strong glue

They mended that man of Nepaul.

尼泊尔一老头真晦气，

从马上摔了个嘴啃泥；

一下摔成了两段，人们买来胶水粘，

又将这尼泊尔老头粘一起。

There was an Old Man of Cape Horn,

Who wished he had never been born;

So he sat on a Chair till he died of despair,

That dolorous Man of Cape Horn.

合恩角[51]一老头好沮丧，

真后悔来到这世界上；

只见他呆坐在椅子里，直到绝望得断了气，

心病难医终于把命丧。

There was an Old Man of the Nile,

Who sharpened his nails with a file,

Till he cut off his thumbs, and said calmly, "This comes

Of sharpening one's nails with a file!"

尼罗河畔有个老家伙，

用锉刀将指甲细细锉；

直到锉掉了拇指，他仍镇定地说：“这事——

乃由于锉刀将指甲锉！”

There was an old Person of Cromer,

Who stood on one leg to read Homer;

When he found he grew stiff, he jumped over the cliff,

Which concluded that Person of Cromer.

克罗默[52]有个老书痴，

单腿独立读荷马诗；

一旦感到腿发麻，便纵身跳下了悬崖，

老书痴就这样辞了世。

There was an Old Man of the Abruzzi,

So blind that he couldn't his foot see;

When they said, "That's your toe," he replied, "Is it so?"

That doubtful Old Man of th' Abruzzi.

阿布鲁齐[53]有个盲老头，

看不见自己的脚趾头；

有人道：“这是你脚趾。”他答：“真的是？”

好个多疑的盲老头。

There was an Old Man of the Hague,

Whose ideas were excessively vague;

He built a balloon to examine the moon,

That deluded Old Man of the Hague.

海牙[54]有位老先生，

脑子总是昏沉沉；

他做了一个大气球，升空去观赏月球，

大失所望真愚蠢。

There was an Old Man of Calcutta,

Who perpetually ate bread and butter;

Till a great bit of muffin, on which he was stuffing,

Choked that horrid Old Man of Calcutta.

加尔各答[55]一老头，

只吃面包和黄油；

直到他吞进，一大块松饼，

噎住了这讨厌的贪老头。

There was an Old Person of Spain,

Who hated all trouble and pain;

So he sate on a chair with his feet in the air,

That umbrageous Old Person of Spain.

西班牙一老头脾气坏，

一点儿挫折都受不来；

他坐在椅子上，双腿翘天上，

这闷闷不乐的老头子脾气坏。

There was an Old Person of Rhodes,

Who strongly objected to toads;

He paid several cousins to catch them by dozens,

That futile Old Person of Rhodes.

罗得斯[56]一老汉，

对蛤蟆最反感；

雇来表妹一伙，将它们成群捕捉，

真是个无用的老汉。

There was an Old Man who said, "Well!

Will nobody answer this bell?

I have pulled day and night, till my hair has grown white,

But nobody answers this bell!"

有个老头儿大喊：“嗨！

没人回应把门开？

我白天黑夜把铃拉，等得头发全白啦，

还是没人把门开？”

There was an Old Man of the South,

Who had an immoderate mouth;

But in swallowing a dish that was quite full of Fish,

He was choked, that Old Man of the South.

南方一老头真贪吃，

大嘴一张无节制；

有次吞食一盘菜，条条鱼往嘴里塞，

这贪吃的老头竟噎死。

There was an Old Man with an Owl,

Who continued to bother and howl;

He sat on a rail, and imbibed bitter ale,

Which refreshed that Old Man and his Owl.

猫头鹰伴着一老头，

那鸟儿折腾着叫不休；

老头正蹲在篱笆上，把一桶浓啤酒品尝，

酒香熏得他俩都有了精神头儿。

There was an Old Man of Melrose,

Who walked on the tips of his toes;

But they said, "It ain't pleasant to see you at present,

You stupid Old Man of Melrose."

梅尔罗斯[57]有个老家伙，

常踮着脚尖打街上过；

人们说：“像你这样走路，看了真不舒服，

你这梅尔罗斯的蠢家伙。”

There was an Old Man in a casement,

Who held up his hands in amazement;

When they said, "Sir, you'll fall!" he replied, "Not at all!"

That incipient Old Man in a casement.

窗台上蹲着个老头，

惊异地高举起双手；

有人喊：“老兄，当心摔！”他答：“摔不下来！”

这蹲在窗台的傻老头。

There was an Old Man of the Dee,

Who was sadly annoyed by a Flea;

When he said, "I will scratch it!" they gave him a hatchet,

Which grieved that Old Man of the Dee.

迪湖[58]边有位老汉，

一只跳蚤惹得他烦；

他说：“杀了这孽畜！”人们便给他了一斧，

正中这烦躁的老汉。

There was an Old Person of Ewell,

Who chiefly subsisted on gruel;

But to make it more nice, he inserted some Mice,

Which refreshed that Old Person of Ewell.

尤厄尔[59]有一个老头，

一日三餐喝稀粥；

为让稀粥更好吃，加进几只小耗子，

这喝得容光焕发的老头。

There was a Young Lady of Lucca,

Whose lovers completely forsook her;

She ran up a tree, and said "Fiddle-de-dee!"

Which embarrassed the people of Lucca.

卢卡[60]一姑娘讨人嫌，

一天到晚在搞失恋；

她爬上树顶喊：“这都是扯淡！”

臊得满城小伙子躲得远。

There was an Old Man of Peru.

Who never knew what he should do;

So he tore off his hair, and behaved like a bear,

That intrinsic Old Man of Peru.

秘鲁有一个老家伙，

从不知自己该干什么；

他乱拔自己头发，像只熊一样傻，

这不可救药的老家伙。

There was an Old Man of Coblenz,

The length of whose legs was immense;

He went with one prance from Turkey to France,

That surprising Old Man of Coblenz.

科布伦茨[61]一老头，

两腿长得望不到头；

他站在土耳其，一步跨到法兰西，

好一位长腿的奇老头。

There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who said, "It is just as I feared!—

Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard."

有个老头儿胡子长，

说：“这事儿最让我着慌！——

猫头鹰、母鸡和鹪鹩，还有云雀都想要

把窝做在我胡子上！”

There was an Old Man of Bohemia,

Whose daughter was christened Euphemia;

But one day, to his grief, she married a thief,

Which grieved that Old Man of Bohemia.

有个老头住在波希米亚[62]，

给女儿取名叫尤菲米娅；

谁知她嫁个小偷，老人痛心疾首，

眼睁睁看女儿离开了他。

There was a Young Lady whose eyes

Were unique as to color and size;

When she opened them wide, people all turned aside,

And started away in surprise.

一女郎有双大眼睛，

颜色更让人吃惊；

她把眼一瞪，吓跑所有人，

大伙儿胆战又心惊。

There was an Old Man of Corfu,

Who never knew what he should do;

So he rushed up and down, till the sun made him brown,

That bewildered Old Man of Corfu.

科孚[63]一老头真糊涂，

该做啥心里没有数；

他来来回回跑，差点儿被太阳烤焦，

这莫名其妙的老糊涂。

There was a Young Lady of Ryde,

Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied;

She purchased some clogs, and some small spotty Dogs,

And frequently walked about Ryde.

赖德[64]城有一位姑娘，

她总是将鞋带紧紧绑；

木鞋子好几只都买下来，还有几条花狗崽，

她老在赖德城闲逛。