残酷的童谣
Who Killed Cock Robin?
谁杀了知更鸟?
是我,麻雀说,
用我的弓和箭,
我杀了知更鸟。
谁看见他死去?
是我,苍蝇说,
用我的小眼睛,
我看见他死去。
谁取走他的血?
是我,鱼说,
用我的小碟子,
我取走他的血。
谁为他做寿衣?
是我,甲虫说,
用我的针和线,
我会来做寿衣。
谁来挖坟墓?
是我,猫头鹰说,
用我的凿子铲子,
我会来挖坟墓。
谁来当牧师?
乌鸦说,是我,
用我的小本子,
我会来做牧师。
谁来当执事?
是我,云雀说,
只要不在夜晚,
我就会当执事。
谁来拿火炬?
红雀说,是我,
我立刻把它拿来。
我将会拿火炬。
谁来当主祭?
是我,鸽子说,
我要哀悼挚爱,
我将会当主祭。
谁来抬棺?
是我,鸢说,
如果不走夜路,
我就会来抬棺。
谁来扶棺?
是我们,鹪鹩说,
还有公鸡和母鸡,
我们会来扶棺。
谁来唱赞美诗?
画眉说,是我,
她站在灌木丛上,
我将唱赞美诗。
谁来敲丧钟?
是我,牛说,
因为我能拉牦。
所以,再会了,知更鸟。
空中所有的鸟,
全都叹息哭泣,
当他们听见丧钟,
为可怜的知更鸟响起。
启事
通告所有关系人,
这则启事通知,
下回鸟儿法庭,
将要审判麻雀。
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the Sparrow,
With my bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die?
I, said the Fly.
With my little eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his blood?
I, said the Fish,
With my little dish,
I caught his blood.
Who'll make his shroud?
I, said the Beetle,
With my thread and needle,
I'll make the shroud.
Who'll dig his grave?
I, said the Owl,
With my pick and shovel,
I'll dig his grave.
Who'll be the person?
I, said the Rook,
With my little book,
I'll be the parson.
Who'll be the clerk?
I, said the Lark,
If it's not in the dark,
I'll be the clerk.
Who'll carry the link?
I, said the Linnet,
I'll fetch it in a minute,
I'll carry the link.
Who'll be chief mourner?
I, said the Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I'll be chief mourner.
Who'll carry the coffin?
I, said the Kite,
If it's not through the night,
I'll carry the coffin.
Who'll bear the pall?
We, said the Wren,
Both the cock and the hen,
We'll bear the pall.
Who'll sing a psalm?
I, said the Thrush,
As she sat on a bush,
I'll sing a psalm.
Who'll toll the bell?
I, said the Bull,
Because I can pull,
So Cock Robin, farewell.
All the birds of the air
Fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll
For poor Cock Robin.
NOTICE
To all it concerns,
This notice apprises,
The Sparrow's for trial,
At next bird assizes.
Ten little nigger boys went out to dine
十个小黑人出外用膳;
一个噎死,还剩九个。
九个小黑人熬夜到很晚;
一个睡过头,还剩八个。
八个小黑人在丹文游玩;
一个说要留在那儿,还剩七个。
七个小黑人在砍柴;
一个把自己砍成两半,还剩六个。
六个小黑人玩蜂窝;
一只黄蜂叮住一个,还剩五个。
五个小黑人进入法院;
一个被留下,还剩四个。
四个小黑人到海边去;
一条红鲱鱼吞下一个,还剩三个。
三个小黑人走进动物园里;
一只大熊抓走一个,还剩两个。
两个小黑人坐在太阳下;
一个热死,只剩一个。
一个小黑人终于活了下来;
最后结了婚,一个也没有了。 Ten little nigger boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self, and then there were nine.
Nine little nigger boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself, and then there were eight.
Eight little nigger boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there, and then there were seven.
Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in half, and then there were six.
Six little nigger boys playing with a hive;
A bumble-bee stung one, and then there were five.
Five little nigger boys going in for law;
One got in chancery, and then there were four.
Four little nigger boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one, and then there were three.
Three little nigger boys walking in the Zoo;
A big bear bugged one, and then there were two.
Two little nigger boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up, and then there was one.
One little nigger boy living all alone;
He got married, and then there were none.
Lizzie Borden Took An Axe
莉兹·玻顿拿起斧头,
砍了她爸爸四十下。
当她意识到她做了甚么,
她砍她妈妈四十一下。
Lizzie Borden took an axe,
Hit her father forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She hit her mother forty-one.
安妮在《天遣女王》里,简克宝贝劈死自己父亲的时候,引用了这个典故——源于十九世纪轰动美国麻省的凶杀案(按这里察看相关内容,英文,附照片)。莉兹·玻顿并非与简克宝贝同年龄的小女孩,凶杀案发生时她已30岁。1892年8月4日中午,莉兹·玻顿叫唤她的邻居说,她的父亲被杀了,警察到来时,发现她的母亲也死了。母亲被斧子砍了18下,父亲被砍了10下。消息立即被传开了,媒体认为莉兹本人极有谋杀嫌疑。然而次年六月,法庭宣判莉兹无罪。此后,她的故事广为流传,被写成了小说,芭蕾,百老汇,歌剧。最后是日本的教科书将她的童谣作为鹅妈妈童话收录的。
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile
一个扭曲的男人,走了一里扭曲的路。
手拿扭曲的六便士,踏上扭曲的台阶,
买一只歪歪扭扭的猫儿,猫儿抓了歪歪扭扭的老鼠。
他们一起住在歪歪扭扭的小屋里。 There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
There was a man, a very untidy man
死了一个男人,一个很邋遢的男人,
他的手指到处找不到,
没办法放进坟墓。
他的头远远滚到床底;
他的腿和手臂,
在房间里到处乱丢。 There was a man, a very untidy man,
Whose fingers could nowhere be found
to put in his tomb.
He had rolled his head far underneath the bed;
He had left legs and arms lying
all over the room.
My mother has killed me
我的妈妈杀了我,
我的爸爸在吃我,
我的兄弟和姊妹坐在餐桌底,
捡起我的骨头,
埋了它们,
埋到冰冷的石碑下。 My mother has killed me,
My father is eating me,
My brothers and sisters sit under the table,
Picking up my bones,
And they bury them,
under the cold marble stones.
(Goblin:总觉得这里的主角是一只狗。)
Sing A Song of Sixpence
唱一首六便士之歌,
袋子里装满黑麦;
二十四只黑画眉,
被放在派里面烤!
当派被剥开,
画眉开始唱歌;
那不是为国王准备的
可口的一餐吗?
国王在帐房里
数着他的钱币;
王后在客厅里
吃着面包蜂蜜。
女仆在花园里,
晾晒一堆衣服;
一只黑画眉飞来,
啄走了她的鼻子。
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie!
When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor,
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird
And snapped off her nose.
Three Blind Mice
三只瞎眼的老鼠!看它们跑的方式!
它们追着农夫的老婆,
她用餐刀切了它们的尾巴。
你这辈子见过像这样的东西吗?
三只瞎眼的老鼠。
Three blind mice! See how they run!
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a thing in your life
As three blind mice?
鹅妈妈的起源[1916-1966]
虽然诗是像葡萄干布丁一样的英国名字,但实际上创作方法是其他国家传到英国的。 这些民间故事在 1697 年被叫做 "Contes de 妈 m è 关于 l'Oye" 或 " 母亲鹅的故事," 且出现在短的吹牛大话或故事中。 这些故事在 1729 年被转变为英国语。但是在那之后不久, 当约翰(可以称得上是鹅妈妈童谣的创作人) 和他的公司已经发现出版这种书是有利润的时候,他们决定出版收录这些传统诗的书。 他们给鹅妈妈童谣的曲子起一些适当而又无意义的名字。 这个 1791年的Newbery(约翰的姓) 版本是最早的《鹅妈妈童谣》。它包含了五十二首诗,每首诗由一个有趣但是又不恰当的故事组成, 和每首以一个例子说明。
知名的「瑪麗有一隻小羊」、「倫敦鐵橋倒下來」等童謠,就是所謂的鵝媽媽童謠。鵝媽媽童謠隨著時間經過,內容不斷擴大,包涵數百首童謠。而童謠中又為何會有血腥、殘酷的句子呢?這可能就要從鵝媽媽童謠的時代背景來看了。
起源
鵝媽媽童謠確實的流傳時間,至今尚無定論。大抵廣為人知是在十八世紀,不過也有十四世紀就出現的說法。因為大部份的歌詞為了順口的緣故,句末都會押韻,而有些字隨著時代不同會有不同發音。所以有人發現,某某歌的歌詞如果要押韻的話,應該用十四世紀的發音才對,因此就有從十四世紀開始流傳的說法。
時代背景
就十八世紀而言,英國發生了工業革命。促使資本主義產生,進而令無產階級發達。包括新階級的形成、失業問題、勞工問題、人口問題(如何增加糧食以解決民食)等。使得大多數的人民成了資本主義的工具和犧牲品。他們生活在骯髒破爛的貧民窟中,時時受到生產過剩而導致的失業威脅。
例如大家耳熟能詳的故事〝灰姑娘〞,可能對後母與壞姊姊都相當深惡痛絕,然而,試想,在一個貧窮的家庭,如果又要養育一堆孩子的話,情非得已的後母對自己的孩子偏心一點也無可厚非吧?這時候或許就會犧牲掉不是自己親生的孩子。
令一方面,東、西方對死亡的態度不同,東方人非常避諱談到「死」這個字眼或相關話題;西方人則不然,尤其對於不知死亡為何物的兒童而言,可說是童言無忌。
面就是内容比较血腥,怪异及残酷的部分鹅妈妈童谣——
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses,
And all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
蛋在悬崖上孵着
孵着孵着,掉了下来
就算聚集了国王所有的马
就算聚集了国王所有的臣子
蛋也不能再恢复原来的样子
备注:收录在《少年孵化的声音》的扉页中。
Humpty-dumpty 是蛋的意思。字典里解释为胖矮人,为蛋拟人化的称呼,出自英国童谣,其实也就是出自这里吧。
When a good King Arthur rule this land
When good King Arthur ruled this land,
He was a goodly king;
He stole three pecks of barley-meal
To make a bag-pudding.
当亚瑟王治理这片土地的时候
他是一位伟大的王
他偷了三袋麦片
为了做一个大布丁
A bag-pudding the king did make,
And stuffed it well with plums;
And in it put great lumps of fat,
As big as my two thumbs.
这个王做的布丁
放进许多葡萄干
还放进了一块大奶油
就像我的两个拇指那么大
The king and queen did eat thereof,
And noblemen beside;
And what they could not eat that night,
The queen next morning fried.
国王和皇后吃了布丁
身边的贵族们也吃了
那天晚上他们什么也没吃
第二天早上皇后被油煎了
备注:出自《少年的孵化之音》-《布丁小姐的悲剧》
世上留传著许多关于亚瑟王的精彩故事,以及英勇的圆桌武士的传奇。 他大约是在一千五百年前统治英国,打了许多场胜仗。但历史上是否存在这位王还有待查证。这首关于亚瑟王的童谣揭示了古代王族中的残忍吧。
Sing a song of six pences
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish,
To set before the king ?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlour,
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes,
There came a little blackbird,
And snapped off her nose.
唱一首六便士之歌,
袋子裡裝滿黑麥;
二十四隻黑畫眉,
被放在派裡面烤!
當派被剝開,
畫眉開始唱歌;
那可不是放在國王桌前,
十分可口的一餐嗎?
國王在帳房數錢;
王后在客廳吃麵包蜂蜜。
女僕在花園曬衣;
一隻黑畫眉飛來,
啄走了她的鼻子。
备注: 出自<God Child vol.2> - Bloodberry jam
这首童谣大约是17世纪中叶在民间出现,但在更早些时候似乎就有了迹象,在莎士比亚的〈第12夜〉中有这样的一句话:Come on, there is sixpence for you; let's have a song. 1614年,在包蒙(Beaumont 1584-1616)和佛勒契(John Fletcher 1579-1625)合作的一部作品中有这样的一句:Whoa, here's a stir now! Sing a song of sixpence!
在这首童谣中,皇帝指的是英国都铎王朝的第二代国王亨利八世(HenryⅧ,1509-1547),他的残暴乖戾在历代君主中是很突出的,拥有6位妻子并处决了2位而闻名。童谣中的女王指的是凯瑟琳(Catherine of Aragon),她是西班牙阿拉贡国王斐迪南二世的女儿,曾经是亨利七世的妻子,亨利八世的第一任妻子,但是由于她没有为亨利生下皇子,渐渐导致亨利对她的冷淡,但又由于教会的原因使之迟迟不能废后。“皇后在大厅里吃着面包和蜂蜜”这句算是隐射了当时凯瑟琳被冷落的情形吧。在那时亨利看中了安妮·博林(Anne Boleyn, 1507?--1516),她是托马斯·博林爵士和伊丽莎白·霍华德郡主的小女儿,也就是他的第2任妻子--童谣中的那个侍女。然而她也没有为亨利生下儿子,又由于她天生的生理缺陷和一些政治因素,安妮被控告与5个男人通奸,其中包括与她的亲兄弟乔治•伯林通奸——乱伦的罪行被关进伦敦塔,随后于1536年5月19日被处决,成为第一个被处决的王后。这也就是“来了只小黑鸫突然啄了下她的鼻子”的来历吧。童谣中的“派”和“24只黑鸫”分别是指格拉斯顿堡的管理人,和他所赠送给亨利八世的圣诞礼物。
Crooked man
There was a crooked man,
and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence
against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat,
which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
有个性格扭曲的男人
走在一条长一里的扭曲的路上
手里那着扭曲的六便士
踏在扭曲的台阶上
他买了一只扭曲的猫
猫捉了一只扭曲的老鼠
他们一起住在扭曲的小房子里
备注: 出自<God Child vol.1> - The Little Crooked House
因为扭曲的爱成为了扭曲的人,然后住在了一栋扭曲的房子里。因为不想要失去,所以杀了她,做成人偶。扭曲的心灵,扭曲的孩子。童谣和漫画的意境真是配合的好啊!
经常被用在电影等当中,Mother Goose中的一首。因为是童谣,为了求压韵而玩了不少文字游戏,所以很多文字是无意义的。
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
There came a big spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away
小玛菲特小姐
坐在垫子上
吃着乳酪
然后来了一只蜘蛛
坐在她旁边
吓跑了玛菲特小姐
备注: 出自 <God Child vol.3> - <Little Miss Muffet>
我是个人偶娃娃......
女孩给我穿上漂亮的衣服。男孩把送给女孩的花环给我带上。我就看着他们长大,恋爱,结婚......
后来,女孩把男孩杀了......埋在樱花树下。这个秘密,只有我知道......
我坐在樱花树下等女孩回来,一坐,便是千年........
Georgie Porgie
Georgie Porgie,
pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away. 乔治•珀治
布丁和派
亲吻女孩惹她们哭
男孩们来了
乔治•珀治就跑了
备注: 出自 <God Child vol.2> - Bloodyberry Jam
Baa, Baa, Black sheep
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool ?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full;
One for the master,
And one for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
咩,咩,黑羊啊
你有羊毛吗?
是的,先生。是的,先生
三袋满满的
一袋给男主人
一袋给女主人
还有一袋给那个
住在街尾的小男孩
备注: 出自<God Child vol.1> - Black Sheep
在最早的时候,最后一句是:什么都没有给小男孩。童谣里“master”指的是国王,“dame”指的是贵族,“little boy”即是最底层的平民。揭示了上流社会的有钱人对底层人的压迫和榨取。
What are little boys made of ?
What are little boys made of ?Frogs and snails
And puppy-dogs' tails,
小男孩是由什么做的?
青蛙和蜗牛
还有小狗的尾巴
What are little girls made of ?
Suger and spice
And all that's nice, 小女孩是由什么做的?
糖和香料
都是那么的美好呀
备注:出自<God Child vol.4> - Bloody Maria
这是吉倍尔医生回忆小时候时出现的。放在这章里的具体用意觉得很隐晦。小男孩是由什么做的?好象就是在质问吉倍尔的存在一样。
Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy.
所罗门格兰德
在星期一出生
在星期二受洗
在星期三结婚
在星期四生病
在星期五病危
在星期六死亡
在星期天焚尸
这就是
所罗门格兰德的最后
备注: 出自<God Child vol 5> - 周日的所罗门格兰德
这个算是<God Child>里的一个特别短篇。这首童谣我自己是很喜欢啦。把人的一生所会经历到的事融汇在这个短短的童谣里——一个星期里的7天。后来想到也看到过类似的诗歌,就是用一个星期来描述一桩事的,那个格式就是源自于此吧。
There was an old man
There was an old man
And he had a calf
And that's half
从前有个老人
他养了一头小牛
现在说到一半
He took him out of the stall
And put his on the wall
And that's all
老人把小牛带出牛舍
再把它系在墙上
这就是全部
Simple Simon
Simple Simon met a pieman
Going to the fair;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Let me taste your ware."
无知的西蒙遇见一个卖派的商人
正要赶往集市
无知的西蒙对卖派的商人说:
“让我尝尝你的派吧 ”
Says the pieman to Simple Simon,
"Show me first your penny."
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Indeed I have not any."
商人对无知的西蒙说:
“先让我看看你的便士吧”
无知的西蒙对商人说:
“其实我一分也没有”
He went to catch a dickey bird,
And thought he could not fail,
Because he'd got a little salt,
To put upon his tail.
他去抓小鸟
认为自己不会失败
因为他有一把盐
撒在它的尾巴上
He went to take a bird's nest,
Was built upon a bough;
The branch gave way and Simon fell
Into a dirty slough.
他去取小鸟的窝
那个筑在一根大树枝上的鸟窝
树枝断了,无知的西蒙掉下来
落在脏脏的泥沼里
He went to shoot a wild duck,
But wild duck flew away;
Say Simon, I can't hit him,
Because he will not stay."
他去打野鸭
但是野鸭飞走了
西蒙说,我打不中它
因为他不呆在那里
Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
All the water he had got
Was in his mother's pail.
无知的西蒙去钓鱼
想要钓一条鲸鱼
然而他所有的水
都在他*的水桶里
Simple Simon went a-hunting,
For to catch a hare;
He rode an ass about the streets,
But couldn't find one there.
无知的西蒙去打猎
想要打中一只野兔
他骑着驴穿过街道
那里找不到一只野兔
He went for to eat honey,
Out of the mustard pot;
He bit his tongue until he cried,
That was all the good he got.
他去吃蜂蜜
从一只餐桌上的芥末罐子
他咬着自己的舌头直到哭出来
这就是他吃到的全部
He went to ride a spotted cow
That had a little calf;
She threw him down upon the ground,
Which made the people laugh.
他去骑头花斑牛
可母牛还有头小牛
母牛甩他在地上
惹的人们笑哈哈
Once Simon made a great snowball,
And brought it in to roast;
He laid it down before the fire,
And soon the ball was lost.
一次西蒙做了个大雪球
把它带回来烤一烤
把它放在火前面
雪球一会儿不见了
He went to slide upon the ice
Before the ice would bear;
Then he plunged in above his knees,
Which made poor Simon stare.
他到冰上去滑冰
在冰还能支撑前
然后他把膝盖插到冰里面
可怜的西蒙睁大了眼
He washed himself with blacking ball,
Because he had no soap;
Then said unto his mother,
"I'm a beauty now, I hope."
他用黑色的鞋油来洗澡
因为他没有肥皂
然后他对妈妈说:
“我想现在自己很漂亮吧”
Simple Simon went to look
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.
无知的西蒙去赏花
李子长在蓟上
手被刺伤了好几次
可怜的西蒙大叫着
He went for water in a sieve,
But soon it all ran through.
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.
他坐在笼子里到了水里
但是很快就沉了下去
可怜而又无知的西蒙啊
永远地再见了
备注: 出自<God Child vol.8> - Godless
最后一章的最后一句"Bids you all adieu"因该就是出自这首童谣吧。"Bids you all adieu"可以理解为“永别”的意思。“bid"是在这里是“吩咐,告诉”的意思。"adieu"是从法语衍生而来的。"adieu"是“再见,辞别”的意思。从中古英语"adew"变化而来,这个词又是从古代法语"adieu"(à + dieu)来的,意义为“献身于神”,"dieu"是“神”的意思。综合起来看,就可以理解为“永别”的意思了。哎……也就是说该隐的故事再也不会有了,那是最终的了。他带着优雅的微笑
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