Текст книги "Рифмы матушки Гусыни"

Рифмы матушки Гусыни

Матушка Гусыня и ее веселые стишки

У английской детской поэзии очень долгая и богатая история. В разные эпохи появлялись стихотворения, как сочиненные взрослыми для детей, так и придуманные самими детьми для того, чтобы игры, в которые они играли, были веселее и увлекательнее.

К тому моменту, когда в печати вышло первое большое собрание детских английских стихов (XVIII век), таких произведений бытовало огромное множество. Супруги Оупи отобрали из этого гигантского количества наиболее интересные произведения и составили книгу, которую назвали «Рифмы матушки Гусыни» – по имени одного из популярных персонажей детских стихов. Разнообразие произведений, составивших этот сборник, поистине удивительно. Здесь есть и стихи, и песенки, и считалки, и дразнилки, и сказки, и колыбельные, и многое другое.

С тех пор сборник дополнялся, расширялся, корректировался и разошелся по всему миру в огромном количестве изданий. Пожалуй, нет ни одного ребенка в англоязычных странах, который бы не знал этой книги. Ее персонажи стали не только неотъемлемой частью культуры, но и вошли как действующие лица в произведения многих авторов. Самый яркий пример – знаменитые книги об Алисе Льюиса Кэролла, которые буквально «напичканы» цитатами из «Рифм матушки Гусыни». Это и Шалтай-Болтай, и неразлучные Твидлдум и Твидлди, и Дама Крестей, и многие другие.

Встречаются персонажи из «Рифм матушки Гусыни» и в хорошо известных нашему читателю книгах Памелы Трэверс о чудесной няне Мэри Поппинс, и в «Винни-Пухе» Александра Милна. Под ее влиянием оформилось творчество одного из величайших английских поэтов, родоначальника «поэзии абсурда» (или «нонсенса») Эдварда Лира, чьим, к слову сказать, последователем и почитателем был Льюис Кэрролл.

Переводить «Рифмы» на русский язык начали еще в XIX веке, но настоящее знакомство русского читателя с этими произведениями состоялось после появления переводов Корнея Чуковского и Самуила Маршака. Хотя они переводили лишь отдельные стихи из этой книги, переводы эти тут же завоевали большую популярность. О Шалтае-Болтае (Humpty-Dumpty) даже англичане писали, что Маршак своим переводом «сделал его русским». То же можно сказать о стихотворениях «Из чего только сделаны мальчики…», «Пудель» (пер. Маршака), «Жил на свете старичок скрюченные ножки…», «Барабек» (пер. Чуковского) и многих других.

Переводить стихотворения из сборника «Рифмы матушки Гусыни» довольно сложно: ведь при всей их внешней простоте нужно добиться такой же простоты по-русски. Да и чтобы смешно было, тоже не мешает. Все эти переводы делались мной на протяжении более чем 15 лет. Как это получилось – судить читателю. Кроме того, книга будет интересна не только тем, кто интересуется английской поэзией, но и тем, кто изучает английский язык.

И. Родин

1.
Old King Cole

 
Old King Cole
Was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
He called for his pipe,
And he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
 
 
Every fiddler, he had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he.
Twee, tweedle, dee,
Tweedle, dee, dee,
Went the fiddlers.
Oh there’s none so rare
As can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
 

2.
Hector Protector

 
Hector Protector was dressed all in green;
Hector Protector was sent to the Queen.
The Queen did not like him,
No more did the King;
So Hector Protector was sent back again.
 

3.
Sing a Song of Sixpence

 
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;
‘Long came a blackbird
And snapt off her nose.
 

4.
«A carrion crow sat on an oak…»

 
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
Watching a tailor shape his coat.
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho.
 
 
Wife, bring me my old bent bow,
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
That I may shoot yon carrion crow.
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho.
 
 
The tailor he shot and missed his mark,
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho,
And shot his own sow right through the heart.
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding ho.
 

5.
London Bridge

 
London Bridge is broken down,
Broken down, broken down,
London Bridge is broken down,
My fair lady.
 
 
Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay,
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair lady.
 
 
Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away,
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair lady.
 
 
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
My fair lady.
 
 
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
Will not stay, will not stay,
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
My fair lady.
 
 
Build it up with iron and steel,
Iron and steel, iron and steel,
Build it up with iron and steel,
My fair lady.
 
 
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Bend and bow, bend and bow,
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
My fair lady.
 
 
Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold,
Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair lady.
 
 
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away,
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
My fair lady.
 
 
Set a man to watch all night,
Watch all night, watch all night,
Set a man to watch all night,
My fair lady.
 
 
Suppose the man should fall asleep,
Fall asleep, fall asleep,
Suppose the man should fall asleep,
My fair lady.
 
 
Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
Smoke all night, smoke all night,
Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
My fair lady.
 

6.
A Farmer Went Trotting Upon His Gray Mare

 
A farmer went trotting upon his gray mare,
Bumpety, bumpety, bump,
With his daughter behind him, so rosy and fair,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump.
 
 
A raven cried “Croak,” and they all tumbled down,
Bumpety, bumpety, bump;
The mare broke her knees and the farmer his crown,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump.
 
 
The mischievous raven flew laughing away,
Bumpety, bumpety, bump,
And vowed he would serve them the same next day,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump.
 

7.
A Frog He Would A-wooing Go

 
A frog he would a-wooing go,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A frog he would a-wooing go,
Whether his mother would let him or no.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
So off he set with his opera hat,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
So off he set with his opera hat,
And on the road he met with a rat,
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Pray, Mr. Rat will you go with me?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Pray, Mr. Rat will you go with me,
Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see…
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
They came to the door of Mousey’s hall,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
They gave a loud knock, and they gave a loud call.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Pray, Mrs. Mouse are you within?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Oh yes, kind sirs, I’m sitting to spin.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Pray, Mrs. Mouse will you give us some beer?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Pray, Mr. Frog will you give us a song?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Let it be something that’s not very long.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Indeed, Mrs. Mouse, replied Mr. Frog,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A cold has made me as hoarse as a dog.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
Since you have a cold, Mr. Frog, Mousey said,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
I’ll sing you a song that I’ve just made.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
But while they were all a-merry-making
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A cat and her kittens came tumbling in.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
The cat she seized the rat by the crown,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
The kittens they pulled the little mouse down.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
He took up his hat and he wished them goodnight.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
But as Froggy was crossing over a brook,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
A lily white duck came and gobbled him up.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 
 
So there was the end of one, two, three,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
The rat, the mouse, and the little froggy.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
 

8.
A Riddle, A Riddle, As I Suppose

 
A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose,
A hundred eyes and never a nose!
 

9.
Arthur O’Bower Has Broken His Band

 
Arthur O’Bower has broken his band,
He comes roaring up the land.
A King of Scots, with all his power,
Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower.
 

10.
As I Was Going to Derby

 
As I was going to Derby
Upon a market-day,
I met the finest ram, sir,
That ever was fed on hay.
 
 
This ram was fat behind, sir;
This ram was fat before;
This ram was ten yards high, sir;
Indeed, he was no more.
 
 
The wool upon his back, sir,
Reached up unto the sky,
The eagles build their nests there,
For I heard the young ones cry.
 
 
The space between the horns, sir,
Was as far as man could reach,
And there they built a pulpit,
But no-one in it preached.
 
 
This ram had four legs to walk upon,
This ram had four legs to stand,
And every leg he had, sir,
Stood on an acre of land.
 
 
Now the man that fed the ram, sir,
He fed him twice a day,
And each time that he fed him, sir,
He ate a rick of hay.
 
 
The wool upon this ram’s tail
Was very fine and thin.
It took all the girls in Derby town
Seven years to spin.
 
 
And if you don’t believe me
And think it is a lie,
Then you go down to Derby town
And see as well as I.
 

11.
As I Was Going to St. Ives

 
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kits.
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives?
 

12.
«As I was going up Pippen Hill…»

 
As I was going up Pippen Hill,
Pippen Hill was dirty.
There I met a pretty miss
And she dropt me a curtsey.
 
 
Little miss, pretty miss,
Blessings light upon you!
If I had half a crown a day,
I’d spend it gladly on you.
 

13.
«As round as an apple…»

 
As round as an apple,
As deep as a cup,
And all the king’s horses
Can’t fill it up.
 

14.
«If you are to be a gentleman…»

 
If you are to be a gentleman,
As I suppose you’ll be,
You’ll neither laugh nor smile,
For a tickling of the knee.
 

15.
«Barney Bodkin broke his nose…»

 
Barney Bodkin broke his nose,
Without feet we can’t have toes;
Crazy folks are always mad,
Want of money makes us sad.
 

16.
A Was an Archer

 
A was an archer, who shot at a frog,
B was a butcher, and had a great dog.
C was a captain, all covered with lace,
D was a drunkard, and had a red face.
E was an esquire, with pride on his brow,
F was a farmer, and followed the plow.
G was a gamester, who had but ill-luck,
H was a hunter, and hunted a buck.
I was an innkeeper, who loved to carouse,
J was a joiner, and built up a house.
K was King William, once governed this land,
L was a lady, who had a white hand.
M was a miser, and hoarded up gold,
N was a nobleman, gallant and bold.
O was an oyster girl, and went about town,
P was a parson, and wore a black gown.
Q was a queen, who wore a silk slip,
R was a robber, and wanted a whip.
S was a sailor, and spent all he got,
T was a tinker, and mended a pot.
U was an usurer, a miserable elf,
V was a vintner, who drank all himself.
W was a watchman, and guarded the door,
X was expensive, and so became poor.
Y was a youth, that did not love school,
Z was a zany, a poor harmless fool.
 

17.
Bessy Bell and Mary Gray

 
Bessy Bell and Mary Gray,
They were two bonny lasses;
They built their house upon the lea,
And covered it with rashes.
 
 
Bessy kept the garden gate,
And Mary kept the pantry;
Bessy always had to wait,
While Mary lived in plenty.
 

18.
Billy Pringle Had a Little Pig

 
Billy Pringle had a little pig,
When it was young it was not very big,
When it was old it lived in clover,
Now it’s dead and that’s all over.
Billy Pringle he lay down and died,
Betty Pringle she lay down and cried,
So there was an end of one, two, and three,
Billy Pringle he, Betty Pringle she,
and the piggy wiggy wee.
 

19.
«Bonny lass, pretty lass…»

 
Bonny lass, pretty lass,
Wilt thou be mine?
Thou shall not wash dishes,
Nor yet serve the swine;
 
 
Thou shalt sit on a cushion,
And sew a fine seam,
And thou shalt eat strawberries,
Sugar, and cream!
 

20.
«Bye, baby bunting…»

 
Bye, baby bunting,
Daddy’s gone a-hunting,
To get a little rabbit skin
To wrap the baby bunting in.
 

21.
«Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose…»

 
Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose,
Have you any feathers loose?
Truly have I, pretty fellow,
Half enough to fill a pillow.
Here are quills, take one or two,
And down to make a bed for you.
 

22.
Charley, Charley, Stole the Barley

 
Charley, Charley, stole the barley
Out of the baker’s shop,
The baker came out and gave him a clout,
Which made poor Charley hop.
 

23.
To Bed, To Bed, Says Sleepy-Head

 
“To bed, to bed,” cried Sleepy-Head;
“Let’s stay awhile,” said Slow;
Said Greedy Nan, “Put on the pan,
Let’s dine before we go.”
 
 
“To bed, to bed,” cried Sleepy-Head.
But all the rest said, “No!
It is morning now; you must milk the cow,
And to-morrow to bed we go.”
 

24.
«Come when you’re called…»

 
Come when you’re called,
Do what you’re bid,
Shut the door after you,
Never be chid.
 

25.
«Hickory, Dickory, Dock…»

 
Hickory, Dickory, Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, Dickory, Dock.
 

26.
«Dickory, dickory, dare…»

 
Dickory, dickory, dare,
The pig flew up in the air;
The man in brown
Soon brought him down,
Dickory, dickory, dare.
 

27.
Ding Dong Bell

 
Ding Dong Bell,
Pussy’s in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Tommy Lin.
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Trout.
What a naughty boy was that,
To drown poor little Pussy cat,
Who never did him any harm,
But killed the mice in his father’s barn.
 

28.
«Doctor Foster went to Gloucester…»

 
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain,
He stepped in a puddle,
Right up to his middle,
And never went there again.
 

29.
Four-and-twenty Tailors

 
Four-and-twenty tailors went to kill a snail;
The best man among them durst not touch her tail.
She put out her horns like a little Kyloe cow.
Run, tailors, run, or she’ll kill you all e’en now.
 

30.
«Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie…»

 
Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
 

31.
Girls and Boys

 
Girls and boys come out to play,
The moon it shines as bright as day;
Leave your supper, and leave your sleep,
And come to your playmates in the street;
Come with a whoop, come with a call,
Come with a good will, or come not at all;
Up the ladder and down the wall,
A halfpenny loaf will serve us all.
 

32.
«Great A, little b…»

 
Great A, little b,
The cat’s in the cupboard
And she can’t C.
 

33.
«Grey goose and gander…»

 
Grey goose and gander,
Waft your wings together,
And carry the good king’s daughter
Over the one strand river.
 

34.
«Hey diddle diddle…»

 
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
 
 
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
 

35.
«How many days has my baby to play…»

 
How many days has my baby to play?
Saturday, Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
 
 
Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
Hop away, skip away,
My baby wants to play,
My baby wants to play every day.
 

36.
«Higher than a house, higher than a tree…»

 
Higher than a house, higher than a tree.
Oh! whatever can that be?
 

37.
How Many Miles to Babylon?

 
“How many miles to Babylon?”
“Threescore miles and ten.”
“Can I get there by candle-light?”
“Yes, and back again!
If your heels are nimble and light,
You may get there by candle-light.”
 

38.
«If wishes were horses…»

 
If wishes were horses,
Beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches,
I would wear one by my side.
 

39.
«I had a little dog, and his name was Blue Bell…»

 
I had a little dog, and his name was Blue Bell,
I gave him some work and he did it very well;
I sent him upstairs to pick up a pin,
He stepped in the coal-scuttle up to the chin;
I sent him to the garden to pick some sage,
He tumbled down and fell into a rage;
I sent him to the cellar, to draw a pot of beer,
He came up again and said there was none there.
 

40.
«I had a little hen, the prettiest ever seen…»

 
I had a little hen, the prettiest ever seen,
She washed me the dishes and kept the house clean;
She went to the mill to fetch me some flour,
She brought it home in less than an hour;
She baked me my bread, she brewed me my ale,
She sat by the fire and told many a fine tale.
 

41.
«I had a little hobby-horse…»

 
I had a little hobby-horse,
And it was dapple grey;
Its head was made of pea-straw,
Its tail was made of hay.
 
 
I sold it to an old woman
For a copper groat;
And I’ll not sing my song again
Without a new coat.
 

42.
Little Husband

 
I had a little husband,
No bigger than my thumb;
I put him in a pint-pot,
And there I bid him drum.
 
 
I bought a little horse,
That galloped up and down;
I bridled him and saddled him,
And sent him out of town.
 
 
I gave him some garters,
To garter up his hose,
And a little handkerchief
To wipe his pretty nose.
 

43.
«I love little pussy, her coat is so warm…»

 
I love little pussy, her coat is so warm,
And if I don’t hurt her she’ll do me no harm;
I won’t pull her tail, nor drive her away,
But pussy and I together will play.
 

44.
Little Nut Tree

 
I had a little nut tree,
Nothing would it bear,
But a silver nutmeg,
And a golden pear.
 
 
The King of Spain’s daughter
Came to visit me,
And all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.
 

45.
«I had a little pony…»

 
I had a little pony,
His name was Dapple Grey,
I lent him to a lady,
To ride a mile away.
 
 
She whipped him, she slashed him,
She rode him through the mire;
I would not lend my pony now,
For all the lady’s hire.
 

46.
«Round about, round about…»

 
Round about, round about,
Maggotty pie;
My father loves good ale,
And so do I.
 

47.
In a Cottage in Fife

 
In a cottage in Fife
Lived a man and his wife
Who, believe me, were comical folk;
For, to people’s surprise,
They both saw with their eyes,
And their tongues moved whenever they spoke!
 
 
When they were asleep,
I’m told, that to keep
Their eyes open they could not contrive;
They both walked on their feet,
And ’twas thought what they eat
Helped, with drinking, to keep them alive!
 

48.
«In Spring I look gay…»

 
In Spring I look gay,
Decked in comely array,
In Summer more clothing I wear;
When colder it grows,
I fling off my clothes,
And in Winter quite naked appear.
 

49.
«I saw a peacock with a fiery tail…»

 
I saw a peacock with a fiery tail,
I saw a blazing comet drop down hail,
I saw a cloud wrapped with ivy round,
I saw an oak creep upon the ground,
I saw a pismire swallow up a whale,
I saw the sea brimful of ale,
I saw a Venice glass full fifteen feet deep,
I saw a well full of men’s tears that weep,
I saw red eyes all of a flaming fire,
I saw a house bigger than the moon and higher,
I saw the sun at twelve o’clock at night,
I saw the man that saw this wondrous sight.
 

50.
Ye Fairy Ship

 
A ship, a ship a-sailing,
A-sailing on the sea,
And it was deeply laden
With pretty things for me;
There were raisins in the cabin,
And almonds in the hold;
The sails were made of satin,
And the mast it was of gold.
 
 
The four-and-twenty sailors
That stood between the decks,
Were four-and-twenty white mice
With rings about their necks.
The captain was a duck, a duck,
With a jacket on his back,
And when this fairy ship set sail,
The captain he said, “Quack!”
 

51.
I Saw Three Ships

 
I saw three ships come sailing by,
Sailing by, sailing by,
I saw three ships come sailing by,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.
 
 
And what do you think was in them then,
In them then, in them then,
And what do you think was in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning?
 
 
Three pretty girls were in them then,
In them then, in them then,
Three pretty girls were in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.
 
 
And one could whistle, and one could sing,
The other play on the violin;
Such joy there was at my wedding,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.