The Duck and The Kangaroo
by Edward Lear
《鴨子和袋鼠》，愛德華·利爾（著）
I
said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
'Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond,
And I long to go out in the world beyond!
I wish I could hop like you!'
Said the duck to the Kangaroo.
鴨子對袋鼠說，
「天哪！你竟然可以跳著走路！
跳過田野，跳過河流，
好像你從來也不會停下來！
我的生活就是在這髒兮兮池塘中的一個小旮旯，
我太想去外面的世界看一看！
我真希望自己也能像你這樣跳起來！」
鴨子對袋鼠說
II
'Please give me a ride on your back!'
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
'I would sit quite still, and say nothing but "Quack,"
The whole of the long day through!
And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land and over the sea;--
Please take me a ride! O do!'
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
「請讓我坐在你的背上，帶我一程吧！」
鴨子對袋鼠說，
「我會安靜地坐著，一動也不動，除了嘎嘎叫，什麼也不說。
一整天我都會這樣子！
我們一起去迪河，去Jelly Bo Lee，
越過陸地，跨過海洋；
請帶上我吧！求你了！」
鴨子對袋鼠說。
III
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
'This requires some little reflection;
Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,
And there seems but one objection,
Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz!' said the Kangaroo.
袋鼠對鴨子說，
「請讓我想一想；
也許，這樣的旅程會給我帶來好運，
但是似乎有一點點小問題，
那就是，請允許我直說，
你的腳太溼太冷了，
這樣我會很不舒服。
我還可能會患上風溼病！」
袋鼠說。
IV
Said the Duck ,'As I sate on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely,
And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I'll smoke,
All to follow my own dear true
Love of a Kangaroo!'
鴨子說，「我坐在石頭上的時候，
就很仔細地想過這個問題。
我買了四雙絨線襪子，
它們會把我的鴨蹼包裹得乾乾淨淨。
為了抵禦嚴寒，我還買了鬥篷大衣。
我每天都會抽一支雪茄。
我做的這一切都是為了追隨我的袋鼠。
你是我的真愛。
V
Said the Kangaroo,'I'm ready!
All in the moonlight pale;
But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!
And quite at the end of my tail!'
So away they went with a hop and a bound,
And they hopped the whole world three times round;
And who so happy, -- O who,
As the duck and the Kangaroo?
袋鼠說，「我準備好了！
等到月光皎潔時，我們就出發。
但是親愛的鴨鴨，為了平穩，
你要坐得穩穩的，不要亂動哦。
在我的尾巴後面，安安靜靜的。
一蹦一跳的，它們就這樣出發了。
它們繞著地球跳了足足有三圈；
世界上誰最快樂
噢，有誰，
像鴨子和袋鼠那樣快樂？