Эдвард Лир - Книга бессмыслицы

• Название: Книга бессмыслицы
• Автор: Эдвард Лир
• Жанр: Юмористические стихи

Эдвард Лир также Эдуард Лир (англ. Edward Lear, 1812–1888) — английский художник и поэт, один из основоположников «поэзии бессмыслицы» (nonsensical poetry), автор многочисленных популярных абсурдистских лимериков.

Книгу подготовила Юлия Стрекалова

Метод чтения Ильи Франка

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But he tore it in pieces (но он разорвал ее на куски)

To give to his nieces (чтобы отдать его племянницам),

That cheerful Old Man in a pew (неунывающий).

There was 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.

72

There was an Old Man who said, 'How (как)

Shall I flee from that horrible cow (как мне убежать от этой ужасной коровы)?

I will sit on this stile (на этой приступке),

And continue to smile (продолжать улыбаться),

Which may soften the heart (что может смягчить сердце) of that cow.

There was an Old Man who said, 'How

Shall I flee from that horrible cow?

I will sit on this stile,

And continue to smile,

Which may soften the heart of that cow.

73

There was a Young Lady of Hull,

Who was chased by a virulent bull (которая была преследуема очень злобным, опасным быком);

But she seized on a spade (схватила лопату),

And called out (выкрикнула, закричала), 'Who's afraid (кто испуган, боится)?

Which distracted (отвлекло, сбило с толку) that virulent bull.

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.

74

There was an Old Man of Whitehaven,

Who danced a quadrille with a raven (танцевал кадриль с вороном);

But they said, 'It's absurd (это абсурд)

To encourage this bird (потакать этой птице)!

So they smashed (потому они прибили) that Old Man of Whitehaven.

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.

75

There was an Old Man of Leghorn,

The smallest that ever was born (самый маленький, что когда-либо был рожден);

But quickly snapped up he (/был/ схвачен; snapup— подхватывать, накидываться)

Was once by a puppy (однажды щенком),

Who devoured (поглотил) that Old Man of Leghorn.

There was an Old Man of Leghorn,

The smallest that ever was born;

But quickly snapped up he

Was once by a puppy,

Who devoured that Old Man of Leghorn.

76

There was an Old Man of the Hague (Гаага [город в Голландии]),

Whose ideas were excessively vague (чьи идеи были крайне неопределенны, расплывчаты);

He built a balloon (построил шар; build — строить)

To examine the moon (чтобы изучать луну),

That deluded (ввела в заблуждение) Old Man of the Hague.

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.

77

There was an Old Man of Jamaica (с Ямайки),

Who suddenly married a Quaker (неожиданно женился на Квакерше);

But she cried out, 'Alack (увы)!

I have married a black! (вышла замуж за черного)

Which distressed (что причинило горе, страдания) that Old Man of Jamaica.

There was an Old Man of Jamaica,

Who suddenly married a Quaker;

But she cried out, 'Alack!

I have married a black!

Which distressed that Old Man of Jamaica.

78

There was an Old Person of Dutton,

Whose head was as small as a button (голова была так мала, как пуговица),

So, to make it look big (чтобы заставить её смотреться большой),

He purchased a wig (приобрел парик),

And rapidly rushed about (быстро носился по) Dutton.

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.

79

There was a Young Lady of Tyre,

Who swept the loud chords of a lyre (подметала громкие струны лиры; sweep — сметать, подметать);

At the sound of each sweep (при звуке каждого взмаха /метлы/)

She enraptured the deep (приводила в состояние восторга глубину = души /людей/, сокровенное),

And enchanted the city of Tyre (очаровывала город).

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.

80

There was an Old Man who said, 'Hush (Тсс!)!

I perceive a young bird in this bush! (замечаю молодую птицу в этом кусте)

When they said, 'Is it small (маленькая)?

He replied, 'Not at all (вовсе нет)!

It is four times as big as the bush (в четыре раза больше, чем куст)!

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!

81

There was an Old Man of the East (с Востока),

Who gave all his children a feast (который задал пир всем своим детям);

But they all ate so much (все ели так много)

And their conduct was such (их поведение было таким)

That it killed (что это убило) that Old Man of the East.

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.

82

There was an Old Man of Kamschatka,

Who possessed a remarkable fat cur (который владел примечательной толстой дворняжкой);

His gait and his waddle (ее поступь и походка вразвалку)

Were held as a model (держалась, признавалась как модель, образец; hold — держать)

To all the fat dogs (для всех толстых собак) in Kamschatka.

There was an Old Man of Kamschatka,

Who possessed a remarkable fat cur;

His gait and his waddle

Were held as a model

To all the fat dogs in Kamschatka.

83

There was an Old Man of the coast (с побережья),

Who placidly sat on a post (спокойно, мирно сидел на столбе);

But when it was cold (когда было холодно)

He relinquished his hold (ослабил свою хватку)

And called for some hot buttered toast (попросил несколько горячих масляных /со сливочным маслом/ тостов).

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.

84

There was an Old Person of Bangor ([город в Уэльсе]),

Whose face was distorted with anger (лицо было искажено гневом, яростью)!

He tore off his boots (разорвал его ботинки),

And subsisted on roots (существовал, кормился корнями),

That irascible Person of Bangor (раздражительный, вспыльчивый).

There was an Old Person of Bangor,

Whose face was distorted with anger!

He tore off his boots,

And subsisted on roots,

That irascible Person of Bangor.

85

There was an Old Man with a beard (с бородой),

Who sat on a horse when he reared (сидел на коне, когда он встал на дыбы);

But they said, "Never mind (не волнуйтесь)!

You will fall off behind (свалитесь, упадете /с коня/ назад),

You propitious (доброжелательный, благосклонный = добродушный) Old Man with a beard!"

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!"

86

There was an Old Man of the West (с Запада),

Who never could get any rest (никогда не мог получить отдых = отдохнуть);

So they set him to spin (заставили его крутиться)

On his nose and chin (на носу и подбородке),

Which cured (что вылечило) that Old Man of the West.

There was an Old Man of the West,

Who never could get any rest;

So they set him to spin

On his nose and chin,

Which cured that Old Man of the West.

87

There was an Old Person of Anerley,

Whose conduct was strange and unmannerly (поведение которого было странным и невежливым: «лишенным манер»);

He rushed down the Strand (он пронесся вниз на Стрэнду /улица Лондона/)

With a pig in each hand (со свиньей в каждой руке),

But returned in the evening to Anerley (но вернулся вечером).

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.

88

There was a Young Lady of Troy,

Whom several large flies did annoy (несколько, целый ряд больших мух надоедали, приставали);

Some she killed with a thump (убила тяжелым хлопком),

Some she drowned at the pump (нескольких утопила возле насоса),

And some she took with her to Troy (а некоторых она взяла с собой).

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.

89

There was an Old Person of Berlin,

Whose form was uncommonly thin (строение тела которого было необычайно тонким);

Till he once, by mistake (он однажды по ошибке),

Was mixed up in a cake (был замешан в торт),

So they baked (так что испекли) that Old Man of Berlin.

There was an Old Person 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.

90

There was an Old Person of Spain (из Испании),