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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Who hated all trouble and pain (ненавидел какие-либо неприятности и боль);

So he sat on a chair (сидел на стуле; sit — сидеть),

With his feet in the air (с ногами в воздухе; foot— нога),

That umbrageous (мнительный, подозрительный, недоверчивый) Old Person of Spain.

There was an Old Person of Spain,

Who hated all trouble and pain;

So he sat on a chair,

With his feet in the air,

That umbrageous Old Person of Spain.

91

There was a Young Lady of Russia,

Who screamed so that no one could hush her (вопила так, что никто не мог успокоить ее);

Her screams were extreme (ее крики были чрезвычайными), –

No one heard such a scream (никто не слышал такого вопля)

As was screamed by that Lady from Russia (каким был выкрикиваемый этой дамой из России).

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 from Russia.

92

There was an Old Man who said, 'Well (хорошо)!

Will nobody answer this bell (никто не ответит на звонок)?

I have pulled day and night (дергал день и ночь),

Till my hair has grown white (пока мои волосы не стали белыми; grow— расти; становиться),

But nobody answers this bell!

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!

93

There was a Young Lady of Wales (из Уэльса),

Who caught a large fish without scales (поймала большую рыбу без чешуи; catch — поймать, ловить);

When she lifted her hook (когда она подняла свой крючок)

She exclaimed (воскликнула), 'Only look (только посмотрите)!

That ecstatic Young Lady of Wales (исступленная).

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.

94

There was an Old Person of Cheadle,

Who was put in the stocks by the beadle (был помещен в колодки церковным сторожем)

For stealing some pigs (за кражу нескольких свиней),

Some coats (шкур, курток), and some wigs (париков),

That horrible person of Cheadle (ужасный).

There was an Old Person of Cheadle,

Who was put in the stocks by the beadle

For stealing some pigs,

Some coats, and some wigs,

That horrible person of Cheadle.

95

There was a Young Lady of Welling,

Whose praise all the world was a-telling (чье восхваление весь мир говорил = которую все восхваляли);

She played on a harp (играла на арфе),

And caught several carp (карпов, сазанов),

That accomplished Young Lady of Welling (искусная, опытная).

There was a Young Lady of Welling,

Whose praise all the world was a-telling;

She played on a harp,

And caught several carp,

That accomplished Young Lady of Welling.

96

There was an Old Person of Tartary (из Татарии),

Who divided his jugular artery (рассек свою яремную вену);

But he screeched to his wife (прохрипел, провизжал своей жене),

And she said, 'Oh, my life (о, моя жизнь)!

Your death will be felt by all Tartary (твоя смерть будет переживаема = оплакиваема всей Татарией; feel— трогать, чувствовать, испытывать)!

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!

97

There was an Old Person of Chester,

Whom several small children did pester (которому несколько маленьких детей докучали);

They threw some large stones (они кидали большие камни; throw — кидать),

Which broke most of his bones (что сломало большую часть его костей; break — ломать, разбивать),

And displeased that Old Person of Chester (было неприятно, пришлось не по вкусу).

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 Ols Person of Chester.

98

There was an Old Man with a owl (с совой),

Who continued to bother and howl (продолжал беспокоиться и завывать);

He sat on a rail (сидел на ограде)

And imbibed bitter ale (поглощал горький эль),

Which refreshed (что подкрепило, освежало) that Old Man and his owl.

There was an Old Man with a owl,

Who continued to bother and howl;

He sat on a rail

And imbibed bitter ale,

Which refreshed that Old Man and his owl.

99

There was an Old Person from Gretna ([город в Шотландии]),

Who rushed down the crater of Etna (сбежал вниз кратера Этны);

When they said, 'Is it hot (горячо)?

He replied (ответил), 'No, it's not!

That mendacious (лживый) Old Person of Gretna.

There was an Old Person from 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.

100

There was a Young Lady of Sweden (из Швеции),

Who went by the slow train (отправилась, пошла медленным поездом) to Weedon;

When they cried (прокричали), 'Weedon Station (станция)!

She made no observation («не сделала наблюдения» = не обратила внимания)

But thought (подумала; think — думать) she should go back (/что/ ей следует поехать назад, вернуться) to Sweden.

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.

101

There was a Young Girl of Majorca (с Майорки),

Whose aunt was a very fast walker (чья тетя была очень быстрым ходоком);

She walked seventy miles (она прошла 70 миль),

And leaped fifteen stiles (и перепрыгнула /через/ 15 заборов),

Which astonished (что изумило, удивило) that Girl of Majorca.

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.

102

There was an Old Man of the Cape,

Who possessed a large Barbary ape (владел = был хозяином большой бесхвостой /африканской/ обезьяной),

Till the ape one dark night (одной темной ночью)

Set the house all alight (подожгла весь дом; set — помещать /в какое-либо положение/, приводить /в какое-либо состояние/),

Which burned (что сожгло) that Old Man of the Cape.

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.

103

There was an Old Lady of Prague (из Праги),

Whose language was horribly vague (чей язык =чьи речи были страшно неопределенными);

When they said, 'Are these caps (это шапки)?

She answered, 'Perhaps (возможно)!

That oracular (мудрая, вещая) Lady of Prague.

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.

104

There was an Old Person of Sparta,

Who had twenty-one sons and one 'darter' (у которого был 21 сын и одна дочь; darter /просторечие/ — отdaughter);

He fed them on snails (кормил их улитками),

And weighed them in scales (взвешивал их на весах),

That wonderful Person of Sparta (удивительный, поразительный).

There was an Old Person of Sparta,

Who had twenty-one sons and one 'darter';

He fed them on snails,

And weighed them in scales,

That wonderful Person of Sparta.

105

There was an Old Man at a casement (в створном окне),

Who held up his hands in amazement (держал руки вверх, всплеснул руками в изумлении);

When they said, 'Sir, you'll fall (сэр, вы упадете)!

He replied, 'Not at all! (он ответил: "Вовсе нет")

That incipient (начинающийся, зарождающийся) Old Man at a casement.

There was an Old Man at 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 at a casement.

106

There was an Old Person of Burton,

Whose answers were rather uncertain (чьи ответы были довольно неопределенными, сомнительными);

When they said, 'How d'ye do (Как вы поживаете = здравствуйте; d'ye — разг. отdo you)?

He replied (ответил), 'Who are you (кто вы)?

That distressing (огорчительный, досадный) Old Person of Burton.

There was an Old Person of Burton,

Whose answers were rather uncertain;

When they said, 'How d'ye do?

He replied, 'Who are you?

That distressing Old Person of Burton.

107

There was an Old Person of Ems,

Who casually fell in the Thames (случайно упал в Темзу);

And when he was found (когда он был найден)

They said he was drowned (сказали, что он был утонувшим = что утонул),

That unlucky Old Person of Ems (невезучий).

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.

108

There was an Old Person of Ewell,

Who chiefly subsisted on gruel (главный образом кормился, жил на жидкой каше);