Страница 2 из 6
The Duck and the Kangaroo
ISaid 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.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”,Te 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.IIISaid 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.IVSaid the Duck, “As I sate on the rocks,I have thought over that completely,And I bought four pairs of worsted socksWhich fit my web-fit neatly.And to keep out the cold I’ve bought a cloak,And every day a cigar I’l smoke,All to follow my own dear trueLove of Kangaroo!”VSaid 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 roundAnd who so happy, – O who,As the Duck and the Kangaroo?The Daddy Long-legs and the Fly
IOnce Mr. Daddy Long-legs,Dressed in brown and gray,Walked about upon the sandsUpon a summer’s day;And there among the pebbles,When the wind was rather cold,He met with Mr. Floppy Fly,All dressed in blue and gold.And as it was too soon to dine,They drank some Periwinkle-wine,And played an hour or two, or more,At battlecock and shuttledoor.IISaid Mr. Daddy Long-legsTo Mr. Floppy Fly,“Why do you never come to court?I wish you’d tell me why.All gold and shine, in dress so fine,You’d quite delight the court.Why do you never go at all?I really think you ough!And if you went, you’d see such sights!Such rugs! and jugs! and candle-lights!And more than all, the King and Queen,One in red, and one in green!”III“O Mr. Daddy Long-legs,”Said Mr. Floppy Fly,“It’s true I never go to court,And I will tell you why.If I had six long legs like yours,At once I’d go to court!But oh! I can’t, because my legsAre so extremely short.And I’m afraid the King and Queen(One in red, and one in green)Would said aloud, “You are not fit,You Fly, to come to court a bit!”IV“O Mr. Daddy Long-legs,”Said Mr. Floppy Fly,“I wish you’d sing one little song!One mumbian melody!You used to sing so awful wellIn former days gone by,But now you never sing at all;I wish you’d tell me why:For if you would, the silvery soundWould please the shrimps and cockles round,And all the crabs would gladly comeTo hear you sing, “Ah, Hum di Hum!”VSaid Mr. Daddy Long-legs,“I can never sing again!And if you wish, I’ll tell you why,Although it gives me pain.For years I caot hum a bit,Or sing the smallest song;And this the dreadful reason is,My legs are grown too long!My six long legs, all here and there,Oppress my bosom with despair;And if I stand, or lie, or sit,I caot sing one single bit!”VISo Mr. Daddy Long-legsAnd Mr. Floppy FlySat down in silence by the sea,And gazed upon the sky.They said, “This is a dreadful thing!The world has all gone wrong,Since one has legs too short by half,The other much too long!One never more can go to court,Because his legs have grown too short;The other caot sing a song,Because his legs have grown too long!”VIIThen Mr. Daddy Long-legsAnd Mr. Floppy FlyRushed downward to the foamy seaWith one sponge-taneous cry;And there they found a little boat,Whose sails were pink and grey;And off they sailed among the waves,Far, and far away,They sailed across the silent main,And reached the great Gromboolian plain;And there they play for evermoreAt battlecock and shuttledoor.