美国语文第五册 第100期:罗伯特-林肯(2)

 　　Modest and shy as a nun¹ is she, 雌鸟羞涩得像位修女，

　　One weak chirp² is her only note; 偶尔低声地唧喳两声，

　　Braggart³ and prince of braggarts is he, 夫君却是自吹自擂的王子，

　　Pouring boasts from his little throat: 颇为自豪地不停叫唤，

　　Bobolink, Bobolink, 食米鸟，食米鸟，

　　Spink, spank⁴, spink, 斯宾克，斯潘克，斯宾克，

　　Never was I afraid of man, 我可从来不怕人，

　　Catch me, cowardly knaves⁵, if you can. 无赖！流氓！有胆你就放马过来，

　　Chee, chee, chee. 唧，唧，唧。

　　Six white eggs on a bed of hay, 干草上，六只白色的蛋，

　　Flecked with purple, a pretty sight! 紫色的斑点，温润美丽，

　　There as the mother sits all day, 妈妈整天地孵坐窝里，

　　Robert is singing with all his might: 父亲快乐地吐露心声，

　　Bobolink, bobolink, 食米鸟，食米鸟，

　　Spink, spank, spink, 斯宾克，斯潘克，斯宾克，

　　Nice good wife that never goes out, 尽职的母亲从不挪窝，

　　Keeping house while I frolic about. 我却在一边玩耍嬉戏，

　　Chee, chee, chee. 唧，唧，唧。

　　Soon as the little ones chip the shell, 雏鸟们很快破壳而出，

　　Six wide mouths are open for food; 六只嗷嗷小嘴盼着食物，

　　Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well, 罗伯特·林肯抖擞精神，

　　Gathering⁶ seeds for the hungry brood.. 衔来草籽喂养待哺的宝贝，

　　Bobolink, bobolink, 食米鸟，食米鸟，

　　Spink, spank, spink, 斯宾克，斯潘克，斯宾克，

　　This new life is likely to be hard for a gay young fellow like me. 新出世的雏鸟们，今后或许像我同样艰难辛苦，

　　Chee, chee, chee. 唧，唧，唧。

　　Robert of Lincoln at length is made 罗伯特·林肯变了模样，

　　Sober with work, and silent with care; 精心地照料孩子不再歌唱，

　　Off is his holiday garment laid, 它脱下假日漂亮的盛装，

　　Half forgotten that merry air: 忘却快乐的和煦阳光，

　　Bobolink, bobolink, 食米鸟，食米鸟，

　　Spink, spank, spink, 斯宾克，斯潘克，斯宾克，

　　Nobody knows but my mate and I 除了我们夫妻俩，

　　Where our nest and our nestlings lie. 没人知道孵蛋的小窝搭在哪，

　　Chee, chee, chee. 唧，唧，唧。

　　Summer wanes⁷; the children are grown; 夏天过去，雏鸟们已长大，

　　Fun and frolic no more he knows; 不再只知道嬉戏玩耍，

　　Robert of Lincoln's a humdrum⁸ crone; 老伴变得干瘪无趣，

　　Off he flies, and we sing as he goes: 罗伯特飞走时，歌谣依然在唱，

　　Bobolink, bobolink, 食米鸟，食米鸟，

　　Spink, spank, spink, 斯宾克，斯潘克，斯宾克，

　　When you can pipe that merry old strain, 风笛吹响，古老迷人的曲调，

　　Robert of Lincoln, come back again. 罗伯特终于飞回来了，

　　Chee, chee, chee. 唧，唧，唧。

1 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

2 chirp   

v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫

参考例句：

• The birds chirp merrily at the top of tree.鸟儿在枝头欢快地啾啾鸣唱。
• The sparrows chirp outside the window every morning.麻雀每天清晨在窗外嘁嘁喳喳地叫。

3 braggart   

n.吹牛者；adj.吹牛的，自夸的

参考例句：

• However,Captain Prien was not a braggart.不过，普里恩舰长却不是一个夸大其词的人。
• Sir,I don't seek a quarrel,not being a braggart.先生，我并不想寻衅挑斗，也不是爱吹牛的人。

4 spank   

v.打，拍打(在屁股上)

参考例句：

• Be careful.If you don't work hard,I'll spank your bottom.你再不好好学习，小心被打屁股。
• He does it very often.I really get mad.I can't help spank him sometimes.他经常这样做。我很气愤。有时候我忍不住打他的屁股。

5 knaves   

n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克

参考例句：

• Give knaves an inch and they will take a yard. 我一日三餐都吃得很丰盛。 来自互联网
• Knaves and robbers can obtain only what was before possessed by others. 流氓、窃贼只能攫取原先由别人占有的财富。 来自互联网

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 wanes   

v.衰落( wane的第三人称单数 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• The moon waxes till it becomes full, and then wanes. 月亮渐盈，直到正圆，然后消亏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The moon waxes and wanes every month. 月亮每个月都有圆缺。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 humdrum   

adj.单调的，乏味的

参考例句：

• Their lives consist of the humdrum activities of everyday existence.他们的生活由日常生存的平凡活动所构成。
• The accountant said it was the most humdrum day that she had ever passed.会计师说这是她所度过的最无聊的一天。