Walter Scott
Proud Maisie is in the wood,
Walking so early;
Sweet Robin sits on the bush,
Singing so rarely.
“Tell me, thou bonny bird,
when shall I marry me?”
—“When six braw gentlemen
Kirkward shall carry ye.”
“Who makes the bridaI bed,
Birdie, say truly?”
—“The gray-headed sexton
That delves the grave duly.
“The glowworm o'er grave and stone
Shall light thee steady;
The owl from the steepIe sing,
Welcome, proud lady.”
瓦爾特·司各特
驕傲的梅西漫步林間,
踩著晨曦;
伶俐的知更鳥(niǎo)棲息樹(shù)叢,
唱得甜蜜。
“告訴我,美麗的鳥(niǎo)兒,
我哪年哪月穿嫁衣?”——
“等到六個(gè)殯葬人
抬你上教堂。”
“誰(shuí)為我鋪新床?
好鳥(niǎo)兒,莫撒謊?!薄?/p>
“白發(fā)司事,兼挖墓穴,
誤不了你的洞房?!?/p>
“螢火蟲(chóng)幽幽閃閃,
把你的墳?zāi)拐樟粒?/p>
貓頭鷹將在塔尖高唱:
歡迎你,驕傲的姑娘?!?/p>
實(shí)戰(zhàn)提升
背景知識(shí)
瓦爾特·司各特(Walter Scott),英國(guó)著名的歷史小說(shuō)家和詩(shī)人。他十分欣賞德國(guó)的“狂飆文學(xué)”,翻譯過(guò)德國(guó)著名民謠《萊諾爾》。司各特的詩(shī)充滿浪漫的冒險(xiǎn)故事,深受讀者歡迎。但當(dāng)時(shí)拜倫的詩(shī)才遮蔽了司各特的才華,司各特轉(zhuǎn)向小說(shuō)創(chuàng)作,從而首創(chuàng)英國(guó)歷史小說(shuō),為英國(guó)文學(xué)提供了30多部歷史小說(shuō)巨著。司各特的創(chuàng)作對(duì)歐洲歷史小說(shuō)起了開(kāi)創(chuàng)作用,被尊為歷史小說(shuō)的創(chuàng)始人。英國(guó)的狄更斯、斯蒂文森,法國(guó)的雨果、巴爾扎克、大仲馬,俄國(guó)的普希金,意大利的曼佐尼,美國(guó)的庫(kù)柏等著名作家都曾受到司各特的深刻影響。
單詞注解
bush[bu?]灌木,灌木叢
bridaI['braidl]新娘的;婚禮的
sexton['sekst?n]教堂司事
steepIe['sti:pl]尖塔;尖頂
名句誦讀
Proud Maisie is in the wood, Walking so early;Sweet Robin sits on the bush, Singing so rarely.
“Who makes the bridal bed, Birdie, say truly?”—“The gray-headed sexton That delves the grave duly.
“The glowworm o'er grave and stone Shall light thee steady;The owl from the steeple sing, Welcome, proud lady.”