一
The Pobble who has no toes
Had once as many as we;
When they said, "Some day you may lose them all;"
He replied, "Fish fiddle de-dee!"
And his Aunt Jobiska made him drink
Lavender water tinged with pink;
For she said, "The World in general knows
There's nothing so good for a Pobble's toes!"
波波娃沒有腳趾頭,
可從前也像我們一樣有;
別人說:“你的腳趾總有一天會掉光。”
他回答:“你胡說八道羞不羞!”
他的姑姑名叫喬比卡,
為他做了杯熏衣草茶;
她說:“波波娃還不如沒腳趾,
全世界啊都知道為了啥!”
二
The Pobble who has no toes,
Swam across the Bristol Channel;
But before he set out he wrapped his nose
In a piece of scarlet flannel.
For his Aunt Jobiska said, "No harm
沒有腳趾頭的波波娃,
曾穿越布裏斯托爾海峽[4];
他取了塊紅色的法蘭絨,
裹住了鼻子再出發。
因為他姑姑曾叮囑,
Can come to his toes if his nose is warm;
And it's perfectly known that a Pobble's toes
Are safe—provided he minds his nose."
鼻子暖和腳趾才保得住;
波波娃若在乎他鼻子,
才能將腳趾保住。
三
The Pobble swam fast and well,
And when boats or ships came near him,
He tinkledy-binkledy-winkled a bell
So that all the world could hear him.
And all the Sailors and Admirals cried,
When they saw him nearing the further side,—
"He has gone to fish, for his Aunt Jobiska's
Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!"
波波娃遊得呀真起勁,
當大船小船都靠近,
他搖起了鈴鐺丁零零,
全世界仿佛都聽得清。
水手、船長們齊聲喊,
見波波娃遊向前方路遙遙——