Джордж Каннинг (George Canning)
Песенка про четыре несчастья
Однажды у речки дремал старичок. Колпак на макушке, под ним – паричок. Дремал бы и дальше, но ветер шальной Смахнул с него в речку убор головной. Старик было тростью колпак свой поддел, Но в воду с макушки парик полетел. Старик был не в силах сдержать свою злость И в речку забросил любимую трость. Забросив, подумал: имущество жаль; Из речки имущество вынуть нельзя ль? Подумал – и в речку слетел кувырком, Где плавали трость и колпак с париком. © Перевод Евг. Фельдмана Все переводы Евгения Фельдмана
Оригинал или первоисточник на английском языке
The Elderly Gentleman
By the side of a murmuring stream an elderly gentleman sat. On the top of his head was a wig, and a-top of his wig was his hat. The wind it blew high and blew strong, as the elderly gentleman sat; And bore from his head in a trice, and plunged in the river his hat. The gentleman then took his cane which lay by his side as he sat; And he dropped in the river his wig, in attempting to get out his hat. His breast it grew cold with despair, and full in his eye madness sat; So he flung in the river his cane to swim with his wig and his hat. Cool reflexion at last came across while this elderly gentleman sat; So he thought he would follow the stream and look for his cane, wig and hat. His head being thicker than common, o’er-balanced the rest of his fat; And in plumped this son of a woman to follow his wig, cane and hat.
2092