鹅妈妈是典型的乡村妇女，其被认为是鹅妈妈故事跟童谣的原作者。至今为止尚没有任何特定的作家被认定就是鹅妈妈，这名字最早在一部韵体诗体裁的周记中被提及，且在好几年间经常性的出现，Jean Loret的La Muse Historique (在1660年): comme un conte de la Mere Oye （"就像一则鹅妈妈故事"）。对于鹅妈妈童谣流传的时间众说纷纭，至今无法确切定论。一般有两种说法，第一是源自法国作家 Charles Perrault 在 1697 年写的故事集 Contes de ma mère l'Oye(Tales of My Mother Goose)，之后由英国人收集编辑而成。童话体裁的创始者Charles Perrault，在1695年使用他儿子的名字来出版一部名为 "Contes de ma mère l'Oye"（即"鹅妈妈童谣"）的童话集。许多到麻萨诸塞的波士顿（Boston, Massachusetts）的游客都曾被告之说最早的鹅妈妈名为玛莉鸪丝，且被埋葬在谷仓埋藏地Granary Burying Ground。这个说法被学者认为全盘错误，因为此人的在世期间不符且没有任何证据显示她有将任何故事收集成册。不过也有十四世纪就出现的说法。因为大部份的歌词为了顺口的缘故，句末都会押韵，而有些字随着时代不同会有不同发音。所以有人发现，某某歌的歌词如果要押韵的话，应该用十四世纪的发音才对，因此就有从十四世纪开始流传的说法。
Who killed Cock Robin?
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the Sparrow,
With my bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die?
I, said the Fly.
With my little eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his blood?
I, said the Fish,
With my little dish,
I caught his blood.
Who'll make his shroud?
I , said the Beetle,
With my thread and needle,
I'll make the shroud.
Who'll dig his grave?
I, said the Owl,
With my pick and shovel,
I'll dig his grave.
Who'll be the person?
I, said the Rook,
With my little book,
I'll be the parson.
Who'll be the clerk?
I, said the Lark,
If it's not in the dark,
I'll be the clerk.
Who'll carry the link?
I, said the Linnet,
I'll fetch it in a minute,
I'll carry the link.
Who'll be chief mourner?
I, said the Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I'll be chief mourner.
Who'll carry the coffin?
I, said the Kite,
If it's not through the night,
I'll carry the coffin.
Who'll bear the pall?
We, said the Wren,
Both the cock and the hen,
We'll bear the pall.
Who'll sing a psalm?
I, said the Thrush,
As she sat on a bush,
I'll sing a psalm.
Who'll toll the bell?
I, said the Bull,
Because I can pull,
So Cock Robin, farewell.
All the birds of the air
Fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll
For poor Cock Robin.
NOTICE
To all it concerns,
This notice apprises,
The Sparrow's for trial,
At next bird assizes.
誰殺死了知更鳥？
麻雀說，是我，
用我的弓和箭，
我殺了知更鳥。
誰看見他死去？
蒼蠅說，是我，
用我的小眼睛，
我看見他死去。
誰拿走他的血？
魚說，是我，
用我的小碟子，
我拿走他的血。
誰為他做壽衣？
甲蟲說，是我，
用我的針和線，
我會來做壽衣。
誰要挖墳墓？
貓頭鷹說，是我，
用我的鑿子鏟子，
我會來挖墳墓。
誰要當牧師？
白嘴鴉說，是我，
用我的小本子，
我會來做牧師。
誰要當辦事員？
雲雀說，是我，
只要不在夜晚，
我就當辦事員。
誰會帶火炬？
紅雀說，是我，
我立刻把它拿來。
我將會帶火炬。
誰要當主祭？
鴿子說，是我，
我要哀悼我的愛，
我將會當主祭。
誰要抬棺？
鳶說，是我，
如果不走夜路，
我就會來抬棺。
誰提供柩布？
鷦鷯，與公雞和母雞說，是我們，
我們將提供柩布。
誰來唱讚美詩？
站在灌木叢上，畫眉說，是我，
我將唱讚美詩。
誰來敲喪鐘？
牛說，是我，
因為我能拉犛。
所以再會，知更鳥。
空中所有的鳥，
全都嘆息哭泣，
當他們聽見喪鐘，
為可憐的知更鳥響起。
啟事
通告所有關係人，
這則啟事通知，
下回鳥兒法庭，
將要審判麻雀。
此首「谁杀了知更鸟」也有人翻做「知更鸟之死」，是鹅妈妈童谣中相当著名的一首，国外的鹅妈妈童谣集一般皆会收录，但来到国内，国内出版的鹅妈妈童谣集几乎不会收录这首「Who killed led Cock Robin?」。此首歌旋律轻快且优美，也是许多英国小孩朗朗上口的一首童谣。「Who killed led Cock Robin?」内容描述知更鸟(Cock Robin)原本被天上所有的鸟儿喜爱，最后却在小鸟审判(bird assizes)中死亡的故事。看似荒诞的童话故事，尤其是最后”下回的受审者”竟然是童谣一开始杀了知更鸟的麻雀，杀人者亦会受到审判，使得这首童谣更添加了因果循环的深层含意。也有不少的推理小说或推理漫画喜欢引用这首「Who killed led Cock Robin?」，如 S.S.范达因在 1928 年出版的著名推理小说“The Bishop Murder Case”(中译为《主教<敏感詞>》)中即引用了这首与其余两首鹅妈妈童谣。
Ten little nigger boys went out to dine
Ten little nigger boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self, and then there were nine.
Nine little nigger boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself, and then there were eight.
Eight little nigger boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there, and then there were seven.
Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in half, and then there were six.
Six little nigger boys playing with a hive;
A bumble-bee stung one, and then there were five.
Five little nigger boys going in for law;
One got in chancery, and then there were four.
Four little nigger boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one, and then there were three.
Three little nigger boys walking in the Zoo;
A big bear bugged one, and then there were two.
Two little nigger boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up, and then there was one.
One little nigger boy living all alone;
He got married, and then there were none.
此首童谣十个小黑人(Ten little nigger boys went out to dine)也是鹅妈妈童谣中非常著名的一首 内容看似相当荒唐 但也十分有趣 可是现在这首童谣的最后一句"He went and hanged himself, and then there were none.”可能因不适合儿童，所以时常改成”He got married, and then there were none.”(他结婚后一个也不剩)。歌词描述原有十个小黑人，经过了许多波折，使得原本在一起的他们最后只剩一个人，剩下的那个小黑人觉得非常寂寞，便上吊自杀了。这也可以喻为原本为劳工阶级的一群人，在中产阶级、资本主义残酷的压迫后，渐渐的凋零，到了最后一个也不留。知名的推理小说家，拥有”谋杀天后”之称的 Agatha?Christie(阿嘉莎.克莉丝蒂)，也曾以这首童谣为背景写出了〝And Then There Were None〞(中译名为《无人生还》)此本小说。
Lizzie Borden Took An Axe
Lizzie Borden took an axe,
Hit her father forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She hit her mother forty-one.
麗茲玻頓拿起斧頭，
砍了爸爸四十下。
当她意识到她做了甚麼，
她砍她妈妈四十一下。
此首令人发指的童谣「Lizzie Borden Took An Axe」，其实是由真实的故事改编而成的。
1892 年 8 月 4 日午前，瀑布河城银行家安德鲁波登（Andrew Borden）33 岁的女儿莉琪（Lizzie Borden, 1860~1927）突然对自家女仆呼喊，惊叫自己的父亲遭人用斧头砍死在屋内；医师、邻居等人闻讯陆续赶到，众人进一步发现莉琪的继母也被利斧击毙于二楼。尽管莉琪波登因为涉嫌重大而被逮捕，历经一年多的侦讯审判，司法做出了无罪开释的结论，引起舆论哗然。案子审理期间法庭内外都有相当激烈的推理、辩论，有不少人直觉传闻和继母一直处得不好的莉琪有行凶动机，然而却缺乏有力的犯案证据以及目击证人；法庭上淑女形象的莉琪波登看起来无助而纤弱，赢得全以男性组成的陪审团（当时美国女性尚无参政权）同情，在一个多小时的讨论之后，认定其人并非凶手。若不是莉琪杀了自己的父母，那凶手又是谁？对于这个案件的调查研究，一百多年来未曾间断，各种耳语、谣传更激发出无数文学艺术，甚至是纪念工艺品的创意；发生命案的房子，现在是瀑布河城能提供游客用餐，甚至居住的知名旅游景点。不管真相如何，在充满黑色趣味的鹅妈妈童谣渲染下（实际上两位被害者总共仅被砍二十九下），大众对莉琪波登的偏见更加根深蒂固，她的名字早已成了残酷杀手的代名词，多数相关的小说、电影作品，直接点名莉琪波登是凶手，并且在加油添醋的情节中，让她受到报应。但实际上被宣告无罪的波登和姊姊共同继承父亲遗产，卖掉凶宅，远离瀑布河城的是非圈。波登后半辈子醉心于戏剧与文学，身后大笔财产捐赠予防止虐待动物协会（Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals）；爱护动物与凶残杀手两种截然不同的形象，让莉琪波登的生平，更增传奇色彩。
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
[ 本帖最后由 dqflyfly 于 2010-4-21 14:56 编辑 ]
作者: 水印 时间: 2009-1-19 00:50 标题: Mother Goose黑暗系的鹅妈妈童谣 When good King Arthur ruled his land
He was a goodly king;
He stole three pecks of barley meal
To make a bag-pudding.
A bag-pudding the king did make,
And stuffed it well with plums,
And in it put great lumps of fat
As big as my two thumbs.
The king and queen did eat thereof,
And noblemen beside,
And what they could not eat that night
The queen next morning fried.
There was a man, a very untidy man,
Whose fingers could nowhere be found
to put in his tomb.
He had rolled his head far underneath the bed;
He had left legs and arms lying
all over the room.
死了一个男子
死了一个男子，
一个没出息的男子，
懒得动手把他埋在坟墓里。
头滚落在床下，
四肢散乱的在房间里
Sing A Song of Sixpence
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie!
When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor,
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird
And snapped off her nose.
唱一首六便士之歌
唱一首六便士之歌，
袋子里装满黑麦；
二十四只黑画眉，
被放在派里面烤！
当派被剥开，
画眉开始唱歌；
那可不是放在国王桌前，
十分可口的一餐吗？
国王在帐房数钱；
王后在客厅吃面包蜂蜜。
女仆在花园晒衣；
一只黑画眉飞来，
啄走了她的鼻子。
Baa, baa, black sheep
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool ?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full;
One for the master,
And one for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
Baa baa black sheep
Simple Simon met a pieman
Going to the fair;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Let me taste your ware."
Says the pieman to Simple Simon,
"Show me first your penny."
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Indeed I have not any."
He went to take a bird's nest,
Was built upon a bough;
The branch gave way and Simon fell
Into a dirty slough.
He went to shoot a wild duck,
But wild duck flew away;
Say Simon, I can't hit him,
Because he will not stay.
Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
All the water he had got
Was in his mother's pail.
Simple Simon went a-hunting,
For to catch a hare;
He rode an ass about the streets,
But couldn't find one there.
He went for to eat honey,
Out of the mustard pot;
He bit his tongue until he cried,
That was all the good he got.
He went to ride a spotted cow
That had a little calf;
She threw him down upon the ground,
Which made the people laugh.
Once Simon made a great snowball,
And brought it in to roast;
He laid it down before the fire,
And soon the ball was lost.
He went to slide upon the ice
Before the ice would bear;
Then he plunged in above his knees,
Which made poor Simon stare.
He washed himself with blacking ball,
Because he had no soap;
Then said unto his mother,
"I'm a beauty now, I hope."
Simple Simon went to look
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.
He went for water in a sieve,
But soon it all ran through.
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.
无知的西蒙遇见一个卖派的商人
正要赶往集市；
无知的西蒙对卖派的商人说：
“让我尝尝你的东西。 ”
商人对无知的西蒙说：
“先让我看看你的便士吧。”
无知的西蒙对商人说：
“其实我身无分文。”
他去抓小鸟，
并认为自己不会失败，
因为他有一把盐，
撒在它的尾巴上。
他去取小鸟的窝，
那个筑在一根大树枝上的鸟窝；
树枝断了西蒙掉下来
落在肮脏的泥沼里。
他去打野鸭，
但是野鸭飞走了；
西蒙说，我打不中它，
因为他不呆在那里。
无知的西蒙去钓鱼，
想要钓一条鲸鱼；
然而他所拥有的水
都在妈妈的水桶里。
无知的西蒙去打猎，
想要打中一只野兔；
他骑着驴穿过街道，
那里找不到一只野兔。
他去吃蜂蜜，
从一只餐桌上的芥末罐子；
他咬着自己的舌头直到哭出来，
这就是他吃到的全部。
他去骑头花斑牛
可母牛还有头小牛；
母牛甩他在地上，
惹的人们笑哈哈。
一次西蒙做了个大雪球，
把它带回来烤一烤；
把它放在火前面，
雪球一会儿不见了。
他到冰上去滑冰
在冰还能支撑前；
接着他陷入水中直到膝盖，
可怜的西蒙睁大了眼。
他用黑色的鞋油来洗澡，
因为他没有肥皂；
然后他对妈妈说：
“我现在很漂亮，我希望。”
无知的西蒙去看看
李子是不是长在蓟上；
手被刺伤了好几次，
可怜的西蒙唿哨着。
他用筛网取水，
但是水很快就漏光了。
可怜而又无知的西蒙啊
永远地再见了
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
There came a big spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away
小玛菲特小姐
坐在土堆上
吃着乳凝和乳清
来了一只大蜘蛛
坐在她旁边
吓跑了玛菲特小姐
My mother has killed me
My mother has killed me,
My father is eating me,
My brothers and sisters sit under the table,
Picking up my bones,
And they bury them,
under the cold marble stones.
Three blind mice! See how they run!
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a thing in your life
As three blind mice?
Boys and girls, come out to play.
The moon doth shine as bright as day!
Leaves your supper and leave your sleep,
And come with your playfellows into the street.
Come with a whistle,
Come with a call,
Come with a good will, or not at all.
Variant form:
Boys and girls, come out to play.
The moon doth shine as bright as day!
Leaves your supper and leave your sleep,
And come with your playfellows into the street.
Come with a whoop, come with a call,
Come with a good will, or not at all.
Up the ladder and down the wall,
A half-penny loaf will serve us all;
You find the milk, and I’ll find the flour,
And we’ll have a pudding in half an hour.
Dame Trot and her cat
Led a peaceable life,
When they were not troubled
With other folks’ strife.
When Dame had her dinner,
Pussy would wait,
And was sure to receive
A nice piece from her plate.
Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie ’em in a knot?
Can you tie ’em in a bow?
Can you throw ’em over your shoulder
Like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Cut thistles in May,
They’ll grow in a day;
Cut them in June,
That is too soon;
Cut them in July,
Then they will die.
五月割蓟，
他们一天就长；
六月割蓟，
那会太快；
七月割蓟，
他们死亡。
Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy.
所罗门格兰德
在星期一出生
在星期二受洗
在星期三结婚
在星期四生病
在星期五病危
在星期六死亡
在星期天焚尸
这就是
所罗门格兰德的结局
Fiddle-De-Dee
Music By: J.W. Elliott
Adapted By: Terry Kluytmans
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The Fly has married the Bumble Bee,
Says the fly, says he,
"Will you marry me?
And live with me, sweet Bumble Bee?"
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
Oh, I love you, and you love me!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The Fly has married the Bumble Bee,
Says the Bee, says she,
"I'll live under your wing,
You'll never know I carry a sting."
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
Oh, I love you, and you love me!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The Fly has married the Bumble Bee,
After Parson Beetle
Had joined the pair,
They went outside to get some air.
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
Oh, I love you, and you love me!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The Fly has married the Bumble Bee,
And the bees did buzz,
And the bluebells did ring,
You've ne'er heard such a merry thing!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
Oh, I love you, and you love me!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The Fly has married the Bumble Bee,
And then to think,
That of all of the flies,
The Bumble Bee should get the prize!
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
Oh, I love you, and you love me!
Goosey, goosey, gander
Whither shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs
And in my lady's chamber.
There I met an old man
Who would not say his prayers;
I took him by the left leg.
and threw him down the stairs.