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;
伶俐的知更鳥棲息樹叢,
唱得甜蜜。
“告訴我,美麗的鳥兒,
我哪年哪月穿嫁衣?”——
“等到六個殯葬人
抬你上教堂?!?/p>
“誰為我鋪新床?
好鳥兒,莫撒謊。”——
“白發(fā)司事,兼挖墓穴,
誤不了你的洞房?!?/p>
“螢火蟲幽幽閃閃,
把你的墳墓照亮,
貓頭鷹將在塔尖高唱:
歡迎你,驕傲的姑娘?!?/p>
實戰(zhàn)提升
背景知識
瓦爾特·司各特(Walter Scott),英國著名的歷史小說家和詩人。他十分欣賞德國的“狂飆文學”,翻譯過德國著名民謠《萊諾爾》。司各特的詩充滿浪漫的冒險故事,深受讀者歡迎。但當時拜倫的詩才遮蔽了司各特的才華,司各特轉向小說創(chuàng)作,從而首創(chuàng)英國歷史小說,為英國文學提供了30多部歷史小說巨著。司各特的創(chuàng)作對歐洲歷史小說起了開創(chuàng)作用,被尊為歷史小說的創(chuàng)始人。英國的狄更斯、斯蒂文森,法國的雨果、巴爾扎克、大仲馬,俄國的普希金,意大利的曼佐尼,美國的庫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.”