I had a mother who read to me
我有一位會唸書給我聽的媽媽
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
她告訴我關於稱霸海洋的薩迦海盜傳奇
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
他們泛黃的牙齒裡咬著短彎刀
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.
這些推擠的黑鳥們藏匿於船艙之下
I had a Mother who read me lays
我有一位會唸詩歌給我聽的媽媽
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
彷彿我們一起回到了那些充滿英勇事蹟的黃金年代
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
關於陰險的Marmion和勇敢的Ivanhole*
Which every boy has a right to know.
是每個男孩都應該知道的故事
I had a Mother who read me tales
我有一位會唸民間故事給我聽的媽媽
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,**
關於威爾斯的忠犬Gelert
True to his trust till his tragic death,
牠是這麼地相信牠的主人直到自己悲劇死亡
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.
牠的忠誠隨著最後一口氣而嚥下
I had a Mother who read me the things
我有一位會唸故事給我聽的媽媽
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings--
這些故事讓男孩的心往健康有益的生活邁進
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
喚醒心中向上攀爬的渴望
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!
喔這是多麼好的媽媽
You may have tangible wealth untold;
你或許擁有無限的財富
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
一箱箱珠寶與一櫃櫃黃金
Richer than I you can never be—
但你永遠不會比我富有,
I had a Mother who read to me.
我有一位讀書給我聽的媽媽。
Strickland Gillilan《The Reading Mother》
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