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The Absolutely Abstemious Ass,
who resided in a Barrell, and only lived on
Soda Water and Pickled Cucumbers.

Очевидно Осмотрительный Осёл,
проживавший в Бочке и питавшийся исключительно
Содовой Водой и Маринованными Огурцами.

The Bountiful Beetle,
who always carried a Green Umbrella when it didn't rain,
and left it at home when it did.

Жизнелюбивый Жук,
постоянно носивший Зелёный Зонтик в сухую погоду
и забывавший его дома, когда лил дождь.

The Comfortable Confidential Cow,
who sate in her Red Morocco Arm Chair and
toasted her own Bread at the parlour Fire.

Крупная Конфиденциальная Корова,
восседавшая в своём Красном Марокканском Кресле
в гостиной и обжаривавшая Хлеб на Огне Камина.

The Dolomphious Duck,
who caught Spotted Frogs for her dinner
with a Runcible Spoon.

Утлая Утка,
ловившая Пятнистых Лягушек на обед
Ковшевидной Ложкой.

The Enthusiastic Elephant,
who ferried himself across the water with the
Kitchen Poker and a New pair of Ear-rings.

Самозабвенный Слон,
преодолевавший водную гладь с помощью
Кухонной Кочерги и Новой пары Ушных серёг.

The fizzgiggious Fish,
who always walked about upon Stilts,
because he had no legs.

Раззнежженный Рыбец,
постоянно ходивший на Ходулях,
поскольку был лишён ног.

The Goodnatured Grey Gull,
who carried the Old Owl, and his Crimson Carpet-bag,
across the river, because he could not swim.

Чудаковатая Чернявая Чайка,
которая перенесла Старого Филина
с его Багровым Саквояжем
через реку, потому что он не умел плавать.

The Hasty Higgeldipiggledy Hen,
who went to market in a Blue Bonnet and Shawl,
and bought a Fish for her Supper.

Неосторожная Ненаглядистая Несушка,
которая пошла на рынок в Голубой Шляпке и Шали
и купила Рыбу на Ужин.

The Inventive Indian,
who caught a Remarkable Rabbit in a
Stupendous Silver Spoon.

Изобретательный Индеец,
поймавший Великолепного Кролика
Превосходной Серебряной Ложкой.

The Judicious Jubilant Jay,
who did up her Black Hair every morning with
a Wreath of Roses,
Three feathers, and a Gold Pin.

Самостоятельная Смешливая Сойка,
каждое утро украшавшая свою Пышную Причёску Венком из Роз,
Тремя перьями и Золотой Булавкой.

The Kicking Kangaroo,
who wore a Pale Pink Muslin dress
with Blue spots.

Капризная Кенгуруша,
одетая в Бледно-Розовое Муслиновое платье
в Голубой горошек.

The Lively Learned Lobster,
who mended his own Clothes with
a Needle and a Thread.

Ловкий Любознательный Лобстер,
починявший свою Одежду
с помощью Иголки с Ниткой.

The melodious Meritorious Mouse,
who played a merry minuet on the
Piano-forte.

Мелодический Музыкальный Мыш,
сыгравший весёлый менуэт
на Форте-пьяно.

The Nutritious Newt,
who purchased a Round Plum-pudding
for his grand-daughter.

Трепетный Тритон,
купивший Круглый Сливовый Пудинг
для своей внучки.

The Obsequious Ornamental Ostrich,
who wore Boots to keep his
feet quite dry.

Сервильный Сияющий Страус,
носивший Ботфорты,
чтобы ноги были сухими.

The Perpendicular Purple Polly,
who read the Newspaper and ate Parsnip Pie
with his Spectacles.

Перпендикулярный Пурпурный Попугай,
читавший Газету и поедавший Пирог с Пастернаком
в Очках.

The Queer Querulous Quail,
who smoked a Pipe of tobacco on the top of
a Tin Tea-kettle.

Подозрительный Постоянно недовольный Перепел,
куривший Табачную трубку на ручке
Оловянного Чайника.

The Rural Runcible Raven,
who wore a White Wig and flew away
with the Carpet Broom.

Вящий Воронсибельный Ворон,
надевший Седой Парик и улетевший
с Ковровой Щёткой.

The Scroobious Snake,
who always wore a Hat on his Head, for
fear he should bite anybody.

Злодобронамеренный Змей,
всегда носивший Шляпу на Голове
из опасения кого-нибудь укусить.

The Tumultuous Tom-tommy Tortoise,
who beat a Drum all day long in the
middle of the wilderness.

Чрезвычайно Чум-чумовой Черепах,
целыми днями бивший в Барабан
посреди Пустыни.

The Umbrageous Umbrella-maker,
whose Face nobody ever saw, because it was
always covered by his Umbrella.

Зловещий Зонтичных дел мастер,
чьего лица никто никогда не видел, потому что
оно всегда было прикрыто Зонтом.

The Visibly Vicious Vulture,
who wrote some Verses to a Veal-cutlet in a
Volume bound in Vellum.

Совершенно Свирепый Стервятник,
писавший стихи Телячьей отбивной
в Книге, одетой в Пергамент.

The Worrying Whizzing Wasp,
who stood on a Table, and played sweetly on a
Flute with a Morning Cap.

Особо Одарённая Оса,
стоявшая на Столе и нежно игравшая
на Флейте в Утреннем Чепце.

The Excellent Double-extra XX
imbibing King Xerxes, who lived a
long while ago.

Пьющий Отличный Двойной экстра ХХ
Царь Ксеркс, живший
в незапамятные времена.

The Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo,
whose head was ever so much bigger than his
Body, and whose Hat was rather small.

Йонги-Бонги-Бо,
чья Голова была куда больше Тела,
а Шляпа совсем мала.

The Zigzag Zealous Zebra,
who carried five Monkeys on his back all
the way to Jellibolee.

Зигзагущая Зверская Зебра,
которая несла на спине пять Обезьян
до самого Джеллиболи.

When awful darkness and silence reign
Over the great Gromboolian plain,
Through the long, long wintry nights; —
When the angry breakers roar
As they beat on the rocky shore; —
When Storm-clouds brood on the towering heights
Of the Hills of the Chankly Bore, —

Then, through the vast and gloomy dark,
There moves what seems a fiery spark,
A lonely spark with silvery rays
Piercing the coal-black night, —
A Meteor strange and bright: —
Hither and thither the vision strays,
A single lurid light.

Slowly it wanders, – pauses, – creeps, —
Anon it sparkles, – flashes and leaps;
And ever as onward it gleaming goes
A light on the Bong-tree stems it throws.
And those who watch at that midnight hour
From Hall or Terrace, or lofty Tower,
Cry, as the wild light passes along, —
'The Dong! – the Dong!
The wandering Dong through the forest goes!
The Dong! the Dong!
The Dong with a luminous Nose!

Long years ago
The Dong was happy and gay,
Till he fell in love with a Jumbly Girl
Who came to those shores one day,
For the Jumblies came in a Sieve, they did, —
Landing at eve near the Zemmery Fidd
Where the Oblong Oysters grow,
And the rocks are smooth and gray.
And all the woods and the valleys rang
With the Chorus they daily and nightly sang, —
'Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue
And they went to sea in a Sieve.

Happily, happily passed those days!
While the cheerful Jumblies staid;
They danced in circlets all night long,
To the plaintive pipe of the lively Dong,
In moonlight, shine, or shade.
For day and night he was always there
By the side of the Jumbly Girl so fair,
With her sky-blue hands, and her sea-green hair.
Till the morning came of that hateful day
When the Jumblies sailed in their Sieve away,
And the Dong was left on the cruel shore
Gazing – gazing for evermore, —
Ever keeping his weary eyes on
That pea-green sail on the far horizon, —
Singing the Jumbly Chorus still
As he sate all day on the grassy hill, —
'Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue
And they went to sea in a Sieve.

But when the sun was low in the West,
The Dong arose and said, —
'What little sense I once possessed
Has quite gone out of my head! —
And since that day he wanders still
By lake and forest, marsh and hill,
Singing – 'O somewhere, in valley or plain
Might I find my Jumbly Girl again!
For ever I'll seek by lake and shore
Till I find my Jumbly Girl once more!
Playing a pipe with silvery squeaks,
Since then his Jumbly Girl he seeks,
And because by night he could not see,
He gathered the bark of the Twangum Tree
On the flowery plain that grows.
And he wove him a wondrous Nose, —
A Nose as strange as a Nose could be!
Of vast proportions and painted red,
And tied with cords to the back of his head.
In a hollow rounded space it ended
With a luminous Lamp within suspended,
All fenced about
With a bandage stout
To prevent the wind from blowing it out; —
And with holes all round to send the light,
In gleaming rays on the dismal night.

And now each night, and all night long,
Over those plains still roams the Dong;
And above the wail of the Chimp and Snipe
You may hear the squeak of his plaintive pipe
While ever he seeks, but seeks in vain
To meet with his Jumbly Girl again;
Lonely and wild – all night he goes, —
The Dong with a luminous Nose!
And all who watch at the midnight hour,
From Hall or Terrace, or lofty Tower,
Cry, as they trace the Meteor bright,
Moving along through the dreary night, —
'This is the hour when forth he goes,
The Dong with a luminous Nose!
Yonder – over the plain he goes;
He goes!
He goes;
The Dong with a luminous Nose!