标题: 【亲子阅读】英文诗歌之 'Twas the night before Christmas [打印本页] 作者: rubymum 时间: 2014-12-24 13:53 标题: 【亲子阅读】英文诗歌之 'Twas the night before Christmas 昨天从京东买的 Illustrated Stories for Christmas 今天收到了，第一篇是一首圣诞诗歌，十九世纪初期的作品，美国如今依然有在圣诞前夜读这首诗的习俗。一直觉得诗歌是高大上的东西，特别是英文诗，但是不能因为我畏惧就不给孩子接触这些东西，也许妞妞只能听懂10%，但是我希望她能享受到诗歌的韵律，而且今天读，很应景。在网上找到朗诵音频，自己听听，找找调儿。
'Twas the Night BeforeChristmas
by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas, too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
注解：
1. 诗歌 Twas the night before Christmas 也叫 A Visit from St. Nicholas，它的作者是 Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)。至今许多美国家庭仍然保留了在圣诞前夜给孩子朗读这首诗歌的传统。这首诗歌在圣诞节文化的发展过程中有着重要的作用，事实上，在这首诗歌之前，圣诞老人是没有雪橇，也没有驯鹿的。这首诗歌发表于1823年12月23日，获得了巨大的成功。
2. Saint Nicholas 是圣诞老人原型 Santa Clause，是土耳其历史上真实存在的一位主教。公元3世纪末，圣·尼古拉斯出生在地中海沿岸的潘特拉（Patara）。他虽出生在一个富裕人家，但从小心地善良，乐善好施，经常救助穷人。圣·尼古拉斯喜欢以匿名的方式赠送给当地穷人各种礼物。在公元346年去世后，他被尊称为圣人，其生前事迹后来演变成今天圣诞老人的传说。
3. 'twas 即 it was。
4. stump 指树桩，the stump of a pipe 是指烟斗。
