【亲子阅读】英文诗歌之 'Twas the night before Christmas

rubymum

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!"

译文：
在圣诞节前夜，整间屋里没有一点动静，
一切生灵，包括老鼠，也不见踪影。
长袜已被小心地挂到烟囱旁边，
等待着圣诞老人的光临。

孩子们已经舒适地安顿在床上，
睡梦中满脑子晃动着好吃的糖李子。
妈妈要解下围巾，我还没脱下帽子，
我们刚准备放下心事，要睡个冬天的好觉。

这时，外面的草地上传来得得的蹄响，
我一骨碌从床上蹦下来想看个究竟。
一下子我就跳到窗前，
拨开百页窗，推开整扇窗子。

只见月光洒在新落下的雪花的怀里，
月下的万物如披上正午眩目的日光。
这时出现了使我惊讶不已的景象，
那是一驾微小的雪橇和八匹小小的驯鹿。

驾橇的是一位老者，活泼而灵动，
我马上知道这一定是圣诞老人。
他的鹿队疾驰而来，比鹰还快，
他吹着口哨，吆喝着，不时呼唤着鹿儿的名字。

"哦，飞毛腿！舞蹈家！犟种和小母狐！
前进，彗星！前进，小爱神！
前进，雷雷和电闪！
冲上门廊上方，冲向房屋的顶部！
哦，向前！向前！一起向前冲！"

来势迅捷，像飓风来临时狂野地卷起枯叶，
他们途遇障碍就飞升空中。
鹿队在屋顶上飞越，
雪橇拉满了玩具，载着圣诞老人。


转眼之间屋顶上传来声响
来自小鹿蹄儿腾跃与踢踏。
当我从窗口缩回脑袋转过身，
刚好瞧见圣诞老人从烟囱上一跃而下。

他从头到脚都穿着皮裘，
他的衣服沾满灶灰与烟炱。
他在背上挎上一包玩具，
活像个小贩的模样,不停地开包送货。

他的眼睛闪闪发光！他的酒窝充满欢乐！
他的两颊红玫瑰色，他的鼻尖像一粒樱桃；
他那滑稽的小嘴如弯弓，
他下颌的胡子雪一样白。

他的牙齿紧咬着烟斗嘴。
白烟绕着他的头部，成了飘动的环。
瞧他宽宽的脸庞和微凸的腹部，
大笑起来，他那肚子摇晃得像一碗果冻。

体态丰满而略胖，一个快活的老精灵；
我看到他时情不自禁地笑出声来。
他转身向我眨眨眼摆摆头，
表示让他发现我在暗中窥视也不必惊慌。

他没说一句话，只顾忙着手中活。
装满每一只长袜，他就急忙转身走，
他把手指放在鼻上做示意，
点点头，又跳回烟囱之上！

他跃上雪橇，向着驯鹿队打起唿哨，
似蓟花冠毛一样，他们飘然飞驰而去。
在他离开之际，我听到他大声的问候：
"圣诞快乐，各位晚安！"

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。

音频：
第一夫人给孩子们朗诵圣诞诗歌
http://www.hujiang.com/movie/movie/92410/

VOA慢速英语附字幕：19世纪的美国圣诞节 - 建国史话特别节日版
http://www.tingvoa.com/html/20131219/Christmas-in-19th-Century-America.html

rubymum

elf 这个词正好前不久妞读 The foggy foggy forest 时出现过，遇到“熟人”了，
sleigh，reindeer 也是在各种圣诞绘本里见过，已经非常熟悉了。
多读书，还是有好处的。

jylsjz11

非常不错的一首诗，孩子们该学习一下

小米麻麻

好美的诗歌，谢谢妈妈分享

太阳粑粑

我也收了这本书。不过还没好好利用

Shuachun

这首诗歌挺长的，生词也多