Edward Lear

«Только боб да горошина, Кэт, –
Но не скуден ли, Кэт, ваш обед?»
Кэт в ответ: «Нет-нет-нет, –
Лишний вес – лишний вред,…

How pleasant to know Mr. Lear,
Who has written such volumes of stuff.
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few find him pleasant enough.His mind is concrete and fastidious,…

There was an Old Man of Nepaul,
From his horse had a terrible fall;
But, though split quite in two,
By some very strong glue,…

There was an old man on the Border, Who lived in the utmost disorder; He danced with the cat, and made tea in his hat, Which vexed all the folks on the Border.
Composition date is unknown - the above date represents the first publication…

There was an Old Person of Cadiz,
Who was always polite to all ladies;
But in handing his daughter,
He fell into the water,…

There was an Old Man of Moldavia,
Who had the most curious behaviour;
For while he was able,
He slept on a table,…

Жил да был некий Старец в Норфолке
С подбородком не толще иголки.
Заострив подбородкок,
Преуспел самородок,…

There was an Old Person of Stroud,
Who was horribly jammed in a crowd;
Some she slew with a kick,
Some she scrunched with a stick,…

He lived at Dingle Bank - he did; -
He lived at Dingle Bank;
And in his garden was one Quail,
Four tulips and a Tank:…

Я знакомых совят приучаю
К молоку и к индийскому чаю.
«Кто мышонком напитан,
Тот весьма невоспитан», –…

There was an Old Man of Jamaica,
Who suddenly married a Quaker;
But she cried out, 'Alack!
I have married a black!'…

There was an Old Man of Kamschatka,
Who possessed a remarkably fat cur.
His gait and his waddle,
Were held as a model,…

There was an Old Man of Peru,
Who watched his wife making a stew;
⁠ But once by mistake,
⁠ In a stove she did bake…

Cold are the crabs that crawl on yonder hills,
Colder the cucumbers that grow beneath,
And colder still the brazen chops that wreathe
The tedious gloom of philosophic pills!…

There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil
By the aid of some oil,…

There was an Old Man of the North,
Who fell into a basin of broth;
But a laudable cook,
Fished him out with a hook,…

There was an Old Person of Chili,
Whose conduct was painful and silly,
He sate on the stairs,
Eating apples and pears,…

There was a Young Lady of Clare,
Who was sadly pursued by a bear;
When she found she was tired,
She abruptly expired,

There was an Old Man of Columbia,
Who was thirsty, and called out for some beer;
But they brought it quite hot,
In a small copper pot,…

There was an Old Man of Madras,
Who rode on a cream-coloured ass;
But the length of its ears,
So promoted his fears,…

There was a Young Person of Smyrna,
Whose Grandmother threatened to burn her;
But she seized on the cat,
And said, 'Granny, burn that!…

Жил да был Старичок в Амстердаме.
Поклонялся он Деве и Даме.
Как-то раз поклонился,
На мосту оступился,…

There was an Old Man of Peru,
Who never knew what he should do;
So he tore off his hair,
And behaved like a bear,

There was an Old Man of Bohemia,
Whose daughter was christened Euphemia;
Till one day, to his grief,
She married a thief;…