第3章 年老的甘比猫[11]
我心中有只甘比猫，她的名字叫珍妮点点；
她的外套属于斑猫类型，带着虎纹和豹斑。
她整天坐在楼梯上或者台阶上或者垫子上；
她坐着坐着坐着坐着——成为一只甘比猫！
一天的闹闹哄哄刚刚过去，
甘比猫的工作还没有开始。
而当所有的家人上床睡着，
她才掖好裙子[12]爬进地下室。
她深深关心耗子的生活方式——
他们表现不好，没有礼貌；
所以她让他们在席上列队，
她教他们音乐、钩钩织织。
我心中有只甘比猫，她的名字叫珍妮点点；
难以找到匹敌猫，她喜欢温暖明媚的场所。
她整天坐在炉边或者床上[13]或者我的帽子上：
她坐着坐着坐着坐着——成为一只甘比猫！
一天的闹闹哄哄刚刚过去，
甘比猫的工作还没有开始。
当她发现耗子永远不会保持安静，
她确信这是由于饮食不规律；
她相信没有什么事情不可以尝试，
她开始进行烘烤煎炸的工作。[14]
她给他们做了一个面包和干豌豆的耗子蛋糕，
美味的煎炸瘦培根和奶酪。
我心中有只甘比猫，她的名字叫珍妮点点；
她喜欢缠绕窗帘绳，并且把它绑成水手结。
她坐在窗台上或者任何光滑平整的东西上：
她坐着坐着坐着坐着——成为一只甘比猫！
一天的闹闹哄哄刚刚过去，
甘比猫的工作还没有开始。
她认为蟑螂只是需要就业
免得他们闲着而肆意乱搞。
所以她把这些无序的乡巴佬组成
一伙纪律严明助人为乐的童子军，
具有生活目标并且喜做好事——
她甚至创造出一种甲虫的归营号。
因此让我们现在为年老的甘比猫欢呼三次——
为秩序井然的家庭依赖而出现的，甘比猫。
The Old Gumbie Cat
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits — and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat！
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice—
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits — and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat！
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse-cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits —and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat！
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do—
And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.
So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers—
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.