Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer

Mungojerrie及Rumpleteazer

Were a very notorious couple of cats

是對惡名昭彰的貓

As knockabout clowns, quick-change comedians

有如亂打吵鬧的小丑，變裝的丑角演員

Tight-rope walkers and acrobats

繫著繩子學行的嬰兒和跑江湖的藝人

We had an extensive reputation

我們有著廣為人知的聲名

We made our home in Victoria Grove-

我們在維多利亞園林內建家

This was merely our centre of operation

那是因為我們都以工作為重

For we were incurably given to rove

而我們都是不務正業的流氓

We were very well known in Cornwall Gardens,

我們在Cornwall Gardens很有名

In Launceston Place and in Kensington Square

在Launceston Place和Kensington Square亦然

They had really a little more reputation

我們的名聲可不只是

Than a couple of cats can very well bear.

一對很會忍耐的貓

If the area window was found ajar

如果某處的窗戶被發現是半開的

And the basement looked like a field of war,

而地下室看起來像戰場一樣

If a tile or two came loose on the roof,

如果屋頂的磚瓦少了一兩塊

Which presently ceased to be waterproof,

令它目前不再防水

If the drawers were pulled out from the bedroom chests,

如果卧室的衣櫃抽屜被拉了出來

And you couldn’t find one of your winter vests,

而你又找不到其中一件冬季用背心

Or after supper one of the girls

又或在其中一個女孩子在宵夜之後

Suddenly missed her Woolworth pearls:

突然發現不見了她的Woolworth珍珠

Then the family would say: “It’s that horrible cat!

然後那家人就會說：是那可怕的貓！

It was Mungojerrie-or Rumpleteazer?”

是Mungojerrie？還是Rumpleteazer？

And most of the time they left it at that!

而大多數的時候他們都會置之不理的！

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer

Mungojerrie及Rumpleteazer

Had a very unusual gift of the gab

擁有著不尋常的饒舌天份

We were highly efficient cat-burglars as well,

我們同時亦是高效率的貓賊

And remarkably smart at a smash-and-grab

並以擅長摔及抓而著名

We made our home in Victoria Grove.

我們在維多利亞園林內建家

We had no regular occupation

我們都沒有固定職業

We were plausible fellows

我們是能言善辯的老友

And liked to engage a friendly policeman in conversation.

並喜歡噬咬與親切的郵差作為交談

When the family assembled for Sunday dinner,

當那家人聚集舉行週日晚餐時

With their minds made up that they wouldn’t get thinner

他們都立定主意不會減重的了

On Argetine joint, potatoes and greens,

在那銀色的小魚上(1)，有馬鈴薯和青菜

And the cook would appear from behind the scenes

那廚師會出現在場地的後面

And say in a voice that was broken with sorrow

以極為哀痛的聲音說：

“I’m afraid you must wait and have dinner tomorrow!

「我恐怕你們得等至明天才吃晚餐了

For the joint had gone form the oven like that!”

因為那食器就這樣的從烤箱中消失！」

Then the family would say: “It’s that horrible cat!

然後那家人就會說：「是那可惡的貓！

It was Mungojerrie-or Rumpleteazer?”

是Mungojerrie？還是Rumpleteazer？」

And most of the time they left it at that!

而多數時候他們都會置之不理的！

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer

Mungojerrie及Rumpleteazer

We had a wonderful way of working together

我們總是合作無間的

And some of the time you would say it was luck

有時候你會說是運氣

And some of the time you would say it was weather

有時候你會說是際遇

We would go through the hose like a hurricane,

我們像颱風般走過屋子

And no sober person could take his oath

沒有人一個能冷靜到可以咒罵

Was it Mungojerrie- or Rumpleteazer?

那是Mungojerrie？還是Rumpleteazer？

Or could you have sworn that it mightn’t be both

或是難道你可以發誓不會是兩個一起？

And when you heard a dining-room smash

當你聽見飯廳的破碎聲

Or up from the pantry there came a loud crash

或是在廚房傳來巨大的碰撞聲

Or down form the library came a loud ping

或是在書房中傳來很大的「砰」一聲

From a vase which was commonly said to be Ming~~~

是由那據說是明代的花瓶傳出的~~~~~~

Then the family would say: “Now which was which cat?”

然後那家人就會說：「現在是哪隻貓了？

It was Mungojerrie; and Rumpleteazer!

那是Mungojerrie！以及Rumpleteazer！」

And there’s nothing at all to be done about that!

而那是無可奈何的！