А) Пародии на конкретные стихи.

 

1) “How doth the little crocodile                   
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!

 

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spread his claws,
And welcome little fishes in
With gently smiling jaws!'”[Carroll: 49].

 

Это стихотворение Алиса читает сама себе в одной из начальных глав произведения “Alice in Wonderland”, главе 2 под названием “The Pool of Tears” чтобы убедиться, что после того, как она оказалась в Стране Чудес, она все еще остается сама собой и не растеряла свои прежние навыки. На самом деле она пытается прочитать стихотворение Исаака Уотса (Isaac Watts, 1674-1748) “Against Idleness and Mischief”. Вот это стихотворение:

 

 

“How doth the little busy bee         

Improve each shining hour             

And gather honey all the day          

From every opening flower.

 

How skilfully she builds her cell

How neat she spreads the wax

And labours hard to store it well

With the sweet food she makes.      

                                                                 

In works of labour or of skill          

I would be busy, too;                      

For Satan finds some mischief still 

For idle hands to do.

 

In books or work; or healthful play

Let my first years be passed,

That I may give for every day

Some good account at last.” [цит. по Головчинская: 162].

 

 

2) ”You are old, Father William,” the young man said,

“And your hair has become very white;

And yet you incessantly stand on your head—

Do you think, at your age, it is right?”

 

“In my youth,” Father William replied to his son,

 “I feared it might injure the brain;

But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,

Why, I do it again and again.”

 

“You are old,” said the youth, “as I mentioned before,

And have grown most uncommonly fat;

Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door—

Pray, what is the reason of that?”

 

“In my youth,” said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,

“I kept all my limbs very supple

By the use of this ointment--one shilling the box—

Allow me to sell you a couple?”

 

“You are old,” said the youth, “and your jaws are too weak

For anything tougher than suet;

Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak—

Pray how did you manage to do it?'”

 

“In my youth,” said his father, “I took to the law,

And argued each case with my wife;

And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,

Has lasted the rest of my life.”

 

“You are old,” said the youth, “one would hardly suppose

That your eye was as steady as ever;

Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose—

What made you so awfully clever?”

 

“I have answered three questions, and that is enough,”

Said his father; “don't give yourself airs!

Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?

Be off, or I'll kick you down stairs!”[Carroll: 83-84].

 

Это стихотворение, которое в главе “Advice from a Caterpillar” (“Alice in Wonderland”) Алиса читает Гусенице, чтобы еще раз проверить, осталась ли она прежней Алисой, является пародией на дидактическое стихотворение Роберта Саути (Robert Southey, 1774-1843) “The Old Man’s Comforts and How He Gained Them”, которое Алиса, собственно, и пыталась прочесть. Приведем это стихотворение:

 

“You are old, father William”, - the young man cried,

“The few locks which are left are grey;

You are hale, father William, a hearty old man;

Now tell me the reason, I pray.”

 

“In the days of my youth”, - father William replied,

“I remembered that youth would fly fast,

And abused not my health and my vigour at first,

That I never might need them at last.”

 

“You are old, father William,” – the young man cried,

“And pleasures with you pass away,

And yet you lament not the days that are gone,

Now tell me the reason, I pray.”

 

“In the days of my youth”, - father William replied,

“I remembered that youth could not last,

I thought of the future whatever I did

That I never might grieve for the past.”

 

“You are old, father William,” – the young man cried,

“And life must be hast’ ning away;

You are cheerful and love to converse upon death,

Now tell me the reason, I pray.”

 

“I am cheerful, young man,” – father William replied,

“Let the case thy attention engage;

In the days of my youth I remembered my God.

And He hath not forgotten my age.” [цит. по Головчинская: 166].

 

3) “Speak roughly to your little boy,                          

 And beat him when he sneezes:

He only does it to annoy,

Because he knows it teases.”

 

CHORUS.

“Wow! wow! wow!”

 

“I speak severely to my boy,

I beat him when he sneezes;

For he can thoroughly enjoy

The pepper when he pleases!”

 

CHORUS.

“Wow! wow! wow!” [Carroll: 99].

 

Эта песенка, которой Герцогиня из главы “Pig and Pepper” (“Alice in Wonderland”) пытается убаюкать младенца, является пародией на первые 2 строфы стихотворения У. Лэнгфорда (G.W.Langford):

 

“Speak gently; it is better far

To rule by love, than fear;

Speak gently, let no hard word mar

The good we may do here.

 

Speak gently to the little child,

Its love be sure to gain;

Teach it in accents soft and mild;

It may not long remain.” [цит. по Головчинская, 167].

 

4) "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!

How I wonder what you're at!"

"Up above the world you fly,

Like a tea-tray in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle--" [Carroll: 112].

 

Это слова песни, которую, по словам Шляпника из главы “The Mad Tea-Party” (“Alice in Wonderland”), он исполнял на концерте у Королевы. Она пародирует первую строфу известного стихотворения Джейн Тейлор (Jane Taylor, 1783-1827) под названием “Star”:

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder, what you are.

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky.”[цит. по Головчинская: 168].

 

5) "Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.

"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.

They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be

When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!"

But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance—

Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance. `

"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied.

"There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.

The further off from England the nearer is to France—

Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?" [Carroll: 146].

 

Под эту песенку, которая называется “The Lobster Quadrille”, в одноименной главе “Alice in Wonderland” Грифон и Черепаха танцуют для Алисы танец их молодости. Песенка пародирует 1 строфу и написана в размере известного стихотворения Мэри Ховетт (Mary Howitt, 1799-1888), которое называется “The Spider and the Fly”:

“Will you walk into my parlour?” said the spider to the fly.

“Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy.

 The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,

And I’ve got many curious things to show you when you are there.”

“Oh, no, no,” said the little fly, “to ask me is in vain,

For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.” [цит. по Головчинская: 181].

 

6) "'Tis the voice of the Lobster; I heard him declare,

"You have baked me too brown, I must sugar my hair."

As a duck with its eyelids, so he with his nose

Trims his belt and his buttons, and turns out his toes.

 

When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark,

And will talk in contemptuous tones of the Shark,

But, when the tide rises and sharks are around,

His voice has a timid and tremulous sound.

 

I passed by his garden, and marked, with one eye,

How the Owl and the Panther were sharing a pie:

The Panther took pie-crust, and gravy, and meat,

While the Owl had the dish as its share of the treat.

 

When the pie was all finished, the Owl, as a boon,

Was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon:

While the Panther received knife and fork with a growl,

And concluded the banquet--”[Carroll: 149-150].

 

Это стихотворение – пародия на поучительное стихотворение Исаака Уотса “The Sluggard”, которое просят Алису прочесть ее новые знакомые Черепаха и Грифон в главе “The Lobster Quadrille” (“Alice in Wonderland”):

 

“Tis the voice of the sluggard, I heard him complain:

“You have waked me too soon. I must slumber again.”

As a door on its hinger, so he in his bed

Turns his sides and his shoulders and his heavy head.

 

“A little more sleep and a little more slumber.”

Thus he wastes all his days and hours without number,

And when he gets up, he still folding his hands

Or walks about sauntering or trifling he stands.

 

I pass’d by his garden, and saw the wild brier,

The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher,

The clothes that are on him are turning to rags;

And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs.

 

I made him a visit, still hoping to find

That he took better care of improving his mind.

He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking

But he scarce reads the Bible, and never loves thinking.

 

Said I then to my heart: “Here’s a lesson for me,

This man’s but a picture of what I might be:

But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,

Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.” [цит.по Головчинская: 181].

 

7) “In winter, when the fields are white,

I sing this song for your delight.

In spring, when woods are getting green,

I'll try and tell you what I mean.

In summer, when the days are long,

Perhaps you'll understand the song:

In autumn, when the leaves are brown,

Take pen and ink, and write it down.

I sent a message to the fish:

I told them "This is what I wish."

The little fishes of the sea,

They sent an answer back to me.

The little fishes - answer was

"We cannot do it, Sir, because - "

- I sent to them again to say

"It will be better to obey."

The fishes answered with a grin,

"Why, what a temper you are in!"

I told them once, I told them twice:

They would not listen to advice.

I took a kettle large and new,

Fit for the deed I had to do.

My heart went hop, my heart went thump;

I filled the kettle at the pump.

Then some one came to me and said,

"The little fishes are in bed."

I said to him, I said it plain,

"Then you must wake them up again."

I said it very loud and clear;

I went and shouted in his ear.

 - But he was very stiff and proud;

He said "You needn't shout so loud!"

And he was very proud and stiff;

He said "I'd go and wake them, if –

" I took a corkscrew from the shelf:

I went to wake them up myself.

And when I found the door was locked,

I pulled and pushed and knocked.

And when I found the door was shut,

I tried to turn the handle, but - ”[Carroll].

 

Это стихотворение читает Алисе Шалтай-Болтай в главе “Humpty – Dumpty” (“Through the Looking Glass”). Оно повторяет размер и ритмику и предположительно является пародией на стихотворение Генри У.Лонгфелло (Henry W. Longfello) “Excelsior”. Приведем первую строфу этого стихотворения:

 

“The shades of night were falling fast,

As through an Alpine village passed

A youth, who bore, ‘mid snow and ice,

A banner with the strange device,

Excelsior!” [Longfellow].

 

 

8) “I'll tell thee everything I can;

There's little to relate.

I saw an aged aged man,

A-sitting on a gate.

"Who are you, aged man? –

I said. "and how is it you live?"

And his answer trickled through my head

Like water through a sieve.

He said "I look for butterflies

That sleep among the wheat:

I make them into mutton-pies,

And sell them in the street.

I sell them unto men, - he said,

"Who sail on stormy seas;

 And that's the way I get my bread

A trifle, if you please."

But I was thinking of a plan

To dye one's whiskers green,

And always use so large a fan

That they could not be seen.

So, having no reply to give

To what the old man said, I cried,

"Come, tell me how you live!"

And thumped him on the head.

His accents mild took up the tale:

He said "I go my ways,

And when I find a mountain-rill,

I set it in a blaze;

And thence they make a stuff they call

Rolands - Macassar Oil

Yet twopence-halfpenny is all

They give me for my toil."

But I was thinking of a way

To feed oneself on batter,

And so go on from day to day

Getting a little fatter.

I shook him well from side to side,

Until his face was blue:

"Come, tell me how you live," I cried,

"And what it is you do!"

He said "I hunt for haddocks - eyes

Among the heather bright,

And work them into waistcoat-buttons

In the silent night.

And these I do not sell for gold

Or coin of silvery shine

But for a copper halfpenny,

And that will purchase nine.

"I sometimes dig for buttered rolls,

Or set limed twigs for crabs;

I sometimes search the grassy knolls

For wheels of Hansom-cabs.

And that's the way" (he gave a wink)

"By which I get my wealth

And very gladly will I drink

Your Honour's noble health."

I heard him then, for I had just

Completed my design

To keep the Menai bridge from rust

By boiling it in wine.

I thanked much for telling me

The way he got his wealth,

But chiefly for his wish that he

Might drink my noble health.

And not, if e'er by chance I put

My fingers into glue

Or madly squeeze a right-hand foot

Into a left-hand shoe,

Or if I drop upon my toe

A very heavy weight, I

 weep, for it reminds me so,

Of that old man I used to know

Whose look was mild, whose speech was slow,

Whose hair was whiter than the snow,

Whose face was very like a crow,

With eyes, like cinders, all aglow,

Who seemed distracted with his woe,

Who rocked his body to and fro,

And muttered mumblingly and low,

As if his mouth were full of dough,

Who snorted like a buffalo

That summer evening, long ago,

A-sitting on a gate.” [Carroll].

 

Песню на эти стихи поет в главе “It’s My Own Invention” сказки “Through the Looking Glass” Белый Рыцарь, в образе которого М.Гарднер и другие исследователи творчества Кэрролла усматривают дружеский шарж Кэрролла на самого себя. Белый рыцарь утверждает, что сам написал музыку к этой песне, однако Алиса узнает мелодию знакомой ей песни “ I give thee all--I can no more”. По замечанию Гарднера, это известная английская песня на стихи Томаса Мура (Thomas Moore) “My Heart and Lute”:

“I give thee all--I can no more—

Tho' poor the offering be;

My heart and lute are all the store

That I can bring to thee.

A lute whose gentle song reveals

The soul of love full well;

And, better far, a heart that feels

Much more than lute could tell.

 

Tho' love and song may fail, alas!

To keep life's clouds away,

At least 'twill make them lighter pass,

Or gild them if they stay.

And even if Care at moments flings

A discord o'er life's happy strain,

Let Love but gently touch the strings,

'Twill all be sweet again!” [Moore].

 

Гарднер также отмечает, что стихотворение Кэрролла пародирует содержание части стихотворения Томаса Уордсворта “Resolution and Independence”:

“VIII Now, whether it were by peculiar grace,

A leading from above, a something given,

Yet it befell, that, in this lonely place,

When I with these untoward thoughts had striven,

Beside a pool bare to the eye of heaven

I saw a Man before me unawares:

The oldest man he seemed that ever wore grey hairs.

 

IX As a huge stone is sometimes seen to lie

Couched on the bald top of an eminence;

Wonder to all who do the same espy,

By what means it could thither come, and whence;

So that it seems a thing endued with sense:

Like a sea-beast crawled forth, that on a shelf

Of rock or sand reposeth, there to sun itself;

 

X Such seemed this Man, not all alive nor dead,

Nor all asleep--in his extreme old age:

His body was bent double, feet and head

Coming together in life's pilgrimage;

As if some dire constraint of pain, or rage

Of sickness felt by him in times long past,

A more than human weight upon his frame had cast.

 

XI Himself he propped, limbs, body, and pale face,

Upon a long grey staff of shaven wood:

And, still as I drew near with gentle pace,

Upon the margin of that moorish flood

Motionless as a cloud the old Man stood,

That heareth not the loud winds when they call

And moveth all together, if it move at all.

 

XII At length, himself unsettling, he the pond

Stirred with his staff, and fixedly did look

Upon the muddy water, which he conned,

As if he had been reading in a book:

And now a stranger's privilege I took;

And, drawing to his side, to him did say,

"This morning gives us promise of a glorious day."

 

XIII A gentle answer did the old Man make,

In courteous speech which forth he slowly drew:

And him with further words I thus bespake,

"What occupation do you there pursue?

This is a lonesome place for one like you."

Ere he replied, a flash of mild surprise

Broke from the sable orbs of his yet-vivid eyes,

 

XIV His words came feebly, from a feeble chest,

But each in solemn order followed each,

With something of a lofty utterance drest—

Choice word and measured phrase, above the reach

Of ordinary men; a stately speech;

Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use,

Religious men, who give to God and man their dues.

 

XV He told, that to these waters he had come

To gather leeches, being old and poor:

Employment hazardous and wearisome!

And he had many hardships to endure:

From pond to pond he roamed, from moor to moor;

Housing, with God's good help, by choice or chance,

And in this way he gained an honest maintenance.

 

XVI The old Man still stood talking by my side;

But now his voice to me was like a stream

Scarce heard; nor word from word could I divide;

And the whole body of the Man did seem

Like one whom I had met with in a dream;

Or like a man from some far region sent,

To give me human strength, by apt admonishment.

 

XVII My former thoughts returned: the fear that kills;

And hope that is unwilling to be fed;

Cold, pain, and labour, and all fleshly ills;

And mighty Poets in their misery dead. –

Perplexed, and longing to be comforted,

My question eagerly did I renew,

"How is it that you live, and what is it you do?"

 

XVIII He with a smile did then his words repeat;

And said, that, gathering leeches, far and wide

He travelled; stirring thus about his feet

The waters of the pools where they abide.

"Once I could meet with them on every side;

But they have dwindled long by slow decay;

Yet still I persevere, and find them where I may."

 

XIX While he was talking thus, the lonely place,

The old Man's shape, and speech--all troubled me:

In my mind's eye I seemed to see him pace

About the weary moors continually,

Wandering about alone and silently.

While I these thoughts within myself pursued,

He, having made a pause, the same discourse renewed.

 

XX And soon with this he other matter blended,

Cheerfully uttered, with demeanour kind,

But stately in the main; and when he ended,

I could have laughed myself to scorn to find

In that decrepit Man so firm a mind.

"God," said I, "be my help and stay secure;

I'll think of the Leech-gatherer on the lonely moor!" [Wordsworth].