LESSON 8

THE BRAVE OLD OAK

勇敢的老橡树

Henry Fothergill Chorley, 1808-1872. He is known chiefly as a musical critic and author; for thirty-eight years he was connected with the “London Athenaeum.” His books are mostly novels.

A song to the oak, the brave old oak,

Who hath ruled in the greenwood long;

Here’s health and renown to his broad green crown,

And his fifty arms so strong.

There’s fear in his frown, when the sun goes down,

And the fire in the west fades out;

And he showeth his might on a wild midnight, When the storms through his branches shout.In the days of old, when the spring with cold

Had brightened his branches gray,

Through the grass at his feet, crept maidens sweet, To gather the dews of May.

And on that day, to the rebec gay

They frolicked with lovesome swains;

They are gone, they are dead, in the churchyard laid, But the tree—it still remains.

He saw rare times when the Christmas chimes Were a merry sound to hear,

When the Squire’s wide hall and the cottage small

Were filled with good English cheer.

Now gold hath the sway we all obey,

And a ruthless king is he;

But he never shall send our ancient friend To be tossed on the stormy sea.

Then here’s to the oak, the brave old oak, Who stands in his pride alone;

And still flourish he, a hale green tree,

When a hundred years are gone.

【中文阅读】

歌颂橡树，勇敢的老橡树

森林之主的老橡树；

他那宽阔的绿王冠象征健康和名望，

五十条胳膊那么粗壮。

太阳从地平线升起时，蹙紧的眉头透着恐惧，当火一样的太阳在西方沉下，

他的威严笼罩着狂暴的午夜

这时暴风雨在他的树枝间怒吼。

老之将至，春风乍起

他的枯枝焕发了生机，

脚下长出青草，就像甜美的少女伸手采集五月的露珠。

五月节那天，三弦琴奏出欢快的乐声

她们同可爱的情郎嬉戏玩耍；

她们离开了，他们也魂归他乡，就埋在教堂墓地。只有那株橡树——依旧巍然挺立。

他很少见到圣坛钟声敲响，

当乡绅宽敞的厅堂和狭小的村舍欢呼鼎沸时，

但愿听到的是快乐的乐声。

现在，我们都遵循黄金易逝

他是一位冷酷无情的国王；

但是他从未将我们古代的朋友

派到下着暴风雨的大海上遭受颠簸。这株橡树，勇敢的老橡树，

傲然而立；

百年过后

他依旧枝繁叶茂，老当益壮的绿精灵。