一
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
"Good gracious! how you hop
Over the fields, and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond;
And I long to go out in the world beyond:
I wish I could hop like you,"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
鴨子對袋鼠嘎嘎地說：
“哎呀！你一跳就跳過
綠綠的田野、彎彎的河，
永遠不停下來坐一坐。
這髒池塘住得我真窩火，
好想到天涯海角去漂泊，
真希望有一天能變成你。”
鴨子對袋鼠嘎嘎地說。
二
"Please give me a ride on your back,"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo:
"I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack'
The whole of the long day through;
And we 'd go the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land, and over the sea:
Please take me a ride! oh, do!"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
“快讓我在你的背上坐，”
鴨子對袋鼠嘎嘎地說：
“我除了這樣嘎嘎地叫，
從早到晚都沉默；
我們萬水千山都走過，
到天涯海角去漂泊。
哦，行行好，帶上我！”
鴨子對袋鼠嘎嘎地說。
三
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
"This requires some little reflection.
Perhaps, on the whole, it might bring me luck;
And there seems but one objection;
Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo
Matiz," said the Kangaroo.
袋鼠對鴨子回答道：
“我可得稍微再動動腦。
相伴流浪或許有好運，
但有個問題卻把我擾：
恕我冒昧坦誠相告，
你的腳又濕又冷讓人惱，
弄不好還讓我害風濕病。”
袋鼠就這樣回答道。