Делаю перевод песни "The Frost Is All Over " (припев из набора бессмысленных слогов и повторы куплетов тут не выкладываю)
And what would you do if the kettle boiled over?
"What would I do but to fill it again?"
And what would you do if the cows ate the clover?
"What would I do but to set it again?"
The praties are dug and the frost is all over
"Kitty, lie over next to the wall"
The summer is come and we're all in the clover
"Kitty, lie over next to the wall"
Oh, what would you do if you married a soldier?
"What would I do but to follow the gun?"
And what would you do if he died in the ocean?
"What would I do but to marry again?"
С выкопанной картошкой и морозами, с летом и обилием клевера всё понятно - ход времени, годы идут, а характер Китти-умницы-оптимистки не меняется, это можно переводить дословно, но что означает "Kitty, lie over next to the wall"? Подозреваю идиому, которую надо переводить не по словам, а по смыслу, однако Гугл молчит (или я его не так спрашиваю).
And what would you do if the kettle boiled over?
"What would I do but to fill it again?"
And what would you do if the cows ate the clover?
"What would I do but to set it again?"
The praties are dug and the frost is all over
"Kitty, lie over next to the wall"
The summer is come and we're all in the clover
"Kitty, lie over next to the wall"
Oh, what would you do if you married a soldier?
"What would I do but to follow the gun?"
And what would you do if he died in the ocean?
"What would I do but to marry again?"
С выкопанной картошкой и морозами, с летом и обилием клевера всё понятно - ход времени, годы идут, а характер Китти-умницы-оптимистки не меняется, это можно переводить дословно, но что означает "Kitty, lie over next to the wall"? Подозреваю идиому, которую надо переводить не по словам, а по смыслу, однако Гугл молчит (или я его не так спрашиваю).
Тут по смыслу "Любая проблема решаема, жизнь продолжается, всё ОК". Весёлая неунывающая Китти, у ней на всё есть средство.
Буквальный перевод "Ложись вон туда к стенке" не рассматриваете?
Это вообще не вписывается в тему. Фраза должна быть или идиомой, или намёком на что-то, ныне забытое - песня очень старая.
As I went out a-walking down by yon yellow lane
I met with Captain Emerton, the keeper of the game.
Said he unto his servant maid "Would it be against the law
For you and I in one bed lie and you'll lie next the wall?"
"It's, oh, be gone you false young man and do not trouble me.
Before I'd lie one night with youyou must get me dishes three;
Three dishes you must get for me and I shall eat them all
Before I'd lie one night with you at either stock or wall."
"It's for my breakfast you must get a bird without a bone
And for my dinner you must get a cherry without a stone
And for my supper you must get a bird without a gall
Before I'd lie one night with you at either stock or wall."
"For when the bird is in the shell it really has no bones,
And when the cherry is in full bloom it really has no stone.
The dove she is a gentle bird, she flies without a gall,
So you and I in one bed lie and you'll lie next the wall."
"It's, oh, be gone, you false young man and do not trouble me.
Before I'd lie one night with you you must answer me questions six.
Six questions you must answer me and I'll set forth them all
Before I'd lie one night with you at either stock or wall."
"Now what is rounder than the moon? What's higher than the tree?
And what is worse than women's tongues? What's deeper than the sea?
What tree buds first? What bird sings best? And where does the dew first fall?
Before I'd lie one night with you at either stock or wall."
"The globe is rounder than the moon, heaven's higher than the tree.
The devil's worse than women's tongues,Hell's deeper than the sea.
The heather buds first, the thrush sings best, on the ground the dew first falls
So you and I in one bed lie, lie over to the wall."
The woman "lying next to the wall" is very significant.
If they are married, the man lies next to the wall so the woman can get up and take care of the babies, fix breakfast, etc., leaving her hard-working husband (?) to get his much needed rest.
If they are NOT married, she lies next to the wall so that, if necessary, he can leap up, grab his sword, and fend of her outraged father, brother(s), or for that matter, her husband, should they break in on the couple with mayhem in mind.
Usually in these songs, the man is not suggesting marriage.
Or so it was explained some years ago by Prof. David C. Fowler in a class I took at the U. of Washington on "The English and Scottish Popular Ballad."
Это английская и ирландская версия, а шотландская - любимая жена у правильного, хорошего мужа всегда спала у стены, чтобы в случае набега соседнего клана муж быстро вскочить с кровати и ринуться в бой.
In the olden times, the men was so fond of the women, that they put them lying next to the wall out of danger. Now, I don't know did they put them lying next to the wall so they couldn't run away, or because they wanted to protect them. Have it your way! But, they tell me it's to protect them they did it. He rolled her in his arms, while she lay next the wall.
Но конкретно эта песня, если верить Гуглу, ирландская, была популярна в Англии, поэтому собеседник приглашает Китти просто перепихнуться, без брака. Ни с того, ни с сего, это не "Captain Emerton/Dixon/etc.", и всё же они там говорят, поэтому почему не пригласить даму развлечься после трудового дня?
Тут кавалер говорит Китти "Давай сходим на сеновал", если переводить на язык родных осин по смыслу. И тогда весь разговор в песне обретает стройность, непонятных оборотов не остаётся.
(А вот почему приглашают полежать возле стенки зависит от контекста.)