作中に出てくる詩などの、パロディ元や引用元を不完全ながら集めてみました。
“How doth the little crocodile” は、Isaac Watts (1674-1748) の “Against Idleness and Mischief” (1715) のパロディ。
Against Idleness and Mischief
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 past,
That I may give for every Day
Some good Account at last.
Isaac Watts, Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of CHILDREN (London: M. Lawrence, 1715)
“You are old, Father William” は、Robert Southey (1774-1843) の “The Old Man's Comforts. And how he gained them” (1799) のパロディ。
The Old Man's Comforts. And how he gained them
You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
The few locks which are left you 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 remember'd 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 youth 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 remember'd 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 hastening away;
You are chearful, and love to converse upon death!
Now tell me the reason I pray.
I am chearful, young man, Father William replied,
Let the cause thy attention engage;
In the days of my youth I remember'd my God!
And He hath not forgotten my age.
Robert Southey, Metrical Tales and Other Poems (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1805)
“Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!” は、Jane Taylor の “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” (1806)のパロディ。
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star”
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often thro' my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
'Tis your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the trav'ller in the dark:
Tho' I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
“Lobster-Quadrille” は、Mary Howitt (1799-1888) の “The Spider and the Fly” のパロディ。
The Spider and the Fly
AN APOLOGUE.
A NEW VERSION OF AN OLD STORY.
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 a many curious things to shew 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.”
“I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the Spider to the Fly.
“There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!”
Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!”
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, “ Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome — will you please to take a slice?”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”
“Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”
“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day.”
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
“Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple — there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!”
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue —
Thinking only of her crested head — poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour — but she ne'er came out again!
And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
Mary Howitt, Sketches of Natural History (London: Effingham Wilson, 1834)
“'Tis the voice of the Lobster” は、Isaac Watts (1674-1748) の “The Sluggard” (1716) のパロディ。
The Sluggard
'Tis the voice of the sluggard; I heard him complain,
“You have waked me too soon, I must slumber again.”
As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed,
Turns his sides and his shoulders and his heavy head.
“A little more sleep, and a little more slumber;”
Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number,
And when he gets up, he sits 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 hang 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 for improving his mind:
He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking;
But scarce reads his 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:
“Turtle Soup” は、James M. Sayles の “Star of the Evening” (1855) のパロディ。
Star of the Evening
1.
Beautiful star in Heaven so bright,
Softly falls thy silv'ry light,
As thou movest from earth afar,
Star of the evening, Beautiful star.
Star of the evening, Beautiful star.
CHORUS
Beautiful star, (Beautiful star,)
Beautiful star, (beautiful star,)
Star of the eve-ning
Beautiful, beautiful star.
2.
In fancy eye's thou seem'st to say,
Come, come with me from earth away,
Upwards thy spirit's pinions try,
To realms of peace beyond the sky,
To realms of peace beyond the sky.
3.
Shine on oh! star of love divine,
May our soul's affections twine A
Around thee, as thou mov'st afar,
Star of the twilight, Beautiful star,
Star of the twilight, Beautiful star.
Words and Melody by James M. Sayles.
[DUETT from “The Dulciana. A Collection of Favorite Duetts.” 1883]
Harmonized and arranged by Henry Tucker, 1826-1882
“The Queen of Hearts” は、Nursery Rhymes（マザーグース）の “The Queen of Hearts” のパロディ。
The Queen of Hearts
The Queen of Hearts
She made some tarts,
All on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts
He stole the tarts,
And took them clean away.
The King of Hearts
Called for the tarts,
And beat the knave full sore;
The Knave of Hearts
Brought back the tarts,
And vowed he'd steal no more.
The European Magazine (1782)