XXIII
樹葉靑
呀呀兒英
我跟姐姐過一冬
姐姐蓋着花花被
妹妹蓋着羊皮睡
姐姐穿着紬子襖
妹妹穿着破皮襖
姐姐戴着金簪子
妹妹戴着竹圈子
姐姐騎着高頭馬
妹妹騎着樹喀杈
姐姐登着銀鐙兒
妹妹登着牆縫兒
姐姐抱着個銀娃娃
妹妹抱着個癩蛤麻
走一步來哇兒呱哇兒呱又哇兒呱
NOTES
呀呀兒英 ya1 ya1 'r ying1, meaningless refrain which rhymes with the preceding verse. 花花被 hua1 hua1 pei4, a coverlet embroidered with flowers. 簪子, tsan1 tzǔ, chinese hair-pin. 竹圈子 chu2 ch'iüan1 tzǔ, ear-rings made of bamboo; in Peking ear-rings are generally called 鉗子 ch'ien2 tzǔ. 嘎杈 k'a1 ch'a1, a forked branch 癩蛤麻 lai4 ha2 ma1, a scabby toad. 哇兒呱 ku1 'r kuà1, imitates the voice of a toad.
TRANSLATION
The tree leaves are dark ― I spend a winter with my elder sister ― my elder sister covers her bed with a coverlet embroidered with flowers ― and I the younger sister cover my bed with a goat skin ― my elder sister wears a satin overcoat ― I the younger sister wear a broken skin overcoat ― my elder sister wears golden hair-pins ― and I the younger sister wear bamboo ear-rings ― my elder sister rides on a splendid horse ― and I the younger sister ride on a forked branch ― my elder sister leans her feet on silver stirrups ― and I the younger sister lean my feet on the wall crevices ― my elder sister holds in her arms a silver baby ― and I the younger sister hold in my arms a scabby toad ― which moves a step and then cries kurkuà kurkuà.