by Paddy Breslin
Tiny toddler told his Dad:
“I am puzzled so!
What is good and what is bad?
Answer if you know!”
Secrets I will always shun—
Nothing could be worse!
All that Papa told his son
I have put in verse.
If the wind tears down the roofs,
If the heavens spout,
That is bad — why, even goofs
Will not venture out.
Sun has conquered rain and cold,
Sun shines over all—
That is good for young and old,
Good for big and small.
If the boy is black as pitch,
If his face has dirt on,
Then his skin is bound to itch—
And that is bad for certain.
If the boy likes soap and water,
Toothpaste, brush and comb,
Then he’s very good and ought to
Be a pet at home
Some boys bully, bite and hit
Boys but half their size.
Boys like this I can’t permit
Verse to аdvеrtisе.
Other boys will never strike
Smaller boys. That’s good!
Boys like this we’re bound to like—
That is understood.
If the boy destroys and tears
Picture books and toys,
Each October-child declares:
“What a bad, bad boy!”
If his eyes to books are glued,
If he’s never shirking,
Then the boy is very good,
For he’s fond of working.
This boy met a crow and scampered
In a dreadful funk.
Coward! He is sorely hampered
Through his lack of spunk.
Others would not be afraid to
Tackle birds of prey.
Good! Such spunk’s a mighty aid to
Boys on life’s long way.
Some boys’ shirts are black as ovens,
Yet the boys seem glad.
People call them dirty slovens.
Don’t you think that’s bad?
This boy’s shoes are always shiny
Just as shoes should be.
Though the boy is very tiny,
He is good, you see.
All must grow from small to big—
Nothing ought to balk us.
Boys are bound to grow up pigs
If the boys are porkers.
Tiny toddler understood,
Tiny told his dad:
“I will always do what’s good,
Never what is bad.”
by D.Rottenberg
One fine day a tiny laddie
came and asked his dad:
“Could you tell me, Daddy,
what is good and what is bad?”
All his daddy said I heard.
Children, gather near.
Daddy’s answer, word for word,
I shall tell you here.
If the wind behaves like mad,
bringing hail and sleet,
anybody knows it’s bad –
no walking in the street.
After rainfall comes the sun,
driving off the cold.
That is good for everyone,
whether young or old.
When a boy’s as black as that –
dirt on cheeks and chin,
this is clearly very bad
for the youngster’s skin.
If a boy keeps clean and neat,
washes twice a day,
he’s a darling, simply sweet,
a good lad, anyway.
When a bully ,Tom or Billy,
thrashes weaker mates,
his behaviour’s bad and silly —
which everybody hates.
This one shouts: “You mustn’t touch
smaller boys than you!”
I admire him very much,
and so, I’m sure, do you.
If you spoil a book and toy
in a single day,
“That’s a baddish little boy!”
everyone will say.
This one loves to work and read,
likes drawing in his pad.
He’s a good one, yes, indeed,
the proper kind of lad!
This baby’s scared to see a crow.
Shame upon the lad!
Cowardice, you ought to know,
is very, very bad.
This one shoos the bird away
from a hen and chicks.
Good!
A brave boy, we can say,
though he’s hardly six.
This one wallows in the dirt,
giggling with joy,
soils his trousers bad,
and his shirt, untidy boy!
This one cleans his shoes himself,
though just four years old,
puts his things upon a shelf.
He’s as good as gold!
Remember, all who aren’t yet big:
if you’re now a piggy,
you’ll become a downright pig
when you grow up bigger.
Sonny beamed — he’d understood
and he told his dad:
“Dad, I’ll always do what’s good
and never do what’s bad!”
by Дмитрий Бек-Лемешев
Baby-boy approached his Dad,
Asked him by his side:
"What's considered to be bad?
And what's considered right?
I have nothing to conceal,
Listen up, all kids,
Here's Dad's answer to his son,
This is how it reads.
If a storm's removing roofs,
Hailing starts to talk,
Everyone for sure knows
It's bad time for walk.
Rain has dripped and passed away,
Sunlight does exult.
Both for adults, teens and kids,
Good is in result.
If the son's the blackest night,
To the face dirt pins,
Clear it is: it isn't good
For the childly skins.
If a boy is fond of soap
As well as toothpowder,
This kid's cute and very good
Let us say it louder.
If a bad boy bullies, hits
A much weaker one -
Mentioning of him in here
I wish was undone!
This boy shouts: "Leave alone
Those who can't boast height!"
This one actually is good,
He is just a sight.
If you've torn just one by one
Booklets and a hood,
Decent kids to this might say:
"This boy is no good!"
Labor-loving is the kid,
Fingers pages, reads,
He's the sample to repeat,
Good is he, his deeds.
From a crow a tiny child
Groaning runs away.
This child is a coward just,
Never will it pay!
This one's hardly of same size,
He's the bird's debater:
It's a brave boy, good for him,
This will serve him later.
In a mess, this kid is glad,
Muddy's outfit!
Boys like this will be nick-named
"Piggy in a pit"
This boy's busy cleaning shoes,
Washing his footwear-
Though himself he's still too small.
He's quite good and fair!
Keep in mind this, every son,
Any child, since toddling.
Grows a hog out of a son,
If he is a hogling!
Joyfully our kid walks off,
With a pledge well-thought:
"It's the right I'm gonna do,
And the wrong I'm not!"
Original
Кроха сын к отцу пришел,
И спросила кроха:
"Что такое хорошо
И что такое плохо? "
У меня секретов нет,
Слушайте, детишки:
Папы этого ответ
Помещаю в книжке.
"Если ветер крыши рвет,
Если град загрохал -
Каждый знает: это вот
Для прогулок плохо.
Дождь покапал и прошел,
Солнце в целом свете -
Это очень хорошо
И большим, и детям.
Если сын чернее ночи,
Грязь лежит на рожице -
Ясно: это плохо очень
Для ребячьей кожицы.
Если мальчик любит мыло
И зубной порошок -
Этот мальчик очень милый,
Поступает хорошо.
Если бьет дрянной драчун
Слабого мальчишку -
Я такого не хочу
Даже вставить в книжку!
Этот вот кричит: "Не трожь
Тех, кто меньше ростом! " -
Этот мальчик так хорош,
Загляденье просто!
Если ты порвал подряд
Книжицу и мячик,
Октябрята говорят:
Плоховатый мальчик!
Если мальчик любит труд,
Тычет в книжку пальчик,
Про такого пишут тут:
Он - хороший мальчик.
От вороны карапуз
Убежал, заохав, -
Мальчик этот просто трус,
Это очень плохо!
Этот, хоть и сам с вершок,
Спорит с грозной птицей:
Храбрый мальчик, хорошо,
В жизни пригодится.
Этот в грязь залез - и рад,
Что грязна рубаха!
Про такого говорят:
Он плохой, неряха!
Этот чистит валенки,
Моет сам галоши -
Он хотя и маленький,
Но вполне хороший!
Помни это, каждый сын,
Знай, любой ребенок:
Вырастет из сына свин,
Если сын свиненок! "
Мальчик радостный пошел,
И решила кроха:
"Буду делать хорошо,
И не буду плохо! "
