童謠給人的感覺一向是天真無邪。但再經細閱，你或許會對它們另眼相看。沒有文字的時候，故事以口相傳，今日的童謠往往是昔日祖先留下的警世良言。讓我們透過中國山水畫再現西方童謠，揭開童謠的真面目！

住在鞋子裡的老奶奶 There was an Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.

She gave them some broth without any bread;

Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.

在西方文化，鞋子象徵生育。可憐的老婆婆面對著家裡眾多小孩手足無措，這首歌很有可能是警告當時的人要做好家庭計劃，要不然後果嚴重，可能帶來貧窮、饑餓和家庭暴力。

三隻瞎老鼠 Three Blind Mice

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.

See how they run. See how they run.

They all ran after the farmer’s wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a sight in your life,

As three blind mice?

小時候常常唸關於三隻瞎老鼠的故事，但不知道原來所唸出的竟是一首描述虐待動物的歌。

下雨了，下雨了！  It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

It’s raining; it’s pouring.

The old man is snoring.

He went to bed and bumped his head,

And he wouldn’t get up in the morning.

天真爛漫的童聲唱出：一個下雨的晚上，老伯伯睡前不小心撞到腦袋，進入了昏迷狀態。我們只好慨歎歲月催人老。

寶寶搖呀搖 Rock-a-bye Baby

Hush-a-by baby

On the tree top,

When the wind blows

The cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks,

The cradle will fall,

And down will fall baby

Cradle and all.

不安的內容，用作使寶寶安睡的用途，不知道你曾否質疑過為甚麼這首歌會被納入搖籃曲。或許，它不是一首獻給寶寶的歌，而是給媽媽的警告： 疏忽照顧兒童，易生意外。

搖，搖，搖小船  Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream.

人生如夢，童謠道出了我們用一輩子才能領略的道理。

TEXT: FLORIELLE
ART DIRECTION: ROSIEROOM/ HOKK FABRICA
PHOTOGRAPHY: TONY / HOKK FABRICA

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