SLEEP-STEALER

WHO stole sleep from baby's eyes？I must know.

Clasping her pitcher to her waist mother went to fetch water from the village near by.

It was noon．Te children's playtime was over；the ducks in the pond were silent.

Te shepherd boy lay asleep under the shadow of the banyan tree.

Te crane stood grave and still in the swamp near the mango grove.

In the meanwhile the sleep-stealer came and，snatching sleep from baby's eyes，few away.

When mother came back she found baby travelling the room over on all fours.

Who stole sleep from our baby's eyes？I must know．I must fnd her and chain her up.

I must look into that dark cave，where，through boulders and scowling stones，trickles a tiny stream.

I must search in the drowsy shade of the bakula grove，where pigeons coo in their corner，and fairies'anklets tinkle in the stillness of starry nights.

在这样的夜晚，我将窥探竹林沉默地窃窃私语，在那里，萤火虫挥霍其光亮，我将询问我所遇到的每一个生灵：“谁能告诉我，睡眠小偷住在何处？”

谁从宝宝眼里偷走了睡眠？我必须知道。

我只要抓住她，非得好好教训她一顿不可！

我要搜查她的窝看她把偷来的睡眠藏在哪个角落。

我要把它全都抢过来，带回家。

我要牢牢捆绑住她的双翅，绑在河岸上，然后让她在灯芯草与百合花覆盖的水面之间用一根芦苇表演钓鱼。

黄昏时分，集市散了，乡村的孩子们坐在妈妈的膝盖上，随后夜鸟会在她的耳畔喋喋不休地嘲讽道：“现在你想偷谁的睡眠？”

In the evening I will peep into the whispering silence of the bamboo forest，where fre-fies squander their light，and will ask every creature I meet，“Can anybody tell me where the sleep-stealer lives？”

Who stole sleep from baby's eyes？I must know.

Shouldn't I give her a good lesson if I could only catch her！

I would raid her nest and see where she hoards all her stolen sleep.

I would plunder it all，and carry it home.

I would bind her two wings securely，set her on the bank of the river，and then let her play at fshing with a reed among the rushes and water-lilies.

When the marketing is over in the evening，and the village children sit in their mothers'laps，then the night birds will mockingly din her ears with：“Whose sleep will you steal now？”