格羅泰格是只勇猛貓，坐著駁船去旅行；

事實上，他還是野外漫游的最粗魯的貓。

從格雷夫森德到牛津，[15]他追求罪惡的目的，

歡喜他“泰晤士之恐怖”的稱號。

他的舉止外觀從不算計如何討好；

外套撕裂而破舊，膝蓋松松垮垮；

他的一只耳朵有點缺失，沒必要告訴你為什么，

他從一只令人生畏的眼中橫眉冷對敵意的世界。

羅瑟海斯的村民們知道他的名聲，

住在哈默史密斯和普特尼的人戰栗于他的名字。

他們會鞏固雞舍，并且鎖緊傻鵝，

每當謠言沿岸奔跑的時候：格羅泰格跑出來了！

柔弱的金絲雀倒霉了，它在籠子里撲騰著翅膀；

受寵的哈巴狗倒霉了，它面臨格羅泰格的怒火。

長硬毛的害鼠[16]倒霉了，它藏匿在一些外國船上，

任何與格羅泰格交手的貓倒霉了！

但對大多數外國種的貓他已立下報仇的誓言；

對既有外國名又是外國種的貓沒地方讓他們待著。

波斯貓和暹羅貓看到他就害怕——[17]

因為就是一只暹羅貓讓他一只耳朵缺了一塊。

這是一個寧靜的夏夜，自然如在戲中，

溫柔的月亮閃光，駁船泊在莫里斯港。

溫暖的月光下，它躺在潮水之中搖晃——

格羅泰格，傾向于顯示他多情的側面。

他的惡棍伙計，格魯巴斯金，早已消失，

只因在漢普頓鐘聲酒吧打濕了他的胡子；

他的水手長，圖姆布萊布魯圖斯，已經偷走了——

在獅子[18]背后的院里竄來竄去找到的獵物。

格羅泰格在船的首艙里獨自站著，

集中注意力望著格里德伯恩夫人。

粗俗的船員們睡在自己的桶里和鋪上——

此刻暹羅貓乘坐舢舨和帆船匍匐來臨。

格羅泰格眼耳除了格里德伯恩一無所有，

而夫人似乎被他充滿男子氣的中音吸引，

在松弛中愜意，在等待中無驚無奇——

而月光從一千只明亮的藍眼中反射出來。

舢舨越來越近圍成一個圓圈兒，

所有敵人都沒被聽到一點聲音。

戀人唱起最后的二重唱，在生命的危險之中——

面對用烤叉和殘酷的切肉刀武裝起來的敵人。

吉爾伯特[19]給他兇猛的蒙古人發出信號；

伴隨一陣可怕的煙花，他們一擁而上。

放棄他們的舢舨，他們的劃艇和帆船，

他們封閉艙口，堵住睡在鋪位上的船員。

格里德伯恩發出一聲尖叫，因為她太害怕了，

承認這點非常遺憾，但她很快就沒影了。

她可能輕易地逃了，我確定她沒有淹死——

但格羅泰格被一個閃爍而緊密的鋼環套住。

無情的敵人向前沖，倔強地排成排；

格羅泰格驚駭萬狀，被迫走上木板。

曾有一百個受害者就是被他趕著跳下大海的，

結束他的罪行，他被迫跳下，撲通，撲通。

哦，當消息傳遍大地，沃平多么歡樂；

梅登黑德和亨利的人們在海灘上跳舞。

大鼠[20]被整個燒烤，在布倫特福德，在維多利亞碼頭，

還有在曼谷，全都組織了一整天的慶祝。

Growltiger's Last Stand

GROWLTIGER was a Bravo Cat, who travelled on a barge:

In fact he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large.

From Gravesend up to Oxford he pursued his evil aims,

Rejoicing in his title of “The Terror of the Thames”.

His manners and appearance did not calculate to please;

His coat was torn and seedy, he was baggy at the knees;

One ear was somewhat missing, no need to tell you why,

And he scowled upon a hostile world from one forbidding eye.

The cottagers of Rotherhithe knew something of his fame;

At Hammersmith and Putney people shuddered at his name.

They would fortify the hen-house, lock up the silly goose,

When the rumour ran along the shore: GROWLTIGER'S ON THE LOOSE！

Woe to the weak canary, that fluttered from its cage;

Woe to the pampered Pekinese, that faced Growltiger's rage;

Woe to the bristly Bandicoot, that lurks on foreign ships,

And woe to any Cat with whom Growltiger came to grips！

But most to Cats of foreign race his hatred had been vowed;

To Cats of foreign name and race no quarter was allowed.

The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear—

Because it was a Siamese had mauled his missing ear.

Now on a peaceful summer night, all nature seemed at play,

The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Molesey lay.

All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide —

And Growltiger was disposed to show his sentimental side.

His bucko mate, GRUMBUSKIN, long since had disappeared,

For to the Bell at Hampton he had gone to wet his beard;

And his bosun, TUMBLEBRUTUS, he too had stol'n away—

In the yard behind the Lion he was prowling for his prey.

In the forepeak of the vessel Growltiger sate alone,

Concentrating his attention on the Lady GRIDDLEBONE.

And his raffsh crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks—

As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks.

Growltiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone,

And the Lady seemed enraptured by his manly baritone,

Disposed to relaxation, and awaiting no surprise—

But the moonlight shone reflected from a hundred bright blue eyes.

And closer still and closer the sampans circled round,

And yet from all the enemy there was not heard a sound.

The lovers sang their last duet? in danger of their lives—

For the foe was armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives.

Then GILBERT gave the signal to his fierce Mongolian horde;

With a frightful burst of fireworks the Chinks they swarmed aboard.

Abandoning their sampans, and their pullaways and junks,

They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks.

Then Griddlebone she gave a screech, for she was badly skeered;

I am sorry to admit it, but she quickly disappeared.

She probably escaped with ease, I'm sure she was not drowned—

But a serried ring of flashing steel Growltiger did surround.

The ruthless foe pressed forward, in stubborn rank on rank;

Growltiger to his vast surprise was forced to walk the plank.

He who a hundred victims had driven to that drop,

At the end of all his crimes was forced to go ker-flip, ker-flop.

Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land;

At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the strand.

Rats were roasted whole at Brentford, and at Victoria Dock?

And a day of celebration was commanded in Bangkok.