Кейт Гринуэй (Kate Greenaway)

Четыре принцессы

В открытом море, в Зелёной Башне,
Свои коротали дни
Четыре принцессы. Но нам неизвестно
Ни кто, ни откуда они.

Взор каждой стремился в одну страну света:
На север, иль запад, иль юг, иль восток.
Какая из них была самой прекрасной,
Никто бы ответить не мог.

Власы золотые, глаза голубые,
А голос – серебряный звон.
Волшебные звуки неслись. Превращался
Их замок в церковный амвон.

Они уплывали при солнце, со звёздами,
Являлись в назначенный час.
А как они жили в Зелёной Башне,
Осталось загадкой для нас.

Перевод Леонида Зимана
Все переводы Леонида Зимана

The Four Princesses

Four Princesses lived in a Green Tower – 
A Bright Green Tower in the middle of the sea;
And no one could think – oh, no one could think –
Who the Four Princesses could be.

One looked to the North, and one to the South,
And one to the East, and one to the West;
They were all so pretty, so very pretty,
You could not tell which was prettiest.

Their curls were golden – their eyes were blue,
And their voices were sweet as a silvery bell;
And four white birds around them flew,
But where they came from – who could tell?

Oh, who could tell? for no one knew,
And not a word could you hear them say.
But the sound of their singing, like church bell ringing,
Would sweetly float as they passed away. 

For under the sun, and under the stars,
They often sailed on the distant sea,
Then in their Green Tower and Roses bower
They lived again – a mystery.

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