THE GARDEN GATE

Early and late, early and late,
Little Boy swings on the garden gate.
“It isn’t a gate; it’s a motor car!
I’m travelling fast and I’m travelling far.
I toot my horn and I turn my wheel,
And nobody knows how grand I feel!”
Early and late, early and late,
Little Boy swings on the garden gate.

I’m off to the Pole on a ’sploring trip.
I’ll ride a white bear, holding on by his hair,
[57]And I’ll hurry him up with a whaleskin whip¹.”
Early and late, early and late,
Little Boy swings on the garden gate.
boy swinging on gat
“It isn’t a gate; it’s a big balloon!
I’m going to sail till I reach the moon.
I’ll play with the Man as hard as I can,
And I’ll stir² up the stars with a great horn spoon.”
Early and late, early and late,
[58]Little Boy swings on the garden gate.
“It isn’t a gate; it’s—” off runs he,
His mother is calling, “Come in to tea!”
It’s a wonderful gate, but it just isn’t able
To turn itself into a supper-table.

1 whip   

n.鞭子，鞭打，奶油甜食，车夫，组织秘书；vt.抽出，鞭打，捆扎，搅拌，打败；vi.突然移动，飘浮

参考例句：

• The cruel man lashed the horse with his whip.那个粗暴的人用鞭子抽马。
• The cruel master beat his slaves with a whip.残酷的主人鞭打他的奴隶。

2 stir   

n.感动(激动，愤怒或震动)，搅拌，骚乱；vt.激起，惹起，搅和；vi.挪动，活动，离开，搅拌，激动

参考例句：

• Give the soup a stir.把汤搅拌一下。
• Don't stir up trouble between them.不要在他们之间惹麻烦。