Page:Pekinese Rhymes (G. Vitale, 1896).djvu/39

 on their faces are familiarly called 麻子 ma$2$-tzŭ. Furthermore the word is used in other relative meanings. Here throughout these words, it is impossible to translate it always, as the repetition is done for the sake of playing on the word. The character I have written here is the regular one, but popularly the other character 麻 ma$2$, which means hemp, is substituted for it. In the first verse it is repeated to intensify the original meaning, thus saying "much marked with small pox." 痲跟頭 ma$2$ ken$1$ t'ou$2$, ken$1$-t'ou$2$ is a tumble; the word 痲 ma$2$ is referred to the subject. 痲大錢 ma$2$ ta$4$ ch'ien$2$, so is called a cash when its surface is suggedrugged? [sic], uneven, as if there were marks of small pox on it. 痲燒餅 痲$2$ shao$1$ ping$3$, a wheaten cake with an uneven surface, as it is when sesamum seeds are placed on it. 燒餅 shao$1$ ping$3$, round wheaten cake.

TRANSLATION

The boy much marked with the small pox ― climbs up a tree ― the dog barks ― and people go to catch him. ― The small-pox marked is so scared that he tumbles. ― With an old rugged cash he buys a cake ― a small pox marked eats ― and a small pox marked looks on ― the small pox marked come to a fight ― and a small-pox marked advises peace ― small pox marked policemen 一 take the bamboo stick 一 and only thrash the legs of the small pox marked boy.