Page:Pekinese Rhymes (G. Vitale, 1896).djvu/59



There is not much coherence in the words, and the fun is in the fact that many verses are ended with the final 兒, which produces a ridiculous effect. 二哥 eur$4$ ko$1$, the second brother in the family also simply a familiar name. 老婆 lao$3$ p'uo$2$, an old woman, a wife. The accent falls generally on the 老 lao$3$ in this meaning; but if said lao$3$ p'uo$2$ tzǔ$3$, with the accent on the p'uo$2$, then it means "a female servant". 檔兒 tang$4$ 'r, small wood bars placed horizontally in the chinese window-sash. 耍猴兒 shua$3$ hou$2$ 'r, "to (let) play the monkey, that is to exhibit the tricks of a monkey to gain the life"; the other metaphorical meaning is "to lark, to romp, to be impertinent". 圈兒 ch'iuan$1$ 'r, a wooden circle through which the monkeys are let jump.

The small second brother ― eats too much ― and when he has finished eating ― he beats his wife ― and the wife is so beaten that she jumps on the window ― the window has no bars ― and the wife is so beaten that she looks in the mirror ― the mirror has no bottom ― the wife is beaten so that she begins to sing ― the song has no end ― the wife is so beaten that she "plays with the monkey" ―