哦，他老了，又瘦;他浓密的胡须和头发都乱成一团，灰蒙蒙的。他说他从很远很远的地方来，还有很长的路要走。每只靴子的脚趾都碎了，他的背上有一件东西。他的比利罐，黑得像黑一样，在我看来，就是用来在野餐时泡茶的。“挣一口面包都很难，”他告诉我。然后他摇了摇头，所有挂在他帽檐上的小软木塞都在他的脸上跳舞、摇摆和摆动;我笑了，他又让他们跳舞。他说这是为了防止苍蝇——“讨厌的害虫”——进入他的眼睛。他叫我“怪人”……“现在你看到了你一生中最美好的日子，”他说。 "But days will come to bend your back, And, when they come, keep off the track. Keep off, young codger, if you can. He seemed a funny sort of man. He told me that he wanted work, But jobs were scarce this side of Bourke, And he supposed he'd have to go Another fifty mile or so. "Nigh all my life the track I've walked," He said. I liked the way he talked. And oh, the places he had seen! I don't know where he had not been - On every road, in every town, All through the country, up and down. "Young codger, shun the track," he said. And put his hand upon my head. I noticed, then, that his old eyes Were very blue and very wise. "Ay, once I was a little lad," He said, and seemed to grow quite sad. I sometimes think: When I'm a man, I'll get a good black billy-can And hang some corks around my hat, And lead a jolly life like that.