这是一个夏天的晚上;老卡斯帕·?他的工作完成了，他坐在小屋门前的阳光下;他的小孙子威廉敏在草地上嬉戏。她看见她的哥哥彼得金在小溪边玩耍时捡到一个又大又圆的东西。他来问他发现了什么，那东西又大又光滑又圆。老卡斯帕从站在一旁等待的男孩手里接过它;然后老人摇了摇头，自然地叹了口气，“这是个可怜的家伙?”头骨,?他说，谁在伟大的胜利中倒下了。我在花园里找到了他们，因为那里?这里有许多人; And often, when I go to plow, The plowshare turns them out; For many thousand men,? said he, ?Were slain in that great victory.? ?Now tell us what `twas all about,? Young Peterkin, he cries; And little Wilhelmine looks up With wonder-waiting eyes; ?Now tell us all about the war, And what they fought each other for.? ?It was the English,? Kaspar cried, ?Who put the French to rout; But what they fought each other for, I could not well make out; But everybody said,? quoth he, ?That `twas a famous victory. ?My father lived at Blenheim then, Yon little stream hard by; They burnt his dwelling to the ground, And he was forced to fly; So with his wife and child he fled, Nor had he where to rest his head. ?With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide, And many a childing mother then, And new-born baby, died; But things like that, you know, must be At every famous victory. ?They say it was a shocking sight After the field was won; For many thousand bodies here Lay rotting in the sun; But things like that, you know, must be After a famous victory. ?Great praise the Duke of Marlboro? won, And our good Prince Eugene.? ?Why, `twas a very wicked thing!? Said little Wilhelmine. ?Nay, nay, my little girl,? quoth he; ?It was a famous victory. ?And everybody praised the Duke Who this great fight did win.? ?But what good came of it at last?? Quoth little Peterkin. ?Why, that I cannot tell,? said he; ?But `twas a famous victory.?