Английский язык c дружелюбным скелетом. Легенды североамериканских индейцев

"Laugh-maker, we are almost dead with laughing!" Upon this the little creature swam back into deep water and disappeared.

Now the stranger was not at all amused (но вот чужаку не было смешно вовсе; to amuse smb. — рассмешить, развеселить, позабавить кого-либо) and in fact could see nothing to laugh at (и, вообще-то: «фактически», /он/ не видел ничего забавного: «ничего, над чем посмеяться»). When all the Bears had got up (когда все Медведи встали; to get up) and dispersed to their homes (и рассеялись по своим домам) he came down from the tree with his little son (он спустился вниз с дерева со своим маленьким сыном), and the child wished to imitate his great-grandfather Bear (и ребенок захотел воспроизвести своего прадедушку Mедведя). He went out alone on the sandy beach (он вышел один на песчаный пляж) and began to call in his piping voice (и начал звать пронзительным голосом):

amuse [q`mjHz], disperse [dIs`pWs], imitate [`ImIteIt]

Now the stranger was not at all amused and in fact could see nothing to laugh at. When all the Bears had got up and dispersed to their homes he came down from the tree with his little son, and the child wished to imitate his great-grandfather Bear. He went out alone on the sandy beach and began to call in his piping voice:

"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh (Смехунчик, мы пришли смеяться)!"

When he had called four times (когда он позвал четыре раза), the little creature again showed its smooth black head above the water (маленькое создание снова показало свою гладкую черную голову над водой).

"Ha, ha, ha (ха, ха, ха)! Why don't you laugh, papa (почему ты не смеешься, папа)? It is so funny (он такой забавный)!" the boy cried out breathlessly (мальчик выкрикнул, задыхаясь; breathless — бездыханный; задыхающийся; breath — дыхание).

But his father looked on soberly (но отец смотрел серьезно; sober — непьющий, трезвый; рассудительный; благоразумный, здравомыслящий, спокойный) while the thing went through all its usual antics (пока существо проделывало все эти нелепые движения; antic — гротескно искаженное скульптурное изображение /горгулий, кариатид и т. п./; antics — эксцентричный поступки, нелепые выходки; кривлянье), and the little boy laughed harder and harder (и маленький мальчик смеялся /все/ сильнее/натужнее; hard — твердый;энергичный), until at last he rolled and rolled on the sandy beach (пока, наконец, он не /начал/ кататься и кататься по песчаному пляжу), almost dead with laughter (почти неживой от смеха).

breathlessly [`breTlIslI], soberly [`squbqlI], beach [bJC], usual [`ju:Zuql], antics [`xntIks]

"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh!"

When he had called four times, the little creature again showed its smooth black head above the water.

"Ha, ha, ha! Why don't you laugh, papa? It is so funny!" the boy cried out breathlessly.

But his father looked on soberly while the thing went through all its usual antics, and the little boy laughed harder and harder, until at last he rolled and rolled on the sandy beach, almost dead with laughter.

"Papa (папа)," he gasped (задохнулся он /от смеха/ = с трудом проговорил он сквозь смех; to gasp — дышать с трудом, задыхаться; ловить воздух), "if you do not stop this funny thing I shall die (если ту не остановишь это смешное существо, я умру)!"

Then the father picked up his bow and strung it (отец подобрал свой лук и натянул его; to string). He gave one more look at his boy (он еще раз взглянул на сына), who was gasping for breath (кто задыхался, /пытаясь/ вдохнуть; breath — дыхание, вздох); then he fitted a sharp arrow to the bow (затем он приладил острую стрелу к луку) and pierced the little Laugh-maker to the heart (и поразил маленького Смехунчика в сердце). He went out and took the skin (он вышел и взял шкуру), and they returned in silence to the camp of the Bears (и они вернулись в молчании в стойбище Медведей).

gasp [gRsp], sharp [SRp], return [rI`tWn]

"Papa," he gasped, "if you do not stop this funny thing I shall die!"

Then the father picked up his bow and strung it. He gave one more look at his boy, who was gasping for breath; then he fitted a sharp arrow to the bow and pierced the little Laugh-maker to the heart. He went out and took the skin, and they returned in silence to the camp of the Bears.