Английский язык с дружелюбным скелетом. Легенды североамериканских индейцев

Then the same speaker arose again, and said, "Now, listen once more! I will ask you just one question." Thus spoke Porcupine: "How will you obtain plants to eat if you ask for very severe cold? And if it is so cold, the roots of all the wild berries will be withered and frozen, and all the plants of the prairie will wither away, owing to the frost of winter. How will you be able to get food?

You are large animals (вы — большие звери), and you always walk about among the mountains wanting something to eat (и вы всегда разгуливаете среди гор, ища = в поисках чего-либо поесть = еды). Now, if your request is granted for severe cold every winter (так вот, если ваша просьба о жестокой холодной зиме /будет/ исполнена), you will die of starvation in spring or in summer (вы умрете от голода весной или летом); but we shall live (но мы будем жить), for we live on the bark of trees (ведь мы живем, питаясь корой деревьев; to live on — находить достаточно пищи/дохода в чем-либо), and our smallest persons find their food in the gum of trees (и самые маленькие из нас находят свое пропитание в древесной смоле: «смоле/выделениях деревьев»), and the smallest insects find their food in the earth (а мельчайшие насекомые находят пропитание в земле)."

mountain [`mauntIn], request [rI`kwest], die [daI], person [pq:sn], find [faInd]

You are large animals, and you always walk about among the mountains wanting something to eat. Now, if your request is granted for severe cold every winter, you will die of starvation in spring or in summer; but we shall live, for we live on the bark of trees, and our smallest persons find their food in the gum of trees, and the smallest insects find their food in the earth."

After he had spoken, Porcupine put his thumb into his mouth and bit it off (после того, как он высказался, Дикобраз положил большой палец руки себе в рот и откусил его; to bite smth. off — откусить что-либо) and said, "Confound it (будь я неладен; to confound — мешать, перемешивать; запутывать; /уст./ разрушить, разорить; confound it! — к черту! будь оно проклято!)!" and threw his thumb out of his mouth (и выбросил свой большой палец изо рта; to throw) to show the large animals how clever he was (чтобы показать крупным животным, какой он умный), and sat down again, full of rage (и сел снова, полный ярости). Therefore the hand of the porcupine has only four fingers, no thumb (/вот/ поэтому на лапе дикобраза всего/только четыре пальца, нет большого пальца).

All the large animals were speechless (все большие звери молчали; speechless — немой, онемевший), because they wondered at the wisdom of Porcupine (потому что они поразились мудрости Дикобраза).

mouth [mauT], thumb [TAm], confound [kqn`faund], rage [reIG], wisdom [`wIsd(q)m]

After he had spoken, Porcupine put his thumb into his mouth and bit it off, and said, "Confound it!" and threw his thumb out of his mouth to show the large animals how clever he was, and sat down again, full of rage. Therefore the hand of the porcupine has only four fingers, no thumb.

All the large animals were speechless, because they wondered at the wisdom of Porcupine.

Finally Grizzly Bear arose (наконец, Гризли поднялся), and said, "It is true what you have said (то, что ты сказал, верно)." Thus spoke Grizzly Bear to Porcupine (так сказал Медведь Гризли Дикобразу), and all the large animals chose Porcupine to be their wise man (и все большие звери выбрали Дикобраза своим мудрецом; to choose) and to be the first among all the small animals (и первым среди всех маленьких зверей); and they all agreed that the cold in winter should be as much as it is now (и все согласились, что холода зимой должно столько: «быть так много», сколько его сейчас). They made six months for the winter and six months for summer (они договорились, /что/ шесть месяцев /будет/ для зимы и шесть месяцев — для лета; to make — зд . устанавливать /правила, порядок и т. п./).

wise [waIz], first [fWst], summer [`sAmq]

Finally Grizzly Bear arose, and said, "It is true what you have said." Thus spoke Grizzly Bear to Porcupine, and all the large animals chose Porcupine to be their wise man and to be the first among all the small animals; and they all agreed that the cold in winter should be as much as it is now. They made six months for the winter and six months for summer.