Английский язык с дружелюбным скелетом. Легенды североамериканских индейцев

medicine [`medsIn], copperhead [`kOpqhed], spreading [`spredIN], bright [braIt], blind [blaInd], nasty [`nQ:stI]

The Little Men made medicine and changed two men to snakes, the Spreading-adder and the Copperhead, and sent them to watch near the door of the daughter of the Sun to bite the old Sun when she came next day. They went together and hid near the house until the Sun came, but when the Spreading-adder was about to spring, the bright light blinded him and he could only spit out yellow slime, as he does to this day when he tries to bite. She called him a nasty thing and went by into the house, and the Copperhead crawled off without trying to do anything.

So the people still died from the heat (итак, люди все еще умирали от жары), and they went to the Little Men a second time for help (и они пошли к Маленьким Человечкам во второй раз за помощью; time — /зд./ раз). The Little Men made medicine again (приготовили снадобье опять) and changed one man (и превратили одного человека) into the great Uktena (в огромную Уктену; Уктена — огромная рогатая змея, чудовище в мифологии западных и восточных индейцев чероки) and another into the Rattlesnake (а другого — в Гремучую Змею; to rattle — трещать, грохотать; греметь) and sent them to watch near the house (и послали их ждать/стеречь возле дома) and kill the old Sun (и убить старуху-Солнце) when she came for dinner (когда она придет на обед).

heat [hJt], second [`sek(q)nd], great [greIt], rattlesnake [`rxtlsneIk]

So the people still died from the heat, and they went to the Little Men a second time for help. The Little Men made medicine again and changed one man into the great Uktena and another into the Rattlesnake and sent them to watch near the house and kill the old Sun when she came for dinner.

They made the Uktena very large (они создали Уктену огромной), with horns on his head (с рогами на голове), and everyone thought (и все думали: «и каждый думал»; to think) he would be sure to do the work (/что/ он обязательно сделает работу = выполнит задуманное), but the Rattlesnake was so quick and eager (но Гремучая Змея был таким быстрым и так страстно желал /дела/; eager — страстно желающий, жаждущий /о человеке/; интенсивный, напряженный; энергичный, активный /о желании, взгляде, жесте и т. п./) that he got ahead (что вырвался вперед; to get ahead) and coiled up just outside the house (и свернулся кольцом снаружи = возле дома; just — точный; как раз, прямо), and when the Sun's daughter opened the door (и когда дочь Солнца открыла дверь) to look out for her mother (чтобы выглянуть /в поисках/ матери = поглядеть, где ее мать), he sprang up and bit her (он прыгнул и укусил ее; to spring) and she fell dead in the doorway (и она упала замертво в проеме двери = на пороге).

horn [hLn], thought [TLt], eager [`Jgq], ahead [q`hed]

They made the Uktena very large, with horns on his head, and everyone thought he would be sure to do the work, but the Rattlesnake was so quick and eager that he got ahead and coiled up just outside the house, and when the Sun's daughter opened the door to look out for her mother, he sprang up and bit her and she fell dead in the doorway.

He forgot to wait for the old Sun (он /Змея/ забыл дождаться старухи-Солнца), but went back to the people (но вернулся к людям; to go back — возвращаться: «идти назад»), and the Uktena was so very angry that he went back, too (и Уктена так разозлился, что тоже пошел домой). Since then we pray to the rattlesnake (с тех пор мы молимся гремучей змее) and do not kill him (и не убиваем ее = змею), because he is kind (потому что она = змея добрая) and never tries to bite (и никогда не пытается укусить) if we do not disturb him (если мы не беспокоим ее = змею). The Uktena grew angrier all the time (Уктена становилась злее все время; to grow angry — становиться сердитым) and very dangerous (и очень опасной; danger — опасность), so that if he even looked at a man (так что даже если она взглянула на человека = стоило ей посмотреть на человека), that man's family would die (семья этого человека умирала).

pray [preI], kind [kaInd], disturb [dIs`tWb], dangerous [`deInGrqs], family [`fxmIlI]

He forgot to wait for the old Sun, but went back to the people, and the Uktena was so very angry that he went back, too. Since then we pray to the rattlesnake and do not kill him, because he is kind and never tries to bite if we do not disturb him. The Uktena grew angrier all the time and very dangerous, so that if he even looked at a man, that man's family would die.