Английский язык с Дж. Р. Р. Толкиеном. Хоббит

But the wolf-guards did not leave the trees. Maddened and angry they were leaping and howling round the trunks, and cursing the dwarves in their horrible language, with their tongues hanging out, and their eyes shining as red and fierce as the flames. Then suddenly goblins came running up yelling. They thought a battle with the woodmen was going on; but they soon learned what had really happened. Some of them actually sat down and laughed. Others waved their spears and clashed the shafts against their shields. Goblins are not afraid of fire, and they soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing. Some got all the wolves together in a pack. Some stacked fern and brushwood round the tree-trunks. Others rushed round and stamped and beat, and beat and stamped, until nearly all the flames were put out — but they did not put out the fire nearest to the trees where the dwarves were.

That fire they fed with leaves (этот огонь они поддерживали листьями; to feed (fed) — кормить, давать пищу) and dead branches and bracken (и сухими ветвями и папоротником). Soon they had a ring of smoke and flame (вскоре они создали кольцо из дыма и огня) all round the dwarves (вокруг гномов), a ring which they kept from spreading outwards (кольцо, которому они не позволяли распространяться дальше наружу; to keep (kept) — держать, хранить, беречь); but it closed slowly in (но оно медленно обступало /деревья/), till the running fire was licking the fuel (до тех пор, пока беглый огонь начал лизать топливо) piled under the trees (сваленное в кучи под деревьями). Smoke was in Bilbo’s eyes (дым стоял в глазах Бильбо), he could feel the heat of the flames (он мог чувствовать жар пламени); and through the reek he could see the goblins (и сквозь дым и копоть он мог видеть гоблинов) dancing round and round in a circle (танцующих в кругу) like people round a midsummer bonfire (подобно людям, /танцующим/ вокруг костра /в честь/ летнего солнцестояния). Outside the ring of dancing warriors (за пределами кольца танцующих воинов) with spears and axes (с копьями и секирами) stood the wolves at a respectful distance (стояли волки на почтительном расстоянии), watching and waiting (наблюдая и выжидая).

branch [brɑ: ntʃ] outwards [ˈaʋtwǝdz] warrior [ˈwɔrɪǝ]

That fire they fed with leaves and dead branches and bracken. Soon they had a ring of smoke and flame all round the dwarves, a ring which they kept from spreading outwards; but it closed slowly in, till the running fire was licking the fuel piled under the trees. Smoke was in Bilbo’s eyes, he could feel the heat of the flames; and through the reek he could see the goblins dancing round and round in a circle like people round a midsummer bonfire. Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood the wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.

He could hear the goblins beginning a horrible song (он мог слышать, как гоблины затянули: «начали» ужасную песню):

Fifteen birds in five firtrees (пятнадцать птичек на пяти елях /сидели/),

their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze (их перья развивались на огненном ветерке)!

But, funny little birds (но, забавные мелкие пташки), they had no wings (нет у них крыльев)!

O what shall we do (о, что же нам сделать) with the funny little things (с забавными малютками)?