She spoke to the Red Queen, whose answer was a little wide of the mark. `As to fishes,' she said, very slowly and solemnly, putting her mouth close to Alice's ear, `her White Majesty knows a lovely riddle—all in poetry—all about fishes. Shall she repeat it?'
`Her Red Majesty's very kind to mention it,' the White Queen murmured into Alice's other ear, in a voice like the cooing of a pigeon. `It would be SUCH a treat! May I?'
`Please do,' Alice said very politely.
The White Queen laughed with delight, and stroked Alice's cheek (Белая Королева рассмеялась от удовольствия и погладила Алису по щеке). Then she began (затем она начала):
`"First, the fish must be caught (во-первых, рыбку надо поймать: «рыба должна быть поймана»)."
That is easy (это просто): a baby, I think, could have caught it (даже ребенок, я думаю, мог бы поймать ее;
"Next, the fish must be bought (затем, рыбку надо купить;
That is easy (это просто): a penny, I think, would have bought it (и за грош, я думаю, можно было бы купить ее).
"Now cook me the fish (а теперь, приготовь мне рыбку)!"
That is easy (это просто), and will not take more than a minute (и не займет больше минуты).
"Let it lie in a dish (положите ее на блюдо: «дайте ей лежать…»)!"
That is easy (это просто), because it already is in it (потому что она уже на нем).
"Bring it here (принесите ее сюда)! Let me sup (дайте мне попробовать;
It is easy to set such a dish on the table (это просто — поставить такое блюдо на стол).
caught [kO:t], bought [bO:t], lie [laI]
The White Queen laughed with delight, and stroked Alice's cheek. Then she began:
`"First, the fish must be caught."
That is easy: a baby, I think, could have caught it.
"Next, the fish must be bought."
That is easy: a penny, I think, would have bought it.
"Now cook me the fish!"
That is easy, and will not take more than a minute.
"Let it lie in a dish!" That is easy, because it already is in it.
"Bring it here! Let me sup!"
It is easy to set such a dish on the table.
"Take the dish-cover up (снимите крышку с блюда)!"
Ah, THAT is so hard that I fear I'm unable (а, вот это так сложно, что боюсь, что я не смогу сделать это;
For it holds it like glue (потому что она держится, словно на клее)—
Holds the lid to the dish (держит крышку на блюде), while it lies in the middle (пока лежит посредине):
Which is easiest to do (что же легче сделать), Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle (снять крышку с рыбы или разрешить загадку;
cover ['kAvq], unable [An'eIbl], glue [glu:]
"Take the dish-cover up!"
Ah, THAT is so hard that I fear I'm unable!
For it holds it like glue—
Holds the lid to the dish, while it lies in the middle:
Which is easiest to do, Un-dish-cover the fish, or dishcover the riddle?'
`Take a minute to think about it, and then guess (возьми минутку, чтобы подумать об этом =
extinguisher [Ik'stINgwISq], decanter [dI'kxntq], trough [trPf]