“I thought, Sir (я подумала, сэр) — ” she began and stopped (она начала и остановилась), feeling confused (чувствуя /себя/ смущенной), and not sure whether she ought to say it or not (и не уверенной, стоит ли ей: «должна ли она» говорить это или нет).
“Speak, my child (говори, мое дитя)!” said the Hamadryad. “You thought (ты подумала)?”
“Well (ну) — that lions and birds (что львы и птицы), and tigers and little animals (и тигры и маленькие животные) — ”
The Hamadryad helped her (Кобра помог ей). “You thought that they were natural enemies (ты думала, что они природные враги), that the lion could not meet a bird without eating it (что лев не может встретить птицу и не съесть ее), nor the tiger the hare (также как тигр — зайца) — eh (да)?”
Jane blushed and nodded (Джейн покраснела и кивнула).
“Ah — you may be right (а— ты, может быть, права: «можешь быть правой»). It is probable (это возможно). But not on the Birthday (но не на дне рождения),” said the Hamadryad. “Tonight the small are free from the great (сегодня вечером маленькие свободны от больших) and the great protect the small (а большие защищают маленьких). Even I (даже я) — ” he paused and seemed to be thinking deeply (он остановился и казалось, глубоко задумался), “even I can meet a Barnacle goose without any thought of dinner (даже
“But how can tree be stone (но как дерево может быть камнем)? A bird is not me (птица — это не я/не является мной). Jane is not a tiger (Джейн — не тигр),” said Michael stoutly (сказал Майкл твердо/решительно;
natural ['næt∫r(q)l] probable ['prIb(q)bl] Barnacle ['bQ:nqkl]
“I thought, Sir — ” she began and stopped, feeling confused, and not sure whether she ought to say it or not.
“Speak, my child!” said the Hamadryad. “You thought?”
“Well — that lions and birds, and tigers and little animals — ”
The Hamadryad helped her. “You thought that they were natural enemies, that the lion could not meet a bird without eating it, nor the tiger the hare — eh?”
Jane blushed and nodded.
“Ah — you may be right. It is probable. But not on the Birthday,” said the Hamadryad. “Tonight the small are free from the great and the great protect the small. Even I — ” he paused and seemed to be thinking deeply, “even I can meet a Barnacle goose without any thought of dinner — on this occasion. And after all,” he went on, flicking his terrible little forked tongue in and out as he spoke, “it may be that to eat and be eaten are the same thing in the end. My wisdom tells me that this is probably so. We are all made of the same stuff, remember, we of the Jungle, you of the City. The same substance composes us — the tree overhead, the stone beneath us, the bird, the beast, the star — we are all one, all moving to the same end. Remember that when you no longer remember me, my child.”
“But how can tree be stone? A bird is not me. Jane is not a tiger,” said Michael stoutly.