“Me?” said the Red Cow, with an outraged stare.
“Yes, you — who else?” said the King impatiently. He was anxious to get to the Barber’s.
“Sire,” said the Red Cow, “I beg you to remember that I am a decent respectable animal and have been taught from my infancy that jumping was no occupation for a lady.”
The King stood up and shook his sceptre at her (король встал и потряс скипетром на нее).
“Madam,” he said, “you came here for my advice (вы пришли сюда за моим советом) and I have given it to you (и я дал его вам). Do you want to go on dancing for ever (вы хотите продолжать танцевать вечно)? Do you want to go hungry for ever (вы хотите ходить голодной вечно)? Do you want to go sleepless for ever (вы хотите ходить без сна: «бессонной» вечно)?”
The Red Cow thought of the lush sweet taste of dandelions (Рыжая Корова подумала о сочном сладком вкусе одуванчиков). She thought of meadow grass (она подумала о луговой траве) and how soft it was to lie on (и какой мягкой она была, чтобы лежать на ней = и как мягко было лежать на ней). She thought of her weary, capering legs (она подумала о своих изнуренных, пританцовывающих ногах;
“How high do you suppose it is (как высоко, вы предполагаете, это есть)?” she said aloud (она проговорила вслух) as she danced (в то время как она танцевала = танцуя).
The King looked up at the Moon (король посмотрел вверх на Луну).
“At least a mile, I should think (по меньшей мере миля, я бы полагал),” said he.
The Red Cow nodded (Рыжая Корова кивнула). She thought so, too (она думала, что столько же: «она думала так тоже»). For a moment she considered (на мгновенье она соображала;
“I never thought (я никогда не думала) that I should come to this (что я могла бы прийти к этому = что я дойду до такого), your Majesty (Ваше Величество). Jumping (прыжок) — and over the moon at that (и через Луну при этом). But — I’ll try it (но — я буду пробовать это),” she said and curtseyed gracefully to the throne (и сделала реверанс грациозно в сторону трона).
“Good (хорошо),” said the King pleasantly (сказал Король весело/удовлетворенно), realizing that he would be in time for the Barber (осознавая, что он будет вовремя у цирюльника), after all (после всего = в конце концов). “Follow me (следуйте за мной)!”
He led the way into the garden (он повел по дороге внутрь сада), and the Red Cow and the Courtiers followed him (и Рыжая Корова и придворные следовали за ним).
“Now (теперь),” said the King, when he reached the open lawn (когда он дошел до открытой лужайки;
weary ['wIqrI] lawn [lO:n] whistle [wIsl]
The King stood up and shook his sceptre at her.
“Madam,” he said, “you came here for my advice and I have given it to you. Do you want to go on dancing for ever? Do you want to go hungry for ever? Do you want to go sleepless for ever?”
The Red Cow thought of the lush sweet taste of dandelions. She thought of meadow grass and how soft it was to lie on. She thought of her weary, capering legs and how nice it would be to rest them. And she said to herself: “Perhaps, just for once, it wouldn’t matter and nobody — except the King — need know.”
“How high do you suppose it is?” she said aloud as she danced.
The King looked up at the Moon.
“At least a mile, I should think,” said he.
The Red Cow nodded. She thought so, too. For a moment she considered, and then she made up her mind.
“I never thought that I should come to this, your Majesty. Jumping — and over the moon at that. But — I’ll try it,” she said and curtseyed gracefully to the throne.
“Good,” said the King pleasantly, realizing that he would be in time for the Barber, after all. “Follow me!”
He led the way into the garden, and the Red Cow and the Courtiers followed him.
“Now,” said the King, when he reached the open lawn, “when I blow the whistle — jump!”
He took a large golden whistle from his waistcoat pocket (он достал большой золотой свисток из своего кармана жилетки) and blew into it lightly (и дунул в него слегка) to make sure there was no dust in it (чтобы удостовериться, что в нем не было пыли).