Английский язык с Р. Киплингом. Истории просто так

There are three hundred and fifty-five stories about Suleiman-bin-Daoud (о Сулеймане-ибн[151]-Дауде существует триста пятьдесят пять историй); but this not one of them (но это не одна из них). It is not the story of the Lapwing who found the Water (это не история о Чибисе, который отыскал Воду); or the Hoopoe who shaded Suleiman-bin-Daoud from the heat (ни об Удоде, который заслонил Сулеймана-ибн-Дауда от жары). It is not the story of the Glass Pavement (это не история о Стеклянном Поле), or the Ruby with the Crooked Hole (ни о Рубине с Искривленным Отверстием), or the Gold Bars of Balkis (ни о Золотых Слитках Балкис[152]). It is the story of the Butterfly that Stamped (это история о Мотыльке, который Топнул Ногой).

sovereign ['sOvrIn], lapwing ['lxpwIN], hoopoe ['hHpH]

THIS, O my Best Beloved, is a story — a new and a wonderful story — a story quite different from the other stories — a story about The Most Wise Sovereign Suleiman-bin-Daoud — Solomon the Son of David.

There are three hundred and fifty-five stories about Suleiman-bin-Daoud; but this not one of them. It is not the story of the Lapwing who found the Water; or the Hoopoe who shaded Suleiman-bin-Daoud from the heat. It is not the story of the Glass Pavement, or the Ruby with the Crooked Hole, or the Gold Bars of Balkis. It is the story of the Butterfly that Stamped.

Now attend all over again and listen (теперь обратись весь в слух и внимай; to attend — уделять внимание, быть внимательным; to listen — внимательно воспринимать)!

Suleiman-bin-Daoud was wise (Сулейман-ибн-Дауд был мудр). He understood what the beasts said (он понимал, что говорили звери), what the birds said (что говорили птицы), what the fishes said (что говорили рыбы), and what the insects said (и что говорили насекомые). He understood what the rocks said deep under the earth (он понимал, что говорили скалы глубоко под землей) when they bowed in towards each other and groaned (когда они кланялись друг другу и стонали; to groan — стонать; трещать); and he understood what the trees said when they rustled in the middle of the morning (и он понимал, что говорили деревья, когда они шелестели в середине утра = в утреннее время). He understood everything, from the bishop on the bench to the hyssop on the wall (он понимал все, от бархатного ткача на карнизе до иссопа на стене), and Balkis, his Head Queen, the Most Beautiful Queen Balkis, was nearly as wise as he was (а Балкис, его Старшая Королева, Прекраснейшая Королева Балкис была почти такой же мудрой, как он).

beast [bJst], insect ['Insekt], rustle [rAsl]

Now attend all over again and listen!

Suleiman-bin-Daoud was wise. He understood what the beasts said, what the birds said, what the fishes said, and what the insects said. He understood what the rocks said deep under the earth when they bowed in towards each other and groaned; and he understood what the trees said when they rustled in the middle of the morning. He understood everything, from the bishop on the bench to the hyssop on the wall, and Balkis, his Head Queen, the Most Beautiful Queen Balkis, was nearly as wise as he was.