Легкое чтение на английском языке. Легенды Нового Света / North American Indian Legends

They went on together until they came to a hole in the side of the mountain, and the bear said, “This is not where I live, but there is going to be a council here and we will see what they do.” They went in, and the hole widened as they went, until they came to a large cave like a townhouse. It was full of bears – old bears, young bears, and cubs, white bears, black bears, and brown bears – and a large white bear was the chief.

They sat down in a corner (они уселись в углу; to sit down), but soon the bears scented the hunter (но вскоре медведи учуяли охотника) and began to ask (и начали спрашивать; to begin), “What is it that smells bad (что это, что так воняет: «дурно пахнет»)?” The chief said (вождь сказал), “Don't talk so (не говорите так); it is only a stranger came to see us (это просто чужак пришел повидать нас = к нам в гости; to come to see – навестить). Let him alone (оставьте его одного = в покое).”

down [dan], talk [t:k], so [s], alone ['ln]

They sat down in a corner, but soon the bears scented the hunter and began to ask, “What is it that smells bad?” The chief said, “Don't talk so; it is only a stranger came to see us. Let him alone.”

Food was getting scarce in the mountains (пропитание становилось скудным в горах), and the council was to decide (и совет должен быть решить) what to do about it (что делать с этим: «насчет этого»). They had sent out messengers all over (они разослали посыльных повсюду), and while they were talking (и пока они беседовали) two bears came in and reported (два медведя вошли и сообщили) that they had found a country in the low grounds (что они нашли страну/местность в нижних землях) where there were so many chestnuts and acorns (где было так много каштанов и желудей) that mast was knee deep (что в них можно утонуть по колено: «что корм был /по/ колено глубиной»; mast – плодокорм).

messenger ['mesn], chestnut ['esnt], acorn ['ek:n], report [r'p:t]

Food was getting scarce in the mountains, and the council was to decide what to do about it. They had sent out messengers all over, and while they were talking two bears came in and reported that they had found a country in the low grounds where there were so many chestnuts and acorns that mast was knee deep.