Редьярд Киплинг - Английский с Редьярдом Киплингом. Рикки-Тикки-Тави / Rudyard Kipling. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

There was nothing in the way of fighting that Kala Nag, the old wise Black Snake, did not know, for he had stood up more than once in his time to the charge of the wounded tiger, and, curling up his soft trunk to be out of harm’s way, had knocked the springing brute sideways in mid-air with a quick sickle cut of his head, that he had invented all by himself; had knocked him over, and kneeled upon him with his huge knees till the life went out with a gasp and a howl, and there was only a fluffy striped thing on the ground for Kala Nag to pull by the tail.

“Yes(да) ,” said Big Toomai(сказал Большой Тумаи) , his driver(его погонщик) , the son of Black Toomai who had taken him to Abyssinia(сын Черного Тумаи, который возил его в Абиссинию) , and grandson of Toomai of the Elephants who had seen him caught(и внук Слонового Тумаи, видевшего, как /Кала Нага/ поймали; to catch ) , “there is nothing that the Black Snake fears except me(нет ничего, чего бы Черный Змей боялся, кроме меня; to fear – бояться ) . He has seen three generations of us feed him and groom him(он видел, как три наши поколения = поколения людей кормили его и ухаживали за ним; to groom – ходить за лошадью; приводить в надлежащий вид, ухаживать ) , and he will live to see four(и доживет до четвертого: «и он будет жить, чтобы увидеть четвертое») .”

“He is afraid of me also(меня он боится тоже) ,” said Little Toomai(сказал Маленький Тумаи) , standing up to his full height of four feet(вставая = выпрямляясь во весь свой рост в четыре фута) , with only one rag upon him(/одетый/ в один /набедренный/ лоскут) . He was ten years old, the eldest son of Big Toomai(это был десятилетний, старший сын Большого Тумаи) , and, according to custom(и по /местному/ обычаю) , he would take his father’s place on Kala Nag’s neck when he grew up(ему предстояло занять место своего отца на шее Кала Нага, когда он вырастет; to grow ) , and would handle the heavy iron ankus(и /научиться/ хорошо управляться с тяжелым железным анкасом; to handle – оснащать / что-либо / ручкой, рукоятью; хорошо управляться; handle – рукоять, рукоятка / ножа, топора, молотка / ; черенок, ручка / двери, инструмента /) , the elephant goad(заостренной палкой /для управления/ слоном; goad – заостренный прут или палка, использующиеся для того, чтобы подгонять животных ) , that had been worn smooth by his father, and his grandfather, and his great-grandfather(который стал совсем гладким = отполированным /от рук/ его отца, его деда и прадеда; to wear – носить; изнашиваться, стираться; smooth – гладкий ).

“Yes,” said Big Toomai, his driver, the son of Black Toomai who had taken him to Abyssinia, and grandson of Toomai of the Elephants who had seen him caught, “there is nothing that the Black Snake fears except me. He has seen three generations of us feed him and groom him, and he will live to see four.”

“He is afraid of me also,” said Little Toomai, standing up to his full height of four feet, with only one rag upon him. He was ten years old, the eldest son of Big Toomai, and, according to custom, he would take his father’s place on Kala Nag’s neck when he grew up, and would handle the heavy iron ankus, the elephant goad, that had been worn smooth by his father, and his grandfather, and his great-grandfather.

He knew what he was talking of(он знал, о чем говорит) ; for he had been born under Kala Nag’s shadow(так как родился в тени Кала Нага; to bear – носить, вынашивать; born – рожденный ) , had played with the end of his trunk before he could walk(и играл концом его хобота раньше, чем научился ходить) , had taken him down to water as soon as he could walk(водил его к воде, едва смог ходить) , and Kala Nag would no more have dreamed of disobeying his shrill little orders(и Кала Наг так же мало вздумал бы ослушаться пронзительных маленьких = коротких приказаний мальчика; to dream – видеть сны; мечтать; to disobey – ослушаться, не подчиняться; shrill – пронзительный, резкий ) , than he would have dreamed of killing him on that day when Big Toomai carried the little brown baby under Kala Nag’s tusks(как не подумал бы убить его в тот день, когда Большой Тумаи принес коричневого малыша под бивни Черного Змея) , and told him to salute his master that was to be(и сказал ему поклониться своему господину, который будет = своему будущему господину; to salute – здороваться, приветствовать / рукопожатием, поклоном /).

“Yes(да) ,” said Little Toomai, “he is afraid of me(он боится меня) ,” and he took long strides up to Kala Nag(и он большими шагами подошел к Кала Нагу; stride – большой шаг ) , called him a fat old pig(назвал его толстой старой свиньей) , and made him lift up his feet one after the other(и заставил поднять ноги одну за другой).

He knew what he was talking of; for he had been born under Kala Nag’s shadow, had played with the end of his trunk before he could walk, had taken him down to water as soon as he could walk, and Kala Nag would no more have dreamed of disobeying his shrill little orders than he would have dreamed of killing him on that day when Big Toomai carried the little brown baby under Kala Nag’s tusks, and told him to salute his master that was to be.

“Yes,” said Little Toomai, “he is afraid of me,” and he took long strides up to Kala Nag, called him a fat old pig, and made him lift up his feet one after the other.

“Wah(вах) !” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant(ты большой слон) ,” and he wagged his fluffy head(и он покачал своей пушистой головой; to wag – махать; качать / ся /) , quoting his father(цитируя = повторяя слова своего отца; to quote – цитировать, ссылаться / на кого-либо / ; повторять / за кем-либо /) . “The Government may pay for elephants(Правительство может платить за слонов) , but they belong to us mahouts(но они принадлежат нам, магутам [7]) . When thou art old, Kala Nag(когда ты состаришься, Кала Наг) , there will come some rich rajah(придет какой-нибудь богатый раджа) , and he will buy thee from the Government(и купит тебя у Правительства) , on account of thy size and thy manners(за твои размеры и манеры; account – счет; основание, причина; on account of smth. – из-за, вследствие чего-либо ) , and then thou wilt have nothing to do but to carry gold earrings in thy ears(и тогда тебе нечего будет делать, кроме как носить золотые серьги в ушах; to carry – везти, нести; носить ) , and a gold howdah on thy back(золотой ховдах [8]на спине) , and a red cloth covered with gold on thy sides(и покрытое = расшитое золотом красное сукно на боках; cloth – ткань ) , and walk at the head of the processions of the King(и ходить во главе процессий Короля) . Then I shall sit on thy neck, O Kala Nag(тогда я буду сидеть на твоей шее, о Кала Наг) , with a silver ankus(с серебряным анкасом /в руках/) , and men will run before us with golden sticks, crying(а перед нами побегут люди с золотыми палками, крича) , ‘Room for the King’s elephant(дорогу Королевскому слону; room – комната; место, пространство ) !’ That will be good, Kala Nag(это будет хорошо = здорово , Кала Наг) , but not so good as this hunting in the jungles(но не так хорошо, как охота в джунглях; to hunt – охотиться ) .”

“Wah!” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant,” and he wagged his fluffy head, quoting his father. “The Government may pay for elephants, but they belong to us mahouts. When thou art old, Kala Nag, there will come some rich rajah, and he will buy thee from the Government, on account of thy size and thy manners, and then thou wilt have nothing to do but to carry gold earrings in thy ears, and a gold howdah on thy back, and a red cloth covered with gold on thy sides, and walk at the head of the processions of the King. Then I shall sit on thy neck, O Kala Nag, with a silver ankus, and men will run before us with golden sticks, crying, ‘Room for the King’s elephant!’ That will be good, Kala Nag, but not so good as this hunting in the jungles.”