Илья Франк - Английский язык c дружелюбным скелетом. Легенды североамериканских индейцев

coyote [`kOIqut], beseech [bI`sJC], sought [sLt]

"People-friends, I went up to where I could see the whole world, but I could not find her." Then the people went with an offering to the Coyote, whose nose is sharpest in all the world, and besought him to try and find the Moon. The Coyote smoked the smoke-prayer, and started off with his nose to the ground, trying to find her tracks. He trotted all over the earth; but at last he too came back without finding what he sought.

Then the troubled people got the Badger to search (тогда обеспокоенные люди попросили Барсука поискать), for he is the best of all the beasts at digging (так как он лучший среди всех зверей в рытье) (it was he whom the Trues employed (это был он, кому Истинные поручили = именно ему Истинные поручили) to dig the caves in which the people first dwelt (выкопать пещеры, в которых люди сначала жили/проживали; to dwell ) when they came to this world (когда они пришли в этот мир)). The Badger trotted and pawed (Барсук побежал и проверял/вскапывал землю лапой; to paw — шарить/ бить лапой; paw — лапа ), and dug everywhere (и копал везде; to dig ), but he could not find the Moon (но он не cмог найти Луну); and he came home very sad (и он вернулся домой очень опечаленным).

badger [`bxGq], employ [Im`plOI], paw [pL]

Then the troubled people got the Badger to search, for he is the best of all the beasts at digging (it was he whom the Trues employed to dig the caves in which the people first dwelt when they came to this world). The Badger trotted and pawed, and dug everywhere, but he could not find the Moon; and he came home very sad.

Then they asked the Osprey (тогда они попросили Орлика [15] скопа, орлик — похожая на орла птица, питается рыбой. ), who can see furthest under water (который может видеть дальше всех под водой), and he sailed high above the lakes (и он летал/парил высоко над озерами; to sail — идти под парусом; зд. плавно двигаться ) and rivers in the world (и реками в мире), till he could count the pebbles (до тех пор, пока он смог сосчитать /всю/ гальку) and the fish in them (и рыбу в них), but he too failed to discover the lost Moon (но он также не смог обнаружить пропавшую Луну; to fail — потерпеть неудачу ).

furthest [`fWDIst], pebble [pebl], fail [feIl]

Then they asked the Osprey, who can see furthest under water, and he sailed high above the lakes and rivers in the world, till he could count the pebbles and the fish in them, but he too failed to discover the lost Moon.

By this time the crops were dead and sere in the fields (к этому времени урожай стоял мертвый и засохший на полях), and thirsty animals walked crying along the river (и жаждущие животные ходили с воем: «плача» вдоль реки; thirst — жажда ). Scarcely could the people themselves dig deep enough (едва ли могли /и/ сами люди копать достаточно глубоко) to find water to keep them alive (чтобы достать воду для жизни: «поддерживать их в живых»). They were at a loss (они были в растерянности), but at last they thought (но, наконец, они подумали): We will go now to the "water-goose grandfather" (мы пойдем сейчас к дедушке водяного гуся), which means Turkey-buzzard (что означает Гриф-индейка), who can find the dead (который может находить мертвых)—for surely she is dead (ведь ясно, что она мертва; surely — точно, ясно, несомненно ), or the others would have found her (или другие бы нашли ее; to find ).

scarcely [`skeqslI], turkey [`tWkI], buzzard [`bAzqd]

By this time the crops were dead and sere in the fields, and thirsty animals walked crying along the river. Scarcely could the people themselves dig deep enough to find water to keep them alive. They were at a loss, but at last they thought: We will go now to the "water-goose grandfather," which means Turkey-buzzard, who can find the dead—for surely she is dead, or the others would have found her.

So they went to him (итак, они пошли к нему), and besought him (и умоляли его; to beseech ). The Turkey-buzzard wept (Гриф-индейка заплакал; to weep ) when he saw Nah-chu-ru-chu still sitting there upon the ladder (когда он увидел Нах-чу-ру-чу сидящим там на лестнице), and said: "Truly it is sad for our great friend (действительно, /все/ это очень печально для нашего великого друга); but for me (но что до меня), I am afraid to go (/то/ я боюсь идти), since they who are more mighty than I (ведь те, кто более могуществен, чем я) have already failed (уже потерпели неудачу). Yet I will try (и все же я попытаюсь)." And spreading his broad wings (и, расправив свои широкие крылья), he went climbing up the spiral ladder of the sky (он поднялся по спиральной лестнице на небо = он взлетел в небо спиральными кругами). Higher he wheeled (/все/ выше он поднимался кругами; to wheel — описывать круги; wheel — колесо ), and higher (и выше), till at last not even the Eagle could see him (пока наконец даже Орел не мог разглядеть его). Up and up (вверх и вверх), till the sun began to singe his head (пока солнце не начало жечь ему голову), and not even the Eagle had ever been so high (и даже Орел не был = не поднимался столь высоко).

spiral [`spaIqrql], wheel [wJl], singe [sInG]

So they went to him, and besought him. The Turkey-buzzard wept when he saw Nah-chu-ru-chu still sitting there upon the ladder, and said: "Truly it is sad for our great friend; but for me, I am afraid to go, since they who are more mighty than I have already failed. Yet I will try." And spreading his broad wings, he went climbing up the spiral ladder of the sky. Higher he wheeled, and higher, till at last not even the Eagle could see him. Up and up, till the sun began to singe his head, and not even the Eagle had ever been so high.

He cried with pain (он плакал от боли), but still he kept mounting (но все еще продолжал подниматься; to mount — подниматься /на гору, дерево; садиться на лошадь/ ) — until he was so close to the sun (пока он не оказался так близко к солнцу) that all the feathers were burned (что все оперение сгорело) from his head and neck (на его голове и шее: «с его головы…»). But he could see nothing (но он ничего не видел), and at last (и, наконец), frantic with the burning (обезумев от ожогов: «горения»; frantic — безумный, неистовый, яростный: he was frantic with pain — он обезумел от боли ), he came wheeling downward (он начал спускаться вниз кругами). When he got back to the kiva (когда он вернулся к киве) where all the people were waiting (где все люди ждали), they saw that his head and neck had been burned bare of feathers (они увидели, что его голова и шея были обожжены догола = все перья на голове и шее его были сожжены)—and from that day to this the feathers would never grow out again (и с того дня до сих пор перья так и не отросли снова).

mount [maunt], close [klquz], burn [bWn], frantic [`frxntIk], feather [`feDq]

He cried with pain, but still he kept mounting—until he was so close to the sun that all the feathers were burned from his head and neck. But he could see nothing, and at last, frantic with the burning, he came wheeling downward. When he got back to the kiva where all the people were waiting, they saw that his head and neck had been burned bare of feathers—and from that day to this the feathers would never grow out again.

"And did you see nothing (и ты ничего не видел)?" they all asked (они все спросили), when they had bathed his burns (когда они омыли его ожоги).

"Nothing (ничего)," he answered (он ответил), "except that when I was halfway down (кроме того, что, когда я был /на/ полпути вниз), I saw in the middle of yon cottonwood forest a little mound (я видел в середине вон того тополиного леса маленький холм; yon — /книж., архаич./ вон тот ) covered with all the beautiful flowers in the world (покрытый самыми красивыми цветами в мире)."

"Oh!" cried (вскричал) Nah-chu-ru-chu, speaking for the first time (заговорив в первый раз), "Go, friend (пойди, друг), and bring me one flower (и принеси мне один цветок) from the very middle of the mound (из самого центра насыпи/холма)."

bathe [beID], halfway [`hRf`weI], mound [maund]

"And did you see nothing?" they all asked, when they had bathed his burns.

"Nothing," he answered, "except that when I was halfway down, I saw in the middle of yon cottonwood forest a little mound covered with all the beautiful flowers in the world."

"Oh!" cried Nah-chu-ru-chu, speaking for the first time, "Go, friend, and bring me one flower from the very middle of the mound."

Off flew the Buzzard (прочь улетел Гриф), and in a few minutes returned (и через несколько минут вернулся) with a little white flower (с маленьким белым цветком). Nah-chu-ru-chu took it and (взял его), descending from the ladder in silence (спустившись с лестницы в молчании), walked solemnly to his house (пошел торжественно/важно к своему дому; solemn — торжественный; важный, серьезный ), while all the wondering people followed (в то время как все недоумевающие люди последовали /за ним/; to wonder — удивляться, недоумевать, задаваться вопросом ).

flower [`flauq], descend [dI`send], silence [`saIlqns], solemnly [`sOlqmlI]

Off flew the Buzzard, and in a few minutes returned with a little white flower. Nah-chu-ru-chu took it and, descending from the ladder in silence, walked solemnly to his house, while all the wondering people followed.