Редьярд Киплинг: Маугли / Mowgli

“We are hunting,” answered Baloo. He did not want Kaa to know that they had come to seek his help. Kaa would never let them forget that.

“I’ll come with you,” Kaa said eagerly. “The last time I climbed a tree, it was dry and rotten and I nearly fell to my death. The Bandar-log were there and they called me such bad names.”

“Oh, the Bandar-log are shameless,” said Bagheera. “I once heard them say that you were old and had lost all your teeth.”

He could see that Kaa was very angry. His long body wriggled in anger.

Baloo decided to speak out. “Actually, it’s the Bandar-log we are following.”

“Why?”

“They have taken away our man-cub.”

“Man-cub? I have heard of him.”

“Yes, Kaa, the man-cub. He is the wisest, the best and the boldest of my pupils,” Baloo boasted. “And we love him very much. We call him our Little Brother.”

“The Bandar-log fear me,” said Kaa. “They are such chattering creatures. I may be of help. Indeed, I am sure I can be of help. Where did you say they had taken the man-cub?”

“To the Cold Lairs. That is the message Chil gave us. I am going as fast as I can,” said Bagheera, and then asked, “Kaa, will you come with us?”

“Of course, I will,” said Kaa, ready to set off. “And though I have no feet, I can go as fast as you can.”

“Baloo, you follow us,” said Bagheera.

Baloo was big and heavy and could not move fast.

1. Переведите на английский язык:

сила, заглатывать, позволить, бесстыдный, высказаться, хвастать.

2. Заполните пропуски словами из списка.

the message, crushed, wriggled, to seek, was afraid

1. Every creature in the jungle ________ of his strength.

2. Once he caught an animal, he ______________ it to death and then swallowed it.

3. He did not want Kaa to know that they had come ___________ his

help.

4. His long body ____________ in anger.

5. That is ____________ Chil gave us.

3. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. Why was Kaa angry with monkeys?

2. How did Baloo describe the mancub?

3. What did Kaa say?

4. Did Kaa agree to help?

5. Where had the monkeys taken the man-cub?

4. Переведите на русский язык:

coils, to crush, to seek one’s help, eagerly, to climb, to speak up.

They knew the place. It was an old city, lost and buried in the jungle. The roofless palace was on top of a hill. Broken walls of temples and houses were scattered around.

The monkeys liked this place because no jungle creature ever came here, and there was a water tank. This was their drinking hole and their bathing place, too. Hundreds of them lived here in the Cold Lairs.

The Bandar-log brought Mowgli to this place. There was great rejoicing when the other monkeys saw him. Now they could learn many things from him and become wise.

Mowgli was terrified to see so many monkeys, chattering around him. Some of them were trying to snatch him, others were feeling his hairless body.

Mowgli was tired and hungry and wanted to get away from this horrible place. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Bagheera climbing up the broken walls. The monkeys saw him, too. Chattering loudly, hundreds of them jumped on him. Bagheera tried to beat them back. They were trying to tear him to pieces.

“Bagheera, run to the water-tank,” cried Mowgli. “Quick!”

Bagheera jumped into the water tank. The monkeys fell away angrily. Then they saw Kaa, wriggling up the wall towards them. His long body was shining in the moonlight.

The monkeys screamed, “Run! Run! It’s Kaa!”

They scattered in every direction. They did not want to look into Kaa’s eyes. They knew that if Kaa stared at them with his green eyes, they would freeze where they stood. They would not be able to move.

Kaa had come up by now. He said to Bagheera, “Take the man-cub and leave. I will take care of the Bandar-log.” As Bagheera turned to fetch Mowgli, Baloo came lumbering up, heaving and panting.

Mowgli was glad to see his friends again. Bagheera was pleased too, but said, “Hurry, Mowgli, we must leave at once, while the monkeys are held by Kaa’s eyes.”

1. Переведите на английский язык:

без крыши, вершина, храмы, веселье, безволосый, разорвать на части, лунный свет, направление, замереть на месте.

2. Заполните пропуски словами из списка.

wriggling up, scattered around, terrified, bathing place, buried

1. It was an old city, lost and ______________ in the jungle.

2. Broken walls of temples were _________________.

3. This was their drinking hole and their _______________, too.

4. Mowgli was _______________ to see so many monkeys, chattering around him.

5. Then they saw Kaa _______________ the wall towards them.

3. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. Why did the monkeys like this place?

2. What did the monkeys do when they saw Bagheera?

3. How did Mowgli save Bagheera?

4. What did the monkeys do when they saw Kaa?

5. Why did Baloo, Bagheera and Mowgli quietly slip away?

4. Переведите на русский язык:

top, temples, to snatch, to get away, to beat back, to tear to pieces, to take care, to lumber, to heave, to pant.

Mowgli climbed on to Bagheera’s back and laid his head down. He was very happy to leave. The three friends slipped out of the Cold Lairs. They looked back and saw the monkeys sitting quietly, staring straight into Kaa’s eyes. They did not want to see what would happen, so they hurried away.

Mowgli said, “Baloo and Bagheera, I have been a bad man-cub. I am sad and sorry, I really am.”

Baloo said, “You may be sorry, but you still have to be punished for not listening to me, your teacher.”

“Right,” added Bagheera. “You have done wrong and got us all into trouble, so you must be cuffed. Mowgli, do you have anything to say?”

“No, Bagheera, I did wrong. I must be punished.”

Baloo said hastily, “Bagheera, you must remember that he is very young.”

Baloo did not want Mowgli to be hurt. Bagheera tapped him a dozen times with his paw. A tap from Bagheera was like a severe beating for Mowgli. He fell, rolled over, but quietly took the beating. Then he got up without a word.

“Now you can jump on to my back, Little Brother,” said Bagheera, “and we will go home.”

1. Переведите на английский язык:

прямо, быть наказанным, поспешно, дюжина, тихо.

2. Заполните пропуски словами из списка.

hurried away, tapped, rolled over, trouble, slipped out

1. The three friends __________________ of the Cold Lairs.

2. They did not want to see what would happen, so they _____________.

3. You have done wrong and got us all into ________________.