Valery Larchenko - Animal Stories. Let's read in English!

A bleeding eagle was spotted by a sparrow that flew past.

Sparrow was very scared and wanted to fly away.

– Help me! – Whispered the eagle. – The hunter shot me and hurt my wing.

– But you will eat me. – The sparrow answered.

– No, I won’t touch you! – The eagle said, barely audible. – I give you the word of the eagle!

Sparrow nibbled the medicinal herbs of the plantain and tied up the wound of the eagle. Then the sparrow flew to the far spring and carried the spring water in the dipper to the eagle. And also, the sparrow dragged the pieces of meat that he stole at the village wedding feast.

So the sparrow courted an eagle until it fully recovered and by and by was quite wealthy.

–Thank you, little sparrow! – Said the eagle, saying goodbye. – From now on you are my greatest friend.

And the eagle flapped its wings and flew away into the distant blue sky…

Once, a sparrow flies through the garden. Chirps, enjoys the sun.

Suddenly, a cat! Hop! She grabbed the sparrow, squeezed him in sharp claws, going to eat him.

And then, like a whirlwind flew. That was the eagle, which saw from the sky, in what a trouble a sparrow fell and rushed to help him.

Like a stone, the eagle fell on a cat. He beats her with his powerful wings, scratches with sharp claws, pecks a cat with a curved, hooked, beak.

The cat hissed, released sparrow from her claws, and began to fight off the eagle with her paws. Then she saw that she wouldn’t cope with eagle. The cat turned and rushed off to the nearest woodshed.

And then the sparrow recovered a little from the cat’s paws. He smoothed out his rumpled feathers and asked the eagle:

– I am so small and weak, and you are so big and strong. But, you stood up for me, rescued me out of misfortune. Why?

– Because, you are my friend. – The eagle replied. -You are my greatest friend.

Friendship, it is not measured by size, but does by courage and kindness.

Once (однажды), hens (куры) walked (гуляли) in (в) the yard (дворе). Cluck-cluck (коке)! They (они) pecked (клевали) grains (зерно), dag (копались) in (в) the garbage (мусоре), and (и) seeked out (выискивали) beetles (жучков) and (и) worms (червячков).

Suddenly (неожиданно) a fox (лиса) appears (появляется) at (у) a fence (забора), the red (рыжая) sly (хитрая) fox (лисица). The fox (лиса) saw (увидела) hens (кур) and (и) licked (облизнула) his (свои) lips (губы).

– Hello (привет), hens (курочки) – beauties (красавицы)! – The fox (лиса) sings (поет) in a sweet (сладким) voice (голосом).

– Hello (привет) to you (и тебе), unknown (незнакомый), red (рыжий), beast (зверь), cluck (ко), cluck (ко)! —Hens (куры) reply (отвечают).

– Let’s go (идите) to live (жить) to (ко) me (мне), – the fox (лиса) admonishes (увещевает) in a sweet (сладким) treacly (паточным) voice (голоском).

– I have (у меня) green (зеленые) emerald (изумрудные) lawns (лужайки) around (вокруг) my (моего) house (дома). And (а) worms (червячков) in (в) the ground (земле) in there (там) are numerous (видимо-невидимо).

– And (а) what (какой) a spacious (просторный) house (дом) I have (у меня), unlike (не то, что) your (ваш) old (старый) chicken coop (курятник). And (а) the kitchen (кухня) in (в) the house (доме) is such (вот такая)! – Spreads (разводит) fox (лиса) his (свои) paws (лапы) widely (широко) to (в) the sides (стороны).

– Let’s go (пойдем), of course (конечно), let’s go (пойдем), cluck-cluck (ко-ко)! – The hens (куры) agree (соглашаются).

– We (мы)’ll walk (погуляем) in (в) the overseas (заморских) lands (землях). We (мы)’ll dig (покопаемся) on (на) overseas (заморских) lawns (лужайках). We (мы) ’ll eat (поедим) overseas (заморских) fat (жирных) worms (червячков) and (и) beetles (жучков). We (мы)’ll live (поживем) in (в) a spacious (просторном) house (доме), cluck-cluck (ко-ко)!

But (но), here (тут) a rooster (петух) Silver (Серебряные) Spurs (Шпоры) Scarlet (Алый) Scallop (Гребешок) comes out (выходит) of (из) their (их) hens’ house (курятника).

– And (а) where (куда), beautiful girls (красавицы), do you (вы) walk to (то)? – The rooster (петух) asked (спросил) the hens (кур) in a stern (строгим) voice (голосом).

– Here (вот) the beast (зверь) red (рыжий), unprecedented (невиданный), invites (приглашает) us (нас) to live (жить) in (в) his (его) land (землях) overseas (заморских). There (там), around (вокруг) his (его) house (дома), lawn (лужайки) are green (зеленые), emerald (изумрудные), and (а) the worms (червячков) in (в) the ground (земле) numerous (видимо-невидимо). And (а) what (какой) a spacious (просторный) house (дом) it is (это), unlike (не то, что) our (наш) old (старый) chicken coop (курятник). And (а) the kitchen (кухня) in there (там) is such (вот такая)! – Hens (куры) spread (разводят) their (свои) wings (крылья) wide (широко) apart (в стороны).

Silver (Серебряные) Spurs (Шпоры) looked back (оглянулся), to see (посмотреть), what kind of (что за) a red (рыжий) beast (зверь), unprecedented (невиданный), is there (там), and (а) that is (это)… a fox (лиса)!

Silver (Серебряные) Spurs (Шпоры) was (был) a rooster (петух) rather (довольно) old (старый), experienced (опытный), and (и) the red (рыжую) cheater (плутовку) he (он) knew (знал) too (очень) well (хорошо)

– Cock-a-doodle-doo (кукареку)! Guard (сторож)! There’s (там) a fox (лиса)! Barky (Барки) to (на) the rescue (помощь)!

Barky (Барки), the yard (дворовый) watchman (сторож) ran up (прибежал) at (на) the cry (крик) of the rooster (петуха). He (он) saw (увидел) a fox (лису), and И (тут же), at once (сразу), attacked (набросился на) her (нее). The dog (пес) caught (схватил) the fox’s (лисицу за) neck (шиворот) with his (своими) teeth (зубами) and (и) began (начал) to drag (таскать) the red (рыже) furred (волосого) intruder (незваного гостя) on (по) the ground (земле), so (так) that (что) the rusty (рыжая) hair (шерсть) flew (полетела) through (по) the air (воздуху).

The fox (лисице) managed (удалось) to break out (вырваться) of (из) the dog’s (собачьих) teeth (зубов) with (с) great (большими) efforts (усилиями). And (и) then (тогда), the fox (лиса) ran (побежала) away (прочь) so (так) speedily (быстро), that (что) no one (никто) could (не мог) catch (поймать) her (ее), and (и) didn’t (не) see (видел) her (ее) any more (больше).