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

tear [tIq], flood [flAd], afraid [q`freId], drown [draun], amuse [q`mju:z]

The Sun had been glad when they started to the Ghost country, but when they came back without her daughter she grieved and cried, "My daughter, my daughter," and wept until her tears made a flood upon the earth, and the people were afraid the world would be drowned. They held another council, and sent their handsomest young men and women to amuse her so that she would stop crying.

They danced before the Sun (они танцевали перед Солнцем) and sang their best songs (и пели свои лучшие песни), but for a long time she kept her face covered (но долгое время она скрывала свое лицо: «держала свое лицо покрытым/прикрытым»; to keep ) and paid no attention (и не обращала внимания; to pay — платить; оказывать, обращать /внимание; to/ ), until at last the drummer suddenly changed the song (пока, наконец, барабанщик внезапно не переменил песню; drum — барабан ), when she lifted up her face (/и/ когда она подняла свое лицо), and was so pleased at the sight (она была так довольна зрелищем = увиденным) that she forgot her grief and smiled (что она забыла свою печаль и улыбнулась; to forget ).

cover [`kAvq], suddenly [`sAdnlI], change [CeInG], sight [saIt], forgot [fq`gOt]

They danced before the Sun and sang their best songs, but for a long time she kept her face covered and paid no attention, until at last the drummer suddenly changed the song, when she lifted up her face, and was so pleased at the sight that she forgot her grief and smiled.

The Girl Who Married the Star(Девушка, которая вышла замуж за Звезду = стала женой Звезды; to marry — жениться; выходить замуж )

There were once two sisters (жили-были однажды две сестры; there were/there lived — жили-были ) who lived alone in an uninhabited place (которые жили одни в необитаемом месте; to inhabit — населять ). This was a long time ago (это было давно: «долгое время назад»), when the tribes upon earth were few (когда племен на земле было мало), and the animal people were friendly to man (и животные: «народ животных» дружили с человеком; friendly — дружелюбный, дружески расположенный ). The name of one of the girls was Earth (имя одной из девушек было Земля), and the other was called Water (а другую звали Вода).

tribe [traIb], few [fjH], other [`ADq]

There were once two sisters who lived alone in an uninhabited place. This was a long time ago, when the tribes upon earth were few, and the animal people were friendly to man. The name of one of the girls was Earth, and the other was called Water.

All their food was brought to them by their animal friends (всю их пищу приносили им их друзья-животные: «вся их пища была приносима им их друзьями-животными»). The Bears supplied them with nuts (Медведи приносили им орехи: «снабжали их орехами»), berries and wild turnips (ягоды и дикую репу), and the Bees brought combs (а пчелы приносили соты) dripping with honey (истекающие медом; to drip — капать ). They ate no flesh (они не ели мяса), for that would be to take life (ведь это означало бы отнять /у кого-то/ жизнь). They dwelt in a lodge (они жили в вигваме; to dwell ) made of birch-bark (сделанном из березовой коры), and their beds were mats (и их постелью были циновки) woven of rushes (сплетенные из тростника; to weave ).

supply [sq`plaI], turnip [`tWnIp], honey [`hAnI]

All their food was brought to them by their animal friends. The Bears supplied them with nuts, berries and wild turnips, and the Bees brought combs dripping with honey. They ate no flesh, for that would be to take life. They dwelt in a lodge made of birch-bark, and their beds were mats woven of rushes.

One clear, summer night (одной ясной летней ночью) the girls lay awake upon their beds (девушки лежали без сна на своих постелях), looking up through the smoke-hole of their wigwam (/и/ смотрели вверх через дымовое отверстие своего вигвама) and telling one another all their thoughts (рассказывая друг другу все свои мысли).

"Sister (сестра)," said the Earth (сказала Земля), "I have seen a handsome young man in my dreams (я видела красивого молодого человека в моих снах), and it seemed to me (и мне показалось) that he came from up yonder (что он пришел сверху, вон оттуда; yonder — /архаич. книж./ вон там; в ту сторону, туда )!"

clear [klIq], sister [`sIstq], yonder [`jOndq]

One clear, summer night the girls lay awake upon their beds, looking up through the smoke-hole of their wigwam and telling one another all their thoughts.

"Sister," said the Earth, "I have seen a handsome young man in my dreams, and it seemed to me that he came from up yonder!"

"I too have seen a man in my dreams (я тоже видела мужчину в своих снах)," replied her sister (ответила ее сестра), "and he was a great brave (и он был великий воин; brave — храбрый; индейский воин )."

"Do you not think these bright stars above us are the sky men (ты не думаешь, что эти яркие звезды над нами — небесные люди/мужчины) of whom we have dreamed (которые нам приснились)?" suggested the Earth (предположила Земля).

brave [breIv], suggest [sq`Gest], dream [drJm]

"I too have seen a man in my dreams," replied her sister, "and he was a great brave."

"Do you not think these bright stars above us are the sky men of whom we have dreamed?" suggested the Earth.

"If that is true, sister (если это правда, сестра), and it may be true (а это может быть правдой)," said the Water (сказала Вода), "I choose that brightest Star for my husband (я выбираю эту самую яркую Звезду себе в мужья; bright — brighter — brightest )!"

"And I (а я)," declared her sister (заявила сестра), "choose for my husband (я выбираю себе в мужья) that little twinkling Star (эту маленькую мерцающую Звезду)!"

husband [`hAzbqnd], declare [dI`kleq], twinkle [twInkl]

"If that is true, sister, and it may be true," said the Water, "I choose that brightest Star for my husband!"

"And I," declared her sister, "choose for my husband that little twinkling Star!"

By and by the sisters slept (вскоре сестры заснули; by and by — постепенно, мало-помалу, вскоре ); and when they awoke (а когда они проснулись; to awake ), they found themselves in the sky (они поняли, что находятся на небе: «нашли/обнаружили себя на небе»; to find — находить; to find oneself — оказываться /где-либо, в каком-либо состоянии/ )! The husband of the elder sister (мужем старшей сестры) who had chosen the bright star (которая выбрала яркую звезду) was an old warrior with a shining name (был опытным воином с прославленным именем; shining — великолепный, выдающийся; to shine — светить ), but the husband of the younger girl (но мужем младшей девушки) was a fine-looking young man (был красивый молодой человек), who had as yet no great reputation (который еще не имел великой славы/доброго имени).