Легкое чтение на английском языке. Легенды Нового Света / North American Indian Legends

The Bear Man

(Человек-Медведь)

A man went hunting in the mountains (человек пошел охотиться в горы; to go hunting) and came across a black bear (и набрел на черного медведя; to come across – набрести; across – поперек; в ширину; на ту сторону; на той стороне; напротив; cross – крест), which he wounded with an arrow (которого он ранил стрелой). The bear turned and started to run the other way (медведь повернулся и начал убегать в другую/противоположную сторону), and the hunter followed (а охотник последовал /за ним/), shooting one arrow after another into it (выпуская одну стрелу за другой в него; to shoot – стрелять) without bringing it down (/так и/ не подстрелив его; to bring down – подстрелить: «принести вниз = опустить»). Now, this was a medicine bear (так вот, это был волшебный медведь), and could talk or read the thoughts of people (и /он/ мог говорить или читать мысли людей) without their saying a word (/даже если/ они не произносили ни слова: «без их произнесения слова»).

mountains ['maʋntɪnz], across [ǝ'krɒs], wound [wu:nd], turn [tɜ:n]

A man went hunting in the mountains and came across a black bear, which he wounded with an arrow. The bear turned and started to run the other way, and the hunter followed, shooting one arrow after another into it without bringing it down. Now, this was a medicine bear, and could talk or read the thoughts of people without their saying a word.

At last he stopped (наконец он остановился) and pulled the arrows out of his side (и вытащил стрелы из своего бока) and gave them to the man (и отдал их человеку; to give), saying (говоря), “It is of no use for you to shoot at me (нет никакой пользы тебе стрелять в меня), for you can not kill me (ибо ты не можешь убить меня). Come to my house and let us live together (пойдем в мой дом и давай жить вместе).” The hunter thought to himself (охотник подумал про себя; to think), “He may kill me (он может убить меня)”; but the bear read his thoughts and said (но медведь прочитал его мысли и сказал), “No, I won't hurt you (нет, я не причиню тебе вреда; to hurt – причинить боль; ранить; ушибить).” The man thought again (мужчина подумал снова), “How can I get anything to eat (как я смогу достать что-либо поесть = достать себе пропитание)?” but the bear knew his thoughts (медведь понял = прочитал его мысли; to know – знать; понять), and said, “There shall be plenty (там будет довольно/достаточно; plenty – обилие).” So the hunter went with the bear (поэтому охотник пошел с медведем).

pull [pʋl], arrow ['ærǝʋ], shoot [ʃu:t], hurt [hɜ:t], read /прош. вр./ [red], hunter ['hʌntǝ]

At last he stopped and pulled the arrows out of his side and gave them to the man, saying, “It is of no use for you to shoot at me, for you can not kill me. Come to my house and let us live together.” The hunter thought to himself, “He may kill me”; but the bear read his thoughts and said, “No, I won't hurt you.” The man thought again, “How can I get anything to eat?” but the bear knew his thoughts, and said, “There shall be plenty.” So the hunter went with the bear.

They went on together (они шли вместе; to go on – идти дальше, продолжать идти) until they came to a hole in the side of the mountain (пока не пришли к берлоге в склоне горы; hole – дыра; отверстие; нора, берлога; side – край, сторона), and the bear said (и медведь сказал), “This is not where I live (это не /то место/, где я живу), but there is going to be a council here (но здесь будет проходить совет) and we will see what they do (и мы посмотрим, что они сделают).” They went in (они вошли), and the hole widened as they went (и берлога расширялась по мере продвижения внутрь: «когда они шли/продвигались»), until they came to a large cave (пока они не добрались до большой пещеры) like a townhouse (как городской дом). It was full of bears (он был полон медведей) – old bears (старых медведей), young bears (молодых медведей), and cubs (и детенышей), white bears (белых медведей), black bears (черных медведей), and brown bears (и бурых медведей) – and a large white bear was the chief (и большой белый медведь был /их/ вождем).

council ['kaunsl], widen ['waɪdn], cave [keɪv]

They went on together until they came to a hole in the side of the mountain, and the bear said, “This is not where I live, but there is going to be a council here and we will see what they do.” They went in, and the hole widened as they went, until they came to a large cave like a townhouse. It was full of bears – old bears, young bears, and cubs, white bears, black bears, and brown bears – and a large white bear was the chief.

They sat down in a corner (они уселись в углу; to sit down), but soon the bears scented the hunter (но вскоре медведи учуяли охотника) and began to ask (и начали спрашивать; to begin), “What is it that smells bad (что это, что так воняет: «дурно пахнет»)?” The chief said (вождь сказал), “Don't talk so (не говорите так); it is only a stranger came to see us (это просто чужак пришел повидать нас = к нам в гости; to come to see – навестить). Let him alone (оставьте его одного = в покое).”

down [daʋn], talk [tɔ:k], so [sǝʋ], alone [ǝ'lǝʋn]

They sat down in a corner, but soon the bears scented the hunter and began to ask, “What is it that smells bad?” The chief said, “Don't talk so; it is only a stranger came to see us. Let him alone.”

Food was getting scarce in the mountains (пропитание становилось скудным в горах), and the council was to decide (и совет должен быть решить) what to do about it (что делать с этим: «насчет этого»). They had sent out messengers all over (они разослали посыльных повсюду), and while they were talking (и пока они беседовали) two bears came in and reported (два медведя вошли и сообщили) that they had found a country in the low grounds (что они нашли страну/местность в нижних землях) where there were so many chestnuts and acorns (где было так много каштанов и желудей) that mast was knee deep (что в них можно утонуть по колено: «что корм был /по/ колено глубиной»; mast – плодокорм).

messenger ['mesɪnʤǝ], chestnut ['ʧesnʌt], acorn ['eɪkɔ:n], report [rɪ'pɔ:t]

Food was getting scarce in the mountains, and the council was to decide what to do about it. They had sent out messengers all over, and while they were talking two bears came in and reported that they had found a country in the low grounds where there were so many chestnuts and acorns that mast was knee deep.

Then they were all pleased (тогда они были = стали все довольны), and got ready for a dance (и приготовились к танцу; to get ready – готовиться: «становиться готовым»), and the dance leader was the one (и руководитель танца = ведущий в танце был тот) the Indians call “Long Hams” (/кого/ индейцы называют Длинные Ляжки; ham – бедро, ляжка; hams – /разг./ зад), a great black bear that is always lean (огромный черный медведь, который всегда /остается/ тощим). After the dance the bears noticed the hunter's bow (после танца медведи заметили лук охотника) and arrows (и стрелы), and one said (и один сказал), “This is what men use to kill us (это /то/, что люди используют, чтобы убивать нас). Let us see (давайте посмотрим) if we can manage them (сможем ли мы управиться с ними), and may be we can fight man (и, может быть, мы сможем сражаться с человеком) with his own weapons (его собственным оружием).” So they took the bow and arrows (поэтому они взяли лук и стрелы; to take) from the hunter to try them (у охотника, чтобы попробовать).

lean [li:n], manage ['mænɪʤ], fight [faɪt]

Then they were all pleased, and got ready for a dance, and the dance leader was the one the Indians call “Long Hams,” a great black bear that is always lean. After the dance the bears noticed the hunter's bow and arrows, and one said, “This is what men use to kill us. Let us see if we can manage them, and may be we can fight man with his own weapons.” So they took the bow and arrows from the hunter to try them.

They fitted the arrow (они приладили стрелу) and drew back the string (и тянули назад тетиву; to draw), but when they let go (но когда они отпустили) it caught in their long claws (она зацепилась за их длинные когти; to catch) and the arrows dropped to the ground (и стрелы упали на землю). They saw that they could not use the bow and arrows (они увидели, что они не могли пользоваться луком и стрелами) and gave them back to the man (и отдали их назад человеку). When the dance and the council were over (когда танец и совет были закончены; to be over – закончиться: «быть через»), they began to go home (они начали расходиться по домам), excepting the White Bear chief (исключая = за исключением Белого Медведя-вождя), who lived there (который жил там), and at last the hunter and the bear went out together (и наконец охотник и медведь вышли вместе).

claw [klɔ:], over ['ǝʋvǝ], use /глагол/ [ju:z], back [bæk], excepting [ɪk'septɪŋ]

They fitted the arrow and drew back the string, but when they let go it caught in their long claws and the arrows dropped to the ground. They saw that they could not use the bow and arrows and gave them back to the man. When the dance and the council were over, they began to go home, excepting the White Bear chief, who lived there, and at last the hunter and the bear went out together.

They went on (они шли) until they came to another hole (пока они не пришли к другой берлоге) in the side of the mountain (в склоне горы), when the bear said (когда = и тут медведь сказал), “This is where I live (это = вот где я живу),” and they went in (и они вошли внутрь). By this time the hunter was very hungry (к этому времени охотник был очень голоден; hunger – голод) and was wondering (и размышлял/задавался вопросом) how he could get something to eat (как он мог раздобыть что-либо поесть). The other knew his thoughts (другой = медведь знал его мысли), and sitting up on his hind legs (и, усевшись на свои задние ноги) he rubbed his stomach with his forepaws (он потер свой живот своими передними лапами) – so (/вот/ так) – and at once he had both paws full of chestnuts (и сразу же у него обе лапы наполнились каштанами: «обе лапы /стали/ полны каштанов») and gave them to the man (и /он/ дал их человеку).

hole [hǝʋl], hind [haɪnd], stomach ['stʌmǝk], forepaw ['fɔ:pɔ:]

They went on until they came to another hole in the side of the mountain, when the bear said, “This is where I live,” and they went in. By this time the hunter was very hungry and was wondering how he could get something to eat. The other knew his thoughts, and sitting up on his hind legs he rubbed his stomach with his forepaws – so – and at once he had both paws full of chestnuts and gave them to the man.

He rubbed his stomach again (он потер свой живот снова) – so (вот так) – and had his paws full of huckleberries (и его лапы наполнились черникой), and gave them to the man (и /он/ дал их человеку). He rubbed again (он потер снова) – so (вот так) – and gave the man both paws full of blackberries (и дал/протянул человеку обе лапы, полные ежевики). He rubbed again (он потер снова) – so (вот так) – and had his paws full of acorns (и его лапы наполнились желудями), but the man said (но человек сказал) that he could not eat them (что он не мог есть их), and that he had enough already (и что он съел: «имел = получил» уже достаточно).

full [fʋl], already [ɔ:l'redɪ]

He rubbed his stomach again – so – and had his paws full of huckleberries, and gave them to the man. He rubbed again – so – and gave the man both paws full of blackberries. He rubbed again – so – and had his paws full of acorns, but the man said that he could not eat them, and that he had enough already.

The hunter lived in the cave with the bear all winter (охотник жил в пещере с медведем всю зиму), until long hair like that of a bear (пока длинные волосы, как те, /что/ у медведя; until – /до тех пор/ пока /не/) began to grow all over his body (/не/ начали расти по всему его телу) and he began to act like a bear (и он /не/ начал вести себя как медведь); but he still walked like a man (но он все еще ходил, как человек). One day in early spring the bear said to him (однажды ранней весной медведь сказал ему), “Your people down in the settlement (твой народ внизу в поселке; to settle – поселяться, устраиваться) are getting ready for a grand hunt in these mountains (готовится к великой охоте в этих горах), and they will come to this cave (и они придут в эту пещеру) and kill me (и убьют меня) and take these clothes from me (и заберут эти одежды у меня)” – he meant his skin (он имел в виду свою шкуру; to mean) – “but they will not hurt you (но они не причинят тебе вреда) and will take you home with them (и заберут тебя домой с ними = с собой).”

walk [wɔ:k], settlement ['setlmǝnt], clothes [klǝʋðz]

The hunter lived in the cave with the bear all winter, until long hair like that of a bear began to grow all over his body and he began to act like a bear; but he still walked like a man. One day in early spring the bear said to him, “Your people down in the settlement are getting ready for a grand hunt in these mountains, and they will come to this cave and kill me and take these clothes from me” – he meant his skin – “but they will not hurt you and will take you home with them.”

The bear knew (медведь знал) what the people were doing down in the settlement (что люди делали внизу в поселке) just as he always knew (как он всегда знал) what the man was thinking about (о чем думал человек). Some days passed (несколько дней прошло) and the bear said again (и медведь сказал снова), “This is the day when the Topknots will come to kill me (это день, когда Пучковолосые придут убить меня; topknot – пучок волос на голове, хохолок; top – верхушка; макушка; knot – узел), but the Split-noses will come first and find us (но Расщепленные Носы придут первые и найдут нас). When they have killed me (когда они убьют меня) they will drag me outside the cave (они вытащат меня наружу /из/ пещеры) and take off my clothes (и снимут мою одежду) and cut me in pieces (и разрежут меня на кусочки). You must cover the blood with leaves (ты должен засыпать кровь листьями; to cover – покрывать), and when they are taking you away (и когда они будут забирать тебя прочь) look back (посмотри назад) after you have gone a piece (после того, как ты отойдешь на некоторое расстояние; piece – кусок, штука; некоторое количество) and you will see something (и ты кое-что увидишь).”

find [faɪnd], knot