Английские волшебные сказки / English Fairy Tales

The Three Sillies

Once upon a time (давным-давно: «однажды в один раз») there was a farmer and his wife (был крестьянин/фермер и его жена) who had one daughter (у которых была одна дочь), and she was courted by a gentleman (и за ней ухаживал джентльмен). Every evening he used to come and see her (каждый вечер он приходил повидать ее: «имел обыкновение приходить и видеть ее»), and stop to supper at the farmhouse (и останавливался, чтобы поужинать на ферме/в крестьянском доме), and the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar (и дочь посылали: «бывала послана» вниз в погреб) to draw the beer for supper (чтобы нацедить пива для ужина). So one evening (так в один вечер) she had gone down to draw the beer (она спустилась: «пошла вниз», чтобы нацедить пива), and she happened to look up (и ей случилось взглянуть вверх) at the ceiling (на потолок) while she was drawing (пока она цедила), and she saw (и она увидела) a mallet (молоток/пестик для ступки) stuck (застрявший; to stick – воткнуть, приклеиться, остаться) in one of the beams (в одной из балок).

Once upon a time there was a farmer and his wife who had one daughter, and she was courted by a gentleman. Every evening he used to come and see her, and stop to supper at the farmhouse, and the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar to draw the beer for supper. So one evening she had gone down to draw the beer, and she happened to look up at the ceiling while she was drawing, and she saw a mallet stuck in one of the beams.

It must have been there (он должен был быть там) a long, long time (долгое-долгое время), but somehow or other (но каким-то образом: «так или иначе») she had never noticed it before (она никогда не замечала его раньше; to notice – замечать), and she began (и она начала; to begin – начинать) a-thinking (думать – разговорная или фольклорная форма: a-doing something). And she thought (и она подумала) it was very dangerous (/что/ это очень опасно) to have that mallet there (держать: «иметь» этот молоток там), for she said to herself (потому что она сказала себе = подумала про себя): ‘Suppose (предположим) him and me was to be married (/что/ он и я: «его и меня /разг./» поженимся), and we was to have a son (и у нас родится сын: «иметь сына»), and he was to grow up to be a man (и он вырастет, чтобы быть мужчиной = и станет мужчиной), and come down into the cellar to draw the beer (и спустится в погреб нацедить пива), like as I’m doing now (прямо как я делаю сейчас), and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him (и молоток упадет на его голову и убьет его), what a dreadful thing it would be (какая ужасная вещь это бы была)!’ And she put down the candle and the jug (и она поставила вниз свечу и кувшин), and sat herself down (и уселась) and began a-crying (и начала плакать).

It must have been there a long, long time, but somehow or other she had never noticed it before, and she began a-thinking. And she thought it was very dangerous to have that mallet there, for she said to herself: ‘Suppose him and me was to be married, and we was to have a son, and he was to grow up to be a man, and come down into the cellar to draw the beer, like as I’m doing now, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what a dreadful thing it would be!’ And she put down the candle and the jug, and sat herself down and began a-crying.

Well, they began to wonder upstairs (ну, они начали удивляться/интересоваться наверху: «вверх по лестнице») how it was that she was so long drawing the beer (как это было, что она так долго цедила пиво = отчего это она так долго цедит пиво), and her mother went down to see after her (и ее мать спустилась: «пошла вниз», чтобы посмотреть за ней = посмотреть, что с ней случилось), and she found her sitting on the settle crying (и она нашла ее сидящей на скамье и плачущей; to find – находить), and the beer running over the floor (и пиво текущим на пол: «бегущим по полу»). ‘Why, whatever is the matter (что такое/в чем дело: «почему, что-то есть дело»)?’ said her mother. ‘Oh, mother!’ says she, ‘look at that horrid mallet (посмотри на этот ужасный молоток)! Suppose we was to be married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come down to the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what a dreadful thing it would be!’

Well, they began to wonder upstairs how it was that she was so long drawing the beer, and her mother went down to see after her, and she found her sitting on the settle crying, and the beer running over the floor. ‘Why, whatever is the matter?’ said her mother. ‘Oh, mother!’ says she, ‘look at that horrid mallet! Suppose we was to be married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come down to the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what a dreadful thing it would be!’

‘Dear, dear! what a dreadful thing it would be (Боже! Боже! какая ужасная вещь это была бы)!’ said the mother, and she sat down aside of the daughter and started a-crying, too (сказала мать, и она села вниз рядом с дочерью и начала плакать тоже). Then after a bit (затем, немного погодя; bit – кусочек; a bit – немного; after – после) the father began to wonder that they didn’t come back (отец начал удивляться, что они не вернулись: «не пришли назад»), and he went down into the cellar to look after them himself (и он спустился в погреб посмотреть за ними сам = пошел за ними сам), and there they two sat a-crying (и там они две сидели, плача), and the beer running all over the floor (и пиво текущее = текло при этом повсюду на пол). ‘Whatever is the matter (в чем дело)?’ says he. ‘Why (как же: «почему»),’ says the mother, ‘look at that horrid mallet (посмотри на этот ужасный молоток). Just suppose (просто предположи), if our daughter and her sweetheart was to be married (если наша дочь и ее возлюбленный поженятся), and was to have a son (и у них родится сын), and he was to grow up, and was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what a dreadful thing it would be!’

‘Dear, dear, dear! so it would (Боже! Боже! Боже! так это было бы/действительно ужасной вещью/)!’ said the father (сказал отец), and he sat himself down aside of the other two, and started a-crying (и он уселся рядом с другими двумя и начал плакать).

‘Dear, dear! what a dreadful thing it would be!’ said the mother, and she sat down aside of the daughter and started a-crying, too. Then after a bit the father began to wonder that they didn’t come back, and he went down into the cellar to look after them himself, and there they two sat a-crying, and the beer running all over the floor. ‘Whatever is the matter?’ says he. ‘Why,’ says the mother, ‘look at that horrid mallet. Just suppose, if our daughter and her sweetheart was to be married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what a dreadful thing it would be!’

‘Dear, dear, dear! so it would!’ said the father, and he sat himself down aside of the other two, and started a-crying.

Now (вот: «теперь») the gentleman got tired (джентльмен устал: «сделался уставшим») of stopping up in the kitchen by himself (оставаться: «от оставания» наверху в кухне в одиночестве: «сам с собой»), and at last he went down into the cellar, too (и, наконец, он спустился в погреб тоже), to see what they were after (чтобы посмотреть, что они /там/ ищут); and there they three sat a-crying side by side (и вот они там трое сидели = сидят, плача, рядом: «бок о бок»), and the beer running all over the floor (и пиво /при этом/ течет на пол). And he ran straight and turned the tap (и он побежал немедленно: «прямо» и повернул кран; to run – бежать). Then he said (затем он сказал): ‘Whatever are you three doing (что это вы трое делаете), sitting there crying (сидя и плача), and letting the beer run all over the floor (и позволяя пиву литься на пол)?’

Now the gentleman got tired of stopping up in the kitchen by himself, and at last he went down into the cellar, too, to see what they were after; and there they three sat a-crying side by side, and the beer running all over the floor. And he ran straight and turned the tap. Then he said: ‘Whatever are you three doing, sitting there crying, and letting the beer run all over the floor?’

‘Oh!’ says the father, ‘look at that horrid mallet! Suppose you and our daughter was to be married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him!’ And then they all started a-crying worse than before (и тогда они все начали плакать пуще прежнего: «хуже, чем раньше»). But the gentleman burst out a-laughing (но джентльмен разразился смехом), and reached up and pulled out the mallet (потянулся и вытащил молоток), and then he said: ‘I’ve travelled many miles (я исходил/пропутешествовал многие мили), and I never met three such big sillies as you three before (и я никогда не встречал трех таких больших дураков, как вы трое, раньше); and now I shall start out on my travels again (и сейчас я отправлюсь в мои путешествия снова), and when I can find three bigger sillies than you three (и если я смогу найти трех бóльших дураков, чем вы трое), then I’ll come back and marry your daughter (тогда я вернусь и женюсь на вашей дочери).’ So he wished them good-bye (так что = на этом он попрощался с ними: «пожелал им до свидания»), and started off on his travels (и отправился в свои путешествия), and left them all crying (и оставил их всех плачущими; to leave – оставлять, покидать) because the girl had lost her sweetheart (потому что девушка потеряла своего ухажера).

‘Oh!’ says the father, ‘look at that horrid mallet! Suppose you and our daughter was to be married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him!’ And then they all started a-crying worse than before. But the gentleman burst out a-laughing, and reached up and pulled out the mallet, and then he said: ‘I’ve travelled many miles, and I never met three such big sillies as you three before; and now I shall start out on my travels again, and when I can find three bigger sillies than you three, then I’ll come back and marry your daughter.’ So he wished them good-bye, and started off on his travels, and left them all crying because the girl had lost her sweetheart.

Well, he set out (он пустился в путь), and he travelled a long way (и он прошел: «пропутешествовал» долгий путь), and at last he came to a woman’s cottage (и наконец он пришел к домику одной женщины) that had some grass growing on the roof (который имел немного травы, растущей на крыше = на крыше которого росло немного травы). And the woman was trying (и женщина пыталась) to get her cow to go up a ladder to the grass (заставить свою корову пойти вверх = залезть по лестнице к траве), and the poor thing durst not go (и бедное существо не осмеливалось идти; to dare – осмелиться). So the gentleman asked the woman (тогда джентльмен спросил женщину) what she was doing (что она делала). ‘Why, lookye (ну, посмотри-ка – разг. /look you/),’ she said, ‘look at all that beautiful grass (посмотри на всю эту прекрасную траву). I’m going to get the cow on to the roof (я собираюсь загнать: «переместить» корову на крышу) to eat it (чтобы есть ее = чтобы она поела траву). She’ll be quite safe (она будет совершенно в безопасности: «сохранная»), for I shall tie a string round her neck (ибо я привяжу бечевку вокруг ее шеи), and pass it down the chimney (и пропущу ее вниз по трубе), and tie it to my wrist (и привяжу ее к моему запястью) as I go about the house (пока я хожу по дому), so she can’t fall off (так что она не может упасть /с крыши/») without my knowing it (чтобы я этого не узнала: «без моего знания этого»).’

Well, he set out, and he travelled a long way, and at last he came to a woman’s cottage that had some grass growing on the roof. And the woman was trying to get her cow to go up a ladder to the grass, and the poor thing durst not go. So the gentleman asked the woman what she was doing. ‘Why, lookye,’ she said, ‘look at all that beautiful grass. I’m going to get the cow on to the roof to eat it. She’ll be quite safe, for I shall tie a string round her neck, and pass it down the chimney, and tie it to my wrist as I go about the house, so she can’t fall off without my knowing it.’

‘Oh, you poor silly (ты, бедная дурочка)!’ said the gentleman, ‘you should cut the grass (ты должна срезать траву) and throw it down to the cow (и бросить ее вниз к корове)!’ But the woman thought (но женщина думала) it was easier (/что/ было легче) to get the cow up the ladder (поднять корову вверх по лестнице) than to get the grass down (чем спустить траву вниз), so she pushed her (так что она толкала ее) and coaxed her (и уговаривала ее) and got her up (и подняла ее наверх), and tied a string round her neck (и завязала бечевку вокруг ее шеи), and passed it down the chimney (и пропустила ее вниз по трубе), and fastened it to her own wrist (и привязала ее к своему собственному запястью). And the gentleman went on his way (и джентльмен пошел по своему пути), but he hadn’t gone far (но он не ушел далеко = не успел он отойти) when the cow tumbled off the roof (когда корова свалилась с крыши), and hung by the string tied round her neck (и повисла на бечевке, привязанной вокруг ее шеи), and it strangled her (и она /бечевка/ задушила ее). And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist (и вес коровы, привязанной к ее запястью) pulled the woman up the chimney (потянул женщину вверх по трубе), and she stuck fast half-way (и она застряла крепко на полпути) and was smothered in the soot (и задохнулась: «была задушена» в саже).

Well, that was one big silly (это была большая дура).

‘Oh, you poor silly!’ said the gentleman, ‘you should cut the grass and throw it down to the cow!’ But the woman thought it was easier to get the cow up the ladder than to get the grass down, so she pushed her and coaxed her and got her up, and tied a string round her neck, and passed it down the chimney, and fastened it to her own wrist. And the gentleman went on his way, but he hadn’t gone far when the cow tumbled off the roof, and hung by the string tied round her neck, and it strangled her. And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist pulled the woman up the chimney, and she stuck fast half-way and was smothered in the soot.

Well, that was one big silly.

And the gentleman went on and on (и джентльмен шел дальше и дальше), and he went to an inn (и пришел к постоялому двору) to stop for the night (/чтобы/ остановиться на ночь), and they were so full at the inn (и они были так полны в гостинице = но там было так много постояльцев) that they had to put him in a double-bedded room (что им пришлось поместить его в двухместный номер; double – двойной, bed – кровать), and another traveller (и другой путешественник) was to sleep in the other bed (должен был спать в другой кровати). The other man was a very pleasant fellow (другой человек был очень приятный парень), and they got very friendly together (и они стали очень дружны вместе = хорошо поладили); but in the morning (но утром), when they were both getting up (когда они оба вставали), the gentleman was surprised to see the other hang (джентльмен с удивлением увидел, как другой вешает: «был удивлен увидеть другого вешать») his trousers on the knobs of the chest of drawers (свои штаны на круглые ручки: «шишечки» комода: «ларя с ящиками») and run across the room (и бежит через комнату) and try to jump into them (и старается запрыгнуть в них), and he tried over and over again (и он старался снова и снова) and couldn’t manage it (и не мог справиться с этим); and the gentleman wondered (и джентльмен удивился/задался вопросом) whatever he was doing it for (зачем он это делал).

And the gentleman went on and on, and he went to an inn to stop the night, and they were so full at the inn that they had to put him in a double-bedded room, and another traveller was to sleep in the other bed. The other man was a very pleasant fellow, and they got very friendly together; but in the morning, when they were both getting up, the gentleman was surprised to see the other hang his trousers on the knobs of the chest of drawers and run across the room and try to jump into them, and he tried over and over again and couldn’t manage it; and the gentleman wondered whatever he was doing it for.

At last he stopped and wiped his face with his handkerchief (наконец тот остановился и вытер свое лицо платком). ‘Oh dear (о Боже: «о дорогой»),’ he says, ‘I do think (я действительно думаю) trousers are the most awkwardest kind of clothes (/что/ штаны есть наиболее неловкая = неудобная разновидность одежды) that ever were (которая когда-либо была). I can’t think (я не могу представить: «подумать») who could have invented such things (кто мог изобрести подобные вещи). It takes me the best part of an hour (у меня уходит почти час: «это берет мне лучшую часть часа») to get into mine every morning (чтобы залезть в мои /штаны/ каждое утро), and I get so hot (и я становлюсь таким горячим = так потею)! How do you manage yours (как вы справляетесь с вашими)?’ So the gentleman burst out a-laughing (тогда джентльмен разразился смехом), and showed him how to put them on (и показал ему, как их надевать); and he was very much obliged to him (и он был очень много обязан ему), and said he never should have thought (и сказал, /что/ он никогда не подумал бы) of doing it that way (делать это: «о делании этого» таким способом).