The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts – Лев становится царём зверей

After climbing down from the china wall (спустившись с фарфоровой стены; to climb – взбираться, влезать, карабкаться; to climb down – слезать) the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country (путешественники оказались в неприглядной стране; agreeable – приятный, милый; disagreeable – неприятный, противный), full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass (изобилующей болотами и топями, заросшими высокой травой: «покрытыми высокой буйной травой»; to cover – покрывать, накрывать; покрывать, распространяться, расстилаться; rank – буйный, пышный, роскошный / о растительности /). It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes (было сложно идти, не падая в грязные ямы; mud – грязь, слякоть; hole – дыра, отверстие; яма), for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight (потому чтотрава была настолько густой, что она скрывала их из виду; to hide – прятать, скрывать). However, by carefully picking their way (однако, тщательно выбирая путь; to pick – собирать, снимать / плоды /; выбирать, отбирать; to pick one's way – выбирать дорогу), they got safely along until they reached solid ground (они благополучно продвигались /вперед/, пока они не достигли твердой почвы). But here the country seemed wilder than ever (но здесь страна казалась ещё более дикой, чем когда-либо), and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush (и после долгой и утомительной прогулки через подлесок) they entered another forest (они вошли в другой лес), where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen (где деревья были больше и старше, чем те: «какие-либо», которые они когда-либо видели).

disagreeable ["dIsq'gri:qbl], bog [bOg], marsh [mQ:S], muddy ['mAdI], underbrush ['AndqbrAS]

After climbing down from the china wall the travelers found themselves in a disagreeable country, full of bogs and marshes and covered with tall, rank grass. It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid them from sight. However, by carefully picking their way, they got safely along until they reached solid ground. But here the country seemed wilder than ever, and after a long and tiresome walk through the underbrush they entered another forest, where the trees were bigger and older than any they had ever seen.

"This forest is perfectly delightful (этот лес совершенно восхитителен), " declared the Lion, looking around him with joy (заявил Лев, осматриваясь с радостью /по сторонам/). "Never have I seen a more beautiful place (никогда я не видел более прекрасного места). "

"It seems gloomy (он кажется мрачным), " said the Scarecrow.

"Not a bit of it (нисколько), " answered the Lion. "I should like to live here all my life (я бы хотел прожить здесь всю свою жизнь). See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet (посмотри, какие мягкие сухие листья под ногами) and how rich and green the moss is that clings to these old trees (и какой густой и зеленый мох покрывает эти старые деревья; rich – богатый; обильный, густой; to cling – прилипать, цепляться, держаться). Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home (конечно, ни один дикий зверь не может желать дома приятнее). "

"Perhaps here are wild beasts in the forest now (возможно, здесь уже живут дикие животные в этом лесу), " said Dorothy.

delightful [dI'laItful], gloomy ['glu:mI], moss [mOs], cling [klIN]

"This forest is perfectly delightful," declared the Lion, looking around him with joy. "Never have I seen a more beautiful place."

"It seems gloomy," said the Scarecrow.

"Not a bit of it," answered the Lion. "I should like to live here all my life. See how soft the dried leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the moss is that clings to these old trees. Surely no wild beast could wish a pleasanter home."

"Perhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now," said Dorothy.

"I suppose there are (полагаю, что живут), " returned the Lion, "but I do not see any of them about (но я не вижу ни одного из них поблизости). "

They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther (они шли по лесу, пока не стало слишком темно, чтобы идти дальше). Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep (Дороти, Тото и Лев прилегли поспать), while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual (тогда как Дровосек и Страшила несли караул = охраняли их, как обычно).

When morning came, they started again (когда наступило утро, они снова отправились в путь). Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble (до того, как они ушли далеко = не успели они уйти далеко, как они услышали глухой гул; rumble – громыхание, грохот, гул), as of the growling of many wild animals (похожий на рычание множества диких животных).

dark [dQ:k], rumble [rAmbl], growling ['graulIN]

"I suppose there are," returned the Lion, "but I do not see any of them about." They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther. Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep, while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual.

When morning came, they started again. Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble, as of the growling of many wild animals.

Toto whimpered a little (Тото тихо заскулил; to whimper – хныкать, ныть; скулить / о собаке /), but none of the others was frightened (но никто из остальных /путешественников/ не испугался), and they kept along the well-trodden path (и они шли по хорошо протоптанной тропинке; to tread – ступать, шагать; протаптывать) until they came to an opening in the wood (пока не добрались до просеки в лесу; opening – отверстие, щель; вырубка в лесу, просека, прогалина), in which were gathered hundreds of beasts of every variety (где собрались сотни зверей всех видов; variety – многообразие, разнообразие; вид, разновидность). There were tigers (там были тигры) and elephants (и слоны) and bears (и медведи) and wolves (и волки) and foxes (и лисы) and all the others in the natural history (и все другие /животные, известные/ в естествознании; natural – естественный, природный), and for a moment Dorothy was afraid (и на какое-то мгновение Дороти испугалась). But the Lion explained that the animals were holding a meeting (но Лев объяснил, что животные проводили собрание; to hold – держать; провести, устроить, организовать /мероприятие/), and he judged by their snarling and growling (и что, судя по их рычанию и ворчанию, он /пришел к выводу/; to judge – судить, выносить приговор; составлять мнение /о чем-либо/, делать вывод) that they were in great trouble (что они были в большом затруднении).

whimper ['wImpq], well-trodden ["wel'trOdn], variety [vq'raIqtI], history ['hIst(q)rI], snarl [snQ:l]

Toto whimpered a little, but none of the others was frightened, and they kept along the well-trodden path until they came to an opening in the wood, in which were gathered hundreds of beasts of every variety. There were tigers and elephants and bears and wolves and foxes and all the others in the natural history, and for a moment Dorothy was afraid. But the Lion explained that the animals were holding a meeting, and he judged by their snarling and growling that they were in great trouble.

As he spoke several of the beasts caught sight of him (пока он это говорил, несколько животных заметили его; to catch – поймать, схватить; увидеть / мельком /; to catch sight of smb ., smth . – увидеть кого – либо, что – либо; sight – вид), and at once the great assemblage hushed as if by magic (и тут же огромное собрание затихло, словно по волшебству; assemblage – сбор, накопление; собрание, группа). The biggest of the tigers came up to the Lion and bowed, saying (самый большой из тигров подошел ко Льву, и, поклонившись, сказал) : "Welcome, O King of Beasts (добро пожаловать, о ЦарьЗверей) ! You have come in good time to fight our enemy (ты пришел как раз вовремя, чтобы сразиться с нашим врагом; in good time – с течением времени; своевременно) and bring peace to all the animals of the forest once more (и снова вернуть: «принести» мир всем животным леса). "

"What is your trouble (а что у вас за беда) ?" asked the Lion quietly (спокойно спросил Лев).

assemblage [q'semblIdZ], enemy ['enqmI], peace [pi:s], quietly ['kwaIqtlI]

As he spoke several of the beasts caught sight of him, and at once the great assemblage hushed as if by magic. The biggest of the tigers came up to the Lion and bowed, saying: "Welcome, O King of Beasts! You have come in good time to fight our enemy and bring peace to all the animals of the forest once more."

"What is your trouble?" asked the Lion quietly.

"We are all threatened (нам всем угрожает: «мы все угрожаемы»), " answered the tiger, "by a fierce enemy (лютый враг: «лютым врагом») which has lately come into this forest (который недавно пришел в этот лес = объявился в этом лесу). It is a most tremendous monster (это одно из самых ужасных чудовищ), like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant (похожее на огромного паука, с телом столь же большим, как у слона) and legs as long as a tree trunk (и лапами столь же длинными, как ствол дерева). It has eight of these long legs (у него восемь таких длинных лап), and as the monster crawls through the forest (и когда этот монстр ползет по лесу) he seizes an animal with a leg (он хватает животное одной лапой) and drags it to his mouth (и тащит его в рот), where he eats it as a spider does a fly (и поедает его /там/, как паук /поедает/ муху). Not one of us is safe (никто из нас не /находится/ в безопасности) while this fierce creature is alive (пока эта свирепая тварь жива; creature – создание, творение; животное, тварь), and we had called a meeting to decide how to take care of ourselves (и мы созвали это собрание, чтобы решить, как нам позаботиться о себе) when you came among us (когда ты пришел к нам). "

fierce [fIqs], tremendous [trI'mendqs], spider ['spaIdq]

"We are all threatened," answered the tiger, "by a fierce enemy which has lately come into this forest. It is a most tremendous monster, like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs, and as the monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it to his mouth, where he eats it as a spider does a fly. Not one of us is safe while this fierce creature is alive, and we had called a meeting to decide how to take care of ourselves when you came among us."

The Lion thought for a moment (Лев задумался на минуту).

"Are there any other lions in this forest (а есть ли другие львы в этом лесу) ?" he asked.

"No; there were some, but the monster has eaten them all (нет, было несколько, но монстр сожрал их всех). And, besides, they were none of them nearly so large and brave as you (и, кроме того, никто из них не был хотя бы приблизительно столь же крупным и смелым, как ты). "

"If I put an end to your enemy (если я покончу с вашим врагом: «положу конец вашему врагу»), will you bow down to me and obey me as King of the Forest (склонитесь ли вы передо мной и подчинитесь мне, как Королю Леса; to bow – кланяться; преклоняться) ?" inquired the Lion.

"We will do that gladly (мы с радостью сделаем это), " returned the tiger (ответил тигр); and all the other beasts roared with a mighty roar (и все другие звери зарычали мощным ревом) : "We will (мы будем /подчиняться/ = подчинимся) !"

thought [TO:t], monster ['mOnstq], eaten [i:tn], tiger ['taIgq]

The Lion thought for a moment.

"Are there any other lions in this forest?" he asked.

"No; there were some, but the monster has eaten them all. And, besides, they were none of them nearly so large and brave as you."

"If I put an end to your enemy, will you bow down to me and obey me as King of the Forest?" inquired the Lion.

"We will do that gladly," returned the tiger; and all the other beasts roared with a mighty roar: "We will!"

"Where is this great spider of yours now (а где сейчас этот ваш огромный паук) ?" asked the Lion.

"Yonder, among the oak trees (вон там, меж дубовых деревьев = дубов; yonder – вон там; в ту сторону, туда), " said the tiger, pointing with his forefoot (сказал тигр, указывая передней лапой).

"Take good care of these friends of mine (хорошенько позаботьтесь о моих друзьях), " said the Lion, "and I will go at once to fight the monster (и я немедленно пойду и сражусь с монстром). " He bade his comrades good-bye (он попрощался со своими товарищами) and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy (и гордо удалился, чтобы сразиться с врагом; to march – маршировать, идти строем; идти, вышагивать /демонстративно, обиженно, нервно, решительно и т. п./; battle – битва, сражение; борьба; t o do battle with – бороться с / кем – либо, чем – либо /).

The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him (огромный паук лежал и спал, когда Лев его обнаружил), and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust (и выглядел он так безобразно, что его противник поворотил нос с отвращением; foe – враг, недруг; to turn up one’s nose – задирать нос / перед кем – либо /; воротить нос / от чего – либо /).

yonder [' jOndq ], oak [ quk ], forefoot [' fO : fut ], foe [ fqu ], disgust [ dIs ' gAst ]

"Where is this great spider of yours now?" asked the Lion.

"Yonder, among the oak trees," said the tiger, pointing with his forefoot.

"Take good care of these friends of mine," said the Lion, "and I will go at once to fight the monster." He bade his comrades good-bye and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy.

The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him, and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust.

Its legs were quite as long as the tiger had said (его лапы были почти что такими длинными, как сказал тигр), and its body covered with coarse black hair (и его туловище было покрыто жесткой черной шерстью; coarse – грубый; hair – волосы; шерсть). It had a great mouth, with a row of sharp teeth a foot long (у него была огромная пасть с рядом острых зубов, футом длиной; mouth – рот, уста); but its head was joined to the body by a neck as slender as a wasp's waist (но его голова была присоединена к телу шеей, столь же тонкой, как осиная талия). This gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature (это подсказало Льву лучший способ нападения на эту тварь; hint – намек, совет), and as he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake (и, так как он знал, что сразиться со спящим /пауком/ было легче, чем с бодрствующим; awake – не спящий, проснувшийся, бодрствующий), he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster's back (то он огромным прыжком приземлился прямо на спину монстра; spring – прыжок, скачок; land – земля, суша; to land – высаживаться /на берег/; приземляться, делать посадку).

coarse [kO:s], pudgy ['pAdZI], wasp [wOsp], waist [weIst], hint [hInt]

Its legs were quite as long as the tiger had said, and its body covered with coarse black hair. It had a great mouth, with a row of sharp teeth a foot long; but its head was joined to the pudgy body by a neck as slender as a wasp's waist. This gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature, and as he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake, he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster's back.

Then, with one blow of his heavy paw (затем, одним ударом своей тяжелой лапы), all armed with sharp claws (/вооруженной/ острыми когтями; arms – оружие; armed – вооруженный), he knocked the spider's head from its body (он сбил голову паука с его тела; to knock – ударять, бить). Jumping down, he watched it until the long legs stopped wiggling (спрыгнув вниз, он наблюдал за /монстром/, пока его длинные лапы не перестали шевелиться; to wiggle – покачивать, крутить; колебаться), when he knew it was quite dead (пока он не понял, что тотбыл совершенно мертв).

The Lion went back to the opening (Лев вернулся назад, на просеку) where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and said proudly (где все звери леса ожидали его, и гордо сказал) : "You need fear your enemy no longer (вам больше не надо бояться своего врага). "

Then the beasts bowed down to the Lion as their King (после чего звери поклонились Льву как своему Королю), and he promised to come back and rule over them (и он пообещал вернуться и править ими) as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way to Kansas (как только Дороти благополучно будет на пути в Канзас).

blow [blqu], paw [pO:], claw [klO:], wiggle [wIgl]

Then, with one blow of his heavy paw, all armed with sharp claws, he knocked the spider's head from its body. Jumping down, he watched it until the long legs stopped wiggling, when he knew it was quite dead.

The Lion went back to the opening where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and said proudly: "You need fear your enemy no longer." Then the beasts bowed down to the Lion as their King, and he promised to come back and rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way to Kansas.