Сказание о Старине Кенгуру

NOT always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him (НЕ всегда Кенгуру был таким, каким мы видим его сейчас), but a Different Animal with four short legs (а /был он/ Другим Животным с четырьмя короткими ногами). He was grey and he was woolly (он был серый и пушистый; wool — шерсть), and his pride was inordinate (а его гордость была чрезмерна): he danced on an outcrop in the middle of Australia (он плясал на обнажении горной породы посреди Австралии; outcrop — обнажение горной породы; выход породы наружу), and he went to the Little God Nqa (и он пошел к Маленькому Божеству Нква).

He went to Nqa at six before breakfast, saying (он пошел к Нква в шесть часов до завтрака и сказал), ‘Make me different from all other animals by five this afternoon (сделай меня отличным от всех других животных к пяти часам /сегодняшнего/ вечера).’

Up jumped Nqa from his seat on the sand-flat and shouted (Нква вскочил со своего сидения на песчаной равнине и закричал), ‘Go away (убирайся)!’

behold [bI'hquld], inordinate [In'LdInqt], seat [sJt]

NOT always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different Animal with four short legs. He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on an outcrop in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Little God Nqa.

He went to Nqa at six before breakfast, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals by five this afternoon.’

Up jumped Nqa from his seat on the sand-flat and shouted, ‘Go away!’

He was grey and he was woolly (он был серый и пушистый), and his pride was inordinate (а его гордость была чрезмерна): he danced on a rock-ledge in the middle of Australia (он плясал на скалистой породе посредине Австралии), and he went to the Middle God Nquing (и он пошел к Среднему Божеству Нквингу).

He went to Nquing at eight after breakfast, saying (он пошел к Нквингу в восемь часов после завтрака и сказал), ‘Make me different from all other animals (сделай меня отличным от всех других животных); make me, also, wonderfully popular by five this afternoon (сделай меня также поразительно знаменитым к пяти часам /сегодняшнего/ вечера).’

Up jumped Nquing from his burrow in the spinifex[69] and shouted (Нквинг выскочил из своей норы в колючей траве и закричал), ‘Go away (убирайся)!’

ledge [leG], popular ['pOpjulq], burrow ['bArqu]

He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a rock-ledge in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Middle God Nquing.

He went to Nquing at eight after breakfast, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals; make me, also, wonderfully popular by five this afternoon.’

Up jumped Nquing from his burrow in the spinifex and shouted, ‘Go away!’

He was grey and he was woolly (он был серый и пушистый), and his pride was inordinate (а его гордость была чрезмерна): he danced on a sandbank in the middle of Australia (он плясал на песчаной отмели посредине Австралии), and he went to the Big God Nqong (и он пошел к Большому Божеству Нквонгу).

He went to Nqong at ten before dinnertime, saying (он пошел к Нквонгу в десять часов до обеда и сказал), ‘Make me different from all other animals (сделай меня отличным от всех других животных); make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon (сделай меня знаменитым и чтоб за мной /поразительно/ бегали к пяти часам /сегодняшнего/ вечера; to run after — преследовать, бежать за /кем-л., чем-л./; бегать, ухаживать за кем-л.).’

Up jumped Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan and shouted (Нквонг выскочил из своей ванны в соляном озере и закричал), ‘Yes, I will (да, я сделаю)!’

before [bI'fL], bath [bRT], salt [sLlt]

He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a sandbank in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God Nqong.

He went to Nqong at ten before dinnertime, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals; make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon.’

Up jumped Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan and shouted, ‘Yes, I will!’

Nqong called Dingo (Нквонг позвал Динго) — Yellow-Dog Dingo (Желтую-Собаку Динго) — always hungry, dusty in the sunshine (вечно голодную, пыльную на солнечном свету), and showed him Kangaroo (и показал ей Кенгуру). Nqong said (Нквонг сказал), ‘Dingo! Wake up, Dingo (Динго! очнись, Динго; to wake up — просыпаться, бодрствовать, оживляться, очнуться)! Do you see that gentleman dancing on an ashpit (ты видишь того господина, танцующего на кратере с пеплом[70]; ashpit — зольник, яма с пеплом)? He wants to be popular and very truly run after (он хочет быть знаменитым и чтобы за ним очень-очень бегали). Dingo, make him so (Динго, сделай его таким / сделай ему так)!’

Up jumped Dingo (вскочила Динго) — Yellow-Dog Dingo (Желтая-Собака Динго) — and said (и сказала), ‘What, that cat-rabbit (что, того кошко-кролика)?’

Off ran Dingo (/и/ побежала Динго; to run off — убегать, удирать) — Yellow-Dog Dingo (Желтая-Собака Динго) — always hungry, grinning like a coal-scuttle (вечно голодная, скалящая зубы, как ведерко для угля у камина[71]) — ran after Kangaroo (побежала за Кенгуру).

call [kLl], ashpit ['xSpIt], truly ['trHlI]

Nqong called Dingo — Yellow-Dog Dingo — always hungry, dusty in the sunshine, and showed him Kangaroo. Nqong said, ‘Dingo! Wake up, Dingo! Do you see that gentleman dancing on an ashpit? He wants to be popular and very truly run after. Dingo, make him so!’

Up jumped Dingo — Yellow-Dog Dingo — and said, ‘What, that cat-rabbit?’