Английские волшебные сказки 18 страница

The lad went away with the can to the well, and filled it with water, and then came away home again; but the can being broken, the most part of the water had run out before he got back. So his cake was very small; yet small as it was, his mother asked him if he was willing to take the half of it with her blessing, telling him that, if he chose rather to take the whole, he would only get it with her curse. The young man, thinking he might have to travel a far way, and not knowing when or how he might get other provisions, said he would like to have the whole cake, come out of his mother’s malison what might; so she gave him the whole cake, and her malison along with it. Then he took his brother aside, and gave him a knife to keep till he should come back, desiring him to look at it every morning, and as long as it continued to be clear, then he might be sure that the owner of it was well; but if it grew dim and rusty, then for certain some ill had befallen him.

So the young man went to seek his fortune (так что молодой человек пошел искать свое счастье). And he went all that day (и он шел весь тот день), and all the next day (и весь следующий день); and on the third day (и на третий день), in the afternoon (после полудня), he came up to where a shepherd was sitting (он подошел туда, где сидел пастух) with a flock of sheep (со стадом овец). And he went up to the shepherd (и он подошел к пастуху) and asked him (и спросил его) who the sheep belonged to (кому принадлежали овцы); and he answered (и тот ответил):

‘The Red Ettin of Ireland (Рыжий Эттин из Ирландии)
Once lived in Ballygan (когда-то жил в Баллигане),
And stole King Malcolm’s daughter (и похитил дочь короля Малькольма; to steal — красть),
The king of fair Scotland (короля прекрасной Шотландии).
He beats her, he binds her (он бьет ее, он связывает ее),
He lays her on a band (он кладет ее на ленту);
And every day he strikes her (и каждый день он бьет ее)
With a bright silver wand (ярким серебряным прутом).
Like Julian the Roman (как Юлиан-римлянин),
He’s one that fears no man (он тот, кто не боится никакого человека).

‘It’s said there’s one predestinate (говорят: «это сказано» там есть один предназначенный)
To be his mortal foe (быть его смертельным врагом);
But that man is yet unborn (но этот человек еще не рожден),
And long may it be so (и долго может это быть так).’

This shepherd also told him (этот пастух также сказал ему) to beware of the beasts (остерегаться зверей) he should next meet (которых он должен был вскоре встретить), for they were (ибо они были) of a very different kind from any he had yet seen (непохожи: «очень другого рода от» на любых, которых он уже видел).

So the young man went on (молодой человек пошел дальше), and by and by (и в скором времени) he saw a multitude of very dreadful beasts (он увидел множество очень ужасных зверей), with two heads (с двумя головами), and on every head four horns (и на каждой голове /у них были/ четыре рога). And he was sore frightened (и он был тяжело напуган; sore — больной; болезненный, чувствительный; мучительный, тяжкий, тяжелый), and ran away from them (и убежал от них) as fast as he could (так быстро, как он мог); and glad was he (и доволен он был = и был очень доволен) when he came to a castle (когда он пришел к замку) that stood on a hillock (который стоял на холмике), with the door standing wide open to the wall (с дверью, стоявшей широкой открытой к стене). And he went into the castle for shelter (и он вошел в замок, ища приюта), and there he saw an old wife (и там он увидел старую женщину) sitting beside the kitchen fire (сидящую около кухонного очага). He asked the wife if he might stay for the night (он спросил женщину, мог ли он остаться на ночь), as he was tired with a long journey (так как он был усталый от долгого путешествия); and the wife said he might (и женщина сказала, что он мог), but it was not a good place for him to be in (но это не было хорошее место для него, чтобы находиться в нем), as it belonged to the Red Ettin (так как оно принадлежало Рыжему Эттину), who was a very terrible beast (который был очень ужасным зверем), with three heads (с тремя головами), that spared no living man (который не щадил ни одного живущего человека) it could get hold of (которого он мог схватить). The young man would have gone away (молодой человек ушел бы прочь), but he was afraid of the beasts (но он боялся зверей) on the outside of the castle (снаружи замка); so he beseeched the old woman to hide him (он упросил старуху спрятать его) as best she could (так хорошо, как она могла), and not tell the Ettin he was there (и не говорить Эттину, что он был там). He thought (он подумал), if he could put over the night (если бы он мог перетерпеть ночь), he might get away in the morning (он мог бы уйти прочь утром), without meeting with the beasts (без встречи со зверями), and so escape (и так спастись). But he had not been long in his hiding-hole (но он не был долго в своей норе/в своем укрытии; hiding — прятание; hole — дыра; нора), before the awful Ettin came in (прежде чем ужасный Эттин вошел внутрь); and no sooner was he in (и как только он вошел: «не скорее он вошел»), than he was heard crying (чем послышалось, как он кричит: «чем он был услышан кричащим»):

‘Snouk but and snouk ben,
I findthe smell of an earthly man (я нахожу = чую запах земного человека),
Be he living, or be he dead (будь он живой или будь он мертвый),
His heart this night shall kitchen my bread (его сердце этой ночью украсит мой хлеб).’

shepherd [`Sepəd], predestinate [prı`destınət], beseech [bı`si:tS]

So the young man went to seek his fortune. And he went all that day, and all the next day; and on the third day, in the afternoon, he came up to where a shepherd was sitting with a flock of sheep. And he went up to the shepherd and asked him who the sheep belonged to; and he answered:

‘The Red Ettin of Ireland
Once lived in Ballygan,
And stole King Malcolm’s daughter,
The king of fair Scotland.
He beats her, he binds her,
He lays her on a band;
And every day he strikes her
With a bright silver wand.
Like Julian the Roman,
He’s one that fears no man.

‘It’s said there’s one predestinate
To be his mortal foe;
But that man is yet unborn,
And long may it be so.’

This shepherd also told him to beware of the beasts he should next meet, for they were of a very different kind from any he had yet seen.

So the young man went on, and by and by he saw a multitude of very dreadful beasts, with two heads, and on every head four horns. And he was sore frightened, and ran away from them as fast as he could; and glad was he when he came to a castle that stood on a hillock, with the door standing wide open to the wall. And he went into the castle for shelter, and there he saw an old wife sitting beside the kitchen fire. He asked the wife if he might stay for the night, as he was tired with a long journey; and the wife said he might, but it was not a good place for him to be in, as it belonged to the Red Ettin, who was a very terrible beast, with three heads, that spared no living man it could get hold of. The young man would have gone away, but he was afraid of the beasts on the outside of the castle; so he beseeched the old woman to hide him as best she could, and not tell the Ettin he was there. He thought, if he could put over the night, he might get away in the morning, without meeting with the beasts, and so escape. But he had not been long in his hiding-hole, before the awful Ettin came in; and no sooner was he in, than he was heard crying:

‘Snouk but and snouk ben,
I findthe smell of an earthly man,
Be he living, or be he dead,
His heart this night shall kitchen my bread.’

The monster soon found the poor young man (чудовище скоро нашло бедного молодого человека), and pulled him from his hole (и вытащило его из его дыры/норы). And when he had got him out (а когда он /монстр/ его вытащил), he told him (он сказал ему) that if he could answer him three questions (что если тот сможет ответить ему на три вопроса) his life should be spared (его жизнь будет сохранена). So the first head asked (и так первая голова спросила): ‘A thing without an end, what’s that (вещь без конца, что это)?’ But the young man knew not (но молодой человек не знал). Then the second head said (тогда вторая голова сказала): ‘The smaller, the more dangerous, what’s that (чем меньше, тем опаснее, что это)?’ But the young man knew it not (но молодой человек этого не знал). And then the third head asked (и тогда третья голова спросила): ‘The dead carrying the living; riddle me that (мертвый несущий живого, угадай мне это)?’ But the young man had to give it up (но молодой человек должен был сдаться). The lad not being able to answer one of these questions (так как парень не смог: «парень не будучи способен» ответить ни на один из этих вопросов), the Red Ettin took a mallet (Рыжий Эттин взял молот) and knocked him on the head (и ударил его по голове), and turned him into a pillar of stone (и обратил его в столб из камня).

On the morning after this (на утро после этого) happened (случилось, что) the younger brother took out the knife (младший брат вытащил нож) to look at it (чтобы посмотреть на него), and he was grieved (и он был огорчен) to find it all brown with rust (найти = найдя его всего коричневым от ржавчины). He told his mother (он сказал своей матери) that the time was now come (что время теперь пришло) for him to go away (для него уйти прочь) on his travels also (в его странствия тоже); so she requested him to take the can to the well for water (так что она попросила его отнести: «взять» бидон к колодцу за водой), that she might make a cake for him (чтобы она могла сделать лепешку для него). And he went (и он пошел), and as he was bringing home the water (и пока он приносил домой воду), a raven over his head cried to him to look (ворон над его головой прокричал ему, чтобы он посмотрел), and he would see that the water was running out (и он увидит /тогда/, что вода бежала наружу). And he was a young man of sense (а он был молодой человек рассудка = рассудительный), and seeing the water running out (и видя воду вытекающую = что вода вытекает), he took some clay (он взял немного глины) and patched up the holes (и заделал дыры), so that he brought home enough water (так что он принес домой достаточно воды) to bake a large cake (чтобы испечь большую лепешку). When his mother put it to him (когда его мать предложила: «положила» это ему) to take the half-cake with her blessing (взять пол-лепешки с ее благословением), he took it in preference (он предпочел это: «взял это в предпочтение») to having the whole with her malison (обладанию целой /лепешкой/ /но/ с ее проклятьем); and yet the half was bigger than what the other lad had got (и все равно, эта половина была больше чем то, что было у другого парня).

dangerous [`deınGərəs], grieve [gri:v], request [rı`kwest]

The monster soon found the poor young man, and pulled him from his hole. And when he had got him out, he told him that if he could answer him three questions his life should be spared. So the first head asked: ‘A thing without an end, what’s that?’ But the young man knew not. Then the second head said: ‘The smaller, the more dangerous, what’s that?’ But the young man knew it not. And then the third head asked: ‘The dead carrying the living; riddle me that?’ But the young man had to give it up. The lad not being able to answer one of these questions, the Red Ettin took a mallet and knocked him on the head, and turned him into a pillar of stone.

On the morning after this happened the younger brother took out the knife to look at it, and he was grieved to find it all brown with rust. He told his mother that the time was now come for him to go away on his travels also; so she requested him to take the can to the well for water, that she might make a cake for him. And he went, and as he was bringing home the water, a raven over his head cried to him to look, and he would see that the water was running out. And he was a young man of sense, and seeing the water running out, he took some clay and patched up the holes, so that he brought home enough water to bake a large cake. When his mother put it to him to take the half-cake with her blessing, he took it in preference to having the whole with her malison; and yet the half was bigger than what the other lad had got.

So he went away on his journey (он ушел прочь в свои странствия); and after he had travelled a far way (и после того, как он прошел дальний путь), he met with an old woman (он встретился со старой женщиной) that asked him (которая спросила его) if he would give her a bit of his bannock (не даст ли он ей: «если он бы дал ей» кусочек его лепешки). And he said (и он сказал): ‘I will gladly do that (я радостно сделаю это)’, and so he gave her a piece of the bannock (и так он дал ей кусок лепешки); and for that she gave him a magic wand (и за это она дала ему волшебный жезл), that might yet be of service to him (который мог еще ему пригодиться), if he took care to use it rightly (если он позаботится использовать его правильно). Then the old woman (тогда старуха), who was a fairy (которая была фея), told him a great deal that would happen to him (рассказала ему большую долю того, что случится с ним), and what he ought to do in all circumstances (и что он должен делать во всех обстоятельствах); and after that she vanished in an instant out of his sight (и после этого она исчезла в мгновение из его вида). He went on a great way further (он прошел большой путь дальше), and then he came up to the old man (и тогда он подошел к старику) herding the sheep (сторожившему овец); and when he asked whose sheep these were (и когда он спросил, чьи это были овцы), the answer was (ответ был):

‘The Red Ettin of Ireland (Рыжий Эттин из Ирландии)
Once lived in Ballygan (когда-то жил в Баллигане),
And stole King Malcolm’s daughter (и похитил дочь короля Малькольма),
The king of fair Scotland (короля прекрасной Шотландии).
He beats her, he binds her (он бьет ее, он связывает ее),
He lays her on a band (он кладет ее на ленту);
And every day he strikes her (и каждый день он бьет ее)
With a bright silver wand (ярким серебряным прутом).
Like Julian the Roman (как Юлиан-римлянин),
He’s one that fears no man (он тот, кто не боится никакого человека).

‘But now I fear his end is near (но теперь, я боюсь, его конец близок),
And destiny at hand (и судьба у порога: «у руки»);
And you’re to be, I plainly see (и тебе быть, я ясно вижу),
The heir of all his land (наследником всей его земли).’

When he came to the place where the monstrous beasts were standing (когда он пришел к месту, где стояли чудовищные звери), he did not stop (он не остановился) nor run away (и не убежал прочь), but went boldly through amongst them (но пошел смело среди них). One came up roaring (один подошел, рыча) with open mouth to devour him (с открытой пастью, чтобы сожрать его), when he struck it with his wand (когда он ударил его своим волшебным жезлом»), and laid it in an instant dead at his feet (и уложил его в мгновение мертвым у своих ног; to lay — класть). He soon came to the Ettin’s castle (скоро он пришел к замку Эттина), where he knocked (где он постучал), and was admitted (и был впущен). The old woman who sat by the fire (старуха, которая сидела у огня) warned him of the terrible Ettin (предупредила его об ужасном Эттине), and what had been the fate of his brother (и что было судьбой его брата); but he was not to be daunted (но его нельзя было обескуражить /этим/). The monster soon came in, saying (монстр скоро вошел, говоря):

‘Snouk but and snouk ben,
I find the smell of an earthly man (я нахожу запах земного человека),
Be he living, or be he dead (будь он жив или будь он мертв),
His heart this night shall kitchen my bread (его сердце этой ночью украсит мой хлеб).’

bannock [`bænək], circumstance [`sə:kəmstəns], admit [əd`mıt]

So he went away on his journey; and after he had travelled a far way, he met with an old woman that asked him if he would give her a bit of his bannock. And he said: ‘I will gladly do that’, and so he gave her a piece of the bannock; and for that she gave him a magic wand, that might yet be of service to him, if he took care to use it rightly. Then the old woman, who was a fairy, told him a great deal that would happen to him, and what he ought to do in all circumstances; and after that she vanished in an instant out of his sight. He went on a great way further, and then he came up to the old man herding the sheep; and when he asked whose sheep these were, the answer was:

‘The Red Ettin of Ireland
Once lived in Ballygan,
And stole King Malcolm’s daughter,
The king of fair Scotland.
He beats her, he binds her,
He lays her on a band;
And every day he strikes her
With a bright silver wand
Like Julian the Roman,
He’s one that fears no man.

‘But now I fear his end is near,
And destiny at hand;
And you’re to be, I plainly see,
The heir of all his land.’

When he came to the place where the monstrous beasts were standing, he did not stop nor run away, but went boldly through amongst them. One came up roaring with open mouth to devour him, when he struck it with his wand, and laid it in an instant dead at his feet. He soon came to the Ettin’s castle, where he knocked, and was admitted. The old woman who sat by the fire warned him of the terrible Ettin, and what had been the fate of his brother; but he was not to be daunted. The monster soon came in, saying:

‘Snouk but and snouk ben,
I find the smell of an earthly man,
Be he living, or be he dead,
His heart this night shall kitchen my bread.’

He quickly espied the young man (он скоро обнаружил молодого человека), and bade him come forth on the floor (и приказал ему выйти вперед). And then he put the three questions to him (а затем он задал: «поставил» три вопроса ему); but the young man had been told everything by the good fairy (но добрая фея все сказала молодому человеку: «молодому человеку было сказано все доброй феей»), so he was able to answer all the questions (так что он был способен ответить на все вопросы). So when the first head asked (когда первая голова спросила), ‘What’s the thing without an end (что есть вещь без конца)?’ he said (он сказал): ‘A bowl (шар).’ And when the second head said (а когда вторая голова сказала): ‘The smaller the more dangerous; what’s that (чем меньше, тем опаснее, что это)?’ he said at once (он сказал сразу), ‘A bridge (мост).’ And last (наконец), the third head said (третья голова сказала): ‘When does the dead carry the living, riddle me that (когда мертвец несет живого, угадай мне это)?’ Then the young man answered up at once and said (тогда молодой человек ответил тут же и сказал): ‘When a ship sails on the sea (когда корабль плывет по морю) with men inside her (с людьми внутри него: «внутри нее»; слово ‘корабль’ в англ. яз. — женского рода).’ When the Ettin found this (когда Эттин обнаружил это), he knew that his power was gone (он узнал = понял, что его власть ушла). The young man then took up an axe (молодой человек тогда взял топор) and hewed off the monster’s three heads (и отсек три головы чудовища). He next asked the old woman to show him (затем он попросил старуху показать ему) where the king’s daughter lay (где лежала дочь короля); and the old woman took him upstairs (и старуха отвела его наверх), and opened a great many doors (и открыла множество дверей), and out of every door came a beautiful lady (и из каждой двери вышла прекрасная дама) who had been imprisoned there by the Ettin (которая была заточена там Эттином); and one of the ladies was the king’s daughter (и одна из дам была дочерью короля). She also took him down into a low room (она также отвела его вниз в нижнюю комнату), and there stood a stone pillar (и там стоял каменный столб), that he had only to touch with his wand (которого ему надо было лишь коснуться своим жезлом = стоило лишь прикоснуться…), when his brother started into life (и: «когда» его брат пробудился к жизни). And the whole of the prisoners were overjoyed at their deliverance (и все узники были вне себя от радости от своего освобождения), for which they thanked the young man (за которое они благодарили молодого человека). Next day they all set out for the king’s court (на следующий день они все направились ко двору короля), and a gallant company they made (и прекрасную компанию они составили). And the king married his daughter to the young man that had delivered her (а король выдал свою дочь за того молодого человека, который ее освободил), and gave a noble’s daughter to his brother (и дал дочь благородного /человека/ его брату); and so they all lived happily all the rest of their days (и так они все жили счастливо весь остаток их дней).

espy [ı`spaı], prisoner [`prıznə], noble [nəubl]

He quickly espied the young man, and bade him come forth on the floor. And then he put the three questions to him; but the young man had been told everything by the good fairy, so he was able to answer all the questions. So when the first head asked, ‘What’s the thing without an end?’ he said: ‘A bowl.’ And when the second head said: ‘The smaller the more dangerous; what’s that?’ he said at once, ‘A bridge.’ And last, the third head said: ‘When does the dead carry the living, riddle me that?’ Then the young man answered up at once and said: ‘When a ship sails on the sea with men inside her.’ When the Ettin found this, he knew that his power was gone. The young man then took up an axe and hewed off the monster’s three heads. He next asked the old woman to show him where the king’s daughter lay; and the old woman took him upstairs, and opened a great many doors, and out of every door came a beautiful lady who had been imprisoned there by the Ettin; and one of the ladies was the king’s daughter. She also took him down into a low room, and there stood a stone pillar, that he had only to touch with his wand, when his brother started into life. And the whole of the prisoners were overjoyed at their deliverance, for which they thanked the young man. Next day they all set out for the king’s court, and a gallant company they made. And the king married his daughter to the young man that had delivered her, and gave a noble’s daughter to his brother; and so they all lived happily all the rest of their days.

The Golden Arm (Золотая рука)

THERE was once a man (жил-был однажды человек) who travelled the land all over (который путешествовал по всей земле) in search of a wife (в поисках жены). He saw young and old (он видел молодых и старых), rich and poor (богатых и бедных), pretty and plain (хорошеньких и некрасивых), and could not meet with one to his mind (и не мог встретиться ни с одной, подходящей ему по душе). At last he found a woman (наконец он нашел женщину), young, fair, and rich (молодую, красивую и богатую), who possessed a right arm of solid gold (которая обладала правой рукой из цельного золота). He married her at once (он женился на ней сразу же), and thought no man so fortunate as he was (и не полагал ни одного человека таким счастливым, каким был он). They lived happily together (они жили счастливо вместе), but, though he wished people to think otherwise (но, хотя он желал, чтобы люди думали иначе), he was fonder of the golden arm (он был влюбленнее в золотую руку) than of all his wife’s gifts besides (чем во все дарования его жены помимо этого = чем во все другие ее дарования).

At last she died (наконец она умерла). The husband put on the blackest black (муж надел чернейшую черную /одежду/), and pulled the longest face at the funeral (и вытянул самое длинное лицо на похоронах); but for all that (но при этом) he got up in the middle of the night (он проснулся в середине ночи), dug up the body (выкопал тело; to dig — копать), and cut off the golden arm (и отрезал золотую руку). He hurried home to hide his treasure (он поспешил домой спрятать свое сокровище), and thought no one would know (и подумал, что никто не узнает).

The following night (следующей ночью) he put the golden arm under his pillow (он положил золотую руку под свою подушку), and was just falling asleep (и как раз засыпал), when the ghost of his dead wife (когда привидение, дух его мертвой жены) glided into the room (скользнуло в комнату). Stalking up to the bedside it drew the curtain (прокравшись к кровати, оно отодвинуло занавеску), and looked at him reproachfully (и посмотрело на него укоризненно; reproach — упрек). Pretending not to be afraid (притворяясь не быть испуганным), he spoke to the ghost (он заговорил с привидением), and said (и сказал): ‘What hast thou done with thy cheeks so red (что ты сделала с твоими щеками, /обычно/ такими румяными)?’

‘All withered and wasted away (все поблекло и зачахло),’ replied the ghost in a hollow tone (ответило привидение гулким голосом).

‘What hast thou done with thy red rosy lips (что ты сделала с твоими красными розовыми губами)?’

‘All withered and wasted away (все поблекло и зачахло).’

‘What hast thou done with thy golden hair (что ты сделала с твоими золотыми волосами)?’

‘All withered and wasted away (все поблекло и зачахло).’

‘What hast thou done with thy Golden Arm (что ты сделала со своей золотой рукой)?’

‘THOU HAST IT (она у тебя: «ты имеешь ее»)!’

otherwise [`Aðəwaız], ghost [gəust], curtain [kə:tn]

THERE was once a man who travelled the land all over in search of a wife. He saw young and old, rich and poor, pretty and plain, and could not meet with one to his mind. At last he found a woman, young, fair, and rich, who possessed a right arm of solid gold. He married her at once, and thought no man so fortunate as he was. They lived happily together, but, though he wished people to think otherwise, he was fonder of the golden arm than of all his wife’s gifts besides.

At last she died. The husband put on the blackest black, and pulled the longest face at the funeral; but for all that he got up in the middle of the night, dug up the body, and cut off the golden arm. He hurried home to hide his treasure, and thought no one would know.

The following night he put the golden arm under his pillow, and was just falling asleep, when the ghost of his dead wife glided into the room. Stalking up to the bedside it drew the curtain, and looked at him reproachfully. Pretending not to be afraid, he spoke to the ghost, and said: ‘What hast thou done with thy cheeks so red?’

‘All withered and wasted away,’ replied the ghost in a hollow tone.

‘What hast thou done with thy red rosy lips?’

‘All withered and wasted away.’

‘What hast thou done with thy golden hair?’

‘All withered and wasted away.’

‘What hast thou done with thy Golden Arm?’

‘THOU HAST IT!’

The History of Tom Thumb (История Тома Тамба /Тома-Большого пальца/)

IN the days of the great King Arthur (во дни великого короля Артура) there lived a mighty magician (жил могущественный волшебник), called Merlin (по имени: «названный» Мерлин), the most learned and skilful enchanter (самый ученый и умелый заклинатель) the world has ever seen (которого когда-либо видел мир).

This famous magician (этот знаменитый маг), who could take any form he pleased (который мог принимать любую форму, какую он желал), was travelling about as a poor beggar (путешествовал по миру: «вокруг» как бедный попрошайка), and being very tired (и, будучи очень усталым) he stopped at the cottage of a ploughman (он остановился в домике пахаря) to rest himself (отдохнуть), and asked for some food (и попросил какой-нибудь пищи).

The countryman bade him welcome (крестьянин сказал ему ‘добро пожаловать’), and his wife (а его жена), who was a very good-hearted woman (которая была очень добросердечной женщиной), soon brought him some milk (скоро принесла ему немного молока; to bring — приносить) in a wooden bowl (в деревянной миске), and some coarse brown bread on a platter (и немного грубого черного хлеба на блюде).

Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the ploughman and his wife (Мерлину была очень приятна доброта пахаря и его жены); but he could not help noticing (но он не мог не заметить) that though everything was neat and comfortable in the cottage (что, хотя все было опрятно и удобно в домике) they both seemed to be very unhappy (они оба казались быть очень несчастными). He therefore asked them (он поэтому спросил их) why they were so melancholy (почему они были такие меланхоличные/угрюмые), and learned that they were miserable (и узнал, что они были несчастны) because they had no children (потому что они не имели детей).

The poor woman said, with tears in her eyes (бедная женщина сказала со слезами в ее глазах): ‘I should be the happiest creature in the world if I had a son (я была бы счастливейшим существом в мире, если бы у меня был сын); although he was no bigger than my husband’s thumb, I would be satisfied (хоть он был бы не больше, чем большой палец моего мужа, я была бы довольна).’