awhile [ǝˈwaɪl] private [ˈpraɪvɪt] wondrous [ˈwʌndrǝs] parapet [ˈpærǝ| pɪt, — pet]
Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay awhile. Elfish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things.
Also he would have liked to have a few private words with these people that seemed to know his name and all about him, although he had never seen them before. He thought their opinion of his adventure might be interesting. Elves know a lot and are wondrous folk for news, and know what is going on among the peoples of the land, as quick as water flows, or quicker. But the dwarves were all for supper as soon as possible just then, and would not stay. On they all went, leading their ponies, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the very brink of the river. It was flowing fast and noisily, as mountain — streams do on a summer evening, when sun has been all day on the snow far up above. There was only a narrow bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; and over that they had to go, slow and careful, one by one, each leading his pony by the bridle. The elves had brought bright lanterns to the shore, and they sang a merry song as the party went across.
“Don’t dip your beard in the foam, father (не макайте вашу бороду в барашки: «пену», папаша)!” they cried to Thorin (кричали они Торину), who was bent almost on to his hands and knees (который согнулся почти что в три погибели: «на свои руки и колени»). “It is long enough (она достаточно длинная) without watering it (и без /дополнительного/ полива). ”
“Mind Bilbo doesn’t eat all the cakes (обратите внимание, чтобы Бильбо не съел все кексы)!” they called (кричали они). “He is too fat (он слишком толстый) to get through key-holes yet (сейчас все еще, чтобы пролезать в замочные скважины)!”
“Hush (тише), hush (тише)! Good People (Эльфы и Феи: «добрые люди»)! and good night (и доброй ночи)!” said Gandalf, who came last (сказал Гэндальф, который шел последним).
“Valleys have ears (у долин есть уши), and some elves have over merry tongues (и у некоторых эльфов веселые языки). Good night (доброй ночи)!” And so at last (и так, в конце концов) they all came to the Last Homely House (все они пришли в Последнее Домашнее Жилище), and found its doors flung wide (и обнаружили, что двери его широко распахнуты; to fling — бросать, метать, кидать, швырять).
Now it is a strange thing (и вот, странное дело), but things that are good to have (но о тех вещах, которые приятно иметь) and days that are good to spend (и о тех днях, которые провел хорошо) are soon told about (рассказать очень быстро), and not much to listen to (и не очень-то интересно слушать); while things that are uncomfortable (в то время как о тех явлениях, которые неудобные), palpitating (трепещущие; topalpitate—сильнобиться, пульсировать, дрожать), and even gruesome (и даже устрашающие), may make a good tale (можно рассказать хорошую историю: /они/ делают, составляют хорошую историю), and take a deal of telling anyway (и занимают уйму /времени/ в любом случае). They stayed long in that good house (они долго оставались в этом хорошем доме), fourteen days at least (по меньшей мере, четырнадцать дней), and they found it hard to leave (и обнаружили, что им трудно его покинуть). Bilbo would gladly have stopped there for ever and ever (Бильбо с радостью остался бы там на веки вечные: «навсегда и навсегда») — even supposing (даже предположив, что) a wish would have taken him right back to his hobbit-hole (что одно только желание вернуло бы его /назад/ в его хоббитовскую нору) without trouble (без затруднения). Yet there is little to tell about their stay (и в то же время, мало что можно сказать об их пребывании там).
foam [fǝʋm] tongue [tʌŋ] palpitating [ˈpælpɪteɪtɪŋ] gruesome [ˈɡru: s (ǝ) m]
“Don’t dip your beard in the foam, father!” they cried to Thorin, who was bent almost on to his hands and knees. “It is long enough without watering it. ” “Mind Bilbo doesn’t eat all the cakes!” they called. “He is too fat to get through key-holes yet!”
“Hush, hush! Good People! and good night!” said Gandalf, who came last. “Valleys have ears, and some elves have over merry tongues. Good night!”
And so at last they all came to the Last Homely House, and found its doors flung wide.
Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway. They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave. Bilbo would gladly have stopped there for ever and ever — even supposing a wish would have taken him right back to his hobbit-hole without trouble. Yet there is little to tell about their stay.
The master of the house was an elf-friend (хозяином дома был друг эльфов) — one of those people (один из тех людей) whose fathers came into the strange stories (чьи отцы попадали в странные истории) before the beginning of History (еще до начала Истории), the wars of the evil goblins and the elves (войн между злыми гоблинами и эльфами) and the first men in the North (и /одними из/ первых людей на Севере). In those days of our tale (в те дни, о которых наша история) there were still some people (были все еще некоторые люди) who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors (которые имели и эльфов, и героев Севера в качестве предков), and Elrond the master of the house was their chief (и Элронд, хозяин дома, был их предводителем). He was as noble (он был также благороден) and as fair in face (и также приятен лицом) as an elf — lord (как властелин эльфов), as strong as a warrior (так же силен как воин), as wise as a wizard (мудр, как волшебник), as venerable as a king of dwarves (так же почитаем, как король гномов), and as kind as summer (и добр, как лето). He comes into many tales (он присутствует во многих историях), but his part in the story of Bilbo’s great adventure (но его роль в истории о великих приключениях Бильбо) is only a small one (только совсем маленькая), though important (хотя важная), as you will see (как вы увидите), if we ever get to the end of it (если мы когда-нибудь доберемся до ее конца). His house was perfect (его дом был совершенным), whether you liked food (нравилось ли вам поесть), or sleep (или поспать), or work (или поработать), or story-telling (или рассказывать истории), or singing (или петь), or just sitting and thinking best (или больше всего /вам нравилось/ сидеть и думать), or a pleasant mixture of them all (или приятная смесь из всех этих /занятий/). Evil things did not come into that valley (злые дела не входили в эту долину).
ancestor [ˈænsǝstǝ] venerable [ˈven (ǝ) rǝb (ǝ) l] mixture [ˈmɪkstʃǝ]
The master of the house was an elf-friend — one of those people whose fathers came into the strange stories before the beginning of History, the wars of the evil goblins and the elves and the first men in the North. In those days of our tale there were still some people who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors, and Elrond the master of the house was their chief. He was as noble and as fair in face as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer. He comes into many tales, but his part in the story of Bilbo’s great adventure is only a small one, though important, as you will see, if we ever get to the end of it. His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story — telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley.
I wish I had time to tell you (как бы мне хотелось, чтобы у меня было время рассказать вам) even a few of the tales (даже хоть несколько рассказов) or one or two of the songs (или одну или две из тех песен) that they heard in that house (что они слышали в том доме). All of them (все они), the ponies as well (пони также), grew refreshed and strong in a few days there (стали более свежими и сильными за несколько дней там). Their clothes were mended (их одежда была заштопана) as well as their bruises (также как /были залечены/ их синяки), their tempers and their hopes (/улучшились/ их настроения и их надежды; to mend — чинить, ремонтировать; улучшать (ся); поправляться /о здоровье/). Their bags were filled with food and provisions (их сумки были наполнены пищей и /продовольственными/ запасами) light to carry (которые легко было нести) but strong to bring them over the mountain passes (но которые придали бы им силы при переходах через гору). Their plans were improved (их планы улучшились; to improve — улучшать) with the best advice (самыми лучшими из советов). So the time came to midsummer eve (тем временем, время подошло к кануну летнего солнцестояния: «середины лета»), and they were to go on again (и они должны были продолжить /путь/ снова) with the early sun on midsummer morning (с ранним солнцем утра дня летнего солнцестояния).
