curiosity ["kjuqrI`OsItI], seize [sJz], distance [`dIst(q)ns], expose [Iks`pquz], climb [klaIm], bushy [`buSI], observe [qb`zq:v]
One day, however, a curiosity seized him to know what this laughing business might be. He took his boy and followed the Bears at a distance, not choosing to be seen. Their trail led to the shore of the Great Water, and when he had come as near as he could without exposing himself, he climbed a tall pine from whose bushy top he could observe all that took place.
The gathering of the Bears was on a deep bay (собрание Медведей было в глубокой бухте) that jutted inland (что вдавалась в сушу; inland — внутрь страны, вглубь страны; to jut = jut out — выдаваться, выступать ). Its rocky shores were quite black with them (ее скалистые берега были черны от них; rock — скала, утес), and as soon as all had become quiet (и как только все стали тихими = все замолчали), an old Bear advanced to the water's edge (старый Медведь приблизился к краю воды; to advance — выдвинуться, продвинуться) and called in a loud voice (и позвал громким голосом):
"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh (Смехунчик, мы пришли смеяться)!"
gathering [`gxDqrIN], inland [`Inlqnd], laugh [lRf], advance [qd`vQ:ns], maker [`meIkq]
The gathering of the Bears was on a deep bay that jutted inland. Its rocky shores were quite black with them, and as soon as all had become quiet, an old Bear advanced to the water's edge and called in a loud voice:
"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh!"
When he had called four times (когда он позвал четыре раза), a small object appeared in the midst of the water (маленькое существо появилось среди воды; object — предмет, вещь; объект) and began to swim toward the shore (и поплыло: «начало плыть» по направлению к берегу). By and by the strange creature sprawled (вскоре странное создание растянулось; by and by — вскоре) and clambered out upon a solitary rock (и вскарабкалось на одиночный камень; to clamber — карабкаться, цепляться, взбираться) that stood partly above the water (который выступал частично над водой; to stand).
object [`ObGIkt], toward [tq`wO:d], clamber [`klxmbq], solitary [`sOlIt(q)rI]
When he had called four times, a small object appeared in the midst of the water and began to swim toward the shore. By and by the strange creature sprawled and clambered out upon a solitary rock that stood partly above the water.
The Laugh-maker was hairless (Смехунчик был безволосым) and wrinkled like a new-born child (и морщинистым, словно новорожденный ребенок); it had the funniest feet (у него были забавнейшие лапки; funny — забавный, смешной; смехотворный; комический, курьезный, потешный; /разг./ странный), or hands (или ручки), or flippers (или ласты), with which it tried to walk (при помощи которых он пытался идти), but only tumbled and flopped about (но только спотыкался/кувыркался и шлепал; to flop about). In the water it was graceful enough (в воде он был довольно грациозен), but on dry land so ungainly and ridiculous (но на суше — такой неуклюжий и смешной) that the vast concourse of Bears (что огромное скопление Медведей) was thrown into fits of hysterical laughter (тотчас же впало в состояние истерического смеха: «было /немедленно/ приведено в состояние истерического смеха»; to throw — бросить; привести немедленно в какое-либо состояние; fit — припадок, приступ).
hairless [`heqlIs], flipper [`flIpq], graceful [`greIsful], ungainly [An`geInlI], ridiculous [rI`dIkjulqs], vast [vQ:st], concourse [`kONkO:s], hysterical [hIs`terIk(q)l]
The Laugh-maker was hairless and wrinkled like a new-born child; it had the funniest feet, or hands, or flippers, with which it tried to walk, but only tumbled and flopped about. In the water it was graceful enough, but on dry land so ungainly and ridiculous that the vast concourse of Bears was thrown into fits of hysterical laughter.
"Ha, ha, ha (ха-ха-ха)! Waugh, Waugh (хо-хо-хо)!" they roared (они ревели/хохотали), lifting their ugly long muzzles (поднимая свои некрасивые длинные морды; ugly — уродливый, некрасивый) and opening their gaping jaws (и раскрыв зияющие пасти). Some of them could no longer hold (некоторые из них не могли больше удержаться) on to the boughs of the trees (на ветвях деревьев), or the rocks (или /на/ скалах) on which they had perched (на которые они взгромоздились), and came tumbling down on the heads of the crowd (и падали вниз на головы толпы), adding much to the fun (еще больше увеличивая всеобщее веселье: «добавляя много к веселью»).
muzzle [mAzl], bough [bau], perch [pWC]
"Ha, ha, ha! Waugh, waugh!" they roared, lifting their ugly long muzzles and opening their gaping jaws. Some of them could no longer hold on to the boughs of the trees, or the rocks on which they had perched, and came tumbling down on the heads of the crowd, adding much to the fun.
Every motion of the little "Laugh-maker"(каждое движение маленького «Смехунчика») produced fresh roars of immoderate laughter (производило = вызывало свежие = новые взрывы неудержимого хохота; immoderate — излишний, неумеренный, чрезмерный, непомерный).
At last the Bears grew weak and helpless with laughing (наконец, Медведи стали слабыми и беспомощными от смеха). Hundreds of them sprawled out upon the sand (сотни из них развалились на песке), quite unable to rise (совершенно неспособные подняться). Then the old man again advanced (тогда старик снова вышел /вперед/) and cried out (и выкрикнул):
"Laugh-maker (Смехунчик), we are almost dead with laughing (мы почти мертвы от смеха)!" Upon this the little creature (на это маленькое существо) swam back into deep water (соскользнуло назад в глубокую воду; to swim —плавать) and disappeared (и исчезло).
produce [prq`dju:s], roar [rO:], immoderate [I`mOd(q)rqt], advance [qd`vRns], creature [`krJCq], almost [`Llmqust], disappear ["dIsq`pIq]
Every motion of the little "Laugh-maker" produced fresh roars of immoderate laughter.
At last the Bears grew weak and helpless with laughing. Hundreds of them sprawled out upon the sand, quite unable to rise. Then the old man again advanced and cried out:
"Laugh-maker, we are almost dead with laughing!" Upon this the little creature swam back into deep water and disappeared.
Now the stranger was not at all amused (но вот чужаку не было смешно вовсе; to amuse smb. — рассмешить, развеселить, позабавить кого-либо) and in fact could see nothing to laugh at (и, вообще-то: «фактически», /он/ не видел ничего забавного: «ничего, над чем посмеяться»). When all the Bears had got up (когда все Медведи встали; to get up) and dispersed to their homes (и рассеялись по своим домам) he came down from the tree with his little son (он спустился вниз с дерева со своим маленьким сыном), and the child wished to imitate his great-grandfather Bear (и ребенок захотел воспроизвести своего прадедушку Mедведя). He went out alone on the sandy beach (он вышел один на песчаный пляж) and began to call in his piping voice (и начал звать пронзительным голосом):
amuse [q`mjHz], disperse [dIs`pWs], imitate [`ImIteIt]
Now the stranger was not at all amused and in fact could see nothing to laugh at. When all the Bears had got up and dispersed to their homes he came down from the tree with his little son, and the child wished to imitate his great-grandfather Bear. He went out alone on the sandy beach and began to call in his piping voice:
"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh (Смехунчик, мы пришли смеяться)!"
When he had called four times (когда он позвал четыре раза), the little creature again showed its smooth black head above the water (маленькое создание снова показало свою гладкую черную голову над водой).
"Ha, ha, ha (ха, ха, ха)! Why don't you laugh, papa (почему ты не смеешься, папа)? It is so funny (он такой забавный)!" the boy cried out breathlessly (мальчик выкрикнул, задыхаясь; breathless — бездыханный; задыхающийся; breath — дыхание).
But his father looked on soberly (но отец смотрел серьезно; sober — непьющий, трезвый; рассудительный; благоразумный, здравомыслящий, спокойный) while the thing went through all its usual antics (пока существо проделывало все эти нелепые движения; antic — гротескно искаженное скульптурное изображение /горгулий, кариатид и т. п./; antics — эксцентричный поступки, нелепые выходки; кривлянье), and the little boy laughed harder and harder (и маленький мальчик смеялся /все/ сильнее/натужнее; hard — твердый;энергичный), until at last he rolled and rolled on the sandy beach (пока, наконец, он не /начал/ кататься и кататься по песчаному пляжу), almost dead with laughter (почти неживой от смеха).
breathlessly [`breTlIslI], soberly [`squbqlI], beach [bJC], usual [`ju:Zuql], antics [`xntIks]
"Laugh-maker, we are come to laugh!"
When he had called four times, the little creature again showed its smooth black head above the water.
"Ha, ha, ha! Why don't you laugh, papa? It is so funny!" the boy cried out breathlessly.
But his father looked on soberly while the thing went through all its usual antics, and the little boy laughed harder and harder, until at last he rolled and rolled on the sandy beach, almost dead with laughter.
"Papa (папа)," he gasped (задохнулся он /от смеха/ = с трудом проговорил он сквозь смех; to gasp — дышать с трудом, задыхаться; ловить воздух), "if you do not stop this funny thing I shall die (если ту не остановишь это смешное существо, я умру)!"
Then the father picked up his bow and strung it (отец подобрал свой лук и натянул его; to string). He gave one more look at his boy (он еще раз взглянул на сына), who was gasping for breath (кто задыхался, /пытаясь/ вдохнуть; breath — дыхание, вздох); then he fitted a sharp arrow to the bow (затем он приладил острую стрелу к луку) and pierced the little Laugh-maker to the heart (и поразил маленького Смехунчика в сердце). He went out and took the skin (он вышел и взял шкуру), and they returned in silence to the camp of the Bears (и они вернулись в молчании в стойбище Медведей).
gasp [gRsp], sharp [SRp], return [rI`tWn]
"Papa," he gasped, "if you do not stop this funny thing I shall die!"
Then the father picked up his bow and strung it. He gave one more look at his boy, who was gasping for breath; then he fitted a sharp arrow to the bow and pierced the little Laugh-maker to the heart. He went out and took the skin, and they returned in silence to the camp of the Bears.
Now the next time that the herald called upon the Bears to "go a-laughing," (ну и вот, следующий раз, когда глашатай призвал Медведей посмеяться) the skin of the Laugh-maker was almost dry (шкура Смехунчика была почти сухой = почти высохла), but they knew nothing of it (но они ничего не знали об этом). They went away as usual (они ушли как обычно), and left the young man alone with his son (и оставили молодого человека одного с его сыном). But he (но он), knowing that his wife's kinsfolk would kill him (зная, что родня его жены убьет его) when they discovered (когда они обнаружат) what he had done (что он сделал), took the skin for a quiver (взял шкуру для колчана = чтобы сшить из нее колчан) and went homeward with his child (и направился домой со своим ребенком; homeward — домой, к дому; на родину).
almost [`Llmqust], alone [q`lqun], quiver [`kwIvq]
Now the next time that the herald called upon the Bears to "go a-laughing," the skin of the Laugh-maker was almost dry, but they knew nothing of it. They went away as usual, and left the young man alone with his son. But he, knowing that his wife's kinsfolk would kill him when they discovered what he had done, took the skin for a quiver and went homeward with his child.
