So they went away and lived happily ever afterward, Best Beloved. That is all.

Oh, now and then you will hear grown-ups say, ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots?’ I don’t think even grown-ups would keep on saying such a silly thing if the Leopard and the Ethiopian hadn’t done it once — do you? But they will never do it again, Best Beloved. They are quite contented as they are.

 

I AMthe Most Wise Baviaan (я Самый Мудрый Павиан), saying in most wise tones (говорящий мудрейшим тоном),
‘Let us melt into the landscape (давай сольемся с пейзажем) — just us two by our lones[55] (только мы одни вдвоем).’
People have come — in a carriage — calling (приехали люди в экипаже — зовут). But Mummy is there (но там Мамочка)….
Yes, I can go if you take me (да, я могу пойти, если ты возьмешь меня) — Nurse says she don’t care (няня говорит, что ей все равно).
Let’s go up to the pig-sties and sit on the farmyard rails (пойдем к свинарнику и посидим на ограде двора фермы)!
Let’s say things to the bunnies (давай поговорим с кроликами), and watch ‘em skitter their tails (и понаблюдаем, как они подергивают своими хвостиками)!
Let’s — oh, anything (давай — ах, что угодно), daddy (папочка), so long as it’s you and me (пока мы с тобой вдвоем — ты и я),
And going truly exploring (и пойдем в настоящий исследовательский поход), and not being in till tea (и будем на улице до чая / ужина)!
Here’s your boots (вот твои ботинки) (I’ve brought ‘em (я принесла их)), and here’s your cap and stick (а вот твоя фуражка и трость).
And here’s your pipe and tobacco (а вот твоя трубка и табак). Oh, come along out of it — quick (ах, идем отсюда — скорей).

 

people [pJpl], carriage ['kxrIG], tobacco [tq'bxkqu]

 

I AM the Most Wise Baviaan, saying in most wise tones,
‘Let us melt into the landscape — just us two by our lones.’
People have come — in a carriage — calling. But Mummy is there….
Yes, I can go if you take me — Nurse says she don’t care.
Let’s go up to the pig-sties and sit on the farmyard rails!
Let’s say things to the bunnies, and watch ‘em skitter their tails!
Let’s — oh, anything, daddy, so long as it’s you and me,
And going truly exploring, and not being in till tea!
Here’s your boots (I’ve brought ‘em), and here’s your cap and stick.
And here’s your pipe and tobacco. Oh, come along out of it — quick.

This is Wise Baviaan (это Мудрый Павиан), the dog-headed Baboon (собакоголовый Бабуин), Who is Quite the Wisest Animal in All South Africa (Который Действительно Мудрейшее Животное во Всей Южной Африке). I have drawn him from a statue (я нарисовал его со статуи) that I made up out of my own head (которую я выдумал из моей собственной головы), and I have written his name on his belt (и я написал его имя на его поясе) and on his shoulder and on the thing he is sitting on (и на его плече и на штуковине, на которой он сидит). I have written it in what is not called Coptic and Hieroglyphic and Cuneiformic and Bengalic and Burmic and Hebric (я написал это не тем, что называется коптским языком, иероглифами, клинописью, бенгали, бирманским языком и ивритом) all because he is so wise (исключительно потому, что он так мудр). He is not beautiful (он не красив), but he is very wise (но он очень мудр); and I should like to paint him with paint-box colours (и я хотел бы раскрасить его красками из коробки красок), but I am not allowed (но мне не разрешают). The umbrellaish thing about his head is his Conventional Mane (зонтоподобная штука у его головы — это его Традиционная Грива; conventional — обычный, обыкновенный, традиционный, условный; umbrella — зонт).

 

statue ['stxtjH], colour ['kAlq], conventional [kqn'venSqnql]

 

This is Wise Baviaan, the dog-headed Baboon, Who is Quite the Wisest Animal in All South Africa. I have drawn him from a statue that I made up out of my own head, and I have written his name on his belt and on his shoulder and on the thing he is sitting on. I have written it in what is not called Coptic and Hieroglyphic and Cuneiformic and Bengalic and Burmic and Hebric, all because he is so wise. He is not beautiful, but he is very wise; and I should like to paint him with paint-box colours, but I am not allowed. The umbrellaish thing about his head is his Conventional Mane.

THIS is the picture, of the Leopard and the Ethiopian (это изображение Леопарда и Эфиопа) after they had taken Wise Baviaan’s advice (после того как они последовали совету Мудрого Павиана) and the Leopard had gone into other spots (и Леопард покрылся пятнами) and the Ethiopian had changed his skin (а Эфиоп сменил свою кожу). The Ethiopian was really a negro (Эфиоп был действительно негр), and so his name was Sambo (и поэтому его звали Самбо[56]). The Leopard was called Spots (Леопарда назвали Пятнистым), and he has been called Spots ever since (и с тех пор его всегда зовут Пятнистым). They are out hunting in the spickly-speckly forest (они вышли на охоту в пятнисто-пятнастом лесу), and they are looking for Mr. One-Two-Three-Where’s-your-Breakfast (и они ищут мистера Раз-два-три-Где-ваш-Завтрак-/посмотри/). If you look a little (если вы немного приглядитесь) you will see Mr. One-Two-Three not far away (недалеко вы увидите мистера Раз-два-три). The Ethiopian has hidden behind a splotchy-blotchy tree (Эфиоп спрятался за пятночно-мазочным деревом) because it matches his skin (потому что оно соответствует его коже), and the Leopard is lying beside a spickly-speckly bank of stones (а Леопард лежит возле пятнасто-пятнистого каменистого берега) because it matches his spots (потому что он подходит к его пятнам). Mr. One-Two-Three-Where’s-your-Breakfast is standing up eating leaves from a tall tree (мистер Раз-два-три-Где-ваш-Завтрак-посмотри стоит и объедает листья с высокого дерева). This is really a puzzle-picture like ‘Find the Cat’ (это действительно загадочная картинка, как «найди Кота»[57]).

 

negro ['nJgrqu], leave [lJv], puzzle [pAzl]

 

THIS is the picture, of the Leopard and the Ethiopian after they had taken Wise Baviaan’s advice and the Leopard had gone into other spots and the Ethiopian had changed his skin. The Ethiopian was really a negro, and so his name was Sambo. The Leopard was called Spots, and he has been called Spots ever since. They are out hunting in the spickly-speckly forest, and they are looking for Mr. One-Two-Three-Where’s-your-Breakfast. If you look a little you will see Mr. One-Two-Three not far away. The Ethiopian has hidden behind a splotchy-blotchy tree because it matches his skin, and the Leopard is lying beside a spickly-speckly bank of stones because it matches his spots. Mr. One-Two-Three-Where’s-your-Breakfast is standing up eating leaves from a tall tree. This is really a puzzle-picture like ‘Find the Cat.’

 

THE ELEPHANT’S CHILD

Слоненок

 

IN the High and Far-Off Times (в Высокие и Отдаленные Времена) the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk (у Слона, о Самые Наилюбименькие, не было хобота). He had only a blackish, bulgy nose (у него был лишь черноватый выпуклый нос), as big as a boot (большой, как башмак), that he could wriggle about from side to side (который он мог изгибать из стороны в сторону); but he couldn’t pick up things with it (но он не мог подбирать им предметы). But there was one Elephant (но жил один Слон) — a new Elephant (новый Слон) — an Elephant’s Child (Слоненок) — who was full of ‘satiable curtiosity[58] (который был полон ненасытного вежливого любопытства; insatiable — ненасытный), and that means he asked ever so many questions (а это значит, он задавал чрезвычайно много вопросов). And he lived in Africa (и он жил в Африке), and he filled all Africa with his ‘satiable curtiosities (и он наполнял всю Африку своим ненасытным вежливым любопытством[59]). He asked his tall aunt, the Ostrich (он спрашивал свою высокую тетушку Страусиху), why her tail-feathers grew just so (почему ее хвостовые перья росли именно так), and his tall aunt the Ostrich spanked him with her hard, hard claw (и его высокая тетушка Страусиха хлопала его своей твердой-твердой лапой).

 

elephant ['elIfqnt], aunt [Rnt], ostrich ['OstrIC]

 

IN the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose, as big as a boot, that he could wriggle about from side to side; but he couldn’t pick up things with it. But there was one Elephant — a new Elephant — an Elephant’s Child — who was full of ‘satiable curtiosity, and that means he asked ever so many questions. And he lived in Africa, and he filled all Africa with his ‘satiable curtiosities. He asked his tall aunt, the Ostrich, why her tail-feathers grew just so, and his tall aunt the Ostrich spanked him with her hard, hard claw.

 

He asked his tall uncle, the Giraffe (он спрашивал своего высокого дядюшку Жирафа), what made his skin spotty (что сделало его шкуру пятнистой = отчего у него пятнистая шкура), and his tall uncle, the Giraffe, spanked him with his hard, hard hoof (и его высокий дядюшка Жираф ударял его своим твердым-твердым копытом). And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity (и тем не менее = все равно он был полон ненасытного вежливого любопытства)! He asked his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus (он спрашивал свою обширную тетушку Бегемотиху), why her eyes were red (почему у нее красные глаза), and his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, spanked him with her broad, broad hoof (и его обширная тетушка Бегемотиха лягала его своим широким-широким копытом); and he asked his hairy uncle, the Baboon (и он спрашивал своего волосатого дядюшку Бабуина), why melons tasted just so (почему дыни на вкус именно такие), and his hairy uncle, the Baboon, spanked him with his hairy, hairy paw (и его волосатый дядюшка Бабуин шлепал его своей волосатой-волосатой лапой). And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity (и все равно он был полон ненасытного вежливого любопытства)! He asked questions about everything that he saw (он задавал вопросы обо всем, что он видел), or heard, or felt, or smelt, or touched (или слышал, или чувствовал, или обонял, или касался; to hear; to feel; to smell), and all his uncles and his aunts spanked him (и все его дядюшки и его тетушки шлепали его). And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity (и все равно он был полон ненасытного вежливого любопытства)!

 

uncle [ANkl], broad [brLd], hoof [hHf]

 

He asked his tall uncle, the Giraffe, what made his skin spotty, and his tall uncle, the Giraffe, spanked him with his hard, hard hoof. And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity! He asked his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, why her eyes were red, and his broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, spanked him with her broad, broad hoof; and he asked his hairy uncle, the Baboon, why melons tasted just so, and his hairy uncle, the Baboon, spanked him with his hairy, hairy paw. And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity! He asked questions about everything that he saw, or heard, or felt, or smelt, or touched, and all his uncles and his aunts spanked him. And still he was full of ‘satiable curtiosity!

 

One fine morning in the middle of the Precession of the Equinoxes (одним прекрасным утром посреди Предварения / Прецессии Равноденствий) this ‘satiable Elephant’s Child asked a new fine question (этот ненасытный Слоненок задал новый превосходный вопрос) that he had never asked before (который он не задавал никогда прежде). He asked, ‘What does the Crocodile have for dinner (он спросил: что Крокодил ест на обед)?’ Then everybody said, ‘Hush!’ in a loud and dretful[60] tone (тогда все сказали: ш-ш — громким и раздрастрашным тоном), and they spanked him immediately and directly (и они стали немедленно и тотчас шлепать его), without stopping, for a long time (/и шлепали его/ долгое время без перерыва).

By and by, when that was finished (вскоре, когда это закончилось), he came upon Kolokolo Bird sitting in the middle of a wait-a-bit thorn-bush (он случайно встретил Птичку Колоколо, сидевшую в середине сассапарили круглолистной[61]), and he said (и он сказал), ‘My father has spanked me (мой отец шлепал меня), and my mother has spanked me (и моя мать шлепала меня); all my aunts and uncles have spanked me for my ‘satiable curtiosity (все мои тетушки и дядюшки шлепали меня за мою ненасытное вежливое любопытство); and still I want to know what the Crocodile has for dinner (а я все равно хочу знать, что ест Крокодил на обед)!’

 

equinox ['JkwInOks], crocodile ['krOkqdaIl], immediately [I'mJdIqtlI]

 

One fine morning in the middle of the Precession of the Equinoxes this ‘satiable Elephant’s Child asked a new fine question that he had never asked before. He asked, ‘What does the Crocodile have for dinner?’ Then everybody said, ‘Hush!’ in a loud and dretful tone, and they spanked him immediately and directly, without stopping, for a long time.

By and by, when that was finished, he came upon Kolokolo Bird sitting in the middle of a wait-a-bit thorn-bush, and he said, ‘My father has spanked me, and my mother has spanked me; all my aunts and uncles have spanked me for my ‘satiable curtiosity; and still I want to know what the Crocodile has for dinner!’

 

Then Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry (тогда Птичка Колоколо сказала с печальным криком), ‘Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River (иди на берега великой серо-зеленой жирной реки Лимпопо), all set about with fever-trees, and find out (полностью усаженной = заросшей /по берегам/ хинными деревьями, и узнаешь).’

That very next morning (прямо на следующее утро), when there was nothing left of the Equinoxes (когда от равноденствий ничего не осталось), because the Precession had preceded according to precedent (потому что Прецессия случилась предварительно в соответствии с прецедентом), this ‘satiable Elephant’s Child took a hundred pounds of bananas (этот ненасытный Слоненок взял сотню фунтов бананов[62]) (the little short red kind (маленького коротенького красненького сорта)), and a hundred pounds of sugar-cane (и сотню фунтов сахарного тростника) (the long purple kind (длинного пурпурного сорта)), and seventeen melons (и семнадцать дынь) (the greeny-crackly kind (зеленовато-хрустящего сорта)), and said to all his dear families (и сказал всем своим дорогим семействам), ‘Goodbye (до свидания). I am going to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River (я ухожу к великой серо-зеленой жирной реке Лимпопо), all set about with fever-trees (полностью заросшей /по берегам/ хинными деревьями), to find out what the Crocodile has for dinner (чтобы узнать, что ест на обед Крокодил).’ And they all spanked him once more for luck (и они все отшлепали его еще раз на счастье), though he asked them most politely to stop (хотя он просил их очень вежливо перестать).

 

greasy ['grJsI], fever ['fJvq], politely [pq'laItlI]

 

Then Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry, ‘Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out.’

That very next morning, when there was nothing left of the Equinoxes, because the Precession had preceded according to precedent, this ‘satiable Elephant’s Child took a hundred pounds of bananas (the little short red kind), and a hundred pounds of sugar-cane (the long purple kind), and seventeen melons (the greeny-crackly kind), and said to all his dear families, ‘Goodbye. I am going to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, to find out what the Crocodile has for dinner.’ And they all spanked him once more for luck, though he asked them most politely to stop.

 

Then he went away (тогда он ушел), a little warm (немного разгоряченный), but not at all astonished (но совсем не удивленный), eating melons (/он/ ел дыни), and throwing the rind about (и разбрасывал кожуру), because he could not pick it up (потому что он не мог ее подбирать).

He went from Graham’s Town to Kimberley (он пошел от Города Грэма в Кимберли), and from Kimberley to Khama’s Country (а из Кимберли в Страну Хамы), and from Khama’s Country he went east by north (а из Страны Хамы он пошел на восток к северу), eating melons all the time (и все время ел дыни), till at last he came to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River (пока наконец он /не/ пришел к берегам великой серо-зеленой жирной реки Лимпопо), all set about with fever-trees (полностью заросшей /по берегам/ хинными деревьями), precisely as Kolokolo Bird had said (в точности такой, как говорила Птичка Колоколо).

 

warm [wLm], throw [Trqu], north [nLT]