And the Star-Child went out of the gate of the city, and came to the wood of which the Magician had spoken to him.

Now this wood was very fair to look at from without, and seemed full of singing birds and of sweet-scented flowers, and the Star-Child entered it gladly. Yet did its beauty profit him little, for wherever he went harsh briars and thorns shot up from the ground and encompassed him, and evil nettles stung him, and the thistle pierced him with her daggers, so that he was in sore distress. Nor could he anywhere find the piece of white gold of which the Magician had spoken, though he sought for it from morn to noon, and from noon to sunset. And at sunset he set his face towards home, weeping bitterly, for he knew what fate was in store for him.

 

But when he had reached (но, когда он достиг; to reach — протягивать; достигать /места назначения/) the outskirts of the wood (опушки леса; outskirt — окраина, предместье, опушка леса), he heard from a thicket (он услышал /доносящийся/ из чащи; to hear (heard)) a cry as of some one in pain (страдальческий крик: «словно крик кого-то, испытывающего боль»). And forgetting his own sorrow (и, забывая о своей собственной печали) he ran back to the place (он побежал к тому самому месту /откуда доносился крик/), and saw there a little Hare (и увидел там маленького Зайчика) caught in a trap (попавшего в капкан; to catch (caught)) that some hunter had set for it (расставленный каким-то охотником: «который какой-то охотник расставил на /зайца/»).

 

cry [kraI] sorrow ['sOrqV] hare [heq] caught [kO:t] hunter ['hAntq]

 

But when he had reached the outskirts of the wood, he heard from a thicket a cry as of some one in pain. And forgetting his own sorrow he ran back to the place, and saw there a little Hare caught in a trap that some hunter had set for it.

 

And the Star-Child had pity on it (и Звездный Мальчик пожалел его), and released it (и освободил его), and said to it, 'I am myself but a slave (я сам всего лишь раб), yet may I give thee thy freedom (но все же я могу дать тебе /твою/ свободу).'

And the Hare answered him (и Зайчик ответил ему), and said: 'Surely thou hast given me freedom (несомненно, ты дал мне свободу; thou hast = you have), and what shall I give thee in return (а что же мне отдать тебе взамен; return — возвращение; отдача, возврат)?'

And the Star-Child said to it (и Звездный Мальчик сказал ему), 'I am seeking for a piece of white gold (я ищу монету из белого золота), nor can I anywhere find it (и я нигде не могу ее найти), and if I bring it not to my master (и если я не принесу ее своему хозяину) he will beat me (он побьет меня).'

 

pity ['pItI] release [rI'li:s] freedom ['fri:dqm] return [rI'tq:n]

 

And the Star-Child had pity on it, and released it, and said to it, 'I am myself but a slave, yet may I give thee thy freedom.'

And the Hare answered him, and said: 'Surely thou hast given me freedom, and what shall I give thee in return?'

And the Star-Child said to it, 'I am seeking for a piece of white gold, nor can I anywhere find it, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me.'

 

'Come thou with me (пойдем со мной),' said the Hare, 'and I will lead thee to it (и я отведу тебя к ней), for I know where it is hidden (потому что я знаю, где она спрятана; to hide (hid, hidden) — прятать), and for what purpose (и для чего: «и для какой цели»; purpose — цель, намерение).'

So the Star-Child went with the Hare (тогда Звездный Мальчик пошел с Зайчиком), and lo (и, смотри-ка)! in the cleft of a great oak-tree (в трещине огромного дуба) he saw the piece of white gold (он увидел монету из белого золота) that he was seeking (которую он искал). And he was filled with joy (и он был переполнен радостью), and seized it (и схватил ее), and said to the Hare, 'The service that I did to thee (ту услугу, которую я оказал тебе; service — услужение; услуга, одолжение) thou hast rendered back again many times over (ты оплатил мне много-много раз; to render — воздавать, платить; time — время; раз, крат), and the kindness that I showed thee (и за ту доброту, которую я проявил к тебе) thou hast repaid a hundred-fold (ты отплатил мне стократ; to pay (paid) — платить, заплатить).'

 

lead [li:d] hidden [hIdn] purpose ['pq:pqs] cleft [kleft] seize [si:z]

service ['sq:vIs] render ['rendq] repaid [rI'peId]

 

'Come thou with me,' said the Hare, 'and I will lead thee to it, for I know where it is hidden, and for what purpose.'

So the Star-Child went with the Hare, and lo! in the cleft of a great oak-tree he saw the piece of white gold that he was seeking. And he was filled with joy, and seized it, and said to the Hare, 'The service that I did to thee thou hast rendered back again many times over, and the kindness that I showed thee thou hast repaid a hundred-fold.'

 

'Nay (нет),' answered the Hare (ответил Зайчик), 'but as thou dealt with me (как ты обошелся со мной; to deal (dealt) — распределять; обходиться, обращаться), so I did deal with thee (так и я поступил с тобою),' and it ran away swiftly (и он быстро убежал), and the Star-Child went towards the city (и Звездный Мальчик пошел к городу).

Now at the gate of the city (а у ворот города) there was seated one who was a leper (сидел один прокаженный: «сидел один /человек/, который был прокаженный»; to seat — сажать, усаживать). Over his face hung a cowl of grey linen (на его лице был: «висел» колпак/капюшон из небеленого: «серого» холста; to hung — вешать, висеть), and through the eyelets (и сквозь отверстия для глаз; eyelet — ушко; небольшое отверстие, дырочка) his eyes gleamed (светились/блестели его глаза) like red coals (похожие на красные угольки). And when he saw the Star-Child coming (и когда он увидел, что идет Звездный Мальчик), he struck upon a wooden bowl (он ударил по деревянной чаше; to strike (struck, stricken) — ударять, бить), and clattered his bell (и загремел своим колокольчиком; to clatter — стучать, греметь), and called out to him (и окликнул его), and said, 'Give me a piece of money (дай мне монету; piece — кусок; монета (тж. a piece of money), money — деньги), or I must die of hunger (или я умру от голода: «или я должен умереть от голода»). For they have thrust me out of the city (потому что они вытолкали меня из города; to thrust (thrust) — толкать, тыкать), and there is no one (и нет никого) who has pity on me (кто сжалился надо мной).'

 

swiftly ['swIftlI] towards [tq'wO:dz] leper ['lepq] coal [kqVl]

clatter ['klxtq] die [daI] thrust [TrAst]

 

'Nay,' answered the Hare, 'but as thou dealt with me, so I did deal with thee,' and it ran away swiftly, and the Star-Child went towards the city.

Now at the gate of the city there was seated one who was a leper. Over his face hung a cowl of grey linen, and through the eyelets his eyes gleamed like red coals. And when he saw the Star-Child coming, he struck upon a wooden bowl, and clattered his bell, and called out to him, and said, 'Give me a piece of money, or I must die of hunger. For they have thrust me out of the city, and there is no one who has pity on me.'

 

'Alas (увы)!' cried the Star-Child, 'I have but one piece of money (у меня всего одна монета) in my wallet (в /моей/ котомке: «бумажнике»), and if I bring it not to my master (и если я не принесу ее моему хозяину) he will beat me (он побьет меня), for I am his slave (потому что я его раб).'

But the leper entreated him (но прокаженный умолял его), and prayed of him (и очень его просил), till the Star-Child had pity (пока Звездный Мальчик не сжалился над ним; pity — жалость, сострадание), and gave him the piece of white gold (и не отдал ему монету из белого золота).

 

wallet ['wOlIt] beat [bi:t] entreat [In'tri:t]

 

'Alas!' cried the Star-Child, 'I have but one piece of money in my wallet, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me, for I am his slave.'