What have I got in my pocket?” he said aloud. He was talking to himself, but Gollum thought it was a riddle, and he was frightfully upset.

“Not fair! not fair!” he hissed. “It isn’t fair, my precious, is it, to ask us what it’s got in its nassty little pocketses?”

Bilbo seeing what had happened and having nothing better to ask stuck to his question.

“What have I got in my pocket?” he said louder. “S-s-s-s-s, ” hissed Gollum. “It must give us three guesseses, my preciouss, three guesseses. ”

Very well! Guess away!” said Bilbo. “Handses!” said Gollum.

“Wrong, ” said Bilbo, who had luckily just taken his hand out again. “Guess again!”

“S-s-s-s-s (с-с-с-с), ” said Gollum more upset than ever (сказал Голлум, расстроенный больше, чем когда-либо; toupset—опрокидывать, переворачивать; расстраивать, огорчать). He thought of all the things (он подумал о всех вещах) he kept in his own pockets (которые он держал в своих собственных карманах): fishbones (рыбьи косточки), goblins’ teeth (зубы гоблинов), wet shells (мокрые раковины), a bit of bat-wing (клочок крыла летучей мыши), a sharp stone to sharpen his fangs on (острый камень для заточки на /нем/ его клыков), and other nasty things (и другие отвратительные вещи). He tried to think what other people kept in their pockets (он попытался подумать, что другие люди держат в своих карманах).

“Knife (нож)!” he said at last (сказал он наконец).

“Wrong (неверно)!” said Bilbo, who had lost his some time ago (который потерял свой некоторое время тому назад). “Last guess (последняя попытка)!” Now Gollum was in a much worse state (теперь Голлум был в гораздо более плохом состоянии) than when Bilbo had asked him the egg-question (чем когда Бильбо задал ему вопрос про яйца). He hissed and spluttered (он шипел и лопотал) and rocked himself backwards and forwards (и качался вперед и назад), and slapped his feet on the floor (и шлепал своими ногами по полу), and wriggled and squirmed (и извивался, и корчился); but still he did not dare to waste his last guess (и все же, он не осмеливался упустить свою последнюю отгадку; to waste — растрачивать, расходовать впустую).

fishbone [ˈfɪʃbǝʋn] batwing [ˈbætwɪŋ] knife [naɪf]

S-s-s-s-s, ” said Gollum more upset than ever. He thought of all the things he kept in his own pockets: fishbones, goblins’ teeth, wet shells, a bit of bat — wing, a sharp stone to sharpen his fangs on, and other nasty things. He tried to think what other people kept in their pockets.

Knife!” he said at last.

Wrong!” said Bilbo, who had lost his some time ago. “Last guess!” Now Gollum was in a much worse state than when Bilbo had asked him the egg — question. He hissed and spluttered and rocked himself backwards and forwards, and slapped his feet on the floor, and wriggled and squirmed; but still he did not dare to waste his last guess.

“Come on (давай же)!” said Bilbo. “I am waiting (я жду)!” He tried to sound bold and cheerful (он постарался, чтобы его голос звучал храбро и бодро), but he did not feel at all sure (но он совсем не чувствовал уверенность) how the game was going to end (как же закончится эта игра), whether Gollum guessed right or not (угадает ли Голлум верно или нет).

“Time’s up (время вышло)!” he said (сказал он).

“String (веревка), or nothing (или ничего)!” shrieked Gollum (закричал Голлум), which was not quite fair (что не было совсем честно) — working in two guesses at once (высказывать сразу два предположения одновременно).

“Both wrong (обе /догадки/ неверны), ” cried Bilbo (закричал Бильбо) very much relieved (с огромным облегчением; to relieve — помогать, оказывать помощь, выручать); and he jumped at once to his feet (и он вскочил тут же на ноги), put his back to the nearest wall (прислонился спиной к ближайшей стене), and held out his little sword (и выставил вперед свой маленький меч). He knew, of course (он знал, конечно), that the riddle-game was sacred (что игра в загадки является священной) and of immense antiquity (и чрезвычайно древней: «неизмеримой древности»), and even wicked creatures were afraid to cheat (и даже злобные существа боялись мошенничать) when they played at it (когда они играли в нее). But he felt he could not trust this slimy thing (но он чувствовал, что он не может доверять этому склизкому существу) to keep any promise (что тот сдержит обещание) at a pinch (в трудную минуту). Any excuse would do for him (любая отговорка подойдет для него;excuse — извинение, оправдание) to slide out of it (чтобы ускользнуть от него /обещания/). And after all (и, в конце концов) that last question had not been a genuine riddle (этот последний вопрос, он не был настоящей загадкой) according to the ancient laws (согласно древним правилам; law — закон).

relieve [rɪˈli: v] jump [dʒʌmp] antiquity [ænˈtɪkwɪtɪ] ancient [ˈeɪnʃ (ǝ) nt]

Come on!” said Bilbo. “I am waiting!” He tried to sound bold and cheerful, but he did not feel at all sure how the game was going to end, whether Gollum guessed right or not. “Time’s up!” he said.