A bit further, ” said Gandalf.

After what seemed ages further they came suddenly to an opening where no trees grew. The moon was up and was shining into the clearing. Somehow it struck all of them as not at all a nice place, although there was nothing wrong to see.

All of a sudden they heard a howl away down hill, a long shuddering howl.

It was answered by another away to the right and a good deal nearer to them, then by another not far away to the left. It was wolves howling at the moon, wolves gathering together!

There were no wolves living near Mr. Baggins’ hole at home (дома, рядом с норкой мистера Бэггинса, волки не жили), but he knew that noise (но он знал этот шум). He had had it described to him often enough in tales (ему его довольно часто описывали в сказках). One of his elder cousins (один из его старших кузенов) (on the Took side (со стороны Туков)), who had been a great traveler (который был великим путешественником), used to imitate it to frighten him (бывало имитировал его, что бы испугать его /Бильбо/). To hear it out in the forest under the moon (услышать его в лесу, под луной) was too much for Bilbo (это было уж слишком для Бильбо). Even magic rings are not much use (даже волшебные кольца не очень уж полезны) against wolves (против волков) — especially against the evil packs (особенно против злобных стай) that lived under the shadow (которые жили по тенью) of the goblin-infested mountains (гор, населенных гоблинам; toinfest—наводнять, паразитировать), over the Edge of the Wild (за Гранью Дикого Края) on the borders of the unknown (на границах с неведомым). Wolves of that sort (волки этого типа) smell keener than goblins (обладают более тонким нюхом, чем гоблины; keen — острый, резкий), and do not need to see you to catch you (и им не надо видеть тебя, чтобы сцапать)!

enough [ɪˈnʌf] cousin [ˈkʌz (ǝ) n] infest [ɪnˈfest]

There were no wolves living near Mr. Baggins’ hole at home, but he knew that noise. He had had it described to him often enough in tales. One of his elder cousins (on the Took side), who had been a great traveller, used to imitate it to frighten him. To hear it out in the forest under the moon was too much for Bilbo. Even magic rings are not much use against wolves — especially against the evil packs that lived under the shadow of the goblin — infested mountains, over the Edge of the Wild on the borders of the unknown. Wolves of that sort smell keener than goblins, and do not need to see you to catch you!

“What shall we do (что же нам делать), what shall we do!” he cried (заплакал он). “Escaping goblins to be caught by wolves (убежать от гоблинов, чтобы быть схваченными волками)!” he said, and it became a proverb (и это стало пословицей), though we now say ‘out of the frying-pan into the fire’ (хотя сейчас мы говорим: "из огня да в полымя": «из сковороды в огонь») in the same sort of uncomfortable situations (в подобных же неуютных ситуациях).

“Up the trees quick (на деревья, живо)!” cried Gandalf (закричал Гэндальф); and they ran to the trees at the edge of the glade (и они побежали к деревьям, /стоящим/ на краю прогалины), hunting for those that had branches fairly low (направляясь к тем /деревьям/, у которых ветви были достаточно низко; to hunt — охотиться; преследовать, разыскивать), or were slender enough to swarm up (или были достаточно гибкими, чтобы по ним можно было вскарабкаться; slender — стройный, скудный, слабый). They found them as quick as ever they could (они обнаружили их так быстро, как только могли), you can guess (можете себе представить); and up they went as high (и взобрались так высоко) as ever they could trust the branches (как только ветви могли их выдержать: «как только они могли доверять ветвям»). You would have laughed (вы бы обхохотались) (from a safe distance (с безопасного расстояния)), if you had seen the dwarves (если бы вы увидели гномов) sitting up in the trees (сидящих высоко на деревьях) with their beards dangling down (со своими бородами, свободно свисающими вниз), like old gentlemen gone cracked (будто старые джентльмены, которые чокнулись; cracked — треснувший; /разг. / выживший из ума) and playing at being boys (и играли в мальчишек). Fili and Kili were at the top of a tall larch (Фили и Кили сидели на верхушке высоченной лиственницы) like an enormous Christmas tree (как на огромнейшей Рождественской елке). Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin were more comfortable (Дори, Нори, Ори, Ойн и Глойн устроились более комфортно) in a huge pine (на огромной сосне) with regular branches sticking out at intervals (с правильными ветвями, выступающими на равных промежутках) like the spokes of a wheel (как спицы в колесе). Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin were in another (Бифур, Бофур, Бомбур и Торин были на другом /дереве/). Dwalin and Balin had swarmed up a tall slender fir (Двалин и Балин взобрались на высокую стройную ель) with few branches (с небольшим количеством ветвей) and were trying to find a place to sit (и пытались найти местечко, где присесть) in the greenery of the topmost boughs (в зелени самых верхних ветвей). Gandalf, who was a good deal taller than the others (Гэндальф, который был значительно выше, чем другие), had found a tree into which they could not climb (нашел дерево, на которое они не смогли бы взобраться), a large pine standing at the very edge of the glade (высокую сосну, стоящую на самом краю прогалины). He was quite hidden in its boughs (он был вполне спрятан за ее ветвями; bough — ветвь), but you could see his eyes gleaming in the moon (но можно было увидеть его глаза, блестящие в лунном /свете/) as he peeped out (когда он выглядывал).

proverb [ˈprɔvǝ: b] frying pan [ˈfraɪɪŋpæn] enormous [ɪˈnɔ: mǝs] Christmas tree

[ˈkrɪsmǝstri:]

What shall we do, what shall we do!” he cried. “Escaping goblins to be caught by wolves!” he said, and it became a proverb, though we now say ‘out of the frying-pan into the fire’ in the same sort of uncomfortable situations.

Up the trees quick!” cried Gandalf; and they ran to the trees at the edge of the glade, hunting for those that had branches fairly low, or were slender enough to swarm up. They found them as quick as ever they could, you can guess; and up they went as high as ever they could trust the branches. You would have laughed (from a safe distance), if you had seen the dwarves sitting up in the trees with their beards dangling down, like old gentlemen gone cracked and playing at being boys. Fili and Kili were at the top of a tall larch like an enormous Christmas tree. Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin were more comfortable in a huge pine with regular branches sticking out at intervals like the spokes of a wheel. Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin were in another. Dwalin and Balin had swarmed up a tall slender fir with few branches and were trying to find a place to sit in the greenery of the topmost boughs. Gandalf, who was a good deal taller than the others, had found a tree into which they could not climb, a large pine standing at the very edge of the glade. He was quite hidden in its boughs, but you could see his eyes gleaming in the moon as he peeped out.

And Bilbo (а Бильбо)? He could not get into any tree (он не мог забраться ни на одно дерево), and was scuttling about from trunk to trunk (и поспешно перебегал от ствола к стволу; to scuttle — поспешно бежать, удирать), like a rabbit that has lost its hole (словно заяц, который потерял свою нору) and has a dog after it (и за которым гонится собака: «имеет собаку за собой»).

“You’ve left the burglar behind again (вы снова позабыли про взломщика; to leave behind — оставлять позади)!” said Nori to Dori looking down (сказал Нори Дори, смотря вниз).

“I can’t be always carrying burglars on my back (я не могу всегда носить взломщиков на своей спине), ” said Dori, “down tunnels and up trees (вниз по туннелям и вверх по деревьям)! What do you think I am (кто, вы думаете, я такой)? A porter (носильщик)?”

“He’ll be eaten (его съедят: «будет съеден») if we don’t do something (если мы чего-нибудь не сделаем), ” said Thorin, for there were howls all around them now (так как вой раздавался теперь всюду вокруг их), getting nearer and nearer (приближаясь все ближе и ближе).

“Dori!” he called (позвал он), for Dori was lowest down in the easiest tree (так как Дори сидел на самом нижнем /суку/, на самом удобном дереве; easy — легкий, нетрудный), “be quick (быстрее), and give Mr. Baggins a hand up (и поднимите мистера Бэггинса наверх: «подайте мистеру Бэггинсу руку вверх»)!”

Dori was really a decent fellow (Дори был, на самом деле, приличным парнем) in spite of his grumbling (несмотря на его ворчание). Poor Bilbo could not reach his hand (бедный Бильбо не мог дотянуться до его руки) even when he climbed down to the bottom branch (даже когда тот опустился до нижней ветки) and hung his arm down (и свесил свою руку вниз) as far as ever he could (настолько, сколько он только смог; far — далеко). So Dori actually climbed out of the tree (тогда Дори на самом деле слез с дерева) and let Bilbo scramble up (и позволил Бильбо вскарабкаться) and stand on his back (и встать на его спину). Just at that moment (как раз в этот момент) the wolves trotted howling into the clearing (волки вбежали рысцой, завывая, на прогалину). All of a sudden (совсем внезапно) there were hundreds of eyes looking at them (сотни глаз уставились на них). Still Dori did not let Bilbo down (и все же Дори не бросил Бильбо в беде; to let down — опускать; подводить). He waited till he had clambered off his shoulders (он подождал, до того, как тот вскарабкался цепляясь с его плеч) into the branches (на ветви), and then he jumped for the branches himself (и тогда прыгнул на ветки сам). Only just in time (и как раз вовремя)!

porter [ˈpɔ: tǝ] grumbling [ˈɡrʌmblɪŋ] clearing [ˈklɪ (ǝ) rɪŋ]