“How high do you suppose it is (как высоко, вы предполагаете, это есть)?” she said aloud (она проговорила вслух) as she danced (в то время как она танцевала = танцуя).
The King looked up at the Moon (король посмотрел вверх на Луну).
“At least a mile, I should think (по меньшей мере миля, я бы полагал),” said he.
The Red Cow nodded (Рыжая Корова кивнула). She thought so, too (она думала, что столько же: «она думала так тоже»). For a moment she considered (на мгновенье она соображала; toconsider — взвешивать, обдумывать), and then she made up her mind (а затем она решила; tomakeupone’smind — принять решение: «сделать = настроить свой разум»).
“I never thought (я никогда не думала) that I should come to this (что я могла бы прийти к этому = что я дойду до такого), your Majesty (Ваше Величество). Jumping (прыжок) — and over the moon at that (и через Луну при этом). But — I’ll try it (но — я буду пробовать это),” she said and curtseyed gracefully to the throne (и сделала реверанс грациозно в сторону трона).
“Good (хорошо),” said the King pleasantly (сказал Король весело/удовлетворенно), realizing that he would be in time for the Barber (осознавая, что он будет вовремя у цирюльника), after all (после всего = в конце концов). “Follow me (следуйте за мной)!”
He led the way into the garden (он повел по дороге внутрь сада), and the Red Cow and the Courtiers followed him (и Рыжая Корова и придворные следовали за ним).
“Now (теперь),” said the King, when he reached the open lawn (когда он дошел до открытой лужайки; to reach — протягивать, вытягивать; доходить, достигать), “when I blow the whistle — jump (когда я свистну в свисток — прыгайте)!”
weary ['wIqrI] lawn [lO:n] whistle [wIsl]
The King stood up and shook his sceptre at her.
“Madam,” he said, “you came here for my advice and I have given it to you. Do you want to go on dancing for ever? Do you want to go hungry for ever? Do you want to go sleepless for ever?”
The Red Cow thought of the lush sweet taste of dandelions. She thought of meadow grass and how soft it was to lie on. She thought of her weary, capering legs and how nice it would be to rest them. And she said to herself: “Perhaps, just for once, it wouldn’t matter and nobody — except the King — need know.”
“How high do you suppose it is?” she said aloud as she danced.
The King looked up at the Moon.
“At least a mile, I should think,” said he.
The Red Cow nodded. She thought so, too. For a moment she considered, and then she made up her mind.
“I never thought that I should come to this, your Majesty. Jumping — and over the moon at that. But — I’ll try it,” she said and curtseyed gracefully to the throne.
“Good,” said the King pleasantly, realizing that he would be in time for the Barber, after all. “Follow me!”
He led the way into the garden, and the Red Cow and the Courtiers followed him.
“Now,” said the King, when he reached the open lawn, “when I blow the whistle — jump!”
He took a large golden whistle from his waistcoat pocket (он достал большой золотой свисток из своего кармана жилетки) and blew into it lightly (и дунул в него слегка) to make sure there was no dust in it (чтобы удостовериться, что в нем не было пыли).
The Red Cow danced at attention (Рыжая Корова дотанцевала до стойки "смирно"; to stand at attention — стоятьвположении "смирно"; attention — внимание).
“Now — one (теперь — раз)!” said the King.
“Two (два)!”
“Three (три)!”
Then he blew the whistle (затем он дунул в свисток).
The Red Cow (Рыжая Корова), drawing in her breath (вдохнув: «втягивая свое дыхание»), gave one huge, tremendous jump (дала = сделала один огромный, потрясающий прыжок) and the earth fell away beneath her (и земля исчезла под ней; to fall away — исчезать: «падатьпрочь, отваливаться»). She could see the figures of the King and the Courtiers (она могла видеть фигуры короля и придворных) growing smaller and smaller (становящиеся /все/ меньше и меньше) until they disappeared below (пока они /не/ исчезли внизу; to appear — появляться; to disappear — исчезать). She herself shot upwards through the sky (она взмыла вверх в небо: «через небо» = по небу, сквозь воздух; to shoot — стрелять; внезапно появиться, пронестись, промелькнуть, промчаться), with the stars spinning around her (со звездами, крутящимися вокруг нее) like great golden plates (как огромные золотые тарелки), and presently, in blinding light (и вскоре, в слепящем свете), she felt the cold rays of the moon upon her (она почувствовала холодные лучи Луны на ней = на себе). She shut her eyes as she went over it (она закрыла свои глаза, когда она перелетала через нее), and as the dazzling gleam passed behind her (и когда слепящая вспышка перешла = оказалась позади нее) and she bent her head towards the earth again (и когда она нагнула свою голову снова по направлению к Земле; to bend — сгибать(ся); гнуть(ся), изгибать(ся)), she felt the star slip down her horn (она почувствовала, что/как звезда соскользнула вниз с ее рога; to feel). With a great rush it fell off (с большой силой она упала; rush — стремительное движение, бросок, напор, натиск, наплыв) and went rolling down the sky (и покатилась: «пошла катясь» по небу). And it seemed to her (и казалось ей) that as it disappeared into the darkness (что, как только она исчезла в темноте) great chords of music came from it (грандиозные аккорды музыки пришли = раздались из нее) and echoed through the air (и прозвучали, как эхо, через воздух).
In another minute the Red Cow had landed on the earth again (в следующую минуту/через минуту Рыжая Корова приземлилась на Землю снова). To her great surprise she found (к ее большому удивлению она обнаружила) that she was not in the King’s garden (что она была не в королевском саду) but in her own dandelion field (но на ее собственном одуванчиковом поле).
tremendous [trI'mendqs] moon [mu:n] сhords [kO:dz]
He took a large golden whistle from his waistcoat pocket and blew into it lightly to make sure there was no dust in it.
The Red Cow danced at attention.
“Now — one!” said the King.
“Two!”
“Three!”
Then he blew the whistle.
The Red Cow, drawing in her breath, gave one huge, tremendous jump and the earth fell away beneath her. She could see the figures of the King and the Courtiers growing smaller and smaller until they disappeared below. She herself shot upwards through the sky, with the stars spinning around her like great golden plates, and presently, in blinding light, she felt the cold rays of the moon upon her. She shut her eyes as she went over it, and as the dazzling gleam passed behind her and she bent her head towards the earth again, she felt the star slip down her horn. With a great rush it fell off and went rolling down the sky. And it seemed to her that as it disappeared into the darkness great chords of music came from it and echoed through the air.
In another minute the Red Cow had landed on the earth again. To her great surprise she found that she was not in the King’s garden but in her own dandelion field.
And she had stopped dancing (и она перестала танцевать)! Her feet were as steady (ее ноги были так /же/ неподвижны) as though they were made of stone (как если бы они были сделаны из камня) and she walked (и она гуляла) as sedately as any other respectable cow (так степенно, как любая другая почтенная корова). Quietly and serenely she moved across the field (тихо и спокойно она двигалась через поле; serene — ясный и спокойный /о погоде/; безмятежный, спокойный, невозмутимый), beheading her golden soldiers (обезглавливая своих золотистых солдат) as she went to greet the Red Calf (в то время, как она шла поприветствовать Рыжую Телочку).
“I’m so glad you’re back (я есть так рада, что ты вернулась: «есть назад»)!” said the Red Calf (сказала Рыжая Телочка). “I’ve been so lonely (я была такой одинокой).”
The Red Cow kissed it (Рыжая корова поцеловала ее) and fell to munching the meadow (и жадно принялась жевать луг; to fall to — энергично приниматься за /что-либо/, начинать делать /что-либо/; набрасываться на еду). It was her first good meal for a week (это была ее первая добротная/хорошая еда за неделю). And by the time her hunger was satisfied (и к тому времени, когда ее голод был удовлетворен) she had eaten up several regiments (она съела несколько полков). After that she felt better (после этого она почувствовала /себя/ лучше; tofeel — чувствовать). She soon began to live her life just exactly (она вскоре начала жить свою жизнь точно также = вести тот же образ жизни) as she had lived it before (как она жила ее прежде).
At first she enjoyed her quiet regular habits very much (поначалу она наслаждалась своими тихими, постоянными привычками очень), and was glad to be able to eat her breakfast without dancing (и была рада быть в состоянии съесть свой завтрак без танцев/не танцуя) and to lie down in the grass (и лежать в траве) and sleep at night (и спать ночью) instead of curtseying to the moon until the morning (вместо того, чтобы приседать в реверансе Луне до утра).
sedately [si'deItlI] beheading [bi'hedIŋ] regiments ['reGImqnts]
And she had stopped dancing! Her feet were as steady as though they were made of stone and she walked as sedately as any other respectable cow. Quietly and serenely she moved across the field, beheading her golden soldiers as she went to greet the Red Calf.
“I’m so glad you’re back!” said the Red Calf. “I’ve been so lonely.”
The Red Cow kissed it and fell to munching the meadow. It was her first good meal for a week. And by the time her hunger was satisfied she had eaten up several regiments. After that she felt better. She soon began to live her life just exactly as she had lived it before.