Самые лучшие английские сказки / The best english fairy tales
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So soon after the girl left, and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night [22] a band of robbers broke into the inn, and searched the girl, who had no money, and only the letter. So they opened this and read it. The captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:
“Dear brother,
Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.”
And then he gave it to the girl. So she went on to the Baron’s brother, a noble knight, with whom the Baron’s son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother, he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were married that very day. [23]
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now that very night –
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that very day – в тот же день
Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother’s castle, and what was his surprise! But he took the girl out for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone, he took her by the arms, and was going to throw her over. But she begged hard for her life. [24] “I have not done anything,” she said, “please do not kill me, I will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or your son again till you desire it.” Then the Baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea, saying, “Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring”; and he let her go. [25]
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she begged hard for her life – она молила пощадить её жизнь
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and he let her go – и он отпустил её
The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she came to a great noble’s castle, [26] and she said that she could do any work. So they gave her some kitchen work, and she began to cook food.
One day the Baron and his brother and his son, her husband, came up to the noble’s house. She didn’t know what to do; but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen. So she went back to her work with a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was to be boiled for their dinner. And, as she was cleaning it, she saw something shine inside it. [27] What do you think she found? Why, there was the Baron’s ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff. [28] She was glad indeed to see it, you may be sure. Then she cooked the fish as nicely as she could, and served it up. Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests liked it so well that they asked the noble who cooked it. He said he didn’t know, but called to his servants, “Hey, there, send the cook who cooked that fine fish.” So they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted in the hall.
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great noble’s castle – замок знатного господина
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she saw something shine inside it – она увидела, как что-то внутри неё блестит
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the very one he had thrown over the cliff – то самое, которое он бросил со скалы
When the guests saw such a young and beautiful cook they were surprised. But the Baron was very angry. So the girl went up to him with her hand before her with the ring on it; and she put it down before him on the table. Then at last the Baron saw that no one could fight against Fate, and he handed her to a seat and announced to all the company that this was his son’s true wife. And he took her and his son home to his castle; and they all lived happy.
The Rose-tree
There was once upon a time a good man who had two children: a girl by a first wife, [29] and a boy by the second. The girl was as white as milk, and her lips were like cherries. Her hair was like golden silk, and it hung to the ground. Her brother loved her dearly, but her wicked stepmother hated her. “Child,” said the stepmother one day, “go to the grocer’s shop and buy me a pound of candles.” She gave her the money; and the little girl went, bought the candles, and started on her return. [30] But there was a stile on her way. How to cross it? She put down the candles while she got over the stile. Suddenly a dog came and ran off with the candles.
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a girl by a first wife –
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and started on her return – пустилась в обратный путь
The girl went back to the grocer’s, and the grocer gave her a second bunch. She came to the stile, set down the candles, and began to climb it over. Again came the dog and ran off with the candles.
The girl went again to the grocer’s, and the grocer gave her a third bunch. But the same thing happened! [31] The big dog came again and ran off with the candles as usual.
Then the girl came to her stepmother crying, because she had spent all the money and had lost three bunches of candles.
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But the same thing happened! – Но случилось то же самое!
The stepmother was angry, but she pretended not to mind the loss. [32] She said to the child, “Come, lay your head on my lap that I may comb your hair.” So the little girl laid her head in the woman’s lap, who proceeded to comb the yellow hair. And when she combed the hair fell over her knees, and rolled right down to the ground.
Then the stepmother hated her more for the beauty of her hair; so she said to her, “I cannot part your hair on my knee, fetch a billet of wood.” So she fetched it. Then said the stepmother, “I cannot part your hair with a comb, fetch me an axe.” So she fetched it.
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she pretended not to mind the loss – она притворилась, что не станет пенять за утрату
“Now,” said the wicked woman, “lay your head down on the billet while I part your hair.”
Well! she laid down her little golden head without fear; and whist! [33] down came the axe, [34] and it was off. [35] So the mother wiped the axe and laughed.
Then she took the heart and liver of the little girl, and she stewed them and brought them into the house for supper. The husband tasted them and shook his head. He said they tasted very strangely. She gave some to the little boy, but he would not eat. She tried to force him, but he refused, and ran out into the garden, and took up his little sister, and put her in a box, and buried the box under a rose-tree; and every day he went to the tree and wept, till his tears ran down on the box.
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whist! – вжик!
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down came the axe – топор опустился
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it was off – она (голова) была отрублена
One day the rose-tree flowered. It was spring, and there among the flowers was a white bird. The bird sang, and sang, and sang like an angel out of heaven. Then it flew away. It went to a cobbler's shop, and perched itself on a tree nearby; and thus it sang,
"My wicked mother slew me,My dear father ate me,My little brother whom I loveSits below, and I sing aboveStick, stock, stone dead.""Sing again that beautiful song," asked the shoemaker.
"Please give me those little red shoes that you are making."
The cobbler gave the shoes, and the bird sang the song; then flew to a tree in front of a watchmaker's, [36] and sang:
"My wicked mother slew me,My dear father ate me,My little brother whom I loveSits below, and I sing aboveStick, stock, stone dead.""Oh, the beautiful song! sing it again, sweet bird," asked the watchmaker.
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watchmaker – часовых дел мастер