HOW THE ALPHABET WAS MADE

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 612.

THIS is the story of Taffimai Metallumai carved on an old tusk a very long time ago by the Ancient Peoples. If you read my story, or have it read to you, you can see how it is all told out on the tusk. The tusk was part of an old tribal trumpet that belonged to the Tribe of Tegumai. The pictures were scratched on it with a nail or something, and then the scratches were filled up with black wax, but all the dividing lines and the five little rounds at the bottom were filled with red wax. When it was new there was a sort of network of beads and shells and precious stones at one end of it; but now that has been broken and lost — all except the little bit that you see. The letters round the tusk are magic — Runic magic — and if you can read them you will find out something rather new. The tusk is of ivory — very yellow and scratched. It is two feet long and two feet round, and weighs eleven pounds nine ounces.

Then they adopted the Stranger-man (a genuine Tewara of Tewar) into the Tribe of Tegumai, because he was a gentleman and did not make a fuss about the mud that the Neolithic ladies had put into his hair. But from that day to this (and I suppose it is all Taffy's fault), very few little girls have ever liked learning to read or write. Most of them prefer to draw pictures and play about with their Daddies — just like Taffy.

THIS is the story of Taffimai Metallumai (это история Тэффимай Металлумай) carved on an old tusk (вырезанная на старом бивне) a very long time ago by the Ancient Peoples (очень давно Древними Народами = Людьми). If you read my story (если вы прочли мою историю), or have it read to you (или вам ее прочитали), you can see how it is all told out on the tusk (вы поймете, как она вся рассказана на бивне). The tusk was part of an old tribal trumpet (бивень был частью старинной племенной трубы) that belonged to the Tribe of Tegumai (которая принадлежала Племени Тегумая). The pictures were scratched on it with a nail or something (картинки были нацарапаны на ней гвоздем или чем-то подобным), and then the scratches were filled up with black wax (а затем царапины были заполнены черным воском), but all the dividing lines and the five little rounds at the bottom were filled with red wax (но все разделяющие линии и пять маленьких кружочков внизу были заполнены красным воском). When it was new (когда она = труба была новая) there was a sort of network of beads and shells and precious stones at one end of it (на одном ее конце было вроде плетения из бусин, и раковин, и драгоценных камней); but now that has been broken and lost (но сейчас оно отломалось и потерялось) — all except the little bit that you see (все, кроме маленького кусочка, который вы видите). The letters round the tusk are magic (буквы вокруг бивня волшебные) — Runic magic (рунная магия) — and if you can read them (и если вы сможете прочесть их) you will find out something rather new (вы узнаете что-то очень новое). The tusk is of ivory (бивень из слоновой кости) — very yellow and scratched (очень желтый и исцарапанный). It is two feet long and two feet round (он два фута в длину и два фута в окружности), and weighs eleven pounds nine ounces (и весит одиннадцать фунтов девять унций[110]).

wax [wxks], precious ['preSqs], weigh [weI]

THERE runs a road by Merrow Down (бежит дорога у Мерроу Даун; to run — бежать, тянуться) —
A grassy track to-day it is (сегодня это заросшая травой тропа) —
An hour out of Guildford town (она в часе ходьбы от города Гилдфорда),
Above the river Wey it is (над рекой Уэй).

road [rqud], grassy ['grRsI], town [taun]

THERE runs a road by Merrow Down —
A grassy track to-day it is —
An hour out of Guildford town,
Above the river Wey it is.

Here, when they heard the horse-bells ring (здесь, когда они = древние Бритты слышали звон колокольчиков лошадей),
The ancient Britons dressed and rode (древние Бритты = они наряжались и ехали; to ride — ехать, скакать /верхом/)
To watch the dark Phoenicians bring (чтобы посмотреть на то, как смуглые Финикийцы везут)
Their goods along the Western Road (свои товары по Западной Дороге).

ancient ['eInSqnt], Briton [brItn], watch [wOC]

Here, when they heard the horse-bells ring,
The ancient Britons dressed and rode
To watch the dark Phoenicians bring
Their goods along the Western Road.

And here, or hereabouts, they met (и здесь, или поблизости, они встречались)
To hold their racial talks and such (чтобы вести межродовые / межплеменные переговоры и /для/ того подобного) —
To barter beads for Whitby jet (чтобы выменивать бусы на черный янтарь Уитби),
And tin for gay shell torques and such (а олово на пестрые крученые металлические ожерелья, украшенные ракушками и тому подобное; torque — крученое металлическое ожерелье, браслет /было распространено у бриттов и галлов/).

racial ['reIS(q)l], barter ['bRtq], torque [tLk]

And here, or hereabouts, they met
To hold their racial talks and such —
To barter beads for Whitby jet,
And tin for gay shell torques and such.

But long and long before that time (но задолго-задолго до того времени)
(When bison used to roam on it (когда здесь еще бродили зубры; bison — зубр /Bison bonasus/))
Did Taffy and her Daddy climb (забирались Тэффи и ее Папочка)
That down, and had their home on it (на этот холм, и у них на нем был их дом).

bison [baIsn], roam [rqum], climb [klaIm]

But long and long before that time
(When bison used to roam on it)
Did Taffy and her Daddy climb
That down, and had their home on it.

Then beavers built in Broadstonebrook (тогда бобры застроили ручей Бродстоун[111])
And made a swamp where Bramley stands (и сделали болото, где стоит Брэмли)
And bears from Shere would come and look (и медведи приходили из Шира и искали)
For Taffimai where Shamley stands (Тэффимай там, где стоит Шемли).

built [bIlt], bear [bFq], stand [stxnd]

Then beavers built in Broadstonebrook
And made a swamp where Bramley stands
And bears from Shere would come and look
For Taffimai where Shamley stands.

The Wey, that Taffy called Wagai (Уэй, которую Тэффи называла Вагай),
Was more than six times bigger then (была тогда более, чем в шесть раз больше);
And all the Tribe of Tegumai (а все Племя Тегумая)
They cut a noble figure then (они производили = производило тогда благородное впечатление; to cut a figure — производить впечатление)!

cut [kAt], noble [nqubl], figure ['fIgq]

The Wey, that Taffy called Wagai,
Was more than six times bigger then;
And all the Tribe of Tegumai
They cut a noble figure then!