Как был создан алфавит

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 490.

THE week after Taffimai Metallumai (через неделю после того, как Тэффимай Металлумай) (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved (мы по-прежнему будем называть ее Тэффи, Самые Любименькие)) made that little mistake about her Daddy's spear (совершила эту маленькую ошибку в отношении Папочкиной остроги) and the Stranger-man and the picture-letter and all (и Незнакомца, и письма-картинки, и всего прочего), she went carp-fishing again with her Daddy (она снова пошла со своим Папочкой на рыбалку / ловлю карпов). Her Mummy wanted her to stay at home (ее Мамочка хотела, чтобы она осталась дома) and help hang up hides to dry on the big drying-poles outside their Neolithic Cave (и помогла ей развешивать шкуры для сушки на больших шестах для сушки перед их Неолитической Пещерой), but Taffy slipped away down to her Daddy quite early (но Тэффи очень рано улизнула к своему Папочке; to slip away — ускользнуть, улизнуть), and they fished (и они стали ловить рыбу). Presently she began to giggle (некоторое время спустя она начала хихикать), and her Daddy said (а ее Папочка сказал), ‘Don't be silly, child (ребенок, не глупи; silly — глупый).'

early ['WlI], presently ['prezntlI], giggle [gIgl]

THE week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved) made that little mistake about her Daddy's spear and the Stranger-man and the picture-letter and all, she went carp-fishing again with her Daddy. Her Mummy wanted her to stay at home and help hang up hides to dry on the big drying-poles outside their Neolithic Cave, but Taffy slipped away down to her Daddy quite early, and they fished. Presently she began to giggle, and her Daddy said, ‘Don't be silly, child.'

‘But wasn't it inciting (но разве это было не захватывающе)!' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘Don't you remember (разве ты не помнишь) how the Head Chief puffed out his cheeks (как Главный Вождь раздувал щеки), and how funny the nice Stranger-man looked with the mud in his hair (и как смешно выглядел милый Незнакомец с грязью в волосах)?'

‘Well do I (я-то хорошо помню),' said Tegumai (сказал Тегумай). ‘I had to pay two deerskins (мне пришлось заплатить две оленьих шкуры) — soft ones with fringes[112] (мягких с бахромой; fringes — бахрома, дополнительные льготы) — to the Stranger-man for the things we did to him (Незнакомцу за то, что мы сделали ему).'

‘We didn't do anything (мы ему ничего не сделали),' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘It was Mummy and the other Neolithic ladies — and the mud (это /была/ Мамочка, и остальные Неолитические дамы, и грязь).'

puff [pAf], funny ['fAnI], fringe [frInG]

‘But wasn't it inciting!' said Taffy. ‘Don't you remember how the Head Chief puffed out his cheeks, and how funny the nice Stranger-man looked with the mud in his hair?'

‘Well do I,' said Tegumai. ‘I had to pay two deerskins — soft ones with fringes — to the Stranger-man for the things we did to him.'

‘We didn't do anything,' said Taffy. ‘It was Mummy and the other Neolithic ladies — and the mud.'

‘We won't talk about that (не будем об этом говорить),' said her Daddy (сказал Папочка). ‘Let's have lunch (давай пообедаем).'

Taffy took a marrow-bone and sat mousy-quiet for ten whole minutes (Тэффи взяла мозговую косточку и сидела тихо как мышка целых десять минут), while her Daddy scratched on pieces of birch-bark with a shark's tooth (пока ее Папочка черкал на кусках березовой коры акульим зубом). Then she said (потом она сказала), ‘Daddy, I've thinked of a secret surprise (Папочка, я придумала секретный сюрприз). You make a noise (ты издаешь звук) — any sort of noise (любой звук).'

‘Ah!' said Tegumai (А! — сказал Тегумай). ‘Will that do to begin with (подойдет это для начала; to do — подходить, годиться)?'

lunch [lAnC], piece [pJs], secret ['sJkrIt]

‘We won't talk about that,' said her Daddy. ‘Let's have lunch.'

Taffy took a marrow-bone and sat mousy-quiet for ten whole minutes, while her Daddy scratched on pieces of birch-bark with a shark's tooth. Then she said, ‘Daddy, I've thinked of a secret surprise. You make a noise — any sort of noise.'

‘Ah!' said Tegumai. ‘Will that do to begin with?'

‘Yes,' said Taffy (да, — сказала Тэффи). ‘You look just like a carp-fish with its mouth open (ты похож в точности на карпа с открытым ртом). Say it again, please (повтори это, пожалуйста).'

‘Ah! ah! ah!' said her Daddy (а! а! а! — сказал Папочка). ‘Don't be rude, my daughter (дочка, не будь грубой = веди себя прилично).'

‘I'm not meaning rude, really and truly (да право же, я и намереваюсь /вести себя/ прилично; really and truly — да право же: «действительно и воистину»),' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘It's part of my secret-surprise-think (это часть моей секретной сюрпризной задумки). Do say ah, Daddy (ну скажи А, Папочка), and keep your mouth open at the end (и оставь свой рот открытым в конце), and lend me that tooth (и одолжи мне этот зуб). I'm going to draw a carp-fish's mouth wide-open (я нарисую широко открытый рот карпа).'

‘What for (для чего)?' said her Daddy (спросил Папочка).

open ['qup(q)n], rude [rHd], keep [kJp]

‘Yes,' said Taffy. ‘You look just like a carp-fish with its mouth open. Say it again, please.'

‘Ah! ah! ah!' said her Daddy. ‘Don't be rude, my daughter.'

‘I'm not meaning rude, really and truly,' said Taffy. ‘It's part of my secret-surprise-think. Do say ah, Daddy, and keep your mouth open at the end, and lend me that tooth. I'm going to draw a carp-fish's mouth wide-open.'

‘What for?' said her Daddy.

‘Don't you see (разве ты не понимаешь)?' said Taffy (спросила Тэффи), scratching away on the bark (продолжая черкать на коре). ‘That will be our little secret s'prise (это будет наш маленький секретный сюприз[113]). When I draw a carp-fish with his mouth open in the smoke at the back of our Cave (когда я нарисую карпа с открытым ртом копотью в задней части нашей Пещеры) — if Mummy doesn't mind (если Мамочка не будет возражать) — it will remind you of that ah-noise (это напомнит тебе об этом звуке А). Then we can play (тогда мы можем притвориться = представить) that it was me jumped out of the dark and s'prised you with that noise (что это я выпрыгнула из темноты и застала тебя врасплох этим звуком; to surprise — нагрянуть неожиданно; нападать или заставать врасплох) — same as I did in the beaver-swamp last winter (точно так, как я сделала в бобровом болоте прошлой зимой).'

our [auq], remind [rI'maInd], last [lRst]

‘Don't you see?' said Taffy, scratching away on the bark. ‘That will be our little secret s'prise. When I draw a carp-fish with his mouth open in the smoke at the back of our Cave — if Mummy doesn't mind — it will remind you of that ah-noise. Then we can play that it was me jumped out of the dark and s'prised you with that noise — same as I did in the beaver-swamp winter.'

‘Really?' said her Daddy (правда? — спросил Папочка), in the voice that grown-ups use when they are truly attending (/таким/ голосом, каким пользуются = говорят взрослые, когда они действительно внимательны; to attend to — уделять внимание, быть внимательным /к кому-л., чему-л./). ‘Go on, Taffy (продолжай, Тэффи).'

‘Oh bother (эх жалость какая)!' she said (сказала она). ‘I can't draw all of a carp-fish (я не могу нарисовать всего карпа), but I can draw something that means a carp-fish's mouth (но я могу нарисовать что-то, что означает = будет обозначать рот карпа). Don't you know (разве ты не знаешь) how they stand on their heads rooting in the mud (как они стоят на своих головах = на голове, роясь в иле)? Well, here's a pretence carp-fish (ну, вот ненастоящий карп) (we can play that the rest of him is drawn (мы можем прикинуться, что остальная часть нарисована; to draw — рисовать)). Here's just his mouth (вот как раз его рот), and that means ah (а это означает А).' And she drew this (и она нарисовала /вот/ это). (1.)

bother ['bODq], pretence [prI'tens], their [DFq]

‘Really?' said her Daddy, in the voice that grown-ups use when they are truly attending. ‘Go on, Taffy.'

‘Oh bother!' she said. ‘I can't draw all of a carp-fish, but I can draw something that means a carp-fish's mouth. Don't you know how they stand on their heads rooting in the mud? Well, here's a pretence carp-fish (we can play that the rest of him is drawn). Here's just his mouth, and that means ah.' And she drew this. (1.)

‘That's not bad (/это/ неплохо),' said Tegumai (сказал Тегумай), and scratched on his own piece of bark for himself (и нацарапал на своем куске коры для себя); ‘but you've forgotten the feeler that hangs across his mouth (но ты забыла усик, который свисает через его рот).'

‘But I can't draw, Daddy (но я не умею рисовать, Папочка).'

‘You needn't draw anything of him (тебе не нужно рисовать ничего /от него/) except just the opening of his mouth and the feeler across (за исключением лишь отверстия его рта = его ротового отверстия и усика через него). Then we'll know he's a carp-fish (тогда мы будем знать, что это карп), ‘cause the perches and trouts haven't got feelers (потому что у окуней и форелей нет усиков). Look here, Taffy (смотри сюда, Тэффи).' And he drew this (и он нарисовал это). (2.)

piece [pJs], perch [pWC], trout [traut]

‘That's not bad,' said Tegumai, and scratched on his own piece of bark for himself; ‘but you've forgotten the feeler that hangs across his mouth.'

‘But I can't draw, Daddy.'

‘You needn't draw anything of him except just the opening of his mouth and the feeler across. Then we'll know he's a carp-fish, ‘cause the perches and trouts haven't got feelers. Look here, Taffy.' And he drew this. (2.)

‘Now I'll copy it (сейчас я срисую это),' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘Will you understand this when you see it (ты поймешь это, когда /ты/ увидишь /это/)?' And she drew this (и она нарисовала это). (3.)

‘Perfectly (вполне),' said her Daddy (сказал ее Папочка).

‘And I'll be quite as s'prised (и я совсем так же удивлюсь) when I see it anywhere (когда увижу это где угодно), as if you had jumped out from behind a tree and said “Ah (как будто ты выпрыгнула из-за дерева и сказала А)!”'

‘Now, make another noise (теперь издай другой звук),' said Taffy, very proud (сказала Тэффи очень гордая).

‘Yah!' said her Daddy, very loud (я! — сказал ее Папочка очень громко).

perfectly ['pWfIktlI], behind [bI'haInd], proud [praud]

‘Now I'll copy it,' said Taffy. ‘Will you understand this when you see it?' And she drew this. (3.)

‘Perfectly,' said her Daddy.

‘And I'll be quite as s'prised when I see it anywhere, as if you had jumped out from behind a tree and said “Ah!”'

‘Now, make another noise,' said Taffy, very proud.

‘Yah!' said her Daddy, very loud.

‘H'm,' said Taffy (гм, — сказала Тэффи). ‘That's a mixy noise (это смешанный звук). The end part is ah-carp-fish-mouth (конечная часть — это рот карпа); but what can we do about the front part (но что мы можем сделать с передней частью)? Yer-yer-yer and ah! Ya (й-й-й и а! я)!'

‘It's very like the carp-fish-mouth noise (это очень похоже на звук «рот карпа»). Let's draw another bit of the carp-fish and join ‘em (давай нарисуем еще один кусочек карпа и соединим их),' said her Daddy (сказал Папочка). He was quite incited too (он тоже был очень взволнован).

‘No (нет). If they're joined (если они будут соединены), I'll forget (я забуду). Draw it separate (нарисуй их отдельно). Draw his tail (нарисуй его хвост). If he's standing on his head the tail will come first (если он стоит на голове, хвост придет = будет в начале). ‘Sides, I think I can draw tails easiest (края, я думаю, /что я/ могу нарисовать хвосты легче всего),' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи).

noise [nOIz], join [GOIn], separate ['seprIt]

‘H'm,' said Taffy. ‘That's a mixy noise. The end part is ah-carp-fish-mouth; but what can we do about the front part? Yer-yer-yer and ah! Ya!'

‘Ya, of course, and it means river too — like Wagai-ya — the Wagai river.'

‘What is bad water that gives you fever if you drink it — black water — swamp-water?'

‘Yo, of course.'

‘Now look,' said her Daddy. ‘S'pose you saw this scratched by the side of a pool in the beaver-swamp?' And he drew this. (8.)

‘Carp-tail and round egg. Two noises mixed! Yo, bad water,' said Taffy. ‘‘Course I wouldn't drink that water because I'd know you said it was bad.'

‘But I needn't be near the water at all (но мне совсем не обязательно быть возле воды). I might be miles away, hunting, and still (я мог бы быть в милях оттуда на охоте и тем не менее) — ‘

‘And still it would be just the same (и, тем не менее, это было бы все равно) as if you stood there and said (как если бы ты стоял там и сказал), “G'way, Taffy, or you'll get fever (уйди, Тэффи, иначе заработаешь: «получишь» лихорадку / горячку).” All that in a carp-fish-tail and a round egg (все это в хвосте карпа и круглом яйце)! O Daddy, we must tell Mummy, quick (О Папочка, мы должны рассказать Мамочке, быстро)!' and Taffy danced all round him (и Тэффи заплясала вокруг него).

‘Not yet,' said Tegumai (еще нет, — сказал Тегумай); ‘not till we've gone a little further (не раньше, чем мы зайдем немного дальше). Let's see (давай подумаем). Yo is bad water (ЙО — плохая вода), but so is food (но СО[117] — это еда) cooked on the fire, isn't it (которую готовят на костре, не так ли)?' And he drew this (и он нарисовал это). (9.)

near [nIq], might [maIt], fever ['fJvq]

‘But I needn't be near the water at all. I might be miles away, hunting, and still — ‘

‘And still it would be just the same as if you stood there and said, “G'way, Taffy, or you'll get fever.” All that in a carp-fish-tail and a round egg! O Daddy, we must tell Mummy, quick!' and Taffy danced all round him.

‘Not yet,' said Tegumai; ‘not till we've gone a little further. Let's see. Yo is bad water, but so is food cooked on the fire, isn't it?' And he drew this. (9.)

‘Yes. Snake and egg (да, змея и яйцо),' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘So that means dinner's ready (и это значит, ужин готов). If you saw that scratched on a tree (если бы ты увидел это, нацарапанным на дереве) you'd know it was time to come to the Cave (ты бы знал, что пора идти в Пещеру). So'd I (и я тоже).'

‘My Winkie (ух-ты; my Winkie — восклицание изумления)!' said Tegumai (сказал Тегумай). ‘That's true too (это тоже верно). But wait a minute (но погоди минутку). I see a difficulty (я вижу трудность). So means “come and have dinner (СО значит «иди ужинать»),” but sho means the drying-poles (а СХО[118] обозначает шесты для сушки) where we hang our hides (где = на которые мы вешаем наши шкуры).'

dinner ['dInq], ready ['redI], difficulty ['dIfIkqltI]

‘Yes. Snake and egg,' said Taffy. ‘So that means dinner's ready. If you saw that scratched on a tree you'd know it was time to come to the Cave. So'd I.'

‘My Winkie!' said Tegumai. ‘That's true too. But wait a minute. I see a difficulty. So means “come and have dinner,” but sho means the drying-poles where we hang our hides.'

‘Horrid old drying-poles (ужасные старые шесты для сушки)!' said Taffy (сказала Тэффи). ‘I hate helping to hang heavy, hot, hairy hides on them (я ненавижу помогать вешать на них тяжелые, горячие, мохнатые шкуры). If you drew the snake and egg (если бы ты нарисовал змею и яйцо), and I thought it meant dinner (и я думала, что это значит ужин), and I came in from the wood (и я пришла бы из леса) and found (и обнаружила) that it meant (что это значит) I was to help Mummy hang the two hides on the drying-poles (что я должна помочь Мамочке развесить две шкуры на шестах для сушки), what would I do (что бы я сделала)?'

‘You'd be cross (ты бы рассердилась). So'd Mummy (и Мамочка тоже). We must make a new picture for sho (мы должны сделать новую картинку для SHO). We must draw a spotty snake that hisses sh-sh (мы должны нарисовать пятнистую змею, которая шипит SH — Ш), and we'll play that the plain snake only hisses ssss (а мы представим, что простая змея шипит лишь ССС — ssss).'

old [quld], new [njH], plain [pleIn]

‘Horrid old drying-poles!' said Taffy. ‘I hate helping to hang heavy, hot, hairy hides on them. If you drew the snake and egg, and I thought it meant dinner, and I came in from the wood and found that it meant I was to help Mummy hang the two hides on the drying-poles, what would I do?'

‘You'd be cross. So'd Mummy. We must make a new picture for sho. We must draw a spotty snake that hisses sh-sh, and we'll play that the plain snake only hisses ssss.'

‘Please don't, Daddy. It makes me uncomfy. Do some more noises. We're getting on beautifully.'

‘Er-hm!' said Tegumai (э-э! — сказал Тегумай), looking up (глядя вверх). ‘We'll say shu (мы скажем SHU — ШУ). That means sky (это значит небо).'

Taffy drew the snake and the drying-pole (Тэффи нарисовала змею и шест для сушки). Then she stopped (потом она остановилась). ‘We must make a new picture for that end sound (мы должны сделать новую картинку для этого конечного звука), mustn't we (не так ли)?'

‘Shu-shu-u-u-u!' said her Daddy (ШУ-У-У! — сказал Папочка). ‘Why it's just like the round-egg-sound made thin (ну, это как раз похоже на звук — круглое яйцо, которое похудело: «сделанное худым»).'

‘Then s'pose we draw a thin round egg (тогда предположим, мы нарисовали худое круглое яйцо), and pretend it's a frog (и представим, что это лягушка) that hasn't eaten anything for years (которая ничего не ела /много/ лет; to eat — есть, кушать).'

sound [saund], thin [TIn], year [jW]

‘Er-hm!' said Tegumai, looking up. ‘We'll say shu. That means sky.'

Taffy drew the snake and the drying-pole. Then she stopped. ‘We must make a new picture for that end sound, mustn't we?'

‘Shu-shu-u-u-u!' said her Daddy. ‘Why it's just like the round-egg-sound made thin.'

‘Then s'pose we draw a thin round egg, and pretend it's a frog that hasn't eaten anything for years.'

‘N-no,' said her Daddy (н-нет, — сказал Папочка). ‘If we drew that in a hurry (если бы мы нарисовали это в спешке) we might mistake it for the round egg itself (мы могли бы принять это за само круглое яйцо). Shu-shu-shu (Шу-шу-шу)! I'll tell you what we'll do (я скажу тебе, что мы сделаем). We'll open a little hole at the end of the round egg (мы сделаем маленькое отверстие на конце круглого яйца) to show how the O-noise runs out all thin, ooo-oo-oo (чтобы показать, как звук О выходит совсем худым/тонким — ууу-уу-уу; to run out — вытекать, выходить). Like this (вот так).' And he drew this (и он нарисовал это). (12.)

show [Squ], how [hau], this [DIs]

‘N-no,' said her Daddy. ‘If we drew that in a hurry we might mistake it for the round egg itself. Shu-shu-shu! I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll open a little hole at the end of the round egg to show how the O-noise runs out all thin, ooo-oo-oo. Like this.' And he drew this. (12.)

‘Oh, that's lovely (ах, это восхитительно)! Much better than a thin frog (гораздо лучше, чем худая лягушка). Go on,' said Taffy (продолжай, — сказала Тэффи), using her shark's tooth (пользуясь акульим зубом).

Her Daddy went on drawing (ее Папочка продолжал рисовать), and his hand shook with excitement (и его рука дрожала от волнения; to shake — трясти(сь)).

He went on till he had drawn this (он продолжал, пока не нарисовал вот это). (13.)

lovely ['lAvlI], better ['betq], than [Dxn]

‘Oh, that's lovely! Much better than a thin frog. Go on,' said Taffy, using her shark's tooth.