English Fairy Tales / Английские сказки. Elementary

One day, it happened that the Baron went out hunting[98 - went out hunting – отправился на охоту] with some companions along the banks of the river and stopped at the fisherman’s hut to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of them said to the Baron, “You can read fates, Baron, whom will she marry, how do you think?”

“Oh! that’s easy to guess,” said the Baron; “some farmer or other. But I’ll cast her horoscope. Come here, girl, and tell me on what day you were born.”

“I don’t know, sir,” said the girl, “I was picked up just here. The river brought me down[99 - The river brought me down – Река вынесла меня] about fifteen years ago.”

Then the Baron knew who she was, and when they went away, he rode back and said to the girl, “Listen to me, girl, I will make your fortune. Take this letter to my brother, and you will be settled for life.” And the girl took the letter and said she would go. Now this is what he had written in the letter:

“Dear brother,

Take the bearer and put her to death immediately.”

So soon after, the girl left and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night[100 - Now that very night – И как раз в ту самую ночь] 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[101 - 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[102 - she begged hard for her life – она молила пощадить её жизнь]. “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[103 - 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[104 - great noble’s castle – замок знатного господина], 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[105 - she saw something shine inside it – она увидела, как что-то внутри неё блестит]. What do you think she found? Why, there was the Baron’s ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff[106 - the very one he had thrown over the cliff – то самое, которое он бросил со скалы]. 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.

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 Master and His Pupil

There was once a very learned man in the north-country who knew all the languages under the sun and who was acquainted with all the mysteries of the world. He had one big book bound in black calf and clasped with iron and with iron corners and chained to a table on the floor. When he read this book, he unlocked it with an iron key. This famous book contained all the secrets of the spiritual world. It told how many angels there were in heaven and how they marched in their ranks and sang and what were their several functions, and what was the name of each great angel of might. And it told of the demons, how many of them there were and what were their several powers and their labours and their names and how they might be summoned[107 - how they might be summoned – как их можно вызвать] and how tasks might be imposed on them[108 - how tasks might be imposed on them – как им приказывать] and how they might be chained to be as slaves to man[109 - to be as slaves to man – чтобы стали рабами человека].

Now the master had a pupil who was a foolish lad, and he acted as servant to the great master. The boy was never allowed[110 - The boy was never allowed – Мальчику никогда не дозволялось] to look into the black book, hardly to enter the private room.

One day the master was out. The lad was very curious. So he hurried to the chamber where his master kept his wonderful apparatus for changing copper into gold and lead into silver. There was his magic mirror in which he could see all that was passing in the world. There also was the shell which when held to the ear[111 - which when held to the ear – которая, если её приложить к уху] whispered all the words that were spoken by anyone the master desired to know about. The lad tried in vain[112 - in vain – напрасно] with the crucibles to turn copper and lead into gold and silver. He looked long and vainly into the mirror; smoke and clouds passed over it, but he saw nothing plain. And the shell produced to his ear only indistinct murmurings, like the breaking of distant seas on an unknown shore. “I can do nothing,” he said; “as I don’t know the right words to utter, and they are locked up in that magic book.”

He looked round, and, see! the book was not locked. The master had forgotten to lock it before he went out. The boy rushed to it and opened the volume. It was written with red and black ink, and much of it he could not understand. But he put his finger on a line and spelled it through.

At once the room was darkened, and the house trembled; a clap of thunder rolled through the passage and the old room, and there stood before him a horrible, horrible form, breathing fire, and with eyes like burning lamps. It was the demon, whom he had called up[113 - whom he had called up – которого он вызвал] to serve him.

“Set me a task![114 - Set me a task! – Приказывай мне!]” said he with a voice like the roaring of an iron furnace.

The boy only trembled, and his hair stood up.

“Set me a task, or I shall strangle you!”

But the lad could not speak. Then the evil spirit stepped towards him and putting forth his hands touched his throat. The fingers burned his flesh. “Set me a task!”

“Water that flower,” cried the boy in despair, pointing to a geranium which stood in a pot on the floor. Instantly, the spirit left the room, but in another instant he returned with a barrel on his back and poured its contents over the flower; and again and again he went and came and poured more and more water till the floor of the room was ankle-deep[115 - the floor of the room was ankle-deep – воды в комнате стало по щиколотку].

“Enough, enough!” gasped the lad, but the demon did not hear him. The lad didn’t know the words by which to send him away, and still he fetched water.

It rose to the boy’s knees and still more water was poured. It mounted to his waist, and the demon still kept on bringing barrels full. It rose to his armpits, and he scrambled to the table-top. And now the water in the room stood up to the window and washed against the glass and around his feet on the table. It still rose; it reached his breast. The poor boy cried, but all was useless. The evil spirit was pouring and pouring and pouring water. But the master remembered on his journey that he had not locked his book and therefore returned, and at the moment when the water was bubbling about the pupil’s chin, rushed into the room and spoke the words which cast the demon back into his fiery home.

Jack the Giant-Killer

When good King Arthur[116 - King Arthur – король Артур (легендарный вождь бриттов V-VI вв., собравший при своём дворе доблестнейших и благороднейших рыцарей Круглого стола. О подвигах Артура и его рыцарей существуют многочисленные легенды и рыцарские романы).] reigned, there lived a farmer who had one only son called Jack. He was brisk and very smart, so nobody or nothing could worst him.

In those days, the country was kept by a huge giant. He was eighteen feet in height and about three yards round the waist, of a fierce and grim countenance, the terror of all the neighbouring towns and villages. He lived in a cave in the midst of the Mount, and whenever he wanted food he would go and furnish himself with whatever came in his way[117 - with whatever came in his way – тем, что попадалось у него на пути]. Everybody at his approach ran out of their houses while he seized on their cattle. The Giant could carry a dozen oxen on his back at a time[118 - at a time – за раз], and as for their sheep and hogs, he would tie them round his waist. He had done this for many years, so that all the people were in despair.

One day, Jack came to the townhall when the magistrates were sitting in council about the Giant. He asked, “What reward will be given to the man who kills the Giant?” “The giant’s treasure,” they said, “will be the reward.” Jack said, “Then let me undertake it.[119 - Then let me undertake it. – Тогда давайте я за это возьмусь.]”

So he got a horn, shovel, and axe, and went over to the Mount in the beginning of a dark winter’s evening, when he began to work. Before morning, he had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep and nearly as broad, covering it over with long sticks and straw. Then he strewed a little mould over it, so that it appeared like[120 - so that it appeared like – чтобы она выглядела как] plain ground. Jack then sat on the opposite side of the pit, farthest from the Giant’s lodging, and just at the break of day, he put the horn to his mouth and blew very hard.

This noise roused the Giant, who rushed from his cave, crying, “Hey you, have you come here to disturb my rest? You shall pay dearly for this.[121 - You shall pay dearly for this. – Ты за это дорого заплатишь.] I will have satisfaction! I will take you whole and broil you for breakfast.”

He had no sooner uttered this than he tumbled into the pit and made the very foundations of the Mount to shake. “Oh, Giant,” said Jack, “where are you now? I can’t believe your threatening words: what do you think now of broiling me for your breakfast? Will no other diet serve you but poor Jack?” Then he gave him a very weighty knock with his axe on the very crown of his head and killed him on the spot.

Jack then filled up the pit with earth and went to search the cave, where he found much treasure. So he became rich and happy even more.

The Golden Arm

Here was once a man who travelled the land all over[122 - who travelled the land all over – который изъездил весь свет] in search of a wife. He saw young and old, rich and poor, pretty and plain, and could not meet with one to his mind[123 - could not meet with one to his mind – не мог себе найти никого по душе]. At last, he found a woman, young, fair, and rich, who possessed a right arm of solid gold. He married her at once and thought no man so fortunate as he was[124 - no man so fortunate as he was – никто не был столь удачлив, как он]. They lived happily together, but though he wished people to think otherwise, he was fonder of the golden arm[125 - he was fonder of the golden arm – он больше любил золотую руку] than of all his wife’s gifts besides.

At last she died. The husband put on black clothes and pulled the longest face at the funeral. But in the middle of the night, he dug up the body and cut off the golden arm. He hurried home to hide his treasure and thought no one would know.

The following night, he put the golden arm under his pillow and was just falling asleep when the ghost of his dead wife glided into the room. Stalking up to the bedside, it drew the curtain and looked at him reproachfully. Pretending not to be afraid, he spoke to the ghost, and said, “What have you done with your red cheeks?”

“All withered and wasted away,” replied the ghost in a hollow tone.

“What have you done with your red rosy lips?”

“All withered and wasted away.”

“What have you done with your golden hair?”

“All withered and wasted away.”

“What have you done with your Golden Arm?”

“You have it!”

The Rose-Tree

There was once upon a time a good man who had two children: a girl by a first wife[126 - a girl by a first wife – девочка от первой жены] 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[127 - and started on her return – пустилась в обратный путь]. 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.

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![128 - But the same thing happened! – Но случилось то же самое!] The big dog came again and ran off with the candles as usual.