Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо (в пересказе для детей)

Франк Илья Михайлович

When the tide was out (когда был отлив) we made a strong dam across the end of it (мы соорудили крепкую дамбу через конец /дока/), to keep the water out (чтобы не пускать воду; to keep out/off — не допускать, не впускать; не позволять). Thus she lay high and dry on the bank of the river (так она лежала вытащенной на берегу реки; high and dry — вытащенный на берег /о судне/: «высоко и сухо»).

To keep the rain off (чтобы предохранить /ее/ от дождя:

«чтобы не пускать дождь») we laid a great many branches of trees upon her till she was covered thickly with them (мы положили на нее много веток деревьев, пока она не стала ими укрыта очень плотно). A thatched roof (крытая соломой крыша; thatch — солома, тростник /как материал для кровли крыши/; to thatch — крыть соломой/тростником) could not have protected her better (не могла бы защитить ее лучше).

Little did I think that I should never see our boat floating upon the water again (мало я /тогда/ задумывался над тем, что никогда больше не увижу нашу лодку вновь на плаву). For all that I know (я могу лишь предположить), she is still lying high and dry in her little waterproof dock (что она все еще лежит вытащенной на берег в своем маленьком, не пропускающем воду доке; waterproof — водонепроницаемый, непромокаемый; водоотталкивающий; водостойкий, водоупорный).

We were now kept indoors a great part of the time (мы держались = проводили теперь внутри/в доме большую часть времени; to keep — держать, не отдавать; держаться, сохраняться; оставаться /в известном положении, состоянии/; /разг./ жить: where do you keep? — где вы обретаетесь?), but we kept ourselves occupied pleasantly (но мы были приятно занятыми), and the hours passed swiftly (и часы проходили быстро).

My first duty every morning (моей первой обязанностью каждое утро; duty — долг, обязательство) was to read several chapters from the Bible (было читать несколько глав из Библии). Then I instructed Friday in some of the truths of religion (затем я наставлял Пятницу в некоторых религиозных истинах).

I was but an awkward teacher (я был всего лишь неловким учителем), but I did my best (но я старался/делал все возможное: «делал мое лучшее») and was honest (и был честным = добросовестным).

I began by asking him about the Creator (я начал с того, что задал ему вопрос о Создателе; to create — создавать, творить).

I asked him who made the sea, the hills, the woods (я спросил его, кто сделал море, холмы, лес), the ground we walked on (землю, по которой мы ходим).

He told me it was one great being who lived beyond all (он сказал мне, что это было великое существо, которое жило вне пределов всего).

I confess (я признаюсь) I could not have given a better answer (я не мог бы дать лучшего ответа).

He said that this great being was older than the sea or the land, the moon or the stars (он сказал, что это великое существо было старше моря и: «или» суши, луны и звезд).

Then I said (затем я сказал), "If this being has made all things (если это существо сделало все вещи), why do not all things worship him (почему все вещи не почитают его)?"

He looked very grave (он выглядел очень серьезным = принял серьезный вид; grave — важный, степенный, серьезный), and with eyes full of innocence (и с глазами, полными невинности), answered, "All things say O to him (все вещи говорят ему «О»)."

Thus he taught me while I was trying to teach him (так он учил меня, в то время как я пытался учить его).

rudder ['rd], cedar ['si:d], carpenter ['k:pnt], pretty ['prt], rough [rf], kindred ['kndrd], haul [h:l], occupy ['kjupa], pleasantly ['plezntl], awkward [':kwd], Creator [kr'et], worship ['w:p], innocence ['nsns]

I MAKE A NEW BOAT

I MADE up my mind to begin the new boat at once.

So, the next day, I went with Friday to find a good tree.

There were trees enough on the island to build a fleet. But, I must find one that was close to the water, so that we could launch the boat when it was made. At last Friday found one. He knew, better than I, what kind of wood was best for making a boat.

It was an odd-looking tree, and to this day I do not know its name.

Friday chopped it down. He cut off a part of it for the boat.

He wished to build a fire on the top of it and thus burn out the hollow part of the boat.

But I showed him a better way, to chop it out with hatchets and chisels.

In about a month it was finished. With our axes we cut and hewed the outside till it was in a very good shape.

Then we worked hard for two weeks to get the boat into the water.

But when she was in, how well she floated! She would have carried at least twenty men.

It was wonderful how well Friday could manage her. It was wonderful how fast he could paddle.

"Now, Friday," I said, "do you think she will carry us over the sea?"

"Yes, master," he said, "she will carry us even in the worst wind."

My next care was to make a mast and a sail, and to fit the boat with an anchor and a rudder.

It was easy enough to get the mast. I had Friday cut down a tall young cedar that grew near the place.

He shaped it and smoothed it, and made as pretty a mast as you would wish to see.

As for the sail, that was another thing. I had old sails, or pieces of old sails in plenty.

But they had been lying in this place and in that for six and twenty years. It would be a wonder if they were not all rotten.