Then off they went into another song as ridiculous as the one I have written down in full. At last one, a tall young fellow, came out from the trees and bowed to Gandalf and to Thorin.

“Welcome to the valley!” he said.

“Thank you!” said Thorin a bit gruffly; but Gandalf was already off his horse and among the elves, talking merrily with them.

“You are a little out of your way,” said the elf: “that is, if you are making for the only path across the water and to the house beyond. We will set you right, but you had best get on foot, until you are over the bridge. Are you going to stay a bit and sing with us, or will you go straight on? Supper is preparing over there,” he said. “I can smell the wood-fires for the cooking.”

 

Tired as he was (хотя и уставший), Bilbo would have liked to stay awhile (Бильбо бы с удовольствием остался на какое-то время). Elfish singing (пение эльфов) is not a thing to miss (это то, что не хочется пропустить), in June under the stars (в июне, под звездами), not if you care for such things (нельзя /пропустить/, если вы любите такие вещи).

Also he would have liked (так же, ему бы хотелось) to have a few private words (перекинуться несколькими словами наедине; private — частный, личный) with these people (с этими людьми) that seemed to know his name and all about him (которые, как казалось знают его имя и все о нем), although he had never seen them before (хотя он никогда их раньше не видел). He thought (он подумал) their opinion of his adventure (что их мнение о его приключениях) might be interesting (могло бы быть интересным). Elves know a lot (эльфы знают много чего) and are wondrous folk for news (и они невиданный народец, когда дело касается новостей), and know what is going on (и узнают, что происходит) among the peoples of the land (среди людей, живущих на земле), as quick as water flows (также быстро, как течет вода), or quicker (или быстрее). But the dwarves were all for supper (но гномы были все за ужин; to be for smth. — стоять или быть за что-либо) as soon as possible just then (как можно скорее, и именно тогда), and would not stay (и не хотели остаться). On they all went (они все двинулись дальше), leading their ponies (ведя своих пони), till they were brought to a good path (пока их не привели к хорошей тропинке) and so at last (и также, наконец) to the very brink of the river (к самому берегу реки). It was flowing fast and noisily (она текла быстро и шумно), as mountain-streams do on a summer evening (как обычно и текут: «делают» горные речки летним вечером), when sun has been all day on the snow (когда солнце светило целый день на снег) far up above (высоко-высоко на вершинах). There was only a narrow bridge of stone (был там только маленький каменный мост) without a parapet (без перил), as narrow as a pony could well walk on (такой узкий, по которому пони смогут хорошо пройти); and over that they had to go (и им пришлось по нему пройти), slow and careful (медленно и осторожно), one by one (один за одним), each leading his pony by the bridle (и каждый вел своего пони под уздцы). The elves had brought bright lanterns to the shore (и эльфы принесли яркие фонари к берегу), and they sang a merry song (и они пели какую-то веселую песенку) as the party went across (пока вся группа переправлялась на ту сторону).

 

awhile [q'waIl] private ['praIvIt] wondrous ['wAndrqs] parapet ['pxrq|pIt, -pet]

 

Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay awhile. Elfish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things.

Also he would have liked to have a few private words with these people that seemed to know his name and all about him, although he had never seen them before. He thought their opinion of his adventure might be interesting. Elves know a lot and are wondrous folk for news, and know what is going on among the peoples of the land, as quick as water flows, or quicker. But the dwarves were all for supper as soon as possible just then, and would not stay. On they all went, leading their ponies, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the very brink of the river. It was flowing fast and noisily, as mountain-streams do on a summer evening, when sun has been all day on the snow far up above. There was only a narrow bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; and over that they had to go, slow and careful, one by one, each leading his pony by the bridle. The elves had brought bright lanterns to the shore, and they sang a merry song as the party went across.

 

“Don’t dip your beard in the foam, father (не макайте вашу бороду в барашки: «пену», папаша)!” they cried to Thorin (кричали они Торину), who was bent almost on to his hands and knees (который согнулся почти что в три погибели: «на свои руки и колени»). “It is long enough (она достаточно длинная) without watering it (и без /дополнительного/ полива).”

“Mind Bilbo doesn’t eat all the cakes (обратите внимание, чтобы Бильбо не съел все кексы)!” they called (кричали они). “He is too fat (он слишком толстый) to get through key-holes yet (сейчас все еще, чтобы пролезать в замочные скважины)!”

“Hush (тише), hush (тише)! Good People (Эльфы и Феи: «добрые люди»)! and good night (и доброй ночи)!” said Gandalf, who came last (сказал Гэндальф, который шел последним).

“Valleys have ears (у долин есть уши), and some elves have over merry tongues (и у некоторых эльфов веселые языки). Good night (доброй ночи)!” And so at last (и так, в конце концов) they all came to the Last Homely House (все они пришли в Последнее Домашнее Жилище), and found its doors flung wide (и обнаружили, что двери его широко распахнуты; to fling — бросать, метать, кидать, швырять).

Now it is a strange thing (и вот, странное дело), but things that are good to have (но о тех вещах, которые приятно иметь) and days that are good to spend (и о тех днях, которые провел хорошо) are soon told about (рассказать очень быстро), and not much to listen to (и не очень-то интересно слушать); while things that are uncomfortable (в то время как о тех явлениях, которые неудобные), palpitating (трепещущие; to palpitate — сильно биться, пульсировать, дрожать), and even gruesome (и даже устрашающие), may make a good tale (можно рассказать хорошую историю: /они/ делают, составляют хорошую историю), and take a deal of telling anyway (и занимают уйму /времени/ в любом случае). They stayed long in that good house (они долго оставались в этом хорошем доме), fourteen days at least (по меньшей мере, четырнадцать дней), and they found it hard to leave (и обнаружили, что им трудно его покинуть). Bilbo would gladly have stopped there for ever and ever (Бильбо с радостью остался бы там на веки вечные: «навсегда и навсегда») — even supposing (даже предположив, что) a wish would have taken him right back to his hobbit-hole (что одно только желание вернуло бы его /назад/ в его хоббитовскую нору) without trouble (без затруднения). Yet there is little to tell about their stay (и в то же время, мало что можно сказать об их пребывании там).

 

foam [fqVm] tongue [tAN] palpitating ['pxlpIteItIN] gruesome ['gru:s(q)m]

 

“Don’t dip your beard in the foam, father!” they cried to Thorin, who was bent almost on to his hands and knees. “It is long enough without watering it.”

“Mind Bilbo doesn’t eat all the cakes!” they called. “He is too fat to get through key-holes yet!”

“Hush, hush! Good People! and good night!” said Gandalf, who came last.

“Valleys have ears, and some elves have over merry tongues. Good night!” And so at last they all came to the Last Homely House, and found its doors flung wide.

Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway. They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave. Bilbo would gladly have stopped there for ever and ever — even supposing a wish would have taken him right back to his hobbit-hole without trouble. Yet there is little to tell about their stay.

 

The master of the house was an elf-friend (хозяином дома был друг эльфов) — one of those people (один из тех людей) whose fathers came into the strange stories (чьи отцы попадали в странные истории) before the beginning of History (еще до начала Истории), the wars of the evil goblins and the elves (войн между злыми гоблинами и эльфами) and the first men in the North (и /одними из/ первых людей на Севере). In those days of our tale (в те дни, о которых наша история) there were still some people (были все еще некоторые люди) who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors (которые имели и эльфов, и героев Севера в качестве предков), and Elrond the master of the house was their chief (и Элронд, хозяин дома, был их предводителем). He was as noble (он был также благороден) and as fair in face (и также приятен лицом) as an elf-lord (как властелин эльфов), as strong as a warrior (так же силен как воин), as wise as a wizard (мудр, как волшебник), as venerable as a king of dwarves (так же почитаем, как король гномов), and as kind as summer (и добр, как лето). He comes into many tales (он присутствует во многих историях), but his part in the story of Bilbo’s great adventure (но его роль в истории о великих приключениях Бильбо) is only a small one (только совсем маленькая), though important (хотя важная), as you will see (как вы увидите), if we ever get to the end of it (если мы когда-нибудь доберемся до ее конца). His house was perfect (его дом был совершенным), whether you liked food (нравилось ли вам поесть), or sleep (или поспать), or work (или поработать), or story-telling (или рассказывать истории), or singing (или петь), or just sitting and thinking best (или больше всего /вам нравилось/ сидеть и думать), or a pleasant mixture of them all (или приятная смесь из всех этих /занятий/). Evil things did not come into that valley (злые дела не входили в эту долину).

 

ancestor ['xnsqstq] venerable ['ven(q)rqb(q)l] mixture ['mIkstSq]

 

The master of the house was an elf-friend — one of those people whose fathers came into the strange stories before the beginning of History, the wars of the evil goblins and the elves and the first men in the North. In those days of our tale there were still some people who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors, and Elrond the master of the house was their chief. He was as noble and as fair in face as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer. He comes into many tales, but his part in the story of Bilbo’s great adventure is only a small one, though important, as you will see, if we ever get to the end of it. His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley.

 

I wish I had time to tell you (как бы мне хотелось, чтобы у меня было время рассказать вам) even a few of the tales (даже хоть несколько рассказов) or one or two of the songs (или одну или две из тех песен) that they heard in that house (что они слышали в том доме). All of them (все они), the ponies as well (пони также), grew refreshed and strong in a few days there (стали более свежими и сильными за несколько дней там). Their clothes were mended (их одежда была заштопана) as well as their bruises (также как /были залечены/ их синяки), their tempers and their hopes (/улучшились/ их настроения и их надежды; to mend — чинить, ремонтировать; улучшать(ся); поправляться /о здоровье/). Their bags were filled with food and provisions (их сумки были наполнены пищей и /продовольственными/ запасами) light to carry (которые легко было нести) but strong to bring them over the mountain passes (но которые придали бы им силы при переходах через гору). Their plans were improved (их планы улучшились; to improve — улучшать) with the best advice (самыми лучшими из советов). So the time came to midsummer eve (тем временем, время подошло к кануну летнего солнцестояния: «середины лета»), and they were to go on again (и они должны были продолжить /путь/ снова) with the early sun on midsummer morning (с ранним солнцем утра дня летнего солнцестояния).

Elrond knew all about runes of every kind (Элронд знал все о рунах всех видов). That day he looked at the swords (в тот день он посмотрел на мечи) they had brought from the trolls’ lair (которые они принесли из логовища троллей), and he said:

“These are not troll-make (это не тролли делали; make — форма, конструкция, модель). They are old swords (это старые мечи), very old swords (очень старые мечи) of the High Elves of the West (Верховных Эльфов Запада), my kin (моих кровных родственников). They were made in Gondolin (они были сделаны в Гондолине) for the Goblin-wars (для Гоблинских войн). They must have come from a dragon’s hoard (они, должно быть, происходят из драконьих тайных запасов) or goblin plunder (или гоблинской добычи), for dragons and goblins (так как драконы и гоблины) destroyed that city (разрушили тот город) many ages ago (много лет назад). This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist (этот /меч/, Торин, руны называют Оркристом), the Goblin-cleaver (то есть Рубщик-гоблинов) in the ancient tongue of Gondolin (на древнем языке Гондолина); it was a famous blade (это был знаменитый клинок). This, Gandalf, was Glamdring (этот /меч/, Гэндальф, назывался Глемдринг), Foe-hammer (Молот-врагов) that the king of Gondolin once wore (который некогда носил король Гондолина). Keep them well (храните их бережно)!”

 

midsummer ['mIdsAmq] war [wO:] hoard [hO:d] cleaver ['kli:vq] foe [fqV]

 

I wish I had time to tell you even a few of the tales or one or two of the songs that they heard in that house. All of them, the ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes. Their bags were filled with food and provisions light to carry but strong to bring them over the mountain passes. Their plans were improved with the best advice. So the time came to midsummer eve, and they were to go on again with the early sun on midsummer morning.

Elrond knew all about runes of every kind. That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls’ lair, and he said:

“These are not troll-make. They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a dragon’s hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foe-hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!”

 

“Whence did the trolls get them (откуда же тролли достали их), I wonder (мне интересно)?” said Thorin looking at his sword (глядя на свой меч) with new interest (с новым интересом).

“I could not say (я не могу сказать),” said Elrond, “but one may guess (но можно предположить) that your trolls had plundered other plunderers (что ваши тролли обокрали других грабителей), or come on the remnants of old robberies (или напали на остатки старых грабежей) in some hold (в каком-либо логове) in the mountains of the North (в горах Севера). I have heard (я слышал) that there are still forgotten treasures of old (что все еще есть забытые старинные сокровища) to be found in the deserted caverns (которые можно найти в заброшенных пещерах) of the mines of Moria (в рудниках Мории), since the dwarf and goblin war (со времен войны между гномами и гоблинами).”

Thorin pondered these words (Торин обдумывал эти слова). “I will keep this sword in honour (я буду содержать этот мечи в чести),” he said.

“May it soon cleave goblins once again (скоро да порубит он гоблинов снова)!”

“A wish that is likely (желание, которое, похоже) to be granted soon enough (сбудется достаточно скоро; to grant — даровать, удовлетворять) in the mountains (в этих горах)!” said Elrond. “But show me now your map (а теперь покажите мне вашу карту)!”

He took it (он взял ее) and gazed long at it (и долго смотрел на нее), and he shook his head (и он качал своей головой); for if he did not altogether approve of dwarves (так как, если он и не одобрял в целом гномов) and their love of gold (и их любви к золоту), he hated dragons and their cruel wickedness (он ненавидел драконов и их жестокие злодеяния), and he grieved (и он горевал) to remember the ruin of the town of Dale (вспоминая руины города Дейла) and its merry bells (и его веселые колокола), and the burned banks (и обожженные берега) of the bright River Running (яркой Реки Быстротечной).

 

whence [wens] remnant ['remnqnt] wickedness ['wIkIdnIs]

 

“Whence did the trolls get them, I wonder?” said Thorin looking at his sword with new interest.

“I could not say,” said Elrond, “but one may guess that your trolls had plundered other plunderers, or come on the remnants of old robberies in some hold in the mountains of the North. I have heard that there are still forgotten treasures of old to be found in the deserted caverns of the mines of Moria, since the dwarf and goblin war.”