They were bigger than hornets. The drones were bigger than your thumb, a good deal, and the bands of yellow on their deep black bodies shone like fiery gold.

“We are getting near,” said Gandalf. “We are on the edge of his bee-pastures.”

After a while they came to a belt of tall and very ancient oaks, and beyond these to a high thorn-hedge through which you could neither see nor scramble.

“You had better wait here,” said the wizard to the dwarves; “and when I call or whistle begin to come after me — you will see the way I go — but only in pairs, mind, about five minutes between each pair of you. Bombur is fattest and will do for two, he had better come alone and last. Come on Mr. Baggins! There is a gate somewhere round this way.” And with that he went off along the hedge taking the frightened hobbit with him.

 

They soon came to a wooden gate (вскоре они пришли к деревянным воротам), high and broad (высоким и широким), beyond which they could see gardens (за которыми можно было увидеть сады) and a cluster of low wooden buildings (и группу низких деревянных домов), some thatched (некоторые были покрыты соломой; thatch — солома, тростник /как материал для кровли крыши/) and made of unshaped logs (и сделаны из неотесанных бревен; shape — форма; to shape — придавать форму); barns (амбары), stables (конюшни), sheds (сараи), and a long low wooden house (и длинный низкий деревянный дом). Inside on the southward side of the great hedge (внутри, с южной стороны высокой изгороди) were rows and rows of hives (располагались ряды и ряды ульев) with bell-shaped tops made of straw (с колоколообразными куполами, изготовленными из соломы). The noise of the giant bees (шум от гигантских пчел) flying to and fro (влетающих и вылетающих; to and fro — «к и от» = сюда и туда) and crawling in and out (вползающих и выползающих) filled all the air (наполнял воздух).

The wizard and the hobbit pushed open (волшебник и хоббит толкнули и открыли = отворили) the heavy creaking gate (тяжелые скрипучие ворота) and went down a wide track (и пошли по широкой дорожке) towards the house (/ведущей/ к дому). Some horses, very sleek and well-groomed (несколько лошадей, холеных и вычищенных; groom — конюх; грум; to groom — ходить за лошадью, чистить лошадь), trotted up across the grass (рысью подскакали по траве) and looked at them intently (и внимательно посмотрели на них) with very intelligent faces (очень разумными мордами); then off they galloped to the buildings (затем они галопом ускакали к строениям).

“They have gone to tell him (они ускакали, чтобы сообщить ему) of the arrival of strangers (о прибытии незнакомцев),” said Gandalf. Soon they reached a courtyard (вскоре они добрались до внутреннего двора), three walls of which (три стены которого) were formed by the wooden house (образовывались деревянным домом) and its two long wings (и двумя его деревянными крыльями). In the middle there was lying a great oak-trunk (в середине /двора/ лежал огромный ствол дуба) with many lopped branches beside it (со множеством срезанных ветвей рядом с ним). Standing near was a huge man (рядом стоял огромный человек) with a thick black beard and hair (с густой черной бородой и волосами), and great bare arms and legs (с огромными обнаженными руками и ногами) with knotted muscles (с выступающими мышцами; knotted — завязанный узлом, шишковатый; knot — узел). He was clothed in a tunic of wool (он был одет в шерстяную тунику) down to his knees (длиной до колен), and was leaning on a large axe (и опирался на огромный топор).

 

cluster ['klAstq] thatch [TxtS] to and fro [tVqn(d)'frqV] courtyard ['kO:tjQ:d] muscle ['mAs(q)l]

 

They soon came to a wooden gate, high and broad, beyond which they could see gardens and a cluster of low wooden buildings, some thatched and made of unshaped logs; barns, stables, sheds, and a long low wooden house. Inside on the southward side of the great hedge were rows and rows of hives with bell-shaped tops made of straw. The noise of the giant bees flying to and fro and crawling in and out filled all the air.

The wizard and the hobbit pushed open the heavy creaking gate and went down a wide track towards the house. Some horses, very sleek and well-groomed, trotted up across the grass and looked at them intently with very intelligent faces; then off they galloped to the buildings.

“They have gone to tell him of the arrival of strangers,” said Gandalf. Soon they reached a courtyard, three walls of which were formed by the wooden house and its two long wings. In the middle there was lying a great oak-trunk with many lopped branches beside it. Standing near was a huge man with a thick black beard and’ hair, and great bare arms and legs with knotted muscles. He was clothed in a tunic of wool down to his knees, and was leaning on a large axe.

 

The horses were standing by him (лошади стояли рядом с ним) with their noses at his shoulder (их морды у его плеча; nose — нос; рыло).

“Ugh (уф)! here they are (вот и они)!” he said to the horses (сказал он лошадям). “They don’t look dangerous (они не выглядят опасными). You can be off (вы можете идти)!” He laughed a great rolling laugh (он рассмеялся громким раскатистым смехом; to roll — катиться), put down his axe (опустил свой топор) and came forward (и двинулся вперед).

“Who are you and what do you want (кто вы такие и чего вы хотите)?” he asked gruffly (сказал он угрюмо/неприветливо), standing in front of them (вставая перед ними) and towering tall above Gandalf (высоко возвышаясь над Гэндальфом; tower — башня).

As for Bilbo (что до Бильбо) he could easily have trotted through his legs (то он мог бы легко пробежать между его ног) without ducking his head (и ему не пришлось бы наклонять голову; to duck — нырять, уклоняться от удара) to miss the fringe of the man’s brown tunic (чтобы избежать столкновения с бахромой на коричневой тунике этого человека).

“I am Gandalf (я Гэндальф),” said the wizard (сказал волшебник).

“Never heard of him (никогда о нем не слышал),” growled the man (проворчал человек), “And what’s this little fellow (и кто этот малыш)?” he said (сказал он), stooping down to frown at the hobbit (наклоняясь, чтобы хмуро взглянуть на хоббита; to stoop — сутулиться, нагибаться) with his bushy eyebrows (из-под своих кустистых бровей).

“That is Mr. Baggins (это мистер Бэггинс), a hobbit of good family (хоббит из хорошей семьи) and unimpeachable reputation (и с безупречной репутацией; to impeach — выдвигать обвинения; обвинять, осуждать),” said Gandalf. Bilbo bowed (Бильбо поклонился). He had no hat to take off (у него не было шляпы, которую надо было бы снять), and was painfully conscious of his many missing buttons (и он с болью/болезненно осознавал нехватку многого числа пуговиц).

“I am a wizard (я волшебник),” continued Gandalf (продолжил Гэндальф). “I have heard of you (я слышал о вас), if you have not heard of me (если = пусть даже вы не слышали обо мне); but perhaps you have heard of my good cousin Radagast (но, возможно, вы слышали о моем добром кузене Радагасте) who lives near the Southern borders of Mirkwood (который живет рядом с южной границей Мрачного Леса)?”

 

towering ['taV(q)rIN] fringe [frIndZ] tunic ['tju:nIk]