Джон Толкиен - Английский язык с Дж. Р. Р. Толкиеном. Хоббит

As I was saying (как я говорил), the mother of this hobbit (мать этого самого хоббита) — of Bilbo Baggins, that is (Бильбо Бэггинса, то есть) — was the fabulous Belladonna Took (была легендарная Белладонна Тук), one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took (одна из трех замечательных дочерей Старого Тука), head of the hobbits (главы хоббитов) who lived across The Water (которые жили по ту сторону Воды), the small river (маленькой речки) that ran at the foot of The Hill (которая текла у подножия Холма; to run (ran, run) — бежать, гнать; foot (feet) — нога, ступня, основание). It was often said (часто поговаривали) (in other families (в других семьях)) that long ago (что давным-давно) one of the Took ancestors (один из предков семейства Туков) must have taken a fairy wife (должно быть, взял в жены волшебницу). That was, of course, absurd (это было, конечно же, нелепо), but certainly there was still (но, несомненно, было все-таки) something not entirely hobbit-like about them (что-то не совсем хоббитовское: «похожее на хоббитов» в них), — and once in a while (и, время от времени) members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures (члены клана Туков отправлялись и искали: «имели» приключения). They discreetly disappeared (они незаметно: «обдуманно, осмотрительно» исчезали), and the family hushed it up (и /их/ семья заминала этот /факт/; to hush — водворять тишину, успокаивать); but the fact remained (но факт оставался фактом) that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses (что семейство Туков не было таким же почтенным, как семейство Бэггинсов), though they were undoubtedly richer (хотя они были, вне всякого сомнения, богаче).

fabulous [ˈfæbjʋlǝs] ancestor [ˈænsǝstǝ, ˈænsestǝ] undoubtedly [ʌnˈdaʋtɪdlɪ]

As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit — of Bilbo Baggins, that is — was the fabulous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across The Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbit-like about them, — and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.

Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures (не то чтобы у Белладонны Тук случились какие-нибудь приключения) after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins (после того, как она стала миссис Банго Бэггинс). Bungo, that was Bilbo’s father (Банго, который был отцом Бильбо), built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (построил самую что ни на есть роскошную хоббитовскую нору для нее) (and partly with her money (и частично на ее деньги)) that was to be found (которую можно было обнаружить) either under The Hill (либо под Холмом) or over The Hill (или за Холмом) or across The Water (или по ту сторону Воды), and there they remained to the end of their days (и там они оставались до конца своих дней). Still it is probable (однако, возможно) that Bilbo, her only son (что Бильбо, ее единственный сын), although he looked and behaved (хотя он выглядел и вел себя) exactly like a second edition (совсем как точная копия: «второе издание») of his solid and comfortable father (его солидного и спокойного отца; comfortable—удобный, довольный; спокойный), got something a bit queer (получил что-то чуть-чуть странное) in his makeup (во внешности и характере; make-up — состав, конституция) from the Took side (со стороны семейства Туков), something that only waited for a chance to come out (что-то, что только и ждало шанса, чтобы выйти наружу). The chance never arrived (шанс так никогда и не представился; to arrive — прибывать, приезжать, приходить), until Bilbo Baggins was grown up (до тех пор, пока Бильбо Бэггинс не вырос), being about fifty years old or so (/ему/ было почти пятьдесят лет или около того), and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole (и жил /он/ в прекрасной хоббитовской норе) built by his father (построенной его отцом), which I have just described for you (которую я только что описал для вас), until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably (до тех самых пор, когда он, на самом деле, явно не остепенился: «осел» недвижимо/непоколебимо; to move — двигать).

luxurious [lʌɡˈzjʋ (ǝ) rɪǝs, — ˈʒʋ (ǝ) rɪǝs] queer [kwɪǝ] apparently [ǝˈpærǝntlɪ]

Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. Bungo, that was Bilbo’s father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still it is probable that Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his makeup from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father, which I have just described for you, until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.

By some curious chance (по какому-то странному случаю) one morning long ago (однажды утром, давным-давно) in the quiet of the world (в тишине того мира), when there was less noise and more green (когда было меньше шума и больше зелени), and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous (и хоббиты были все еще многочисленны и процветали), and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast (и Бильбо Бэггинс стоял у своей двери после завтрака) smoking an enormous long wooden pipe (куря чрезвычайно длинную деревянную трубку; enormous — громадный) that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (которая почти достигала до его мохнатых пальцев ног) (neatly brushed (/которые были/ аккуратно причесаны /щеткой/)) — Gandalf came by (зашел Гэндальф).

numerous [ˈnju: m (ǝ) rǝs] prosperous [ˈprɔsp (ǝ) rǝs] enormous [ɪˈnɔ: mǝs]

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still

numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed) — Gandalf came by.

Gandalf! If you had heard (если бы вы слышали) only a quarter of what I have heard about him (только четверть из того, что я слышал о нем), and I have only heard very little (а я слышал только очень маленькую часть) of all there is to hear (из всего того, что можно было услышать), you would be prepared (то вы были бы готовы) for any sort of remarkable tale (к любой разновидности замечательной истории). Tales and adventures (истории и приключения) sprouted up all over the place (давали побеги по всей округе; place — место; город) wherever he went (куда бы он ни шел), in the most extraordinary fashion (самым необыкновенным образом). He had not been down that way (он не был здесь, на этом пути) under The Hill (под Холмом) for ages and ages (уже много-много лет; age — возраст; период времени, эпоха), not since his friend (с тех самых пор, когда его друг) the Old Took died (Старый Тук умер), in fact (на самом-то деле), and the hobbits had almost forgotten (и хоббиты уже почти забыли) what he looked like (как он выглядел). He had been away (он уехал; to be away — отсутствовать) over The Hill and across The Water (за Холм и по ту сторону Воды) on business of his own (по своему личному делу) since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls (с тех самых пор, когда они все были маленькими хоббитами-мальчиками и хоббитами-девочками).

quarter [ˈkwɔ: tǝ] extraordinary [ɪkˈstrɔ: d (ǝ) n (ǝ) rɪ] forgotten [fǝˈɡɔtn]

Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on business of his own since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls.

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning (все, что неподозревающий Бильбо увидел в то утро) was an old man with a staff (был какой-то старик с посохом). He had a tall pointed blue hat (на нем была высокая остроконечная синяя шляпа), a long grey cloak (длинная серая накидка), a silver scarf (серебристый шарф) over which (над которым) a white beard hung down (белая борода свисала /вниз/) below his waist (ниже /его/ пояса; waist — талия), and immense black boots (и огромные черные башмаки).