The Book of Riddles. Лексические задачки
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24. The Bird Catcher
A bird catcher went to the forest to catch birds. By the end of the day, he caught only one bird.
“Let me go,” the bird begged him. “My husband and my hungry children are waiting for me.”
“So what? I am hungry, too. I will take you home with me, cook you, and have my supper.”
bird catcher птицелов; catch (caught, caught) ловить, поймать; Let me go. Отпусти меня; beg умолять; husband муж, супруг; wait ждать; So what? И что с того?
He put the bird in the cage, and headed home. On the way, he was caught in a storm. Lightning forked the sky, one thunderclap followed another. The bird catcher realized that would never get out of the forest alive. He lay down on the ground and waited for the Death to come for him.
cage
Suddenly he heard the bird’s voice.
“Get up, hunter, and hide under that big tree.”
At that very moment, another lightning lit up the forest, and the bird catcher saw a big tree. He jumped up, and hid under its branches. Right above his head, there was a hole in the tree. In that hole, there lived the bird’s family.
“A bird catcher caught me,” said the bird to her husband. “He is hiding under the branches of our tree. He is cold and hungry. We must have pity on him.”
light up (lit up, lit up) осветить; branch ветка; right above his head прямо над его головой; hole дупло; have pity жалеть, пожалеть
Upon hearing her words, the second bird turned to the bird catcher.
“You are my guest,” he said. “What can I do for you?”
“I am cold,” the bird catcher answered.
The bird left his nest, and soon came back with a piece of charcoal. He made a fire, and put some dry brushwood into it. The bird catcher got warm.
“I am hungry,” he said. “Give me something to eat.”
The bird answered:
“We, forest creatures, eat what we can get. But you will not die of hunger. I will now enter the fire, and you can eat me. I only have one thing to ask of you: Let my wife go. If you don’t, our children will die of hunger.”
upon hearing her words услышав её слова; turn to повернуться к; leave (left, left) покидать; nest гнездо; charcoal древесный уголь; dry сухой; brushwood хворост; forest creatures лесные твари; die of hunger умереть с голоду; enter the fire войти в огонь; Let my wife go. Отпусти мою жену.
The man felt something like conscience stir up inside his chest.
“No,” he said. “I will not accept this sacrifice. I will not eat you.”
He opened the cage, and let the bird out.
“Live long, and be happy,” he said.
The moment he spoke these words, the thunderstorm stopped, as if by magic, and the man could finally go safely home.
feel (felt, felt) чувствовать; something like нечто похожее на; conscience
совесть; stir up шевелиться; chest грудь, грудная клетка; accept принять; sacrifice жертва; let out выпустить; thunderstorm гроза; as if by magic словно по волшебству; finally наконец; safely безопасно; sweetheart возлюбленный, возлюбленнаяWhat is the name of the bird that was ready to sacrifice itself for its sweetheart? Solve this rebus to find out.
25. Sick Leave
A member of a military band came to the surgeon.
“I have a terrible throat ache,” he complained.
“Let me see your throat,” said the doctor. “Oh, that’s not so bad. You’ll be all right in a day or two. I think you’d better rest a little for a week or so.” And with these words the surgeon gave the man sick leave.
sick leave отпуск по болезни; member участник member of a military band музыкант военного оркестра; surgeon хирург, врач; terrible ужасный; throat горло; ache боль; complain жаловаться; you’d better rest a little вам лучше немного отдохнуть
A week later, the surgeon met the bandsman in the street.
“How’s your throat?” he asked.
“Oh, I feel much better now,” was the reply.
“I’m glad to hear that,” said the surgeon. “You can go back to your duty now. By the way, what instrument do you play in the band?”
The bandsman told him.
meet (met, met) встречать; bandsman оркестрант; You can go back to your duty now. Вы теперь можете вернуться к своим обязанностям; by the way кстати, к слову, между прочим
What instrument did he play in the band?
26. The Traveller and the Witch
One cold winter day, a man was walking through a thick forest. Soon, night fell, and it became very dark. Suddenly, the traveller saw a hut. He knocked, and an old woman answered the door.
“Let me spend the night at your house, Granny,” said the man. “I’m chilled to the bone. I will pay you as much as you say.”
traveller здесь: путник; witch ведьма; thick forest дремучий лес; hut хижина; knock стучать; answer the door открыть деверь (в ответ на стук); let me spend the night позволь мне провести ночь; I’m chilled to the bone. Я продрог до костей.