Away flew the Butterfly’s Wife to her husband, and in five minutes they were quarrelling worse than ever.

‘Remember!’ said the Butterfly. ‘Remember what I can do if I stamp my foot.’

‘I don’t believe you one little bit (я не верю тебе ни капельки),’ said the Butterfly’s Wife (сказала Жена Мотылька). ‘I should very much like to see it done (я очень бы хотела увидеть, как это случится). Suppose you stamp now (допустим ты топнешь сейчас = ну, топни сейчас).’

‘I promised Suleiman-bin-Daoud that I wouldn’t (я пообещал Сулейману-ибн-Дауду, что я не буду),’ said the Butterfly (сказал Мотылек), ‘and I don’t want to break my promise (и я не хочу нарушать мое обещание).’

‘It wouldn’t matter if you did (/это/ не имело бы /особого/ значения, если бы ты /его/ нарушил),’ said his wife (сказала его жена). You couldn’t bend a blade of grass with your stamping (своим топаньем ты не смог бы пригнуть и травинку). I dare you to do it (спорим, что ты не сделаешь этого; to dare — подзадоривать, бросать вызов),’ she said (сказала она). ‘Stamp! Stamp! Stamp (топни! топни! топни!)!’

done [dAn], promise ['prOmIs], break [breIk]

‘I don’t believe you one little bit,’ said the Butterfly’s Wife. ‘I should very much like to see it done. Suppose you stamp now.’

‘I promised Suleiman-bin-Daoud that I wouldn’t,’ said the Butterfly, ‘and I don’t want to break my promise.’

‘It wouldn’t matter if you did,’ said his wife. You couldn’t bend a blade of grass with your stamping. I dare you to do it,’ she said. ‘Stamp! Stamp! Stamp!’

Suleiman-bin-Daoud, sitting under the camphor-tree (Сулейман-ибн-Дауд, сидя под камфорным деревом), heard every word of this (слышал каждое слово из этого), and he laughed as he had never laughed in his life before (и он засмеялся, как не смеялся никогда прежде в своей жизни). He forgot all about his Queens (он совершенно забыл о своих Царицах); he forgot all about the Animal that came out of the sea (он совершенно забыл о Животном, которое вышло из моря); he forgot about showing off (он забыл о хвастовстве). He just laughed with joy (он просто смеялся от радости), and Balkis, on the other side of the tree (а Балкис, по другую сторону дерева), smiled because her own true love was so joyful (улыбалась, потому что ее /собственная/ истинная любовь была так счастлива; joy — радость).

Presently the Butterfly, very hot and puffy, came whirling back under the shadow of the camphor-tree and said to Suleiman (через некоторое время Мотылек, очень разгоряченный и запыхавшийся, примчался назад в тень камфорного дерева и сказал Сулейману-ибн-Дауду), ‘She wants me to stamp (она хочет, чтобы я топнул)! She wants to see what will happen, OSuleiman-bin-Daoud (она хочет увидеть, что произойдет, О Сулейман-ибн-Дауд)! You know I can’t do it (ты знаешь, я не могу этого), and now she’ll never believe a word I say (и теперь она никогда /не/ поверит и слову из того, что я скажу). She’ll laugh at me to the end of my days (она будет смеяться надо мной до конца моих дней)!’

joyful ['GOIful], presently ['prezntlI], puffy ['pAfI]

Suleiman-bin-Daoud, sitting under the camphor-tree, heard every word of this, and he laughed as he had never laughed in his life before. He forgot all about his Queens; he forgot all about the Animal that came out of the sea; he forgot about showing off. He just laughed with joy, and Balkis, on the other side of the tree, smiled because her own true love was so joyful.

Presently the Butterfly, very hot and puffy, came whirling back under the shadow of the camphor-tree and said to Suleiman, ‘She wants me to stamp! She wants to see what will happen, O Suleiman-bin-Daoud! You know I can’t do it, and now she’ll never believe a word I say. She’ll laugh at me to the end of my days!’

‘No, little brother (нет, маленький братец),’ said Suleiman-bin-Daoud (сказал Сулейман-ибн-Дауд), ‘she will never laugh at you again (она никогда больше не будет смеяться над тобой),’ and he turned the ring on his finger (и он повернул кольцо на своем пальце) — just for the little Butterfly’s sake (лишь ради маленького Мотылька), not for the sake of showing off (а не ради бахвальства), — and, lo and behold (и смотрите и внимайте), four huge Djinns came out of the earth (четыре огромных Джинна вышли из земли)!

‘Slaves,’ said Suleiman-bin-Daoud (рабы, — сказал Сулейман-ибн-Дауд), ‘when this gentleman on my finger (когда этот господин на моем пальце)’ (that was where the impudent Butterfly was sitting (именно там сидел наглый Мотылек)) ‘stamps his left front forefoot (топнет своей левой передней ножкой) you will make my Palace and these gardens disappear in a clap of thunder (вы заставите исчезнуть мой Дворец и эти сады в грохоте грома). When he stamps again you will bring them back carefully (когда он топнет опять, вы аккуратно вернете их назад = на место).’

huge [hjHG], slave [sleIv], carefully ['kFqfulI]

‘No, little brother,’ said Suleiman-bin-Daoud, ‘she will never laugh at you again,’ and he turned the ring on his finger — just for the little Butterfly’s sake, not for the sake of showing off, — and, lo and behold, four huge Djinns came out of the earth!

‘Slaves,’ said Suleiman-bin-Daoud, ‘when this gentleman on my finger’ (that was where the impudent Butterfly was sitting) ‘stamps his left front forefoot you will make my Palace and these gardens disappear in a clap of thunder. When he stamps again you will bring them back carefully.’

‘Now, little brother (теперь, маленький братец),’ he said (сказал он), ‘go back to your wife and stamp all you’ve a mind to (вернись к своей жене и топни в точности, как ты и намерен; mind — намерение, склонность /сделать что-л./).’

Away flew the Butterfly to his wife, who was crying (Мотылек улетел к своей жене, которая кричала), ‘I dare you to do it (а ну попробуй)! I dare you to do it (а ну попробуй)! Stamp! Stamp now! Stamp (топни! топни! топни!)!’ Balkis saw the four vast Djinns stoop down to the four corners of the gardens with the Palace in the middle (Балкис увидела, как четыре громадных Джинна наклонились к четырем углам садов с Дворцом в центре), and she clapped her hands softly and said (и она тихонько захлопала в ладоши и сказала), ‘At last Suleiman-bin-Daoud will do for the sake of a Butterfly (наконец Сулейман-ибн-Дауд сделает ради Мотылька /то/) what he ought to have done long ago for his own sake (что ему следовало сделать давно ради самого себя), and the quarrelsome Queens will be frightened (и склочные Царицы испугаются)!’

mind [maInd], dare [dFq], vast [vRst]

‘Now, little brother,’ he said, ‘go back to your wife and stamp all you’ve a mind to.’

Away flew the Butterfly to his wife, who was crying, ‘I dare you to do it! I dare you to do it! Stamp! Stamp now! Stamp!’ Balkis saw the four vast Djinns stoop down to the four corners of the gardens with the Palace in the middle, and she clapped her hands softly and said, ‘At last Suleiman-bin-Daoud will do for the sake of a Butterfly what he ought to have done long ago for his own sake, and the quarrelsome Queens will be frightened!’

Then the Butterfly stamped (/и/ тогда Мотылек топнул). The Djinns jerked the Palace and the gardens a thousand miles into the air (Джинны швырнули Дворец и сады на тысячу миль в воздух): there was a most awful thunder-clap (раздался преужаснейший удар грома), and everything grew inky-black (и все стало чернильно-черным). The Butterfly’s Wife fluttered about in the dark, crying (Жена Мотылька запорхала во тьме, стеная), ‘Oh, I’ll be good (ах, я буду послушной)! I’m so sorry I spoke (я так сожалею, что я говорила = о моих словах). Only bring the gardens back (только верни сады), my dear darling husband (мой дорогой-дорогой муж; dear, darling — дорогой), and I’ll never contradict again (я никогда /не/ буду больше перечить; to contradict — противоречить).’

jerk [GWk], thunder ['TAndq], flutter ['flAtq]

Then the Butterfly stamped. The Djinns jerked the Palace and the gardens a thousand miles into the air: there was a most awful thunder-clap, and everything grew inky-black. The Butterfly’s Wife fluttered about in the dark, crying, ‘Oh, I’ll be good! I’m so sorry I spoke. Only bring the gardens back, my dear darling husband, and I’ll never contradict again.’

The Butterfly was nearly as frightened as his wife (Мотылек испугался почти так же, как его жена), and Suleiman-bin-Daoud laughed so much that it was several minutes (а Сулейман-ибн-Дауд засмеялся так, что прошло несколько минут) before he found breath enough to whisper to the Butterfly (прежде чем он отдышался достаточно, чтобы шепнуть Мотыльку), ‘Stamp again, little brother (топни опять, маленький братец). Give me back my Palace, most great magician (верни мне мой Дворец, величайший волшебник).’

‘Yes, give him back his Palace (да, верни ему его Дворец),’ said the Butterfly’s Wife (сказала Жена Мотылька), still flying about in the dark like a moth (все еще порхая во тьме, как моль). ‘Give him back his Palace (верни ему его Дворец), and don’t let’s have any more horrid magic (и давай больше не будем так страшно колдовать).’

frighten ['fraItqn], several ['sevrql], magician [mq'GISqn]

The Butterfly was nearly as frightened as his wife, and Suleiman-bin-Daoud laughed so much that it was several minutes before he found breath enough to whisper to the Butterfly, ‘Stamp again, little brother. Give me back my Palace, most great magician.’

‘Yes, give him back his Palace,’ said the Butterfly’s Wife, still flying about in the dark like a moth. ‘Give him back his Palace, and don’t let’s have any more horrid magic.’

‘Well, my dear (ну, моя дорогая),’ said the Butterfly as bravely as he could (сказал Мотылек, как можно храбрее: «так храбро, как он мог»), ‘you see what your nagging has led to (/ты/ видишь, к чему привела твоя сварливость; to lead — вести, приводить; to nag — придираться; привязываться, изводить; ворчать). Of course it doesn’t make any difference to me (конечно, для меня это не имеет значения) — I’m used to this kind of thing (я привык к такого рода делам) — but as a favour to you and to Suleiman-bin-Daoud I don’t mind putting things right (но в виде одолжения тебе и Сулейману-ибн-Дауду я не против того, чтобы все исправить: «поместить вещи правильно»).’

bravely ['breIvlI], nagging ['nxgIN], favour ['feIvq]

‘Well, my dear,’ said the Butterfly as bravely he could, ‘you see what your nagging has led to. Of course it doesn’t make any difference to me — I’m used to this kind of thing — but as a favour to you and to Suleiman-bin-Daoud I don’t mind putting things right.’

So he stamped once more (и он топнул еще раз), and that instant the Djinns let down the Palace and the gardens, without even a bump (и в то /же/ мгновение Джинны опустили Дворец и сады даже без стука). The sun shone on the dark-green orange leaves (солнце засияло на темно-зеленых листьях апельсина); the fountains played among the pink Egyptian lilies (фонтаны забили среди розовых египетских лилий); the birds went on singing (птицы продолжили петь), and the Butterfly’s Wife lay on her side under the camphor-tree waggling her wings and panting (а Жена Мотылька лежала на боку под камфорным деревом, помахивая /своими/ крылышками и говоря на одном дыхании; to pant — говорить на одном дыхании; выпаливать), ‘Oh, I’ll be good (ах, я буду послушной)! I’ll be good (я буду послушной)!’

Suleiman-bin-Daoud could hardly speak for laughing (Сулейман-ибн-Дауд едва мог говорить от смеха). He leaned back all weak and hiccoughy (он откинулся назад совершенно ослабевший = без сил и икающий; to hiccough — икать), and shook his finger at the Butterfly and said (и погрозил /своим/ пальцем Мотыльку и сказал), ‘O great wizard (О великий чародей), what is the sense of returning to me my Palace (какой смысл возвращать мне мой Дворец) if at the same time you slay me with mirth (если в то же самое время ты убиваешь меня весельем = смехом)!’

instant ['Instqnt], bump [bAmp], mirth [mWT]

So he stamped once more, and that instant the Djinns let down the Palace and the gardens, without even a bump. The sun shone on the dark-green orange leaves; the fountains played among the pink Egyptian lilies; the birds went on singing, and the Butterfly’s Wife lay on her side under the camphor-tree waggling her wings and panting, ‘Oh, I’ll be good! I’ll be good!’

Suleiman-bin-Daoud could hardly speak for laughing. He leaned back all weak and hiccoughy, and shook his finger at the Butterfly and said, ‘O great wizard, what is the sense of returning to me my Palace if at the same time you slay me with mirth!’

Then came a terrible noise (затем раздался страшный шум), for all the nine hundred and ninety-nine Queens ran out of the Palace shrieking and shouting and calling for their babies (ибо все 999 Цариц выбежали из Дворца с воплями и криками и созывая своих детей). They hurried down the great marble steps below the fountain, one hundred abreast (они поспешили вниз по огромным мраморным ступеням ниже фонтана по сотне в ряд), and the Most Wise Balkis went statelily[157] forward to meet them and said (и Мудрейшая Балкис величаво выступила вперед навстречу им и сказала; stately — величавый), ‘What is your trouble, O Queens (в чем дело, О Царицы[158])?’

shriek [SrJk], marble [mRbl], abreast [q'brest]

Then came a terrible noise, for all the nine hundred and ninety-nine Queens ran out of the Palace shrieking and shouting and calling for their babies. They hurried down the great marble steps below the fountain, one hundred abreast, and the Most Wise Balkis went statelily forward to meet them and said, ‘What is your trouble, O Queens?’

They stood on the marble steps one hundred abreast and shouted (они стояли на мраморных ступенях по сотне в ряд и кричали), ‘What is our trouble (в чем дело[159])? We were living peacefully in our golden palace, as is our custom (мы жили мирно в нашем золотом дворец, как /велит/ наш обычай), when upon a sudden the Palace disappeared (как вдруг Дворец исчез), and we were left sitting in a thick and noisome darkness (и мы остались сидеть в густой и мерзкой тьме); and it thundered, and Djinns and Afrits moved about in the darkness (и загремел гром, и во тьме носились Джинны и Африты)! That is our trouble (вот в чем дело[160]), O Head Queen (О Старшая Царица), and we are most extremely troubled on account of that trouble (и мы чрезвычайнейше обеспокоены по причине этого беспокойства), for it was a troublesome trouble (ибо это было беспокойное беспокойство), unlike any trouble we have known (непохожее на любое беспокойство, которое мы знавали = которое с нами случалось).’

trouble [trAbl], noisome ['nOIsqm], account [q'kaunt]

They stood on the marble steps one hundred abreast and shouted, ‘What is our trouble? We were living peacefully in our golden palace, as is our custom, when upon a sudden the Palace disappeared, and we were left sitting in a thick and noisome darkness; and it thundered, and Djinns and Afrits moved about in the darkness! That is our trouble, O Head Queen, and we are most extremely troubled on account of that trouble, for it was a troublesome trouble, unlike any trouble we have known.’

Then Balkis the Most Beautiful Queen (тогда Балкис, Прекраснейшая Царица) — Suleiman-bin-Daoud’s Very Best Beloved (Самая Любимая Сулеймана-ибн-Дауда) — Queen that was of Sheba and Sabie and the Rivers of the Gold of the South (Царица /которая была/ Шебы, и Савии, и Золотоносных Рек Юга) — from the Desert of Zinn to the Towers of Zimbabwe (от Пустыни Зинн до Башен Зимбабве) — Balkis, almost as wise as the Most Wise Suleiman-bin-Daoud himself, said (Балкис, почти такая же мудрая, как сам Наимудрейший Сулейман-ибн-Дауд, сказала), ‘It is nothing, O Queens (это ничто = пустяк, О Царицы)! A Butterfly has made complaint against his wife (один Мотылек пожаловался на свою жену) because she quarrelled with him (потому что она ругалась с ним), and it has pleased our Lord Suleiman-bin-Daoud to teach her a lesson in low-speaking and humbleness (и нашему Владыке Сулейману-ибн-Дауду доставило удовольствие преподать ей урок тихой речи и покорности), for that is counted a virtue among the wives of the butterflies (ибо это считается добродетелью среди жен мотыльков).’

tower ['tauq], complaint [kqm'pleInt], virtue ['vWtjH]

Then Balkis the Most Beautiful Queen — Suleiman-bin-Daoud’s Very Best Beloved — Queen that was of Sheba and Sabie and the Rivers of the Gold of the South — from the Desert of Zinn to the Towers of Zimbabwe — Balkis, almost as wise as the Most Wise Suleiman-bin-Daoud himself, said, ‘It is nothing, O Queens! A Butterfly has made complaint against his wife because she quarrelled with him, and it has pleased our Lord Suleiman-bin-Daoud to teach her a lesson in low-speaking and humbleness, for that is counted a virtue among the wives of the butterflies.’

Then up and spoke an Egyptian Queen (тогда высказалась = заговорила одна Египетская Царица) — the daughter of a Pharaoh (дочь фараона) — and she said (и сказала), ‘Our Palace cannot be plucked up by the roots like a leek for the sake of a little insect (наш Дворец нельзя вырвать с корнями, как лук-порей, ради маленького насекомого). No! Suleiman-bin-Daoud must be dead (нет! наверное, Сулейман-ибн-Дауд мертв), and what we heard and saw was the earth thundering and darkening at the news (и то, что мы услышали и увидели, это была земля, которая загрохотала и омрачилась при этой новости).’

Then Balkis beckoned that bold Queen without looking at her, and said to her and to the others (тогда Балкис сделала знак /рукой/ этой самоуверенной Царице, не глядя на нее, и сказала ей и остальным; to beckon — манить, кивать; делать знак /рукой, пальцем/), ‘Come and see (идите и смотрите).’

Egyptian [I'GIpSqn], dead [ded], beckon ['bekqn]

Then up and spoke an Egyptian Queen — the daughter of a Pharaoh — and she said, ‘Our Palace cannot be plucked up by the roots like a leek for the sake of a little insect. No! Suleiman-bin-Daoud must be dead, and what we heard and saw was the earth thundering and darkening at the news.’

Then Balkis beckoned that bold Queen without looking at her, and said to her and to the others, ‘Come and see.’

They came down the marble steps (они спустились по мраморным ступеням), one hundred abreast (по сотне в ряд), and beneath his camphor-tree (и под /его/ камфорным деревом), still weak with laughing (все еще бессильного от смеха), they saw the Most Wise King Suleiman-bin-Daoud (они увидели Мудрейшего Царя Сулеймана-ибн-Дауда) rocking back and forth with a Butterfly on either hand (который сотрясался /от смеха/ взад и вперед с Бабочкой на каждой руке; either — и тот и другой, оба, каждый), and they heard him say (и они услышали, как он сказал), ‘O wife of my brother in the air (О жена моего брата в воздухе = летучего братца), remember after this, to please your husband in all things (помни = не забывай после этого, угождать своему мужу во всем), lest he be provoked to stamp his foot yet again (чтобы не спровоцировать его снова на топанье ногой); for he has said that he is used to this magic (ибо он сказал, что он привык к этому волшебству = что это волшебство привычно для него), and he is most eminently a great magician (а он в высшей степени великий волшебник) — one who steals away the very Palace of Suleiman-bin-Daoud himself (тот, который крадет = украл этот самый Дворец самого Сулеймана-ибн-Дауда). Go in peace, little folk (идите с миром, маленький народец = малыши)!’ And he kissed them on the wings, and they flew away (и он поцеловал им крылышки, и они улетели).

forth [fLT], eminently ['emInqntlI], folk [fquk]

They came down the marble steps, one hundred abreast, and beneath his camphor-tree, still weak with laughing, they saw the Most Wise King Suleiman-bin-Daoud rocking back and forth with a Butterfly on either hand, and they heard him say, ‘O wife of my brother in the air, remember after this, to please your husband in all things, lest he be provoked to stamp his foot yet again; for he has said that he is used to this magic, and he is most eminently a great magician — one who steals away the very Palace of Suleiman-bin-Daoud himself. Go in peace, little!’ And he kissed them on the wings, and they flew away.

Then all the Queens except Balkis (тогда все Царицы, кроме Балкис) — the Most Beautiful and Splendid Balkis (Прекраснейшей и Величественной Балкис), who stood apart smiling (которая стояла в стороне, улыбаясь) — fell flat on their faces (упали ниц: «упали плашмя на своих лица»), for they said (ибо они сказали /себе/), ‘If these things are done when a Butterfly is displeased with his wife (если эти вещи = такое сделано, когда раздосадован своей женой какой-то Мотылек), what shall be done to us (что же будет сделано с нами) who have vexed our King with our loud-speaking and open-quarrelling through many days (которые досаждали нашему Царю нашими громкими разговорами и открытыми ссорами на протяжении многих дней)?’

Then they put their veils over their heads (затем они накинули на головы покрывала; veil — покрывало, вуаль, чадра, паранджа), and they put their hands over their mouths (и они прикрыли свои рты /своими/ руками), and they tiptoed back to the Palace most mousy-quiet (и /они/ вернулись на цыпочках очень тихо как мышки во Дворец).

splendid ['splendId], veil [veIl], tiptoe ['tIptqu]

Then all the Queens except Balkis — the Most Beautiful and Splendid Balkis, who stood apart smiling — fell flat on their faces, for they said, ‘If these things are done when a Butterfly is displeased with his wife, what shall be done to us who have vexed our King with our loud-speaking and open-quarrelling through many days?’