Русские сказки, переведенные на английский язык

РУССКИЕ СКАЗКИ, ПЕРЕВЕДЕННЫЕ НА АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

 1. The Ant and the Grasshopper (МУРАВЕЙ И КУЗНЕЧИК)

One summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about in the field, singing and chirping to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, carrying with great effort an ear of corn he was taking to his home.

«Why not come and have a chat with me, » the Grasshopper said, «instead of fussing all day long?». «I am busy saving up food for the winter, » the Ant said, «and that would be better for you to do the same. » «Why bother about cold? » the Grasshopper answered; «we have got a lot of food at present. »

But the Ant went on its supply. When the winter came the Grasshopper got very cold and hungry while it kept watching the ants replete with corn and grain from the stores they had collected and saved in the summer.

 Then the Grasshopper understood…

2. The Lion and the Mouse (ЛЕВ И МЫШОНОК)

Once a Lion decided to have a rest. While he’d been asleep a little Mouse started to run up and down upon him. The Lion woke up because of that, put his huge paw upon the Mouse and opened his awful mouth to swallow him.

«I beg your pardon, my King! » the little Mouse cried, «Forgive me please. I shall never do it again and I shall never forget how kind you were to me. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll do you a favor in turn? »

The Lion found the idea of the Mouse being able to help him so funny, that he let him go. Sometime later the Lion was captured by hunters. They tied him to a tree and they went away for a while searching for a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and the Lion in trouble. At once he ran up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that tied the King. «Wasn’t I really right? » the little Mouse said, being very proud of his role of the Lion’s saviour.

3. The golden goose (ЗОЛОТАЯ ГУСЫНЯ)

Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife who were happy to own a goose that laid a golden egg daily. In spite of their luck, however, they soon stopped being satisfied with their fortune and wanted even more. They imagined that if the goose can lay golden eggs, it must be made of gold inside. So they thought that if they could get all that precious metal at once, they would get very rich immediately. Then the couple decided to kill the bird. However, when they cut the goose open, they were shocked to find that its innards were just like any other goose has got!

4. The Golden Fish (ЗОЛОТАЯ РЫБКА)

Once upon a time, in a land far away lived a very poor couple in a shack not far from the edge of the sea. Their only means of food was the fish that the old man caught in the sea.

One morning, as was his usual routine, the fisherman took his fishing net down to the sea. But on this day something unusual happened, on this day the fisherman caught the Golden Fish.

The Golden Fish begged for the fisherman to spare his life, and offered in return to grant the fisherman any wish he would like. But the kindhearted fisherman asked for nothing, and returned the Golden Fish to the sea.

However, the fisherman's wife was not so kindhearted, she became irate when he related the story to her, and sent him back to the sea to catch the Golden Fish and to wish for a loaf of bread. The fisherman did as he was told. He caught the fish and wished for a loaf of bread. When he returned home he found a fresh baked loaf of bread on the table.

The fisherman's wife then decided that she wanted more than just a loaf of bread.

The next morning she sent her husband to ask for a new. He returned home to find his wife with a new washtub, but she still wasn't satisfied.

The following day the husband was sent to the sea to find the magic fish and to wish for a new house. This wish was, like the ones before it, granted to the fisherman. But the fisherman was sent back again the next day to wish that his wife would become governor. This time he returned home to find his wife dressed in riches and ordering about servants. But the woman was still unhappy, and demanded to become Queen of all the land.

Eventually, even being Queen of all the land did not satisfy the wife, and so she sent her husband once last time to the sea to catch the Golden Fish and to wish that she would be ruler of the sea and of all creatures who live in it. The fisherman caught the fish, and made the wish. However, when he returned home his wife was dressed in her old rags, standing by her old broken washtub, inside the old shack, with not even a loaf of bread to eat.

5. The Bun (КОЛОБОК)

One day the old man says to his wife ‘Please, bake me a bun’. The old woman takes some flour, some soar cream, some butter and some water, and makes a bun. She puts it on the windowsill to cool.

But the bun cannot sit on the windowsill! It jumps from the windowsill to the

bench, from the bench to the floor, from the floor to the door, and runs away.

The bun runs along the road and meets a hare. ‘Little bun, little bun, I want to eat you!’ says the hare. ‘I ran away from Grandfather, I ran away from Grandmother. And I can run away from you, little hare!’ says the bun and runs away.

The bun runs along the road and meets a wolf. ‘Little bun, little bun, I want to eat you!’ says the wolf. ‘I ran away from Grandfather, I ran away from

Grandmother, I ran away from the hare. And I can run away from you, grey wolf!’ says the bun and runs away.

The bun runs along the road and meets a bear. ‘Little bun, little bun, I want to eat you!’ says the bear. ‘I ran away from Grandfather, I ran away from

Grandmother, I ran away from the hare, I ran away from the wolf. And I can run away from you, big bear!’ says the bun again and runs away.

The bun runs along the road and meets a fox. ‘Little bun, little bun, I want to eat you!’ says the fox. ‘I ran away from Grandfather, I ran away from

Grandmother, I ran away from the hare, I ran away from the wolf, I ran away from the bear. And I can run away from you, old fox!’

‘What a nice song!’ says the fox. ‘But little bun, I’m old and I cannot hear you well. Sit on my nose and sing your song again.’ The bun jumps on the fox’s nose and … the fox eats it!

6. The Snow Maiden (СНЕГУРОЧКА)

Once upon a time there lived an old man and woman. They had a good life, but had always regretted that they didn't have any children. One lovely winter day the couple saw some neighborhood children playing in the snow, and the disappointment of not having a child of their own hurt more than ever.

The old man turned to his wife and said "Let's go outside and build a

snow girl - it will be like the daughter we never had." So the two built a snow girl, carefully forming her hands and feet, her cute little nose, her mouth, her chin...

Seconds after they finished, the snow girl’s lips suddenly turned red and her eyes began to open. She smiled warmly at the old couple, shook the flakes off her body, and emerged from the snowdrift as a pretty young girl!

The old couple was overjoyed, took her into their hut, and named her the Snow Maiden. The Snow Maiden grew quickly, not by the day but by the hour. Before long, she became quite beautiful and the old couple doted on her. The Snow Maiden was a dream child. She always did her chores, never complained, and was very affectionate. When she sang a melody, it was as if an angel from heaven were singing just for them.

The Snow Maiden spent much time outdoors. She liked the feel of the cool breeze on her fair skin and enjoyed spending time with the small creatures of the forest.

But winter soon passed and the warm sun of spring started to heat the land. The girl now became quite depressed.

"What's the matter", the old couple would ask. "Are you not feeling well?"

"No, Mother, no Father, I'm fine", she would reply.

But there was no denying that something was wrong. As the last snow melted, as flowers began to grow in the meadows, as the larks started to sing, the girl became even sadder. And she would hide from the sun at every opportunity. Once dark clouds moved through, bringing with them a flurry of hail. The girl rejoiced, looking at the stones of hail as if they were giant pearls. But soon the hail melted and the girl cried.

Summer arrived and one day a group of girls called out to the Snow

Maiden, "Come with us for a walk in the woods!"

The Snow Maiden didn't want to go, but her parents urged her, saying, "Go play with them, dear. You'll have fun".

So she went with the girls, who began collecting flowers, singing songs, and dancing. The Snow Maiden didn't join in, though, and wasn't having a very good time. Then it began to get dark, and the other girls made a fire from some twigs they had collected. They continued to laugh and sing, and the Snow Maiden could see how much fun the girls were having. Finally, she decided to join in. For the first time since winter a smile formed on her face as she laughed, sang, and danced with the others.

Then, one by one, the other girls began playfully jumping over the small fire they had built. The Snow Maiden jumped over when it was her turn, but halfway through her leap, she suddenly melted and turned into a white cloud. A faint good-bye was heard before the cloud rose up and

disappeared into the heavens.