Just So Stories for Little Children / Просто сказки. Книга для чтения на английском языке

�The long and the little of it is that we don’t match our backgrounds. I’m going to take Baviaan’s advice. He told me I ought to change; and as I’ve nothing to change except my skin I’m going to change that.’

�What to?’ said the Leopard, tremendously excited.

�To a nice working blackish-brownish colour, with a little purple in it, and touches of slaty-blue.

It will be the very thing for hiding in hollows and behind trees[86 - It will be the very thing for hiding in hollows and behind trees.

– Это будет как раз то, что нужно, для того, чтобы прятаться в низинах и за деревьями.very – зд. именно, как раз].’

So he changed his skin then and there, and the Leopard was more excited than ever; he had never seen a man change his skin before.

�But what about me?’ he said, when the

Ethiopian had worked his last little finger into his fine new black skin.

�You take Baviaan’s advice too.

He told you to go into spots.’

�So I did,’ said the Leopard. �I went into other spots as fast as I could. I went into this spot with you, and a lot of good it has done to me.’

�Oh,’ said the Ethiopian, �Baviaan didn’t mean spots in South Africa. He meant spots on your skin.’

�What’s the use of that?’ said the Leopard.

�Think of Giraffe,’ said the Ethiopian. �Or if you prefer stripes give them perfect satisfaction[87 - to give satisfaction – принести удовлетворе-ние, принести извинения].

’

�Umm,’ said the Leopard. �I wouldn’t look like Zebra – not for ever so.’

�Well, make up your mind[88 - to make up one's mind – решиться на что-либо или сделать что-либо],’ said the Ethiopian, �because I’d hate to go hunting without you, but I must if you insist on looking like a sunflower against a tarred fence.’

�I’ll take spots, then,’ said the Leopard; �but don’t make ’em too vulgar-big.

I wouldn’t look like Giraffe – not for ever so.’

This is the picture of the Leopard and the Ethiopian after they had taken Wise Baviaan’s advice and the Leopard had gone into other spots and the Ethiopian had changed his skin. The Ethiopian was really a negro, and so his name was Sambo. The Leopard was called Spots, and he has been called Spots ever since.