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

This, O Beloved of mine, ends the first part the tale!

He ran through the desert; he ran through the mountains; he ran through the salt-pans; he ran through the reed-beds[133 - reed-bed – заросли тростника; bed – букв. кро-вать, клумба, грядка]; he ran through the blue gums; he ran through the spinifex; he ran till his front legs ached.

He had to[134 - He had to! – Он был вынужден (Он должен был бежать).]!

Still ran Dingo – Yellow-Dog Dingo – always hungry, grinning like a rat-trap, never getting nearer, never getting farther, – ran after Kangaroo.

He had to!

Still ran Kangaroo – Old Man Kangaroo. He ran through the ti-trees; he ran through the mulga; he ran through the long grass; he ran through the short grass; he ran through the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer[135 - Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer – северный и южный тропики]; he ran till his hind legs ached.

He had to!

Still ran Dingo – Yellow-Dog Dingo – hungrier and hungrier, grinning like a horse-collar[136 - horse-collar – хомут], never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they came to the Wollgong River.

Now, there wasn’t any bridge, and there wasn’t any ferry-boat[137 - ferry-boat – паром, судно для перевоза через реку и т. п.], and Kangaroo didn’t know how to get over; so he stood on his legs and hopped.

He had to!

He hopped through the Flinders[138 - He hopped through Flinders – Он перепрыгнул через Флиндерс; Флиндерс – название острова], he hopped through the Cinders[139 - Cinder – букв.

лава извергающегося вулкана, зола, пепел], he hopped through deserts in the middle of Australia. He hopped like a Kangaroo.

First he hopped one yard; then he hopped three yards; then he hopped five yards; his legs growing stronger; his legs growing longer.

He hadn’t any time for rest or refreshment, and he wanted them very much.

Still ran Dingo – Yellow-Dog Dingo – very much bewildered[140 - to bewilder – смущать, ставить в ту-пик, сбивать с толку], very much hungry, and wondering what in the world or out of it made Old Man Kangaroo hop.

For he hopped like a cricket; like a pea in a saucepan; or a new rubber ball on a nursery floor.