Little Red Riding Wolf - сказка наоборот.
Я уже публиковала на канале эту сказку в собственном переводе
Теперь вы можете прочитать её на английском. Текст адаптирован к учебному чтению, в скобках даны перевод и комментарии к некоторым словам и выражениям, которые вызвали вопросы у моих учеников.
СКАЗКА
In the very darkest corner of the deep dark wood sat the Big Bad Girl.
The Big Bad Girl was just about as (настолько) BIG and BAD as (насколько) a girl can be, and all the woodland animals were afraid of her.
She hung about (слонялась - неправильный глагол hang - hung - hung) beside the forest path (тропинка) and carved (вырезала) her name on trees. She shouted rude things at any little animal who passed by (проходил мимо).
"Come on, Big Ears! Hop to it!"
The Big Bad Girl tripped up (trip up - подставить подножку) little deer. She stole (крала - неправильный глагол steal - stole - stolen) fir cones (еловые шишки) from baby squirrels and threw (швыряла - неправильный глагол throw - threw - thrown) them at the poor little hedgehogs. The woodland birds didn't dare to sing when the Big Bad Girl was around (поблизости)!
But the person the Big Bad Girl liked to tease (дразнить) most of all was a charming little wolf cub (волчонок) who often passed by on his way to visit his dear old granny wolf.
Little Wolfie was the sweetest, fluffiest, politest little cub you ever hope to meet. He would run along the path, skippety-skip (скок-поскок), carrying a basket of freshly baked goodies for Old Granny Wolf, singing all the time...
"I'm a little Wolfie, good and sweet
I am tiny, I am neat.
With a basket full of lovely grub,
I am Granny's favourite cub."
"Wot's in yer basket today, Little-Weedy-Wolfie-Wimp?" snarled the Big Bad Girl. "Mmmm, apple pies? I'll take those. Jam sandwiches? Very tasty."
"Oh dear (о боже), oh dear! Now there will be nothing for dear Old Granny Wolf," wailed Little Wolfie. And his little wolfie tears rolled into the empty (пустой) basket.
Now, the Big Bad Girl's father was not big and bad at all. He was a kind (добрый) old hat-maker who loved hats in every shape and size (форм и размеров), and thought everyone should (должен) wear one (имеется в виду: шляпу) night and day.
But the truth was, his hats were so awful (ужасный) that nobody would buy them. He had only sold one nightcap (ночной чепчик) in his entire life (за всю свою жизнь) and the family was terribly poor.
"I can't understand it," he sighed. "I make these marvellous (изумительные) hats from dawn (рассвет) till dusk (закат) until my fingers are worn (истёрты - неправильный глагол wear - wore - worn) to bone, but even my own daughter will not wear them. Please, my dear," he begged (умолял), "wear this one for me."
"Father," answered the appalling (ужасный) child, "I would rather wear one of your old socks on my head than this hat. Why can't you get a decent (приличный, подходящий) job? Nobody is a hat-maker these days. Couldn't you be a woodcutter (дровосек) like other people's dads?"
The Big Bad Girl hated hats so much that as soon as her father gave her a new one, she would run into the woods and gave it to a baby badger or a little squirrel to wear, whether they liked it or not (нравится им это или нет).
Then, to her father's dismay, she would return home, bare-headed (с непокрытой головой), pretending (делая вид) she had lost the hat in the forest.
One day, however (однако), the Big Bad Girl's father made her a hat that was more ridiculous (нелепая) than anything he had made before. This one was a real monster. It was bright red with a woolly bobble (помпон) on top, little flaps (наушники) over the ears and a dangly (висящие) bows (ленты) to tie under the chin. It even had a small red cape (накидка) to match. The old man was delighted with (доволен /кем/чем) his creation.
"Surely my daughter will LOVE this one," he laughed, jumping up and down with excitement.
But the Big Bad Girl said, "Father, you have made some vile (гнусный, подлый, отвратительный, ужасный) things in your life, but this hat is THE PITS (зд. выгребная яма, мерзость)! I would rather wear your old underpants (трусы) on my head. You have as much fashion sense as a dung-beetle (жук-навозник)!"
As her father lay (лежал - неправильный глагол lie-lay-lain) weeping (рыдая) in his workshop, the Big Bad Girl stomped into the forest to find some unsuspecting (ничего не подозревающий) little animal to wear the red riding hat.
But, alas, this one was so awful that no one would touch it. Even the Woodland Oxfam (Оксфам - название международной благотворительной организации) shop sent her away.
The Big Bad Girl sat by the forest path wondering what to do.
"Surely someone will be stupid enough to wear this hat," she said. As she spoke (и только она это сказала), she heard a delightful little song...
"I'm a little wolfie, smart and clean,
never nasty, never mean (злой)
Hello flowers, hello trees,
Hello humble (скромный) bumble bees."
And who should come along the path, skippety-skip, but Little Wolfie.
"Ah, ha!" sniggered (захихикала) the Big Bad Girl. 'Here comes Creepy-Cutesy-Custard-Cub. My red riding hat would suit him perfectly! I will trick him into (заставить обманом) wearing it. Then I will make fun of him FOREVER! Heh heh heh!"
"Where are you going, Little Fluffy Flea Face?" growled (прорычала) the Big Bad Girl.
"I am off to visit my darling old granny wolf," replied Little Wolfie, politely.
"Well, I have seen yer old granny wolf," lied the rotten (негодная) girl. "You can't see her today because she is poorly (больна, плохо себя чувствует) and might give you her old granny wolf germs (микробы)."
"Oh, poor Old Granny Wolf," sighed Little Wolfie, sadly.
"But," continued the wicked (злая) girl, "she has made you a lovely sort of hat thing. She told me to give it to you and tell you never to take it off, night or day, even if people laugh at you."
Little Wolfie was very pleased...
...until he saw the revolting (отвратительная) red riding hat. Then even he had doubts.
But being a good little chap (малый, парень) and wanting to please his granny, he tied it on his fluffy little head with the dangly ribbons.
The Big Bad Girl almost choked (подавилась) with laughter.
Holy Sweaty Snake Socks! she thought. This little wolf is UNBELIEVABLY stupid.
But Little Red Riding Wolf said 'thank you' politely and set off home, skippety-skip, chattering away to himself.
"How pleased I am with my new hat that Granny has made me. From now on (с этих пор) I will call myself Little Red Riding Wolf. That will please her even more.
The Big Bad Girl rolled on the path and roared with laughter. "Holy Newt's (тритон) Knickers (панталоны)! LITTLE RED RIDING WOLF!! What a name! A wolf should be called Hairy Howler or Bone Cruncher or Old Yellow Eyes. Little Red Riding Wolf is a TERRIBLE name."
All that day, Little Wolfie wore the red riding hat and tried not to notice when people laughed at him.
The next morning he said to himself, "Surely my dear old granny wolf will be better today. I will run along the path and show her how pleased I am with my lovely hat." And he went, skippety-skip...
"I'm a little wolfie, so polite
I am brave, I am bright (умный).
I am happy, I am good.
In my new red riding hood."
BUT, by the side of the path, in the middle of the deep dark wood, blowing bubbles with her gum, something REALLY NASTY (плохое) was waiting for him...
"Oi (привет, эй)! Tomato Head!"
"I am not Tomato Head," said Little Red Riding Wolf, fighting back (борясь, сдерживая) the tears. "I am Little Red Riding Wolf."
"Where are you going, Ketchup Cap?" demanded (потребовала) the Big Bad Girl, wiping her filthy (грязный) nose on the back of her hand.
"I am going to dear Old Granny Wolf's house to see if she is better and to thank her for this lovely hat. Now, excuse me while I fill my basket with these pretty spring flowers for her kitchen table."
While Little Red Riding Wolf picked (собирать) his flowers, the Big Bad Girl picked her nose (ковырялась в носу) thoughtfully (задумчиво).
"That wrinkly Old Granny Wolf will spoil my fun," she said to herself. "I will take a shortcut (пойду напрямик) to her house. If she gives me any trouble, I will lock her in the cupboard, then I will pretend that I am Old Granny Wolf. I bet she is smaller and weedier (более тощая) than little Strawberry Top."
So the Big Bad Girl ran as quickly as she could to Old Granny Wolf's house. It was a very big house for a little old granny wolf.
But Old Granny Wolf was out chopping wood in the forest.
The Big Bad Girl climbed in the back window and ran indoors, just as Little Red Riding Wolf tapped at the door.
"Old Granny Wolf, Old Granny Wolf. It is I, Little Red Riding Wolf, in my brand new (новенький) hat."
"Holy Hopping Hedgehog Droppings (навоз)! That was quick," said the Big Bad Girl. She ran up the stairs and searched for somewhere to hide. She noticed a huge bed, but how could she make herself look like an old granny wolf?
On a hook on the back of the door, the Big Bad Girl found Old Granny Wolf's pink lacy (кружевной) nightcap. Little Wolfie had bought it for Old Granny Wolf's birthday, but she never really wore it. Of course, the Big Bad Girl HATED hats - and this one was even worse than the red riding hat.
But the Big Bad Girl had no choice. She pulled the ghastly (ужасный) nightcap right down to her eyes and climbed into the bed, just as Little Red Riding Wolf came running up the stairs, skippety-skip.
"Old Granny Wolf, Old Granny Wolf. Where are you?" he called.
"Er, over 'ere, Little Wooly Hood Head," answered the Big Bad Girl.
"Oh Old Granny Wolf, Old Granny Woolf, thank you for the beautiful hat you made me. Doesn't it look wonderful?"
"Er...yeah, Little Bobble Brain...really wicked," replied The Big Bad Girl.
"But Old Granny Wolf, Old Granny Wolf, what a tiny voice you have and what small teeth you have too. Perhaps you are still poorly. You seem so pale (бледная) and weedy today."
"Listen, Little Jam Man. You should learn not to make personal remarks!" snapped (огрызнулась) the Big Bad Girl.
"Old Granny Wolf, Old Granny Wolf, what small ears you have. In fact...I don't think you are my old granny wolf at all. She is MUCH bigger than you.
At this precise moment Old Granny Wolf pushed open the door...
Old Granny Wolf was ENORMOUS. She had huge yellow eyes, big sharp teeth and a long dribbly (слюнявый) tongue. She was carrying a great sharp axe.
"Ah, Little Wolfie," she said. "What a nice surprise. You are just in time for tea. But why are you wearing that ridiculous (нелепый) hat? And what is this thing in my bed? It looks like a Big Bad Girl - a very tasty Big Bad Girl - just right for my BIG BAD TEA!"
The Big Bad Girl leaped out of bed, down the stairs, out of the door, into the forest and along the path as fast as her big bad legs would carry her. She hammered (забарабанила/застучала/замолотила) on her father's door.
"Father, Father," yelled the Big Bad Girl. "Let me in. I will be good. I will do whatever you ask."
Her father peeped out of the window. He couldn't believe what he was seeing (продолженная форма используется с целью эмоционального окрашивания). There was his daughter wearing a delightful nightcap. It reminded him of one he had made himself many years before... He remembered it well because it was the only one he had ever sold.
"I will let you in," he said. "But only if you promise to wear a hat night and day - the one you are wearing now suits you beautifully!"
And so from that day on, the Big Bad Girl became a Big Good Girl (for most of the time). She found a job as a woodcutter, and her boss kept a very careful, big yellow eye (keep an eye - присматривать, следить) on her.
The Big Good Girl kept her promise to wear a hat every day, although it was usually a chainsaw (бензопила) helmet.
And the red riding hat was useful...
...when they had an especially heavy load (груз, ноша).