had left many kittens (оставили много котят).
Indeed (в самом деле), there had come to be so many cats that I was forced to
drive them away (случилось быть = оказалось так много кошек, что я был вынужден
выгнать их). All but these two had gone into the woods (все, кроме этих двух, ушли в
леса) and become very wild (стали очень дикими).
argument [‘ɑ:gjumənt] corner ['ko:nə] stocking ['stokιη] well [wel]
I AM HAPPY AS A KING
I HAD now had adventures enough for a time, and I felt very happy to be at home
with my goats and other pets.
A few years before, I had started with keeping three kids that I had caught. Now I
had a herd of three and forty goats, some of them young, some old.
I kept them in five little fields that I had fenced, at the foot of my castle hill. I
never had any lack of meat and I had plenty of milk, too.
Indeed, I had gone so far as to set up a little dairy, and sometimes my goats gave
me a gallon or two of milk in a day.
Before coming to the island I had never milked a cow, much less a goat. I had
never seen butter made, or even cheese. But I learned how to do everything of the kind.
And now I had more butter and cheese than I could eat.
After dinner it was my custom to go out for a stroll. How proud I was of my little
kingdom!
If you had seen me then, you would not have laughed. You would have been
frightened. For a stranger-looking fellow you never saw.
Be pleased to take a picture of me.
On my head was a big cap made of goatskin. It was very tall and without shape. A
flap hung down from the back of it to keep the rain off my neck.
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I wore a short jacket of goatskin and a pair of knee breeches of the same.
I had neither stockings nor shoes. But I wore around my legs and feet some queer
things that I called buskins. They were made of goatskin, too, and were of great use when
walking among briers or stones.
Around my waist I had a broad belt of rawhide. I had no need of sword or dagger;
and so I carried in this belt a little saw and a hatchet.
Another belt, which hung over my shoulder, held my powderhorn and shot pouch.
On my back was slung a basket. On my shoulder was my gun. Above my head I
carried my great clumsy, ugly umbrella.
My face was as dark as mahogany. It was tanned by the sun and browned by the
hot winds.
My beard was at one time a yard long. But I soon grew tired of it and cut it pretty
short. Yet even then it looked grizzly enough, I assure you.
It is not a very handsome picture, is it?
But do not blame me. I dressed as well as I could. I kept myself clean. I tried to be
worthy of respect, even though no one saw me.
I looked over my little kingdom and was proud and happy.
You would have laughed to see me and my family when dinner time came.
First there was myself, Robinson Crusoe, king of the island. I was the lord of
everything I could see.
Then, like a king, I dined alone, with my servants looking on.
No one was allowed to talk to me but Poll Parrot, who sat on the back of my chair
and waited for what I would give him.
My dog was now so old and feeble that he could hardly stir. He sat always at my
right hand and wagged his tail if I did but snap my finger.
My two cats waited, one on each side of the table, to see what I would give them.
These two cats were not the same that I had brought from the ship. Those were
dead, long ago, of old age. But they had left many kittens.
Indeed, there had come to be so many cats that I was forced to drive them away.
All but these two had gone into the woods and become very wild.
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I LEARN TO BAKE AND AM PROSPEROUS (я учусь печь, и я процветаю;
prosperous — процветающий, преуспевающий; удачливый)
I HAVE already told you about farming (я уже рассказал вам о фермерстве),
and of the difficulties under which I did my work (и о сложностях, с которыми я делал
свою работу). The thing which I wished to do most of all to make good bread (вещь,
которую я хотел сделать больше всего — сделать хороший хлеб).
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I tried many plans, but it was several years before I could think of myself as a
really good baker (я испробовал много планов, но прошло несколько лет, прежде
чем я мог думать о себе как о действительно хорошем пекаре).
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My barley was very fine (ячмень был очень хорош). The grains were large and
smooth (зерна были большими и гладкими). When boiled a long time with a bit of
goat's meat (при варке в течение долгого времени с куском козьего мяса), they made
good food (были хорошей едой).
But they did not take the place of bread (но это не занимало места хлеба).
Before bread could be made, the grains of barley must be ground into meal (прежде, чем
хлеб может быть сделан, зерна ячменя должны быть помолоты в муку).
I tried pounding them with a stone (пытался растирать их камнем; to pound —
бить, колотить; толочь). But that was slow work (медленная работа). The stone
crumbled into sand (камень рассыпался в песок). My meal was worth nothing (такая
еда не стоила ничего).
I looked all over the island for a harder stone (я обыскал весь остров /в поисках/
более твердого камня). All were alike (все были такими же = одинаковыми).
So at last I cut a large block of very hard wood (в конце концов я нашел
большой кусок очень крепкой древесины). I rounded it on the outside with my hatchet
(закруглил его снаружи топориком). Then, partly by chopping (частично рубкой),
partly by burning (выжиганием), I made a hollow place in the end of it (сделал полость
на конце его).
Out of a piece of ironwood (из куска железного дерева) I made a heavy pestle
or beater (сделал тяжелый пестик, или колотушку).
I had now a very good little mill (мельницу). In a short time I had crushed
enough barley to make meal for a large loaf (размолол достаточно ячменя, чтобы
сделать муку для большой буханки).