The Great Bear (The Dipper). The SparrowБольшая Медведица (Ковш). Воробей

Once in a country far away the people were dying of thirst.

There had been no rain for months.

The rivers and springs and brooks had all dried up.

The plants and flowers had withered and died.

One night after the stars had come out a little girl with a tin dipper in her hand crept quietly out of a house and went into a wood near by.

Kneeling down under a tree she folded her hands and prayed that God would send rain, if it were only enough to fill her little dipper.

She prayed so long that at last she fell asleep. When she awoke she was overjoyed to find her dipper full of clear, cool water.

Remembering that her dear mother was ill and dying of thirst she did not even wait to moisten her parched lips, but taking up her dipper she hurried home. In her haste she stumbled, and, alas! dropped her precious cup.

Pouring out a few drops on her hand she held it out for the dog to lick. He did so, and seemed much revived, but as she poured out the water the tin dipper had changed to one of beautiful silver.

"Oh," said her mother, "I will not take it. I shall not live, anyhow. You are younger and stronger than I."

The servant was just abor.t to give each person in the house a spoonful of the precious water when she saw a stranger at the door. He looked sad and weary, and she handed him the dipper of water.

He took it, saying: "Blessed is he that gives a cup of cold water in His name." A radiance shone all about him, and immediately the goldt-n dipper became studded with seven sparkling diamonds. Then it burst forth into a fountain, which supplied the thirsty land with water.

The seven diamonds rose higher until they reached the sky, and there changed into bright stars, forming the "Great Dipper," telling the story of an unselfish act.

Я возвращался с охоты и шел по аллее сада.

Собака бежала впереди меня.

I was returning from hunting, and walking along an avenue of the garden, my dog running in front of me.

Я возвращался съ охоты и шелъь по аллеф сада.

Вдруг она уменьшила свои шаги и начала красться, как бы зачуяв перед собою дичь.

Я глянул вдоль аллеи и увидел молодого воробья с желтизной около клюва и пухом на голове.

Он упал из гнезда (ветер сильно качал березы аллеи) и сидел неподвижно, беспомощно растопырив едва прораставшие крылышки.

Suddenly he took shorter steps, and began to steal along as though tracking game.

I looked along the avenue, and saw a young sparrow, with yellow about its beak and down on its head.

It had fallen out of the nest (the wind was violently shaking the birch-trees in the avenue) and sat unable to move, helplessly flapping its half-grown wings.

Я глянульъ вдоль аллеи и увидалъ молодого воробья, съ желтизной около клюва и пухомъ на головЪ.

Моя собака медленно приближалась к нему, как вдруг, сорвавшись с близкого дерева, старый черногрудый воробей камнем упал перед самой ее мордой — и весь взъерошенный, искаженный, с отчаянным и жалким писком прыгнул раза два в направлении зубастой раскрытой пасти.

My dog was slowly approaching it, when, suddenly darting down from a tree close by, an old dark-throated sparrow fell like a stone right before his nose, and all ruffled up, terrified, with despairing and pitiful cheeps, it flung itself twice towards the open jaws of shining teeth.

Он ринулся спасать, он заслонил собою свое детище… но всё его маленькое тело трепетало от ужаса, голосок одичал и охрип, он замирал, он жертвовал собою!

Каким громадным чудовищем должна была ему казаться собака!

И все-таки он не мог усидеть на своей высокой, безопасной ветке…

Сила, сильнее его воли, сбросила его оттуда.

It sprang to save; it cast itself before its nestling ... but all its tiny body was shaking with terror; its note was harsh and strange.

What a huge monster must the dog have seemed to it!

A force stronger than its will flung it down.

Онъ кинулся спасать, онъ заслонилъ собою свое д$- тище....

Мой Трезор остановился, попятился… Видно, и он признал эту силу.

My Trésor stood still, drew back.... Clearly he too recognised this force.

Мой Трезоръ остановилея, попятился.... Видно, и онъ призналъ эту силу.

Я поспешил отозвать смущенного пса — и удалился, благоговея.

I hastened to call off the disconcerted dog, and went away, full of reverence.

Да; не смейтесь.

Я благоговел перед той маленькой героической птицей, перед любовным ее порывом.

Yes; do not laugh.

I felt reverence for that tiny heroic bird, for its impulse of love.

Любовь, думал я, сильнее смерти и страха смерти.

Только ею, только любовью держится и движется жизнь.

Love, I thought, is stronger than death or the fear of death.

Only by it, by love, life holds together and advances.