messenger ['mesɪnʤǝ], chestnut ['ʧesnʌt], acorn ['eɪkɔ:n], report [rɪ'pɔ:t]
Food was getting scarce in the mountains, and the council was to decide what to do about it. They had sent out messengers all over, and while they were talking two bears came in and reported that they had found a country in the low grounds where there were so many chestnuts and acorns that mast was knee deep.
Then they were all pleased (тогда они были = стали все довольны), and got ready for a dance (и приготовились к танцу; to get ready – готовиться: «становиться готовым»), and the dance leader was the one (и руководитель танца = ведущий в танце был тот) the Indians call “Long Hams” (/кого/ индейцы называют Длинные Ляжки; ham – бедро, ляжка; hams – /разг./ зад), a great black bear that is always lean (огромный черный медведь, который всегда /остается/ тощим). After the dance the bears noticed the hunter's bow (после танца медведи заметили лук охотника) and arrows (и стрелы), and one said (и один сказал), “This is what men use to kill us (это /то/, что люди используют, чтобы убивать нас). Let us see (давайте посмотрим) if we can manage them (сможем ли мы управиться с ними), and may be we can fight man (и, может быть, мы сможем сражаться с человеком) with his own weapons (его собственным оружием).” So they took the bow and arrows (поэтому они взяли лук и стрелы; to take) from the hunter to try them (у охотника, чтобы попробовать).
lean [li:n], manage ['mænɪʤ], fight [faɪt]
Then they were all pleased, and got ready for a dance, and the dance leader was the one the Indians call “Long Hams,” a great black bear that is always lean. After the dance the bears noticed the hunter's bow and arrows, and one said, “This is what men use to kill us. Let us see if we can manage them, and may be we can fight man with his own weapons.” So they took the bow and arrows from the hunter to try them.
They fitted the arrow (они приладили стрелу) and drew back the string (и тянули назад тетиву; to draw), but when they let go (но когда они отпустили) it caught in their long claws (она зацепилась за их длинные когти; to catch) and the arrows dropped to the ground (и стрелы упали на землю). They saw that they could not use the bow and arrows (они увидели, что они не могли пользоваться луком и стрелами) and gave them back to the man (и отдали их назад человеку). When the dance and the council were over (когда танец и совет были закончены; to be over – закончиться: «быть через»), they began to go home (они начали расходиться по домам), excepting the White Bear chief (исключая = за исключением Белого Медведя-вождя), who lived there (который жил там), and at last the hunter and the bear went out together (и наконец охотник и медведь вышли вместе).
claw [klɔ:], over ['ǝʋvǝ], use /глагол/ [ju:z], back [bæk], excepting [ɪk'septɪŋ]
They fitted the arrow and drew back the string, but when they let go it caught in their long claws and the arrows dropped to the ground. They saw that they could not use the bow and arrows and gave them back to the man. When the dance and the council were over, they began to go home, excepting the White Bear chief, who lived there, and at last the hunter and the bear went out together.
They went on (они шли) until they came to another hole (пока они не пришли к другой берлоге) in the side of the mountain (в склоне горы), when the bear said (когда = и тут медведь сказал), “This is where I live (это = вот где я живу),” and they went in