The elf-host was on the march; and if it was sadly lessened, yet many were glad, for now the northern world would be merrier for many a long day. The dragon was dead, and the goblins overthrown, and their hearts looked forward after winter to a spring of joy. Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elvenking, and beside them strode Beorn, once again in man’s shape, and he laughed and sang in a loud voice upon the road. So they went on until they drew near to the borders of Mirkwood, to the north of the place where the Forest River ran out.
Then they halted, for the wizard and Bilbo would not enter the wood, even though the king bade them stay a while in his halls. They intended to go along the edge of the forest, and round its northern end in the waste that lay between it and the beginning of the Grey Mountains. It was a long and cheerless road, but now that the goblins were crushed, it seemed safer to them than the dreadful pathways under the trees. Moreover Beorn was going that way too.
“Farewell (прощайте)! O Elvenking (о Король эльфов)!” said Gandalf. “Merry be the greenwood (пусть веселится: «да будет весел» зеленый лес), while the world is yet young (пока мир все еще молод)! And merry be all your folk (да и будут веселыми все твои люди;
“Farewell (прощайте)! O Gandalf (о Гэндальф)!” said the king. “May you ever appear (появляйтесь же вы всегда там: «желаю вам всегда появляться»;
“I beg of you (я прошу вас), ” said Bilbo stammering (сказал Бильбо заикаясь;
“In what way have I earned such a gift (чем я заслужил такой подарок;
“Well, er, I thought, don’t you know (ну, э, я подумал, ну, знаете ли), ” said Bilbo rather confused (сказал Бильбо, довольно смущенный), “that, er, some little return should be made for your, er, hospitality (что необходимо небольшое возмещения за ваше, э, гостеприимство;
“I will take your gift (я приму ваш дар), O Bilbo the Magnificent (о, Бильбо Великолепный)!” said the king gravely (сказал король серьезно). “And I name you elf-friend (и я называю вас другом эльфов) and blessed (и благословляю). May your shadow never grow less (да не уменьшится никогда ваша тень) (or stealing would be too easy (а то воровство станет слишком простым))! Farewell (прощайте)!”
greenwood ['ri: nwd] young [jn] appear ['p] stammer ['staem] hospitality [hsp'taelt] magnificent [mae'nfs nt]
“Farewell! O Elvenking!” said Gandalf. “Merry be the greenwood, while the world is yet young! And merry be all your folk!”