That puzzled the Leopard and the Ethiopian (это озадачило Леопарда и Эфиопа), but they set off to look for the aboriginal Flora (но они отправились на поиски туземной Флоры), and presently, after ever so many days (и некоторое время спустя, через много-много дней), they saw a great, high, tall forest (они увидели огромный, высокий лес) full of tree trunks all ‘sclusively speckled and sprottled and spottled (полный древесных стволов — все ‘сключительно пятнистые, и пятновые, и пятнастые), dotted and splashed and slashed and hatched and cross-hatched with shadows (в точечку и в пестринку, и в косую черточку, и в штрихах, и в поперечных штрихах от теней). (Say that quickly aloud (скажи это быстро вслух), and you will see how
puzzle [pAzl], quickly ['kwIklI], aloud [q'laud]
That puzzled the Leopard and the Ethiopian, but they set off to look for the aboriginal Flora, and presently, after ever so many days, they saw a great, high, tall forest full of tree trunks all ‘sclusively speckled and sprottled and spottled, dotted and splashed and slashed and hatched and cross-hatched with shadows. (Say that quickly aloud, and you will see how
‘What is this (что это такое),’ said the Leopard (спросил Леопард), ‘that is so ‘sclusively dark (что так ‘сключительно темно), and yet so full of little pieces of light (и тем не менее такое полное =
‘I don’t know (/я/ не знаю),’ said the Ethiopian (сказал Эфиоп), ‘but it ought to be the aboriginal Flora (но это должно быть туземной Флорой). I can smell Giraffe (я чую Жирафа), and I can hear Giraffe (и я слышу Жирафа), but I can’t see Giraffe (но я не вижу Жирафа).’
‘That’s curious (это любопытно),’ said the Leopard (сказал Леопард). ‘I suppose it is because we have just come in out of the sunshine (я полагаю, что это из-за того, что мы только что вошли с солнечного света). I can smell Zebra (я чую Зебру), and I can hear Zebra (и я слышу Зебру), but I can’t see Zebra (но я не вижу Зебры).’
piece [pJs], light [laIt], curious ['kjuqrIqs]
‘What is this,’ said the Leopard, ‘that is so ‘sclusively dark, and yet so full of little pieces of light?’
‘I don’t know,’ said the Ethiopian, ‘but it ought to be the aboriginal Flora. I can smell Giraffe, and I can hear Giraffe, but I can’t see Giraffe.’
‘That’s curious,’ said the Leopard. ‘I suppose it is because we have just come in out of the sunshine. I can smell Zebra, and I can hear Zebra, but I can’t see Zebra.’
‘Wait a bit (подожди чуток),’ said the Ethiopian (сказал Эфиоп). ‘It’s a long time since we’ve hunted ‘em[42] (прошло много времени с тех пор, как мы охотились на них). Perhaps we’ve forgotten what they were like (возможно, мы забыли, как они выглядят).’
‘Fiddle!’ said the Leopard (чепуха! — сказал Леопард;
forgotten [fq'gOtqn], perfectly ['pWfIktlI], especially [Is'peSqlI]
‘Wait a bit,’ said the Ethiopian. ‘It’s a long time since we’ve hunted ‘em. Perhaps we’ve forgotten what they were like.’