THIS, O Best Beloved, is another story of the High and Far-Off Times (это, О Самые Любименькие, еще одна история о Высоких и Далеких Временах =
And he had a friend (и у него была подруга), a Slow-Solid Tortoise (Медленная-Твердая Черепаха;
hedgehog ['heGhOg], turbid ['tWbId], tortoise ['tLtqs]
THIS, O Best Beloved, is another story of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things.
And he had a friend, a Slow-Solid Tortoise, who lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating green lettuces and things. And so
But also, and at the same time (но также и в то же самое время), in those High and Far-Off Times (в те Давние-Предавние Времена), there was a Painted Jaguar (жил да был Пестрый Ягуар), and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon too (и он тоже жил на берегах мутной Амазонки); and he ate everything that he could catch (и он ел все, что /он/ мог поймать). When he could not catch deer or monkeys (когда он не мог поймать оленей или обезьян) he would eat frogs and beetles (он ловил лягушек и жуков); and when he could not catch frogs and beetles (а когда он не мог поймать лягушек и жуков) he went to his Mother Jaguar (он шел к своей Матери Ягуарихе), and she told him how to eat hedgehogs and tortoises (и она рассказывала ему, как есть ежей и черепах).
jaguar ['Gxgjuq], deer [dIq], beetle [bJtl]
But also, and at the same time, in those High and Far-Off Times, there was a Painted Jaguar, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon too; and he ate everything that he could catch. When he could not catch deer or monkeys he would eat frogs and beetles; and when he could not catch frogs and beetles he went to his Mother Jaguar, and she told him how to eat hedgehogs and tortoises.
She said to him ever so many times (она говорила ему очень много раз), graciously waving her tail (грациозно/снисходительно помахивая /своим/ хвостом), ‘My son, when you find a Hedgehog you must drop him into the water and then he will uncoil (мой сын =
graciously ['greISqslI], scoop [skHp], paw [pL]
She said to him ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘My son, when you find a Hedgehog you must drop him into the water and then he will uncoil, and when you catch a Tortoise you must scoop him out of his shell with your paw.’ And so that was all right, Best Beloved.