Сказки Матушки Гусыни. Раскраска-билингва - стр. 4

The King was in a quandary, for all the suitors were wealthy and powerful, and he feared that all but the one chosen would become his enemies. Therefore he thought long upon the matter, and at last said,

«Where all are worthy it is difficult to decide which most deserves the hand of the Princess. Therefore I propose to test your wit. The one who shall ask me a riddle I cannot guess, can marry my daughter.»

At this the young men looked thoughtful, and began to devise riddles that his Majesty should be unable to guess. But the King was a shrewd monarch, and each one of the riddles presented to him he guessed with ease.

Now there was one amongst the suitors whom the Princess herself favored, as was but natural. He was a slender, fair-haired youth, with dreamy blue eyes and a rosy complexion, and although he loved the Princess dearly he despaired of finding a riddle that the King could not guess.

But while he stood leaning against the wall the Princess approached him and whispered in his ear a riddle she had just thought of. Instantly his face brightened, and when the King called, «Now, Master Gracington, it is your turn,» he advanced boldly to the throne.

«Speak your riddle, sir,» said the King, gaily; for he thought this youth would also fail, and that he might therefore keep the Princess by his side for a time longer.

But Master Gracington, with downcast eyes, knelt before the throne and spoke in this wise:

«This is my riddle, oh, King:

«Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses And all the King’s men Cannot put Humpty together again!»

«Read me that, sire, an’ you will!»

The King thought earnestly for a long time, and he slapped his head and rubbed his ears and walked the floor in great strides; but guess the riddle he could not.

«You are a humbug, sir!» he cried out at last; «there is no answer to such a riddle.»

«You are wrong, sire,» answered the young man; «Humpty Dumpty was an egg.»

«Why did I not think of that before!» exclaimed the King; but he gave the Princess to the young man to be his bride, and they lived happily together.

And thus did Humpty Dumpty, even in his death, repay the kindness of the fair girl who had shown him such sights as an egg seldom sees.

На самом верху сеновала в сарае свила своё гнездо Курочка Ряба, и двенадцати дней подряд откладывала там яйца одно белее другого. Курочка Ряба свила гнездо именно тут, потому что сюда никто не заглядывал, а значит не стал бы беспокоить её, так как высиживание яиц – ответственное дело, потому что из них вылупляются цыплята. Каждый день, откладывая яйца, она кудахтала себе под клюв: «Это со временем станет прекрасным цыпленком, с мягким, пушком и ясными глазками, сияющими добротой и одним из моих любимчиков. Курочка даже дала имена каждому яйцу, предполагая, что они так и останутся у вылупившихся из них цыплят. Первого назвала Куд-Куда, второго – Петька Задира и так всех по порядку, последнее двенадцатое яйцо, она назвала Ванька-Встанька. Надо заметить, что именно это двенадцатое яйцо было самым большим, белым и очень красивым, а так как гнездо её переполнилось, именно его она отложила совсем близко к краю. Гордо осмотрев свой выводок, Курочка Ряба ушла на задний двор в поисках корма.