Воробышек по мостовой
Бесстрашно прыгал. Малый смел:
Меж ног коня птах удалой
Свой ужин невредимым съел.
Коню уловка та ясна:
Он ждал упавшего зерна.
Взирал он глазом свысока,
Жуя размеренно зерно,
На пляски воробья, пока
Не стало выпадать оно
Коричневым, и молвил так:
"Ешь с аппетитом, мал-чудак".
В телегу кучер, воротясь,
Влез, вожжи натянул, кнутом
Хлестнул конягу пару раз.
Уехали они потом.
И безразлично воробью,
Когда его кормильца бьют.
James Stephens
The Horse
A sparrow hopped about the street,
And he was not a bit afraid;
He flew between a horse's feet,
And ate his supper undismayed:
I think myself the horse knew well
The bird came for the grains that fell.
For his eye was looking down,
And he danced the corn about
In his nose-bag, till the brown
Grains of corn were tumbled out;
And I fancy that he said,
'Eat it up, young Speckle-Head!'
The driver then came back again,
He climbed into the heavy dray;
And he tightened up the rein,
Cracked his whip and drove away.
But when the horse's ribs were hit,
The sparrow did not care a bit.
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