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The Shoemaker Rat. Часть 3

"размышлять" - "to wonder"
"парень" - "fellow"
"достигать" - "to reach"
"тетя" - "aunt"
"мода" - "style"
"отрезать" - "to cut off"
"хитрый" - "sly"
"удобный" - "comfortable"
"бегать туда-сюда" - "to run about"
"заботиться" - "to look after"
"дорогой" - "expensive"
"объяснять" - "to explain"
"сложный" - "difficult"
"часть" - "part"
"сыр" - "cheese"
"уверенный" - "sure"
"желать" - "to wish"
"низкий" - "low"
"тариф" - "rate"
"удалять" - "to take off"
"соглашаться" - "to agree"
"большой" - "goodly"
"запас" - "store"
"не зевать" - "to keep eyes open"
"бросить" - "to give up"
"искать" - "to look for"
"охотиться" - "to hunt"
"безразлично" - "no matter"

Abbie Phillips Walker

The Shoemaker Rat

Part 3

The rat had not thought of that and he wondered what he should do, but he was a wise old fellow, and when he reached home he called all his brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts about him.

‘I met a cat today,’ he said, ‘who had been to the city where all the styles are new, and he told me that all the city rats are having their tails cut off, so I had mine done. If you want to be in style,’ he told them, ‘you must have your tails like mine.’

‘Does it hurt?’ asked one.

‘Not a bit,’ answered the sly fellow, ‘and you have no idea how comfortable it is running about without a tail to look after. It is very expensive to have it cut,’ he explained; ‘that is the only difficult part. I had to pay twenty pieces of cheese. But I watched while another fellow was having his cut, and I am sure I can do it as well as the rat that did mine. And if you wish to be in style at a very low rate I will take off your tails for five pieces of cheese each.’

The rats all agreed, and ran away to get the cheese, and while they were gone the wise rat ran for a chopping-knife (нож-секач).

Soon he had the tails cut and a goodly store of cheese. ‘Now,’ he said to himself, ‘Tom will never know me from the other rats.’

He kept his eyes open for Tom, who had called his friends to help him out of his suit and told them to watch for a rat without a tail. But when they saw all the tailless rats they gave up looking for one who had put Tom into the suit of leather, and Tom, not liking to hunt any too well, gave it up also. ‘But the next time I meet a rat,’ said Tom, ‘I will catch him, no matter whether he has a tail or not.’