# Кельтские сумерки. Уровень 1 / The Celtic Twilight

Уильям Йейтс

Интересуетесь культурой Ирландии? Хотите побольше узнать про келпи и лепреконов? Тогда «Кельтские сумерки» созданы для вас! Это сборник историй, записанных У. Б. Йейтсом, ирландским поэтом. Он мечтал возродить и сохранить богатую культуру Ирландии и для этого записывал те кусочки фольклора, которые ему рассказывали местные жители. Мы незначительно сократили и облегчили текст для простоты чтения.
Текст адаптирован для начинающих изучение английского языка (уровень 1 – Elementary). Книга содержит словарь, упражнения и комментарии. Автор адаптации – опытный автор учебных пособий и педагог Марина Максимовна Кузнецова.

Дизайн обложки Анастасии Орловой


© Кузнецова М. М., адаптация, словарь, 2023

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2023

* * *

## THE HOSTING OF THE SIDHE[1]

The host is riding fromKnocknarea[2],
And over the grave ofClooth-na-bare[3];
Caolte[4] tossing his burning hair,
AndNiamh[5] calling, “Away, come away;
Empty your heart of its mortal dream.
The winds awaken, the leaves spin around,
Our cheeks are pale, ourhair is unbound[6],
Our chests are moving, our eyes are shining,
Our arms are waving, our lips are apart,
And if anyone looks at our rushing band,
We come between him and thedeed[7] of his hand,
We come between him and the hope of his heart.”
The host is rushing between night and day;
And where is there hope or deed as fair?
Caolte tossing his burning hair,
And Niamh calling, “Away, come away.”

## THIS BOOK

Time drops in decay
Like a candle burnt out.
And the mountains and woods
Have their day, have their day;
But, kindly old rout
Of the fire-born moods,
You pass not away.

I wanted to create a small world from the beautiful and meaningful things in thisimperfect[8] world, and to show a little piece of Ireland to my own people. I have written down what I have heard and seen. I haven’t separated my beliefs from those of the common people. I have let my characters, including ghosts and fairies, go their own way. The things a person experiences are life’s memories, and anyone can interpret[9] them as they please. I have also interpreted them in my own way, but I will be happy as long as my interpretation suits me.

> 1893.

> W. B. YEATS.

## A TELLER OF TALES

Paddy Flynn told me many of the tales in this book. He lived in a small andleaky[10] cabin in Ballisodare[11] village. He described it as the most peaceful place in County Sligo. This place is filled with fairies. The first time I saw him, he was cooking mushrooms. The next time, he was sleeping under a hedge[12] with a smile on his face. He was always happy. But I could sense a hint of sadness in his eyes.

And yet there was much in his life todepress[13] him, for his age, eccentricity, and deafness, and the children were constantly bothering him. Probably that’s why he always advised to be happy and hope for the best.

I wrote down Paddy Flynn’s stories and words in my notebook after meeting him. I feel sad looking at the empty pages at the end that will never be filled. Paddy Flynnpassed away[14]. A friend of mine gave him a big bottle of whiskey, and even though he was usually not a heavy drinker[15], he got really excited from this gift, and he didn’t stop drinking for a few days until he passed away. His body was tired from old age and difficult times, and it couldn’t handle the alcohol like it did when he was young.

## BELIEF AND UNBELIEF

Some people in the western villages have doubts. Last Christmas, a woman told me that she didn’t believe in hell or ghosts. She thought that hell was made up by thepriest[16] to make people behave, and she didn’t think ghosts could freely walk the earth. But she believed in fairies, leprechauns[17], kelpies[18], and fallen angels. I also met a man with a tattoo of a Mohawk Indian on his arm who had similar beliefs and doubts. He said that people never doubt that fairies are real.

A young girl who worked in the village of Grange, near the slopes ofBen Bulben[19],disappeared one night around three years ago. People said that the fairies had stolen her.

A village resident tried to stop them from taking her. But he ended up with nothing in his hands except abroomstick[20]. The villagers asked the constable[21] for help, and he immediately started searching every house. He also advised the villagers to burn all the ragweed[22] on the field where the girl disappeared because ragweed is sacred[23] to the fairies. They spent the whole night burning the ragweed while the constable said special words. In the morning, they found the little girl walking in the field. She said that the fairies had taken her very far away, riding on a magical horse. Eventually, she saw a big river, and the man who tried to save her was floating down the river in a small boat.

# Примечания

1

sidhe – феи, волшебный народ Ирландии в гэльском фольклоре

2

Knocknarea – большой холм к западу от города Слайго в графстве Слайго, Ирландия

3

Clooth-na-bare – фея, которая искала смерти в самом глубоком озере в мире, которое она нашла в Слайго;

4

Caolte – в написании Йейтса, Кейл мак Ронайн, воин и член племени фианна в фенианском цикле ирландской мифологии.

5

Niamh – Ниав, В ирландской мифологии – дочь богов моря Мананнана мак Лира и одна из королев Тир-на-Ног, страны вечной молодости.

6

hair is unbound – волосы распущены

7

deed – дело, поступок, свершение

8

imperfect – несовершенный

9

interpret – толковать, объяснять, интерпретировать

10

leaky – дырявый, протекающий

11

Ballisodare – Баллисадэр, деревня в Ирландии в графстве Слайго

12

hedge – изгородь

13

to depress – огорчать

14

pass away – умирать, уходить из жизни

15

heavy drinker – часто пьющий, пьяница

16

priest – священник

17

leprechauns – лепреконы

18

kelpie – в шотландском фольклоре опасное водное существо, меняющее облик, которое может появляться на суше в виде лошади.

19

Ben Bulben – столовая гора в Ирландии

20

broomstick – метла

21

constable – констебль, полицейский чин

22

ragweed – амброзия

23

sacred – священный