Ivanhoe

WALTER SCOTT

The famous English writer Walter Scott (1771 — 1832) is the founder of the historical novel in English literature. He was greatly interested in the past of his country and studied it by documents, history and legends.

Among the historical novels of Waiter Scott Ivanhoe is one of the best. It describes the even ts of the 12th cen­tury during the reign of Richard I the Zion-Hearted. The power in England at that time was in. the hands of the Normans, who oppressed the native Anglo-Saxon popula­tion. There were serious conflicts between the Anglo-Sax­on nobility and the Normans. In his novel Walter Scott wanted to show how, as years passed, the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans became one nation.

Parti

In that pleasant district of merry England which lies on both sides of the river Don, in old times there was a large forest. Parts of this forest still exist. It was the home of the brave outlaws, who were so popular.

Our story describes the time towards the end of the reign of Richard I, when he was abroad. The barons, in the king's absence, strengthened their castles and acted like little kings. Prince John, the king's brother, with the help of the barons, tried to seize the tftrone. Common people were cruelly oppressed.

A hundred years had passed since the Conquest of England by-Duke William of Normandy. But in these hundred years the language and the interests of the Nor­mans and Anglo-Saxons were not yet united. These two peoples remained enemies. Only a few of the Saxon princ­es were still masters of the land which had belonged to their fathers. After the Conquest, William the Conquer­or had taken the greater part of the land from its Saxon owners and given it to the Norman barons. At court and in the castles of the great nobles Norman-French was the only language spoken. Anglo-Saxon was spoken only by common people and the few remaining Saxon nobles who had not yet bent under the Norman rule.

The sun was setting upon one of the glades of that for­est which we have spoken about. There were two men in the glade. The elder of these men had a serious look. He was wearing a long shirt made of the skin of some ani­mal, and reaching down to his knees. On his feet he had sandals. Round his neck there was a metal ring, like a dog's collar; on the ring there were such words: «Gurth», the born slave of Cedric of Rotherwood». Gurth was a swineherd.

The other man was sitting on the ground beside Gurth. He looked about ten years younger. His clothes, in form, were like those of his companion, but his shirt was of better materials and of brighter colours. Over his shirt he was wearing a short red cloak. Round his neck there^ was a collar of the same metal, with these words: « Wamba the born slave of Cedric of Rotherwood». On his head he had a cap with bells round it. This cap, and his bright clothes, showed that he was a domestic jester.

The swineherd looked serious and sad. Wamba's eyes were merry. The two men were talking in Anglo-Saxon, ui-iuivjuiuMi' С

which, as we said before, was spoken by all common peo­ple, except the Norman soldiers. Gurth, with the help of his dog, was trying to gather his swine together, but could not.

«Stand up, Wamba, if you are a man», he said, «and help me, or wolves on two legs will catch some of them before night».

«Really», said Wamba without standing up, «I have asked my legs, and they think that it is not good for me to run about and cover my wonderful clothes with dust. That's why, Gurth, Г advise you to leave the herd alone: because if they meet a group of travelling soldiers, or of outlaws, the only thing that can happen to them is that they will be turned into Normans before morning».

«The swine will be turned into Normans!» repeated Gurth. «Explain that to me, Wamba, I don't understand you».

«Why, what do you call these animals which are run­ning about on-their four legs?» asked Wamba.

«Swine, fool, swine», said the herd, «every fool knows that». «And swine is a good Anglo-Saxon word», said the jester; «but what do you call the swine when it is killed and washed and cut into pieces and cooked?» «Pork», answered the swineherd.

«I am very glad every fool knows that too», said Wamba, «and pork, I think, is a Norman-French word. And so, when this animal lives, and a Saxon slave takes care of it, it goes by its Anglo-Saxon name; but when it is carried to the dinner-table in the castle, it becomes a Nor­man and is called pork, what do you think of this, friend Gurth, ha?» «It is true, friend Wamba. How did it get into your fool's head?» «I can tell you more», said Wamba in the same tone; «the old Ox goes by its Anglo-Saxon name while serfs like you take care of it; but becomes a Nor­man and is called Beef when it arrives at table».

«You speak sad truths», answered Gurth. «Little is left to us, except the air which we breathe. All that is best goes to the Normans» our bravest men become their soldiers and go to die in distant lands; very few remain here who have either the will or the power to protect the poor Saxons. God bless our Master Cedric; he always stands by us. Here, here! Well done!» he exclaimed, as his dog appeared driving the swine before it. «You have gathered all of them now! Now, quick, Wamba, because a terrible storm of thunder and lightning is coming. Let's hurry home before the storm begins, because the night will be terrible».

And they walked quickly down the forest path, driv­ing the swine before them.

 

II

Gurth and Wamba were soon overtaken by a group of ten horsemen, two of which seemed to be important per­sons, and the others their servants,

One of the important persons was a monk of high rank dressed in rich clothes. His companion was a man over forty, thin, strong and tall, with a very sunburnt face. He had a long red cloak over his shoulders, with a white cross on it. Under it he was wearing a chain.

In the first of the two horsemen Gurth and Wamba recognized Prior Ayrner, of the nearest Abbey, a rich Norman, well-known in the neighborhood. But they did not know his companion and were surprised that he looked half a monk, half a soldier.

«My children», said the Prior to Gurth and Wamba, «we are looking for a place where we and our servants

could spend the night. Can you show us the way to the house of Cedric the Saxon?»

«It will be difficult to find the road», said Gurth, «and the family of Cedric go to bed early».

«You must tell us the way», said the Prior. «This rev­erend brother is of the order of Knights Templars; he is half a monk, half a soldier. He has been afl his life fight­ing with the Saracens. It will soon be night, and we are tired and hungry».

«Well, then», said Wamba, «you must ride along this path till you come to a cross; four paths, meet at that cross; you take the path to the left, and I think you will reach the house of Cedric of Rotherwood before the storm begins».

The Prior thanked him, and the group rode quickly on. When they disappeared, Gurth said to Wamba, «If they go as you have told them, I think they will not reach Rotherwood this night». «I think not», said Wamba smil­ing, «and it will be good». «You are right», said Gurth. «It will be bad enough if Prior Ayrner sees the Lady Ro-wena, and it will be worse if Cedric quarrels with this military monk».

 

II

As the horsemen were moving on, they talked in Nor­man-French, the language used by the upper classes.

«What do you call the man to whose house we are rid­ing?» said the Templar to his companion.

«Cedric of Rotherwood», answered the Prior, «and remember: he is very proud. He stands up for his Sax­ons' so sternly, that he is called by everybody Cedric the Saxon».

«This Lady Rowena, his daughter, is very beautiful, I think?» said the Templar.

«Cedric is not her father», replied the Prior, «she is his distant relation; he is her guardian, and loves her as his own child. She is really very beautiful, you will see it yourself. But be careful, brother Brian», how you look at Rowena and how you talk to her: if Cedric the Saxon does not like it, we are lost men. People say that he turned his own son out of the house because the young1 man fell in love with her. But here is the cross, and the night is so dark, that it is very difficult to see the paths. Which way did he tell us to turn? To the left?» «To the right», said Brian. «To the left, I think», said the Prior.

They were in a difficulty, but here they noticed a young man sleeping at the foot of the cross. They woke him up and asked if he could tell them the way to Rother-wood.

«I am going there myself», said the stranger. «I know the way very well, and if you give me a horse, I can be your guide».

Приложение 3

A horse was given to the stranger, and he led the group along a path through the forest. The way was difficult, they had to cross some streams and turn in many places, but at last they came to a wide road, at the end of which they saw a large low building. The young man pointed to it and said, «ThisisRotherwood, the house of Cedric the Saxon».

 

 


НАИБОЛЕЕ УПОТРЕБИТЕЛЬНЫЕ НАРЕЧИЯ

 

Наречия места и направления: here — здесь, тут there — там somewhere — где-то, где-нибудь anywhere — везде, повсюду, где-нибудь nowhere — нигде inside — внутри outside — снаружи . down — внизу back — сзади, назад away — вдали, вон, прочь downward — вниз upward — вверх   Наречия времени: now — сейчас, теперь before — до, перед, прежде ever — когда-либо never — никогда always — всегда often — часто usually — обычно seldom — редко still — все-еще already — уже just — только-что, только yet — еще, уже sometimes — иногда today — сегодня tomorrow — завтра yesterday — вчера recently — недавно lately — в последнее время commonly — обычно  
Наречия образа действия: slowly — медленно quickly — быстро easily — легко calmly — спокойно brightly — ярко hardly — с трудом, едва   Наречия меры и степени: much — много, сильно little — немного, мало enough — достаточно too — слишком almost — уже, почти very — очень  

 

ТАБЛИЦА НЕПРАВИЛЬНЫХ ГЛАГОЛОВ

 

1 форма 2 форма 3 форма 4 форма Перевод
to be was/were been being быть, находиться
to bear bore born bearing нести
to beat beat beaten beating бить
to begin began begun beginning начинать(ся)
to bend bent bent bending гнуть
to bind bound bound binding переплетать
to bite bit bitten/bit biting кусать
to blow blew blown blowing Дуть
to break broke broken breaking ломать
to bring brought brought bringing приносить
to build built built building строить
to buy bought bought buying покупать
to catch caught caught catching ловить
to choose chosa. chosen choosing выбирать
to cut cut cut cutting резать, рубить
to dive dived/dove dived diving нырять
to do did done doing делать
to draw drew drawn drawing рисовать, тащить
to drink drank drunk drinking пить
to drive drove driven driving вести
to eat ate eaten eating есть, кушать
to fall fell fallen falling падать
to feel felt felt feeling чувствовать
to feed fed fed feeding кормить
to fight fought fought fighting бороться, драться
to fly flew flown flying летать
to forbid forbade forbidden forbidding запрещать
to forget forgot forgotten forgetting забывать
to forgive forgave forgiven forgiving прощать
to freeze froze frozen freezing замораживать
to get got got getting получать, становиться
to give gave given giving давать
to go went gone going' идти, ехать
to grow grew grown growing расти, выращивать
to hang hung hung hanging висеть, вешать
to have had had having иметь
to hear heard heard hearing слышать
to hit hit hit hitting ударять
to hold held held holding держать
to hurt hurt hurt hurting повредить
to know knew known knowing знать
to lay laid laid laying накрывать
to lead lead lead leading вести
to leap leapt/leaped leapt/leaped leaping прыгать, скакать
to leave left left leaving покидать, оставлять
to lend lent lent lending давать взаймы
to let let let letting позволять
to lie lay lain lying лежать
to light lit lit lighting зажигать
to lose lost lost losing терять
to make made made making делать
to meet met met meeting встречать (ся)
to pay paid paid paying платить
to put put put putting класть, ставить
to read read read reading читать
to ride rode ridden riding ехать ^верхом)
to ring rang rung ringing звонить, звенеть
to rise rose risen rising поднимать
to run ran run running бежать
to say said said saying говорить, сказать
to see saw seen seeing видеть
to sell sold sold selling продавать
to send sent sent sending посьиать, отправлять
to shake shook shaken shaking трясти
to shine shone shone shining светить, сиять
to shoot shot shot shooting стрелять, снимать
to show showed shown showing показывать
to sing sang . sung singing петь
to sink sank sunk sinking тонуть
to sit sat sat sitting сидеть
to sleep slept slept sleeping спать
to speak spoke spoken speaking говорить, разговаривать
to spend spent spent spending тратить, про­водить время
to stand stood stood standing стоять
to steal ' stole stolen stealing воровать, украсть
to stick stuck stuck sticking прилипать
to strike struck struck striking бить, ударять
to swear swore sworn swearing клясться
to sweep swept swept sweeping мести, подметать
to swim swam swum swimming плавать
to take took taken taking взять, брать
to teach taught taught teaching учить, обучать
to tear tore torn tearing рвать
to tell told told telling сказать, сообщать
to think thought thought thinking думать
to throw threw thrown throwing бросать, кидать
to wake woke woken waking будить, просыпаться
to wear wore wakened wearing носить
to weep wept wept weeping плакать
to win won won winning побеждать, выигрывать
to write wrote written writing писать

 

Серия «Учебники и учебные пособия»