)!" and threw his thumb out of his mouth (и выбросил свой большой палец изо рта; to throw) to show the large animals how clever he was (чтобы показать крупным животным, какой он умный), and sat down again, full of rage (и сел снова, полный ярости). Therefore the hand of the porcupine has only four fingers, no thumb (/вот/ поэтому на лапе дикобраза всего/только четыре пальца, нет большого пальца).
All the large animals were speechless (все большие звери молчали; speechless — немой, онемевший), because they wondered at the wisdom of Porcupine (потому что они поразились мудрости Дикобраза).
mouth [mauT], thumb [TAm], confound [kqn`faund], rage [reIG], wisdom [`wIsd(q)m]
After he had spoken, Porcupine put his thumb into his mouth and bit it off, and said, "Confound it!" and threw his thumb out of his mouth to show the large animals how clever he was, and sat down again, full of rage. Therefore the hand of the porcupine has only four fingers, no thumb.
All the large animals were speechless, because they wondered at the wisdom of Porcupine.
Finally Grizzly Bear arose (наконец, Гризли поднялся), and said, "It is true what you have said (то, что ты сказал, верно)." Thus spoke Grizzly Bear to Porcupine (так сказал Медведь Гризли Дикобразу), and all the large animals chose Porcupine to be their wise man (и все большие звери выбрали Дикобраза своим мудрецом; to choose) and to be the first among all the small animals (и первым среди всех маленьких зверей); and they all agreed that the cold in winter should be as much as it is now (и все согласились, что холода зимой должно столько: «быть так много», сколько его сейчас). They made six months for the winter and six months for summer (они договорились, /что/ шесть месяцев /будет/ для зимы и шесть месяцев — для лета; to make — зд . устанавливать /правила, порядок и т. п./).
wise [waIz], first [fWst], summer [`sAmq]
Finally Grizzly Bear arose, and said, "It is true what you have said." Thus spoke Grizzly Bear to Porcupine, and all the large animals chose Porcupine to be their wise man and to be the first among all the small animals; and they all agreed that the cold in winter should be as much as it is now. They made six months for the winter and six months for summer.
Then Porcupine spoke again out of his wisdom (затем Дикобраз заговорил снова из своей мудрости = делясь своей мудростью), and said, "In winter we shall have ice and snow (зимой нам нужен снег и лед). In spring we shall have showers of rain (весной у нас будут ливневые дожди;
