Full of eagerness to prove her sagacity (полная рвения доказать свою проницательность), she told the king to mind the cooking a moment (она сказала королю присмотреть за готовкой; to tell — сказать) — hinting that he might manufacture and add a dish or two (намекая, что он мог бы изготовить и добавить блюдо-другое: «блюдо или два»), if he chose (если бы он выбрал = захотел; to choose — выбирать) — then she went out of the room (затем она вышла вон из кухни) and gave her children a sign to follow after (и подала своим детям знак следовать за /ней/). The king muttered (король пробормотал):

'Another English king had a commission like to this (другой английский король получил поручение, схожее с этим), in a bygone time (в былые времена) — it is nothing against my dignity (это ничто против моего достоинства = не вредит моему достоинству) to undertake an office (предпринять службу) which the great Alfred stooped to assume (до которой великий Альфред снизошел, чтобы принять). But I will try to better serve my trust (но я постараюсь лучше обслужить = исполнить мое обязательство) than he (чем он); for he let the cakes burn (так как он позволил пирогам сгореть; to let — позволять).'

The intent was good (это намерение было добрым), but the performance was not answerable to it (но исполнение не было соответственно ему); for this king, like the other one (ибо этот король, как и другой), soon fell into deep thinkings (скоро упал = погрузился в глубокие размышления; to fall — падать) concerning his vast affairs (касательно его значительных дел), and the same calamity resulted (и то же бедствие приключилось) — the cookery got burned (стряпня подгорела: «сделалась подгоревшей»). The woman returned in time to save the breakfast from entire destruction (женщина вернулась вовремя, чтобы спасти завтрак от полного уничтожения); and she promptly brought the king out of his dreams (и она живо вывела короля из мечтаний; to bring — приносить) with a brisk and cordial tongue-lashing (резким и сердечным ругательством; tongue — язык; to lash — хлестать). Then (затем), seeing how troubled he was over his violated trust (видя, как расстроен он был из-за своего нарушенного долга), she softened at once (он смягчилась сразу) and was all goodness and gentleness toward him (и была вся доброта и мягкость к нему).

The boy made a hearty and satisfying meal (мальчик сделал = съел добрую и удовлетворяющую еду), and was greatly refreshed (и был сильно освежен) and gladdened by it (и обрадован ею). It was a meal which was distinguished by this curious feature (это была трапеза, которая была замечательна такой любопытной чертой = особенностью; to distinguish — различать), that rank was waived on both sides (что звания были отвергнуты с обеих сторон); yet neither recipient of the favor was aware that it had been extended (при этом никакой получатель этой милости не осознавал, что она была оказана). The goodwife had intended to feed this young tramp (хозяйка сперва намеревалась накормить этого маленького бродягу) with broken victuals in a corner (испорченной едой = объедками в углу), like any other tramp (как любого другого бродягу), or like a dog (или как собаку); but she was so remorseful (но она была так полна раскаяния; remorse — раскаяние) for the scolding (за нагоняй) she had given him (который она дала = устроила ему), that she did what she could to atone for it (что она сделала что могла, чтобы загладить это) by allowing him to sit at the family table (позволив ему сесть за семейный стол) and eat with his betters (и есть с вышестоящими; better — более хороший), on ostensible terms of equality with them (на мнимых условиях равенства с ними; ostensible — показной; мнимый); and the king (а король), on his side (со своей стороны), was so remorseful (был так полон раскаяния) for having broken his trust (за то, что нарушил свой долг = не оправдал доверия), after the family had been so kind to him (после того как эта семья была так добра к нему), that he forced himself (что он заставил себя) to atone for it (загладить это) by humbling himself to the family level (принизив себя = снизойдя до уровня семьи), instead of requiring (вместо того чтобы требовать; to require — требовать) the woman and her children to stand (чтобы женщина и ее дети стояли) and wait upon him (и прислуживали ему) while he occupied their table (пока он занимал их стол) in the solitary state (в уединении: «обособленном состоянии») due his birth and dignity (подобаемом его рождению = ему по рождению и достоинству). It does us all good (это делает нам всем добро = хорошо) to unbend sometimes (расслабиться = отбросить чопорность иногда). This good woman was made happy all the day long (эта добрая женщина была сделана счастлива на весь день) by the applauses she got out of herself (одобрением, которое она получила из = от себя) for her magnanimous condescension to a tramp (за свое великодушное снисхождение к маленькому бродяге); and the king was just as self-complacent (а король был точно так же доволен собой) over his gracious humility toward a humble peasant woman (из-за своего милостивого смирения перед простой крестьянкой; toward — к).

gnaw [nO:], performance [pə`fO:məns], recipient [ri`sıpıənt]

Her tired tongue got a chance to rest now; for the king's, inspired by gnawing hunger and the fragrant smells that came from the sputtering pots and pans, turned itself loose and delivered itself up to such an eloquent dissertation upon certain toothsome dishes, that within three minutes the woman said to herself, 'Of a truth I was right- he hath holpen in a kitchen!' Then he broadened his bill of fare, and discussed it with such appreciation and animation, that the goodwife said to herself, 'Good lack! how can he know so many dishes, and so fine ones withal? For these belong only upon the tables of the rich and great. Ah, now I see! ragged outcast as he is, he must have served in the palace before his reason went astray; yes, he must have helped in the very kitchen of the king himself! I will test him.'

Full of eagerness to prove her sagacity, she told the king to mind the cooking a moment — hinting that he might manufacture and add a dish or two, if he chose — then she went out of the room and gave her children a sign to follow after. The king muttered:

'Another English king had a commission like to this, in a bygone time — it is nothing against my dignity to undertake an office which the great Alfred stooped to assume. But I will try to better serve my trust than he; for he let the cakes burn.'

The intent was good, but the performance was not answerable to it; for this king, like the other one, soon fell into deep thinkings concerning his vast affairs, and the same calamity resulted — the cookery got burned. The woman returned in time to save the breakfast from entire destruction; and she promptly brought the king out of his dreams with a brisk and cordial tongue-lashing. Then, seeing how troubled he was over his violated trust, she softened at once and was all goodness and gentleness toward him.

The boy made a hearty and satisfying meal, and was greatly refreshed and gladdened by it. It was a meal which was distinguished by this curious feature, that rank was waived on both sides; yet neither recipient of the favor was aware that it had been extended. The goodwife had intended to feed this young tramp with broken victuals in a corner, like any other tramp, or like a dog; but she was so remorseful for the scolding she had given him, that she did what she could to atone for it by allowing him to sit at the family table and eat with his betters, on ostensible terms of equality with them; and the king, on his side, was so remorseful for having broken his trust, after the family had been so kind to him, that he forced himself to atone for it by humbling himself to the family level, instead of requiring the woman and her children to stand and wait upon him while he occupied their table in the solitary state due his birth and dignity. It does us all good to unbend sometimes. This good woman was made happy all the day long by the applauses she got out of herself for her magnanimous condescension to a tramp; and the king was just as self-complacent over his gracious humility toward a humble peasant woman.