Imagery in Translation
e
yes,
though sometimes she is something like everybody's old Grandmother,Kokjan
Wughty, a
personage with grey hair
and a fearsome face.)
Translated by T. Kazakova:
ПАУЧИЙ КАМЕНЬ (навахо)
Матушка Паучиха обладала могучей сверхъестественной силой в первозданные времена, когда люди навахо из третьего мира возродились в четвертом мире.
В те времена по земле бродили чудовища и убивали людей. Они уничтожили так много народу, что Матушка Паучиха, которая любила людей навахо, наделила большой силой Победителя Чудовищ и Сына Воды, чтобы они разыскали своего отца, Духа Солнца. И они нашли его, и Дух Солнца помог им расправиться с чудовищами в воде и на суше.
Благодарные матушке Паучихе, Навахо включили ее в число самых значительных и почитаемых духов.
Она избрала в качестве дома скалу, которая получила название Паучий Камень. Еще в давние времена не кто иной как Матушка Паучиха обучила предков Навахо ткачеству. Она объяснила им: «Мой муж, Паук, изобрел ткацкий станок, соорудив его из небесных шестов и земляных жил для прочности. Из солнечных лучей он сделал основу, чтобы по ней ходил уток; из горного хрусталя и зарницы сделал держатели, чтобы ткань ложилась как можно ровнее. Он скрепил всю конструкцию солнечным ореолом, а для чесала выбрал белую раковину, чтобы как следует прочистить нити.» И вот в течение многих поколений Навахо славятся как искусные ткачи.
Старейшины внушали детям Навахо, чтобы они вели себя как следует, иначе Матушка Паучиха спустит со скалы лестницу-паутину, затянет их наверх и поглотит!
И детвора хорошо усваивала, что белая вершина Пау-
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75
Практикум
по художественному переводу
ч
ьего
Камня — это выбеленные солнцем кости
непослушных
детей, которые плохо себя вели!
EXERCISES FOR COMPARISON
Study the formulas of time and space in the story. See which of them are well presented in Russian and which may be changed.
Compare the translation of the mythical names like Spi der Woman, Monster-Slayer, Sun-God, Spider Rock and others and think of possible variants for them in Russian. Discuss their comparative advantages and disadvantages.
Study the formulas of the sacred world in the text and examine the substitutes for them in Russian. Think of possible variants.
Compare the rhythmic patterns in the source and target texts and comment upon the similarityand difference.
Task for translation-l: The Water Famine
THE WATER FAMINE (Penobscot)
A long, long time ago, Indians settled up the river. A Monster Frog forbade the Indians the use of water. Some died from thirst. Their Spirit Chief, Gluskabe, came to help them. He saw how sickly his people seemed. He asked them, "What is your trouble?"
"The Monster Frog is killing us with thirst. He forbids us water."
"I will make him give you water," Gluskabe replied. The people went with their Chief to see the Monster Frog. The Chief said to the Monster, "Why do you abuse our grandchildren? You
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Imagery in Translation
w
ill
be sorry for this treatment of our good people. I will givethem
water, so all will have an equal share of the water. The benefits
should be shared."
Gluskabe suddenly grabbed the Monster Frog and broke his back. From thenceforth, all bullfrogs are broken-backed. Even then the Monster did not give up the water. So Gluskabe cut down a large yellow birch tree, and when it fell down, the yellow birch tree killed the Monster Frog.
The water flowed from Monster Frog. All the branches of the yellow birch tree became rivers, and all emptied into the main Penobscot River.
Now, all the Penobscot Indians were so thirsty, some even near death, that they jumped into the river to enjoy the water inside and outside. Some of them turned into fish; some turned into frogs; some turned into turtles. A few human Penobscots survived. This is the reason Penobscot inhabit the whole length of the Penobscot River and why they took for their family names all kinds of fish, turtles and other water creatures.
{Comments. Among the Indians of the Northeast Gluskabe, or Gluskap is a very popular personage, a cultural hero, transformer, trickster, sometimes even a substitute for the Creator himself. Actually, the word means a frog. Like many other mythical characters with supernatural power, such as butterfly, spider, hummingbird or rabbit, Gluskabe may change his form, size and position. Yet he is closely associated with the world of spirits and powers.
This story is an example of the "family myths," in which the mythiccal ancestor of a family o"r a group of families is shown. More often than not, these were totemic relatives, different kinds of animals, plants or other natural objects, rather than humans. Amang the Penobscot, the identity of one of the original families' was connected with the water beings, as the tribe lived along the banks of the Penobscot River.)
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Практикум
по художественному
переводу
E
XERCISES
FOR TRANSLATION
Study the temporal and spatial formulas in the story and look for their Russian substitutes. If any transformation is neces sary, use the appropriate techniques.
Study the names in the story and look for substitutes in Russian. If any transformation is necessary, use the appropriate techniques, like transliteration or borrowing, etc. Consider the functions of the names in the text and their position.
Consider the symbols of the sacred, if any, and choose the best way of presenting them in Russian. Study the way they differ from the Russian folklore tradition.
Study the folklore logic of the story and reconstruct it in translation. Identify the key words and syntactic structures of the logical background.
Study the rhythmic pattern of the narrative and try to re construct it in Russian.
Translate the text and comment upon the result.
Task for translation-2:
The Creation of the Klamath World
THE CREATION OF THE KLAMATH WORLD (Klamath)
Long, long ago Kemush created the world. Morning Star called him from the ashes of the Northern Lights and told him to make the world.
At first Kemush made the earth flat and bare, without plants or animals. Then he made the hills and mountains, the rivers and lakes. He planted grass and camas bulbs and ferns in the valleys. On the hills and mountain slopes he set out pine trees and junipers.
Then he sent Mushmush, the white-tail deer, Wan, the red fox, and Ketchketch, the little grey fox, to run through the forest he had created. Up in the mountains he placed Luk, the grizzly
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