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It is the hardest thing in the world to frighten a mongoose, because he is eaten up from nose to tail with curiosity. The motto of all the mongoose family is “Run and find out,” and Rikki-tikki was a true mongoose. He looked at the cotton wool, decided that it was not good to eat, ran all round the table, sat up and put his fur in order, scratched himself, and jumped on the small boy’s shoulder.

“Don’t be frightened, Teddy (не бойся, Тэдди),” said his father (сказал его отец). “That’s his way of making friends (так он /хочет/ подружиться; to make – делать, создавать; friend – друг).”

“Ouch (ай)! He’s tickling under my chin (он щекочет меня под подбородком; to tickle – щекотать),” said Teddy.

Rikki-tikki looked down between the boy’s collar and neck (Рикки-Тикки заглянул между воротником мальчика и его шеей; to look down – посмотреть вниз; заглянуть), snuffed at his ear (обнюхал его ухо; to snuff – втягивать носом, вдыхать; нюхать, обнюхивать), and climbed down to the floor (и слез на пол; to climb – карабкаться, забираться; to climb down – слезть /вниз/), where he sat rubbing his nose (где уселся, потирая свой нос; to rub – тереть/ся/, потирать).

“Good gracious (Боже милостивый),” said Teddy’s mother (сказала мать Тэдди), “and that’s a wild creature (и это дикое создание; to create – порождать, создавать, творить)! I suppose he’s so tame because we’ve been kind to him (я полагаю, он такой ручной, потому что мы были добры к нему).”

“Don’t be frightened, Teddy,” said his father. “That’s his way of making friends.”

“Ouch! He’s tickling under my chin,” said Teddy.

Rikki-tikki looked down between the boy’s collar and neck, snuffed at his ear, and climbed down to the floor, where he sat rubbing his nose.

“Good gracious,” said Teddy’s mother, “and that’s a wild creature! I suppose he’s so tame because we’ve been kind to him.”

“All mongooses are like that (все мангусты такие),” said her husband (сказал ее муж). “If Teddy doesn’t pick him up by the tail (если Тэдди не станет поднимать его /с пола/ за хвост; to pick up – поднимать), or try to put him in a cage (или пытаться посадить в клетку), he’ll run in and out of the house all day long (он будет целый день вбегать и выбегать из дому). Let’s give him something to eat (давайте дадим ему что-нибудь поесть).”

They gave him a little piece of raw meat (они дали ему небольшой кусочек сырого мяса; to give). Rikki-tikki liked it immensely (оно очень понравилось Рикки-Тикки), and when it was finished he went out into the veranda (и когда оно закончилось = поев, он вышел на веранду; to finish – заканчивать), and sat in the sunshine and fluffed up his fur to make it dry to the roots (сел на солнце и распушил свой мех, чтобы высушить его до /самых/ корней; to sit; to fluff – взбивать; встряхивать, распушить; to make – делать, создавать; dry – сухой). Then he felt better (тогда он почувствовал себя лучше; to feel).

“All mongooses are like that,” said her husband. “If Teddy doesn’t pick him up by the tail, or try to put him in a cage, he’ll run in and out of the house all day long. Let’s give him something to eat.”

They gave him a little piece of raw meat. Rikki-tikki liked it immensely, and when it was finished he went out into the veranda and sat in the sunshine and fluffed up his fur to make it dry to the roots. Then he felt better.