had been returning from a magical land when his boat had been set upon by pirates (Маг-ан-Маг возвращался из какой-то волшебной страны, когда на его судно напали пираты;
previously [`prJvIqslI] hero [`hI (q) rqu] limbless [`lImlIs]
But this line of thought brought back the memories and the sorrow and the hatred and Corum would become depressed, sometimes for days, and even Rhalina's love could not console him then.
But then one day he inspected a tapestry in a room he had not previously visited and it absorbed his attention as he looked at the pictures and studied the embroidered text.
This was a complete legend telling of the adventures of Mag-an-Mag, a popular folk hero. Mag-an-Mag had been returning from a magical land when his boat had been set upon by pirates. These pirates had cut off Mag- an-Mag's arms and legs and thrown him overboard, then they had cut off the head of his companion, Jhakor- Neelus, and tossed his body after that of his master, but kept the head, apparently to eat. Eventually Mag-an-Mag's limbless body had been washed up on the shore of a mysterious island and Jhakor-Neelus's headless body had arrived at a spot a little further up the beach.
These bodies were found by the servants of a magician (эти тела были найдены слугами волшебника) who, in return for Mag-an-Mag's services against his enemies (который, в обмен на помощь Маг-ан-Мага /в борьбе/ против своих врагов;
Corum could find no origin for this legend in the knowledge of his own folk (Корум не смог найти источник этой легенды в знаниях = истории своего народа). It did not seem to fit with the others (она, казалось, не соответствовала остальным /легендам/).
magician [mq`GIS (q) n] accepted [qk`septId] origin [`OrIGIn]
These bodies were found by the servants of a magician who, in return for Mag-an-Mag's services against his enemies, offered to put back his limbs and make him as good as new. Mag-an-Mag had accepted on condition that the sorcerer find Jhakor-Neelus a new head. The sorcerer had agreed and furnished Jhakor-Neelus with the head of a crane, which seemed to please everyone. The pair then went on to fight the sorcerer's enemies and leave the island loaded down with his gifts.
Corum could find no origin for this legend in the knowledge of his own folk. It did not seem to fit with the others.
At first he dismissed his obsession with the legend (сначала он гнал от себя навязчивую мысль о легенде;
Autumn came to Moidel's Castle and with it a warm wind (осень пришла в замок Мойдел, а вместе с ней — теплый ветер) that stripped the trees bare and lashed the sea against the rocks (который раздевал деревья догола = срывал всю листву, разбивал море о скалы;
And Corum began to spend more and more time in the room (Корум начал проводить все больше и больше времени в зале) where hung the tapestry concerning Mag-an-Mag and the wonderful sorcerer (где висел гобелен о Маг-ан-Маге и удивительном чародее). Corum began to realise that it was the text that chiefly interested him (Корум начал осознавать, что именно текст особенно заинтересовал его;
autumn [`Ltqm] chiefly [`CJflI] authority [L`TOrItI] elsewhere [`els`weq]
At first he dismissed his obsession with the legend as being fired by his own wish to get back the hand and the eye he had lost, but he remained obsessed. Feeling embarrassed by his own interest, he said nothing of the legend to Rhalina for several weeks.
Autumn came to Moidel's Castle and with it a warm wind that stripped the trees bare and lashed the sea against the rocks and drove many of the birds away to seek a more restful clime.
And Corum began to spend more and more time in the room where hung the tapestry concerning Mag- an-Mag and the wonderful sorcerer. Corum began to realise that it was the text that chiefly interested him. It seemed to speak with an authority that was elsewhere lacking in the others he had seen.
But he still could not bring himself to tax Rhalina with questions concerning it (но он по-прежнему не мог заставить себя обременить Ралину вопросами, связанными с этим /текстом/;
Then, on one of the first days of winter (затем, в один из первых дней зимы), she sought for him and found him in the room and she did not seem surprised (она искала Корума и обнаружила его в том зале, и, казалось, не удивилась;
`You seem absorbed by the amusing adventures of Mag-an-Mag (кажется, тебя поглотили занимательные приключения Маг-ан-Мага), she said. `They are only tales (они — всего лишь сказки).