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Robinson Crusoe Written Anew for Children by Daniel Defoe. Adapted by James Baldwin., CHAPTER 26. I BUILD A BIG CANOE

CHAPTER 26. I BUILD A BIG CANOE

WHILE I was doing these things I was always trying to think of some way to escape from the island.

True, I was living there with much comfort. I was happier than I had ever been while sailing the seas.

But I longed to see other men. I longed for home and friends.

You will remember that when I was over at the farther side of the island I had seen land in the distance. Fifty or sixty miles of water lay between me and that land. Yet I was always wishing that I could reach it.

It was a foolish wish. For there was no telling what I might find on that distant shore.

Perhaps it was a far worse place than my little island. Perhaps there were savage beasts there. Perhaps wild men lived there who would kill me and eat me.

I thought of all these things; but I was willing to risk every kind of danger rather than stay where I was.

At last I made up my mind to build a boat. It should be large enough to carry me and all that belonged to me. It should be strong enough to stand a long voyage over stormy seas.

I had seen the great canoes which Indians sometimes make of the trunks of trees. I would make one of the same kind.

In the woods I found a cedar tree which I thought was just the right thing for my canoe.

It was a huge tree. Its trunk was more than five feet through at the bottom.

I chopped and hewed many days before it fell to the ground. It took two weeks to cut a log of the right length from it.

Then I went to work on the log. I chop and hewed and shaped the outside into the form of a canoe. With hatchet and chisel I hollowed out the inside.

For full three months I worked on that cedar log. I was both proud and glad when the canoe was finished. I had never seen so big a boat made from a single tree.

It was well shaped and handsome. More than twenty men might find room to sit in it.

But now the hardest question of all must answered.

How was I to get my canoe into the water?

It lay not more than three hundred feet from the little river where I had first landed with my raft.

But how was I to move it three hundred feet, or even one foot? It was so heavy that I could not even roll it over.

I thought of several plans. But when I came to reckon the time and the labor, I found that even by the easiest plan it would take twenty years to get the canoe into the water.

What could I do but leave it in the woods where it lay?

How foolish I had been! Why had I not thought of the weight of the canoe before going to the labor of making it?

The wise man will always look before he leaps. I certainly had not acted wisely.

I went back to my castle, feeling sad and thoughtful.

Why should I be discontented and unhappy?

I was the master of all that I saw. I might call myself the king of the island.

I had all the comforts of life.

I had food in plenty.

I might raise shiploads of grain, but there was no market for it.

I had thousands of trees for timber and fuel, but no one wished to buy.

I counted the money which I had brought from the ship. There were above a hundred pieces of gold and silver; but of what use were they?

I would have given all for a handful of peas or beans to plant. I would have given all for a bottle of ink.

CHAPTER 26. I BUILD A BIG CANOE KAPITEL 26. ICH BAUE EIN GROSSES KANU CAPÍTULO 26. CONSTRUYO UNA GRAN CANOA 第26章.大きなカヌーを作る ROZDZIAŁ 26. BUDUJĘ DUŻY KAJAK CAPÍTULO 26. CONSTRUO UMA CANOA GRANDE ГЛАВА 26. Я СТРОЮ БОЛЬШОЕ КАНОЭ РОЗДІЛ 26. Я БУДУЮ ВЕЛИКЕ КАНОЕ 第 26 章.我造了一艘大独木舟 第 26 章.我造了一艘大独木舟

WHILE I was doing these things I was always trying to think of some way to escape from the island. Enquanto fazia estas coisas, estava sempre a tentar pensar numa forma de fugir da ilha. Поки я робив ці речі, я постійно намагався придумати спосіб втекти з острова.

True, I was living there with much comfort. É verdade que estava a viver lá com muito conforto. Правда, я жив там з великим комфортом. I was happier than I had ever been while sailing the seas. Sentia-me mais feliz do que alguma vez tinha sido ao navegar pelos mares. Я був щасливішим, ніж будь-коли під час морських подорожей.

But I longed to see other men. Mas eu desejava ver outros homens. Але я прагнула бачити інших чоловіків. I longed for home and friends. Tinha saudades de casa e dos amigos. Я сумував за домом і друзями.

You will remember that when I was over at the farther side of the island I had seen land in the distance. Lembram-se que, quando eu estava no outro lado da ilha, tinha visto terra ao longe. Fifty or sixty miles of water lay between me and that land. Cinquenta ou sessenta milhas de água separavam-me daquela terra. П'ятдесят чи шістдесят миль води лежали між мною і тією землею. Yet I was always wishing that I could reach it. No entanto, estava sempre a desejar alcançá-lo.

It was a foolish wish. Era um desejo insensato. Це було дурне бажання. For there was no telling what I might find on that distant shore. Porque não havia como saber o que eu poderia encontrar naquela costa distante. Бо ніхто не знав, що я знайду на тому далекому березі.

Perhaps it was a far worse place than my little island. Talvez fosse um sítio muito pior do que a minha pequena ilha. Perhaps there were savage beasts there. Talvez houvesse ali animais selvagens. Можливо, там були дикі звірі. Perhaps wild men lived there who would kill me and eat me. Talvez vivessem ali homens selvagens que me matariam e me comeriam.

I thought of all these things; but I was willing to risk every kind of danger rather than stay where I was. Pensei em todas estas coisas; mas estava disposto a arriscar todo o tipo de perigos em vez de ficar onde estava.

At last I made up my mind to build a boat. Finalmente decidi-me a construir um barco. Нарешті я вирішив побудувати човен. It should be large enough to carry me and all that belonged to me. Devia ser suficientemente grande para me levar a mim e a tudo o que me pertencia. It should be strong enough to stand a long voyage over stormy seas. Deve ser suficientemente forte para aguentar uma longa viagem em mares tempestuosos.

I had seen the great canoes which Indians sometimes make of the trunks of trees. Já tinha visto as grandes canoas que os índios fazem por vezes com troncos de árvores. I would make one of the same kind. Eu faria um do mesmo género.

In the woods I found a cedar tree which I thought was just the right thing for my canoe. No bosque, encontrei um cedro que me pareceu ser o ideal para a minha canoa.

It was a huge tree. Era uma árvore enorme. Its trunk was more than five feet through at the bottom. O seu tronco tinha mais de um metro e meio de diâmetro na base.

I chopped and hewed many days before it fell to the ground. Cortei e cortei durante muitos dias antes de cair no chão. It took two weeks to cut a log of the right length from it. Foram necessárias duas semanas para cortar um tronco com o comprimento correto.

Then I went to work on the log. Depois comecei a trabalhar no tronco. Потім я пішов працювати над журналом. I chop and hewed and shaped the outside into the form of a canoe. Cortei, talhei e moldei o exterior na forma de uma canoa. With hatchet and chisel I hollowed out the inside. Com um machado e um cinzel, esvaziei o interior. За допомогою сокири та зубила я видовбав внутрішню частину.

For full three months I worked on that cedar log. Durante três meses trabalhei nesse tronco de cedro. I was both proud and glad when the canoe was finished. Fiquei orgulhoso e contente quando a canoa ficou pronta. Я був одночасно гордий і радий, коли каное було готове. I had never seen so big a boat made from a single tree. Nunca tinha visto um barco tão grande feito de uma só árvore. Я никогда не видел такой большой лодки, сделанной из цельного дерева.

It was well shaped and handsome. Era bem formado e bonito. Оно было красивым и красивым. More than twenty men might find room to sit in it. Mais de vinte homens poderiam sentar-se nela.

But now the hardest question of all must answered. Mas agora há que responder à pergunta mais difícil de todas.

How was I to get my canoe into the water? Como é que eu ia meter a minha canoa na água?

It lay not more than three hundred feet from the little river where I had first landed with my raft. Ficava a menos de trezentos metros do pequeno rio onde eu tinha desembarcado pela primeira vez com a minha jangada.

But how was I to move it three hundred feet, or even one foot? Mas como é que eu a ia mover trezentos metros, ou mesmo um pé? It was so heavy that I could not even roll it over. Era tão pesado que nem sequer o conseguia virar.

I thought of several plans. Pensei em vários planos. У мене було кілька планів. But when I came to reckon the time and the labor, I found that even by the easiest plan it would take twenty years to get the canoe into the water. Mas quando fiz as contas ao tempo e ao trabalho, descobri que, mesmo com o plano mais fácil, seriam precisos vinte anos para pôr a canoa na água.

What could I do but leave it in the woods where it lay? O que é que eu podia fazer senão deixá-lo no bosque onde estava? Що я міг зробити, як не залишити його в лісі, де він лежав?

How foolish I had been! Como eu tinha sido tolo! Якою ж я була дурепою! Why had I not thought of the weight of the canoe before going to the labor of making it? Porque é que eu não tinha pensado no peso da canoa antes de me dar ao trabalho de a fazer?

The wise man will always look before he leaps. O homem sábio olha sempre antes de saltar. Мудрець завжди подивиться, перш ніж стрибнути. I certainly had not acted wisely. Não tinha agido de forma sensata. Я, безумовно, вчинив не дуже мудро.

I went back to my castle, feeling sad and thoughtful. Voltei para o meu castelo, triste e pensativo.

Why should I be discontented and unhappy? Porque é que hei-de estar descontente e infeliz?

I was the master of all that I saw. Eu era o mestre de tudo o que via. Я був господарем усього, що бачив. I might call myself the king of the island. Posso considerar-me o rei da ilha.

I had all the comforts of life. Tinha todos os confortos da vida. У мене були всі життєві зручності.

I had food in plenty. Tinha comida em abundância. У мене було багато їжі.

I might raise shiploads of grain, but there was no market for it. Eu podia produzir carregamentos de cereais, mas não havia mercado para eles. Я міг би виростити корабельну партію зерна, але для нього не було ринку збуту.

I had thousands of trees for timber and fuel, but no one wished to buy. Eu tinha milhares de árvores para madeira e combustível, mas ninguém queria comprar.

I counted the money which I had brought from the ship. Contei o dinheiro que tinha trazido do navio. There were above a hundred pieces of gold and silver; but of what use were they? Havia mais de cem moedas de ouro e prata; mas para que serviam? Там було більше сотні золотих і срібних монет, але яка від них користь?

I would have given all for a handful of peas or beans to plant. Teria dado tudo por uma mão-cheia de ervilhas ou feijões para plantar. Я б усе віддав за жменю гороху чи квасолі, щоб посадити. I would have given all for a bottle of ink. Teria dado tudo por um frasco de tinta. Я б усе віддав за пляшечку чорнила.