Одна голова — хорошо, а две — у Амфисбены. Помни это, Странник.
Одна голова — хорошо, а две — у Амфисбены. Помни это, Странник.
В фольклоре старателей, охотников и пастухов северо-запада США, Песчаный звяк реки Колумбия — это химерическое существо, обладающее способностью вырабатывать электричество, касаясь хвостом ушей:
Of limited distribution, but possessing most unusual characteristics. Reported to date only by prospectors, hunters and sheep-herders in the remote mountains of Washington. Built somewhat on the lines of a coyote, somewhat on the pattern of a bobcat, but with ears like a jack-rabbit. The tail is long and bushy, and is carried recurved along the back the same as a squirrel’s.
A nightly prowler. Emerges after dark and sinks down to the river to fish. The Squink isn’t particularly fussy about its diet, but has a great fondness for electric eels. Probably on account of their higher pH content. When hungry it is a timid animal. But its courage returns after feeding, and it will then stalk boldly along the mountain trails until it sights a prospector returning from town. Thereupon the Squink will precede its victim by two or three rods, slowly waving its long tail and touching one ear and then the other. The previous few miles of travel on a heavy feed of electric eels generates a substantial charge of static, and these alternating contacts produce a series of brilliant discharges which invariably please and attract the traveler, who follows and is never seen again.
Several nests of this animal have been located and carefully examined. They were all lined with portions of old inner tubes, while the eggs (for the Squink is oviparous) were shelled with bakelite.
Henry Tryon "Fearsome critters" (453: p.9)
Песчаный звяк имеет ограниченный ареал обитания, но обладает чрезвычайно необычными признаками. До сих пор о нем сообщали только старатели, охотники и пастухи овец в отдаленных горах штата Вашингтон. Телосложением немного похож на койота, немного на рысь, но с ушами как у кроля. Хвост длинный, пушистый и загибается на спину как у белки.
Ночной воришка. Появляется после наступления темноты и спускается к реке половить рыбу. Звяк не слишком разборчив в еде, но предпочитает электрических угрей. Вероятно, из-за высокого содержания щелочи. Он робок, когда голоден. Но после еды храбрость возвращается, и он смело ступает по горным тропам, пока не увидит старателя, идущего из города. Тогда звяк обгоняет жертву на два-три рода*, медленно взмахивая хвостом и касаясь то одного, то другого уха. Обильный корм из электрических угрей за предыдущие несколько миль путешествия генерирует значительный заряд статического электричества, и эти чередующиеся касания производят серию сверкающих разрядов, которые непременно понравятся путнику и привлекут его, отчего тот последует за ними, и больше его никто никогда не увидит.
Были обнаружены и тщательно исследованы несколько гнезд этого животного. Все они оказались выложены резиновыми ошметками от колес, а скорлупа вылупленных яиц звяка была из бакелита*.
Генри Трайон "Устрашающие твари" (453: p.9)
Columbia River Sand Squink is a Fearsome Critter of the stories of hunters and sheep-herders from northwest USA:
Of limited distribution, but possessing most unusual characteristics. Reported to date only by prospectors, hunters and sheep-herders in the remote mountains of Washington. Built somewhat on the lines of a coyote, somewhat on the pattern of a bobcat, but with ears like a jack-rabbit. The tail is long and bushy, and is carried recurved along the back the same as a squirrel’s.
A nightly prowler. Emerges after dark and sinks down to the river to fish. The Squink isn’t particularly fussy about its diet, but has a great fondness for electric eels. Probably on account of their higher pH content. When hungry it is a timid animal. But its courage returns after feeding, and it will then stalk boldly along the mountain trails until it sights a prospector returning from town. Thereupon the Squink will precede its victim by two or three rods, slowly waving its long tail and touching one ear and then the other. The previous few miles of travel on a heavy feed of electric eels generates a substantial charge of static, and these alternating contacts produce a series of brilliant discharges which invariably please and attract the traveler, who follows and is never seen again.
Several nests of this animal have been located and carefully examined. They were all lined with portions of old inner tubes, while the eggs (for the Squink is oviparous) were shelled with bakelite.
Henry Tryon "Fearsome critters" (453: p.9)
Паводле фальклору старацеляў, паляўнічых і пастухоў паўночнага захаду ЗША, пяшчаны бразг ракі Калумбія — гэта хімерычная істота, якая валодае здольнасцю выпрацоўваць электрычнасць, дакранаючыся хвастом да вушэй:
Of limited distribution, but possessing most unusual characteristics. Reported to date only by prospectors, hunters and sheep-herders in the remote mountains of Washington. Built somewhat on the lines of a coyote, somewhat on the pattern of a bobcat, but with ears like a jack-rabbit. The tail is long and bushy, and is carried recurved along the back the same as a squirrel’s.
A nightly prowler. Emerges after dark and sinks down to the river to fish. The Squink isn’t particularly fussy about its diet, but has a great fondness for electric eels. Probably on account of their higher pH content. When hungry it is a timid animal. But its courage returns after feeding, and it will then stalk boldly along the mountain trails until it sights a prospector returning from town. Thereupon the Squink will precede its victim by two or three rods, slowly waving its long tail and touching one ear and then the other. The previous few miles of travel on a heavy feed of electric eels generates a substantial charge of static, and these alternating contacts produce a series of brilliant discharges which invariably please and attract the traveler, who follows and is never seen again.
Several nests of this animal have been located and carefully examined. They were all lined with portions of old inner tubes, while the eggs (for the Squink is oviparous) were shelled with bakelite.
Henry Tryon "Fearsome critters" (453: p.9)
Пяшчаны бразг мае абмежаваны арэал пасялення, але валодае надзвычай незвычайнымі прыкметамі. Да гэтага часу пра яго паведамлялі толькі старацелі, паляўнічыя і пастухі авечак у аддаленых гарах штата Вашынгтон. Целаскладам трохі падобны на каёта, трохі на рысь, але з вушамі як у труса. Хвост доўгі, пухнаты і загінаецца на спіну як у вавёркі.
Начны валацуга. Выходзіць ноччу і апускаецца з гор ўніз да ракі лавіць рыбу. Бразг не занадта разборлівы ў ежы, але аддае перавагу электрычным вуграм. Верагодна, з-за высокага ўтрымання шчолачы. Ён баязьлівы, калі галодны. Але ягоная мужнасць вяртаецца пасля ежы, і ён смела ідзе па горных сцежках, пакуль не ўбачыць старацеля, які выйшаў з гораду. Тады бразг абганяе ахвяру на два-тры рады*, павольна узмахваючы хвастом і дакранаючыся то аднаго, то другога вуха. Багаты корм з электрычных вугроў за папярэднія некалькі міль падарожжа генеруе значны зарад статычнай электрычнасці, і гэтыя пераменные дотыкі ствараюць шэраг бліскучых разрадаў, якія абавязкова спадабаюцца падарожніку і прыцягнуць яго, з-за чаго той рушыць услед за імі, і больш яго ніхто ніколі не ўбачыць.
Былі выяўленыя і дасканала даследаваны некалькі гнёздаў гэтай жывёлы. Усе яны былі выкладзеныя гумовымі абрыўкамі колаў, а шкарлупіна вылупленых яек бразга была з бакеліту*.
Генры Траён "Жахлівыя пачвары" (453: p.9)
Comments
Отправить комментарий