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Оригинал:
My dear Jessie,
I liked your letter better than anything I have had for some time. I may as well just tell you a few of the things I like, and then, whenever you want to give me a birthday present (my birthday comes once every seven years, on the fifth Tuesday in April) you will know what to give me. Well, I like, very much indeed, a little mustard with a bit of beef spread thinly under it; and I like brown sugar — only it should have some apple pudding mixed with it to keep it from being too sweet; but perhaps what I like best of all is salt, with some soup poured over it. The use of the soup is to hinder the salt from being too dry; and it helps to melt it. Then there are other things I like; for instance, pins — only they should always have a cushion put round them to keep them warm. And I like two or three handfuls of hair; only they should always have a little girl’s head beneath them to grow on, or else whenever you open the door they get blown all over the room, and then they get lost, you know.
Tell Sally it’s all very well to say she can do the two thieves and the five apples, but can she do the fox and the goose and the bag of corn? That the man was bringing from market, and he had to get them over a river, and the boat was so tiny he could only take one across at a time; and he couldn’t boat was so tiny he could only take one across at a time; and he couldn’t ever leave the fox and the goose together, for then the fox would eat the goose; and if he left the goose and the com together, the goose would eat the corn. So the only things he could leave safely together were the fox and the corn, for you never see a fox eating com, and you hardly ever see com eating a fox. Ask her if she can do that puzzle.
I think I’ll come and see you again — suppose we say once every two years; and in about ten years I really think we shall be good friends. Don’t you think we shall? I shall be very glad to hear from you whenever you feel inclined to write, and from Sally too, if she likes to try her hand at writing. If she can’t write with her hand, let her try with her foot. Neat footwriting is a very good thing. Give my love to her and Kate and Harry; only mind you keep a little for yourself.
Your affectionate friend,
Lewis Carroll
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Джесси Синклер
Крайст Черч, Оксфорд 22 января 1878 г.
Дорогая Джесси!
Твое письмо понравилось мне больше, чем что-либо еще за последнее время. Я могу сообщить тебе также кое-что из того, что мне нравится. Если ты надумаешь когда-нибудь сделать мне подарок по случаю моего дня рождения (дни рождения у меня бывают раз в семь лет по пятым вторникам апреля), то ты будешь знать, что мне подарить.
Я люблю, сказать по правде, очень люблю самую малость горчицы, если под нее подложен тонкий кусочек хорошего мяса. Я люблю желтый сахарный песок, если он смешан с яблочным пудингом, чтобы не было очень сладко. Но, наверное, больше всего я люблю соль, если под нее налить супа. Суп не дает соли быть слишком сухой и помогает ей раствориться. Есть и другие вещи, которые я также люблю. Взять, например, булавки — только вокруг булавок должна быть подушечка, чтобы им было тепло. Люблю я и две-три пригоршни волос, только под ними всегда должна быть головка девочки, чтобы они могли расти. Иначе стоит лишь открыть дверь, как их разнесет ветром по всей комнате и их легко будет потерять…
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