Яичная скорлупа

Перевод с английского стихотворения Редьярда Киплинга " The Egg-Shell"

Промозглый северный туман,
Закатный ветер веет,
Яйцо стальное в океан
Пустила злая фея,
Под тонкой гулкой скорлупой,
В округлой той утробе,
Сидел весёлый и лихой
Чертёнок в синей робе.

До штиля в полночь ветер спал,
Туман к волнам спустился,
Чертёнок перископ поднял,
С торпедою возился,
Меж ним и бездною морской
По воле злой колдуньи
Яичной хрупкой скорлупой
Железа меньше дюйма.

Наутро дождь рассёк туман,
И был рассеян ветром,
Чертёнок ведьме слал сигнал
За сотни километров:
"Яйцо стальное на плаву,
Исполнило, что нужно,
Взрыв не разрушил скорлупу,
А смерть – врагам снаружи!"

The Egg-Shell.

The  wind took off with the sunset--
The fog came up with the tide,
When the Witch of the North took an Egg-shell
With a little Blue Devil inside.
"Sink," she said, "or swim," she said,
"It's all you will bet from me.
And that is the finish of him!" she said
And the Egg-shell went to sea.

The wind fell dead with the midnight--
The fog shut down like a sheet,
When the Witch of the North heard the Egg-shell
Feeling by hand for a fleet.
"Get!" she said, "or you're gone," she said.,
But the little Blue Devil said "No!
"The sights are just coming on," he said,
And he let the Whitehead go.

The wind got up with the morning--
The fog blew off with the rain,
When the Witch of the North saw the Egg-shell
And the little Blue Devil again.
"Did you swim?" she said. "Did you sink:" she said,
And the little Blue Devil replied:
"For myself I swam, but I think," he said,
"There's somebody sinking outside."