Teffi: "Sobaka": esli ne sovsem provalit'sya

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,
This is from a story by Teffi: 
К мельнице этой мы и днем никогда не ходили, запрещали нампотому,  что плотина была старая, и если не совсем провалиться, то ногу можно  было  легко  вывихнуть.
At present I have:
"We didn’t go to the mill even in daytime – we weren’t allowed to, because the dam was very old and, even if you didn’t fall right through, you could easily sprain your ankle."   

BUT one doesn't exactly fall THROUGH  a dam, even a very old one.  What does the narrator mean? That a piece of the dam might break off and one would fall into the water together with it?

All the best,

Robert

Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD





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