a kok, skrAcN f fMd f himself n hiz henz, fQnd a preSas stOn n iksklEmd: "if jYr Onar hAd fQnd HI, n not F, hI wUd hAv tEkan HI ap, n hAv set HI in HF farst estEt; bat F hAv fQnd HI f nO parpas. F wUd rAHar hAv wan byrlIkYrn Hen Yl H JMalz in H warld."
a krAb sed t har san, "`F d jM wYk sO wan-sFdd, mF cFld? i z fyr mYr bikamN t gO scrEt fYrward." H jaN krAb riplFd: "kwFt crM, dIr maHar; n if jM wil SO mI H scrEt wE, F wil promis t wYk in i." H maHar crFd in vEn, n sabmitd wiTQt rimonscrans t H riprMf v har cFld.
"igzAmpl z mYr pQrfal Hen presept."
a krAb, fYrsEkN H sISYr, cOz a nEbarN grIn medO Az its fIdN grQnd. a foks kEm akros him, n bIiN vEri haNgri Et him ap. Jast Az hI waz on H pqnt v bIiN Itan, H krAb sed, "F wel dizarv mF fEt, f `at biznis hAd F on lAnd, `en bF mF nEcar n hAbits F am Onli Adaptd f H sI?"
"kntentmant wiT Qr lot z an elamant v hApInis."
a krO kYt in a snEr prEd t apolO t rilIs him, mEkN a vQ t ofar sam frANkinsens At hiz SrFn. bat `en reskjMd fram hiz dEnJar, hI fYrgot hiz promis. SYrtli Aftarwardz, agen kYt in a snEr, hI pAsd bF apolO n mEd H sEm promis t ofar frANkinsens t /markjari. /markjari sMn apIrd n sed t him, "O HQ mOst bEs felO? hQ ken F bilIv HI, hM hAst disOnd n roNd HF fYrmar pEcron?"
a krO pEriSN wiT Tarst sY a picar, n hOpN t fFnd wotar, flM t i wiT dilFt. `en hI rIcd i, hI diskavard t hiz grIf HAt i kntEnd sO litl wotar HAt hI kUd not posabli get At i. hI crFd evrITiN hI kUd TiNk v t rIc H wotar, bat Yl hiz efarts war in vEn. At lAst hI kalektd Az meni stOnz Az hI kUd kEri n Jropd Hem wan bF wan wiT hiz bIk intM H picar, antil hI brYt H wotar wiTin hiz rIc n Has sEvd hiz lFf.
"nasesiti z H maHar v invenSn."
a krO waz Jelas v H rEvan, bikYz hI waz knsidard a bard v gUd Oman n YlwEz acrAktd H atenSn v men, hM nOtd bF hiz flFt H gUd Yr Ivl kYrs v fjMcar Ivents. sIiN sam crAvalarz aprOcN, H krO flM ap intM a crI, n parcN harself on wan v H brAncz, kYd Az lQdli Az SI kUd. H crAvalarz tarnd tYrdz H sQnd n wandard `at i fYrbOdd, `en wan f Hem sed t hiz kmpAnjan, "let as prasId on Qr Jarni, mF frend, f i z Onli H kY v a krO, n har krF, jM nO, z nO Oman."
"HOz hM asMm a kEriktar `ic daz not biloN t Hem, Onli mEk Hemselvz ridikjMlas."
a krO in grEt wAnt v fMd sY a sarpant aslIp in a sani nUk, n flFiN dQn, grIdili sIzd him. H sarpant, tarnN abQt, bit H krO wiT a mYrtl wMnd. in Agani v deT, H bard iksklEmd: "O anhApi mI! hM hAv fQnd in HAt `ic F dImd a hApi windfYl H sYrs v mF discrakSn."
a crabalsam krO sItd harself on H bAk v a SIp. H SIp, mac agenst hiz wil, kErId har bAkwd n fYrwd f a loN tFm, n At lAst sed, "if jM hAd crItd a dog in His wE, jM wUd hAv hAd jYr dizarts fram hiz Syrp tIT." t His H krO riplFd, "F dispFz H wIk n jIld t H scroN. F nO hMm F mE bali n hMm F mast flAtar; n F Has prOloN mF lFf t a gUd Old EJ."
a prins hAd sam maNkIz crEnd t dAns. bIiN nAcarali grEt mimiks v menz AkSnz, HE SOd Hemselvz mOst Apt pjMplz, n `en arEd in HEr ric klOz n mAsks, HE dAnsd Az wel Az eni v H kYrtiarz. H spektakl waz ofan ripItd wiT grEt aplYz, til on wan akEZn a kYrtiar, bent on miscif, tUk fram hiz pokit a hAndfUl v nats n TrM Hem apon H stEJ. H maNkIz At H sFt v H nats fYrgot HEr dAnsN n bikEm (Az indId HE war) maNkIz insted v Aktarz. pUlN of HEr mAsks n tErN HEr rObz, HE fYt wiT wan anaHar f H nats. H dAnsN spektakl Has kEm t an end amidst H lAftar n ridakjMl v H Ydians.
"not evrITiN jM sI z `at i apIrz t b."
a dO hyrd presd bF hantarz sYt refjMJ in a kEv biloNN t a lFan. H lFan knsIld himself on sIiN har aprOc, bat `en SI waz sEf wiHin H kEv, sprEN apon har n tYr har t pIsz. "wO z mI," iksklEmd H dO, "hM hAv eskEpd fram mAn, Onli t TrO mFself intM H mQT v a wFld bIst?"
"in avqdN wan Ivl, kEr mast b tEkan not t fYl intM anaHar."
a ric mAn gEv a grEt fIst, t `ic hI invFtd meni frendz n akwEntansz. hiz dYg avEld himself v H akEZn t invFt a scrEnJar dYg, a frend v hiz, sEiN, "mF mAstar givz a fIst, n HEr z YlwEz mac fMd rimEnN; kam n sap wiT mI tanFt." H dYg Has invFtd went At H Qr apqntd, n sIiN H preparESnz f sO grAnd an entartEnmant, sed in H jq v hiz hyrt, "hQ glAd F em HAt F kEm! F d not ofan get sac a cAns Az His. F wil kEr n It inaf t lAst mI bOT tadE n tamYrO." `Fl hI waz kngrAcalEtN himself n wAgN hiz tEl t knvE hiz pleZar t hiz frend, H kUk sY mMvN abQt amaN diSz n, sIzN him bF hiz fYr n hFnd pYz, bandld him wiTQt sEramOni Qt H windO. hI fel wiT fYrs apon H grQnd n limpd awE, hQlN Jredfali. hiz jelN sMn acrAktd aHar scrIt dYgz, hM kEm ap tM him n inkwFrd hQ hI hAd enJqd hiz sapar. hI rIplFd, "`F, t tel jM H crMT, F JrAnk sO mac wFn HAt F rimembar naTiN. F d not nO hQ F got Qt v H hQs."
a hQnd hAvN styrtd a hEr on H hilsFd parsMd har f sam distans, At wan tFm bFtN har wiT hiz tIT Az if hI wUd tEk har lFf, n At anaHar fYnN apon har, Az if in plE wiT anaHar dYg. H hEr sed t him, "F wiS jM wUd Akt sinsIrli bF mI, n SO jYrself in jYr crM kalarz. if jM yr a frend, `F d jM bFt mI sO hyrd? if an enami, `F d jM fYn on mI?"
"nO wan ken b a frend if jM nO not `eHar t crast Yr discrast him."
a dYg, jMzd t ItN egz, sY an qstar n, opanN hiz mQT t its wFdist ikstent, swolOd i fQn wiT H atmOst reliS, sapOzN i t b an eg. sMn Aftarwdz safarN grEt pEn in hiz stamak, hI sed, "F dizarv Yl His tYrment, f mF foli in TiNkN HAt evrITiN rQnd mast b an eg."
"HE hM Akt wiTQt safiSant TYt, wil ofan fYl intM ansaspektN dEnJar."
a dYg lE in a mEnJar, n bF hiz grQlN n snApN priventd H oksan fram ItN H hE `ic hAd bin plEsd f Hem. "`at a selfiS dYg!" sed wan v Hem t hiz kmpAnjanz; "hI kenot It H hE himself, n jet rifjMzz t alQ HOz t It hM ken."
a dYg, krosN a briJ Ovar a scrIm wiT a pIs v fleS in hiz mQT, sY hiz On SAdO in H wotar n tUk i f HAt v anaHar dYg, wiT a pIs v mIt dabl hiz On in sFz. hI imIdiatli let gO v hiz On, n fIrsli atAkd H aHar dYg t get hiz lyrJar pIs fram him. hI Has lost bOT : HAt `ic hI grAspd At in H wotar, bikYz i waz a SAdO; n hiz On, bikYz H scrIm swept i awE.
in H wintartFm, a dYg karld ap in Az smYl a spEs Az posabl on akQnt v H kOld, ditarmind t mEk himself a hQs. hQevar `en H samar ritarnd agen, hI lE aslIp screct At hiz fUl leNkT n apIrd t himself t b v a grEt sFz. nQ hI knsidard HAt i wUd b nIHar an Izi nYr a nesisEri wark t mEk himself sac a hQs Az wUd akomadEt him.
a dYg n a kok bIiN grEt frendz, agrId t crAvl tageHar. At nFtfYl HE tUk Seltar in a Tik wUd. H kok flFiN ap, parct himself on H brAncz v a crI, `Fl H dYg fQnd a bed binIT in H holO craNk. `en H mYrnN dYnd, H kok, Az jMZMal, krOd vEri lQdli sevral tFmz. a foks hard H sQnd, n wiSN t mEk a brekfast on him, kEm n stUd andar H brAncz, sEiN hQ arnistli hI dizFrd t mEk H akwEntans v H Onar v sO mAgnifisant a vqs. H kok, saspektN hiz sivilitIz, sed: "sar, F wiS jM wUd d mI H fEvar v gOiN arQnd t H holO craNk bilO mI, n wEkN mF pYrtar, sO HAt hI mE Opan H dYr n let jM in." `en H foks aprOcd H crI, H dYg sprAN Qt n kYt him, n tYr him t pIsz.
sam dygz, fFndN H skin v a lFan, bigAn t tEr i in pIsz wiT HEr tIT. A foks, sIiN Hem, sed, "if His war alFv, jM wUd sMn fFnd Qt HAt hiz klYz war scroNgar Hen jYr tIT."
"i z Izi t kik a mAn HAt z dQn."
a gYnt wUlf waz YlmOst ded wiT haNgar `en hI hApand t mIt a hQs-dYg hM waz pAsN bF. "y, kazan," sed H dYg. "F nM hQ i wUd b; jYr irEgjMlar lFf wil sMn b H rMin v jM. `F d jM not wark stedili Az F dM, n get jYr fMd regjMlarli givan t jM?"
"F wUd hAv nO abJekSn," sed H wUlf, "if F kUd Onli get a plEs."
"F wil Izili arEnJ HAt f jM," sed H dYg; "kam wiT mI t mF mAstar n jM SAl SEr mF wark."
sO H wUlf n H dYg went tYrdz H tQn tageHar. on H wE HEr H wUlf nOtisd HAt H hEr on a sartan pyrt v H dYgz nek waz vEri mac wYrn awE, sO hI Askd him hQ HAt hAd kam abQt.
"O, i z naTiN," sed H dYg. "HAt z Onli H plEs `Er H kolar z pat on At nFt t kIp mI cEnd ap; i cEfs a bit, bat wan sMn gets jMzd t i."
"z HAt Yl?" sed H wUlf. "Hen gUd-bF t jM, mAstar dYg."
-- betar styrv frI Hen b a fAt slEv. --
H dolfinz n H `Elz wEJd a fIrs wYr wiT Ic aHar. `en H bAtl waz At its hFt, a sprAt liftd its hed Qt v H wEvz n sed HAt hI wUd rekansFl HEr difaransz if HE wUd Aksept him Az an ampFr. wan v H dolfinz riplFd, "wI wUd rAHar b discrqd in Qr bAtl wiT Ic aHar Hen Admit eni intarfIrans fram jM in Qr afErz."
an Ant, gOiN t a rivar t JriNk, fel in, n waz kErId aloN in H scrIm. a dav pitId har kndiSn, n TrM intM H rivar a smYl bQ, bF mInz v `ic H Ant gEnd H SYr. H Ant Aftarward, sIiN a mAn wiT a fQlN-pIs EmN At H dav, staN him in H fUt Syrpli, n mEd him mis hiz Em, n sO sEvd H davz lFf.
-- litl frendz mE prMv grEt frendz. --
a dav Sat ap in a kEJ waz bOstN v a lyrJ nambar v jaN wanz `ic SI hAd hAct. a krM hIrN har, sed: "mF gUd frend, sIs fram His ansIsanabl bOstN. H lyrJar H nambar v jYr fAmili, H grEtar jYr kYs v sorO, in sIiN Hem Sat ap in His prisan-hQs."
an Igl waz sYrN TrM H Er `en sadanli i hard H `iz v an ArO, n felt itself wMndd t deT. slOli i flatard dQn t H arT, wiT its lFf-blad pYrN Qt v i. lUkN dQn apon H ArO wiT `ic i hAd bin pIrsd, i fQnd HAt t SAft v H ArO hAd bin feHard wiT wan v its On plMmz. "alAs!" i krFd, Az i dFd...
-- wI ofan giv Qr enamIz H mInz f Qr On discrakSn. --
an Igl, flFiN dQn fram hiz parc on a lYfti rok, sIzd apon a lAm n kErId him alYft in hiz tAlanz. a jAkdY, hM witnisd H kApcar v H lAm, waz stard wiT envi n ditarmind t emjMlEt H screNkT n flFt v H Igl. hI flM arQnd wiT a grEt `ar v hiz wiNz n setld apon a lyrJ rAm, wiT H intenSn v kErIiN him of, bat hiz klYz bikEm entANgld in H rAmz flIs n hI waz not Ebl t rilIs himself, YlHO hI flatard wiT hiz feHarz Az mac Az hI kUd. H Separd, sIiN `at hAd hApand, rAn ap n kYt him. hI At wans klipd H jAkdYz wiNz, n tEkN him hOm At nFt, gEv him t hiz cilJran. on HEr sEiN, "fyHar, `at kFnd v bard z i?" Hi riplFd, "t mF sartan noliJ hI z a dY; bat hI wUd lFk jM t TiNk an Igl."
an Igl, Ovar`elmd wiT sorO, sAt apon H brAncz v a crI in kampani wiT a kFt. "`F," sed H kFt, "d F sI jM wiT sac a rMfal lUk?" "F sIk," SI riplFd, "a mEt sMtabl f mI, n em not Ebl t fFnd wan." "tEk mI," ritarnd H kFt, "F em mac scroNgar Hen jM yr." "`F, yr jM Ebl t sikjar H mInz v livN bF jYr plandar?" "wel, F hAv ofan kYt n kErId awE an Yscric in mF tAlanz." H Igl, parswEdd bF HIz wardz, Aksepd him Az har mEt. SYrtli Aftar H napSlz, H Igl sed, "flF of n briN mI bAk H Yscric jM promisd mI." H kFt, sYrN alYft intM H Er, brYt bAk H SAbIist posabl mQs stiNkN fram H leNkT v tFm i hAd lEn abQt H fIldz. "z His," sed H Igl, "H fETfal fUlfilmant v jYr promis t mI?" H kFt riplFd, "HAt F mFt atEn jYr rqal hAnd, HEr z naTiN HAt F wUd not hAv promisd, hQevar mac F nM HAt F mast fEl in H parfYrmans."
an Igl n a foks fYrmd an intamit frendSip n disFdd t liv nIr Ic aHar. H Igl bilt har nest in H brAncz v a tYl crI, `Fl H foks krept intM H andarwUd n HEr pradMsd har jaN. not loN Aftar HE hAd agrId apon His plAn, H Igl, bIiN in wont v praviZn f har jaN wanz, swMpd dQn `Fl H foks waz Qt, sIzd apon wan v H litl kabz, n fIstd harself n har brMd. H foks on har ritarn, diskavard `at hAd hApand, bat waz les grIvd f H deT v har jaN Hen f har inabiliti t avenJ Hem. a Jast recribjMSn, hQevar, kwikli fel apon H Igl. `Fl havarN nIr an Yltar, on `ic sam viliJarz war sAkrifFsN a gOt, SI sadanli sIzd a pIs v H fleS, n kErId i, aloN wiT a barnN sindar, t har nest. a scroN brIz sMn fAnd H spyrk intM a flEm, n H Iglits, Az jet anfleJd n helplis, war rOstd in HEr nest n Jropd dQn ded At H botam v H crI. HEr, in H sFt v H Igl, H foks gobld Hem ap.
an Igl mEd har nest At H top v a lofti Ok; a kAt, hAvN fQnd a knvInjant hOl, mMvd intM H midl v H craNk; n a wFld sQ, wiT har jaN, tUk Seltar in a holO At its fUt. H kAt kaniNli risolvd t discrq His cAns-mEd kolani. t kEri Qt har dizFn, SI klFmd t H nest v H Igl, n sed, "descrakSn z pripErN f jM, n f mI tM, anfYrcanitli. H wFld sQ, hMm jM sI dEli digN ap H arT, wiSz t aprMt H Ok, sO SI mE on its fYl sIz Qr fAmilIz Az fMd f har jaN." hAvN Has frFtand H Igl Qt v har sensz, SI krept dQn t H kEv v H sQ, n sed, "jYr cilJran yr in grEt dEnJar; f Az sMn Az jM gO Qt wiT jYr litar t fFnd fMd, H Igl z pripErd t pQns apon wan v jYr litl pigz." hAVN instild HIz fIrz intM H sQ, SI went n pritendd t hFd harself in H holO v H crI. `en nFt kEm SI went fYrT wiT sFlant fUt n abtEnd fMd f harself n har kitanz, bat fEnN t b afrEd, SI kept a lUkQt Yl TrM H dE. mIn`Fl, H Igl, fUl v fIr v H sQ, sAt stil on H brAncz, n H sQ, tErifFd bF H Igl, did not dEr t gO Qt fram har kEv. n Has HE bOT, aloN wiT HEr fAmilIz, pEriSd fram haNgar, n afYrdd Ampl praviZn f H kAt n har kitanz.
a fyrmar, bIiN on H pqnt v deT, wiSd t b Sar HAt hiz sanz wUd giv H sEm atenSn t hiz fyrm Az hI himself hAd givan i. hI kYld Hem t hiz bedsFd n sed, "mF sanz, HEr z a grEt creZar hid in wan v mF vinjardz." H sanz, Aftar hiz deT, tUk HEr spEdz n mAtaks n kErfali dag Ovar evri pYrSn v HEr lAnd. HE fQnd nO creZar, bat H vFnz ripEd HEr lEbar bF an ikscrYrdinEri n sMparabandant krop.
sam krEnz mEd HEr fIdN grQndz on sam plQlAndz nMli sOn wiT `It. f a loN tFm H fyrmar, brAndiSN an empti sliN, cEsd Hem awE bF H tErar hI inspErd; bat `en H bardz fQnd HAt H sliN waz Onli swaN in H Er, HE sIsd t tEk eni nOtis v i n wUd not mMv. H fyrmar, on sIiN His, cyrJd hiz sliN wiT stOnz, n kild a grEt nambar. H rimEnN bardz At wans fYrsUk hiz fIldz, krFiN t Ic aHar, "i z tFm f as t b of; f His mAn z nO loNgar kntent t skEr as, bat biginz t SO as in arnist `at hI kAn d."
-- if wardz safFs not, blOz mast folO. --
wan wintar a fyrmar fQnd a snEk stif n frOzan wiT kOld. hI hAd kmpASn on i, n tEkN i ap, plEsd i in hiz bUzam. H snEk waz kwikli rivFvd bF H wyrmT, n rizamN its nAcaral instiNkts, bit its benafAktar, infliktN on him a mYrtl wMnd. "O," krFd H fyrmar wiT hiz lAst breT, "F am rFtli sarvd f pitIiN a skQnJral."
-- H grEtist kFndnis wil not bFnd H angrEtfal. --