a fyrmar plEsd nets on hiz nMli-sOn plQlAndz n kYt a nambar v krEnz, `ic kEm t pik ap hiz sId. wiT Hem hI crApd a stYrk HAt hAd frAkcard hiz leg in H net n waz arnistli bisIcN H fyrmar t spEr hiz lFf. "prE sEv mI, mAstar," hI sed, "n let mI gO frI His wans. mF brOkan lim SUd iksFt jYr piti. bisFdz, F am nO krEn, F am a stYrk, a bard v eksalant kEraktar; n sI hQ F lav n slEv f mF fYHar n maHar. lUk, tM, At mF feHarz-- HE r not H lIst lFk HOz v a krEn." H fyrmar lAfd alQd n sed, "i mE b Yl Az jM sE, F Onli nO Hs: F hAv tEkan jM wiT HIz robarz, H krEnz, n jM mast dF in HEr kampani."
-- bardz v a feHar flok tageHar. --
a mAn hAd tM dYtarz, H wan mErId t a gyrdnar, n H aHar t a tFl-mEkar. Aftar a tFm hI went t H dYtar hM hAd mErId H gyrdnar, n inkwFrd hQ SI waz n hQ Yl TiNz went wiT har. SI sed, "Yl TiNz r prosparN wiT mI, n F hAv Onli wan wiS, Ht HEr mE b a hevi fYl v rEn, in Yrdar Ht H plAnts mE b wel wotard." not loN Aftar, hI went t H dYtar hM hAd mErId H tFlmEkar, n lFkwFz inkwFrd v har hQ SI fErd; SI riplFd, "F wont f naTiN, n hAv Onli wan wiS, Ht H JrF weHar mE kntinjM, n H san SFn hot n brFt, sO Ht H briks mFt b JrFd." hI sed t har, "if jYr sistar wiSz f rEn, n jM f JrF weHar, wiT `ic v H tM am F t Jqn mF wiSz?"
a fYHar hAd a fAmili v sanz hM war parpecjMali kwYralN amaN Hemselvz. `en hI fEld t hIl HEr dispjMts bF hiz egzYrtESnz, hI ditarmind t giv Hem a prAktikl ilascrESn v H Ivlz v disjMnjan; n f Hs parpas hI wan dE tOld Hem t briN him a bandl v stiks. `en HE hAd dan sO, hI plEsd H bandl intM H hAndz v Ic v Hem in sakseSn, n Yrdard Hem t brEk i in pIsz. HE crFd wiT Yl HEr screNkT, n war not Ebl t d i. hI nekst Opand H bandl, tUk H stiks separitli, wan bF wan, n agen pat Hem intM hiz sanz hAndz, apon `ic HE brOk Hem Izili. hI Hen aJresd Hem in HIz wardz: "mF sanz, if jM r v wan mFnd, n jMnFt t asist iC aHar, jM wil b Az Hs bandl, aninJard bF Yl H atempts v jYr enamIz; bat if jM r divFdd amaN jYrselvz, jM wil b brOkan Az Izili Az HIz stiks."
a jaN fYn wans sed t hiz maHar, "jM r lyrJar Hen a dYg, n swiftar, n mYr jMzd t ranN, n jM hAv jYr hYrnz Az a difens; `F, Hen, O maHar! d H hQndz frFtan jM sO?" SI smFld, n sed: "F nO fUl wel, mF san, Ht Yl jM sE z crM. F hAv H AdvAntiJz jM mencn, bat `en F hIr Ivan H byrk v a singl dYg F fIl redi t fEnt, n flF awE Az fAst Az F kn."
-- nO yrgjMmants wil giv kariJ t H kQard. --
tM gEm koks war fIrsli fFtN f H mAstari v H fyrmjyrd. wan At lAst pat H aHar t flFt. H vANkwiSd kok skalkd awE n hid himself in a kwFit kYrnar, `Fl H koNkarar, flFiN ap t a hF wYl, flApd hiz wiNz n krOd igzaltNli wiT Yl hiz mFt. an Igl sElN TrM H Er pQnsd apon him n kErId him of in hiz tAlonz. H vANkwiSd kok imIdiatli kEm Qt v hiz kYrnar, n rMld hensfYrT wiT andispjMtd mAstari.
-- prFd gOz bifYr discrakSn. --
a far-crI sed bOstiNli t H brAmbl, "jM r jMsfal f naTiN At Yl; `Fl F am evrI`Er jMzd f rMfs n hQsz." H brAmbl Ansard: "jM pYr krIcar, if jM wUd Onli kYl t mFnd H Aksz n sYz `ic r abQt t hjM jM dQn, jM wUd hAv rIzan t wiS Ht jM hAd grOn ap a brAmbl, not a far-crI."
-- betar povarti wiTQt kEr, Hen ricz wiT. --
a fiSar wans tUk hiz bAgpFps t H bANk v a rivar, n plEd apon Hem wiT H hOp v mEkN H fiS rFz; bat nevar a wan pat hiz nOz Qt v H wotar. sO hI kAst hiz net intM H rivar n sMn JrM i fYrT fild wiT fiS. Hn hI tUk hiz bAgpFps agen n, Az hI plEd, H fiS lept ap in H net. "Y, jM dAns nQ `en F plE," sed hI.
"jes," sed an Old fiS:
-- `en jM r in a mAnz pOar jM mast d Az hI bidz jM. --
i hApand Ht a fiSar, Aftar fiSN Yl dE, kYt Onli a litl fiS. "prE, let mI gO, mAstar," sed H fiS. "F am mac tM smYl f jYr ItN Jast nQ. if jM pat mI bAk intM H rivar F SAl sMn grO, Hn jM kAn mEk a fFn mIl of mI."
"nE, nE, mF litl fiS," sed H fiSar, "F hAv jM nQ. F mE not kAc jM hIrAftar."
-- a litl TiN in hAnd z warT mYr Hn a grEt TiN in prospekt. --
a fiSarmn skild in mjMzik tUk hiz flMt n hiz nets t H sISYr. stAndN on a praJektN rok, hI plEd sevral tMnz in H hOp Ht H fiS, acrAktd bF hiz meladi, wUd v HEr On akYrd dAns intM H net, `ic hI hAd plEsd bilO. At lAst, hAvN loN wEtd in vEn, hI lEd asFd hiz flMt, n kAstN hiz net intM H sI, mEd an eksalant hYl v fiS. `en hI sY Hem lIpN abQt in H net apon H rok hI sed: "O jM mOst parvars krIcarz, `en F pFpd jM wUd not dAns bat nQ Ht F hAv sIsd jM d sO mErili."
a fiSarmn, engEJd in hiz kYlN, mEd a vEri saksesfal kAst n kApcard a grEt hYl v fiS. hI mAniJd bF a skilfal hAndlN v hiz net t ritEn Yl H lyrJ fiS n t JrY Hem t H SYr; bat hI kUd not privent H smYlar fiS fram fYlN bAk TrM H meSz v H net intM H sI.
a mAn, vEri mac anqd wiT a flI, kYt him At lAst, n sed, "hM r jM hM dEr t fId on mF limz, n t kost mI sO mac crabl in kAcN jM?" H flI riplFd, "O mF dIr sar, prE spEr mF lFf, n discrq mI not, f F kAnot posabli d jM mac hyrm." H mAn, lAfN, riplFd, "nQ jM SAl sartanli dF bF mF On hAndz, f nO Ivl, `eHar i b smYl Yr lyrJ, Yt t b tolarEtd."
a flI Has kwescnd an oks: "`at Elz jM, Ht bIiN sO hjMJ n scrYN, jM sabmit t H rYNz jM risIv fram men n slEv f Hem dE bF dE, `Fl F, bIiN sO smYl a krIcar, marsilisli fId on Her fleS n JriNk HEr blad wiTQt stint?" H oks riplFd: "F d not wiS t b angrEtfal, f F am lavd n wel kErd f bF men, n HE ofan pAt mF hed n SOldarz." "wOz mI!" sed H flI; "Hs vEri pAtN `ic jM lFk, `enevar i hApanz t mI, briNz wiT i mF inevitabl discrakSn."
sam fiSarmen war Qt crYlN HEr nets. parsIvN Hem t b vEri hevi, HE dAnsd abQt f Jq n sapOzd Ht HE hAd tEkan a lyrJ kAc. `en HE hAd JrAgd H nets t H SYr HE fQnd bat fjM fiS: H nets war fUl v sAnd n stOnz, n H men war bijYnd meZar kAst dQnsO mac At H disapqntmant `ic hAd bifYlan Hem, bat bikYz HE hAd fYrmd sac vEri difarant ekspektESnz. wan v HEr kamani, an Old mAn, sed, "let as sIs lamentN, mF mEts, f, Az i sImz t mI, sYrO z YlwEz H twin sistar v Jq; n i waz Onli t b lUkd f Ht wI, hM Jast nQ war Ovar-riJqsd, SUd nekst hAv samTiN t mEk as sAd."
a flI setld apon H bEr fUt v a reslar n bit him, kYzN H mAn t kYl lQdli apon harkjMlIz f help. `en H flI a sekand tFm hopd apon hiz fUt, hI grOnd n sed, "O harkjMlIz! if jM wil not help mI agenst a flI, hQ kAn F hOp f jYr asistans agenst grEtar AntAganists?"
a nambar v flFz war acrAktd t a Jyr v hani `ic hAd bin Ovartarnd in a hQskIparz rMm, n plEsN HEr fIt in i, Et grIdili. Her fIt, hQevar, bikEm sO smIrd wiT H hani Ht HE kUd not jMz HEr wiNz, nYr rilIs Hemselvz, n war safakEtd. Jast Az HE war ikspFrN, HE iksklEmd, "O fMliS krIcarz Ht wI r, f H sEk v a litl pleZar wI hAv discrqd Qrselvz."
-- pleZar bYt wiT pEnz, harts. --
a flF sAt on H Aksl-crI v a cEriat, n aJresN H JrAft-mjMl sed, "hQ slO jM r! `F d jM not gO fAstar? sI if F d not prik jYr nek wiT mF stiN." H JrAft-mjMl riplFd, "F d not hId jYr Trets; F Onli kEr f him hM sits abav jM, n hM kwikanz mF pEs wiT mF `ip, Yr hOldz mI bAk wiT H rEnz. awE, HErfYr, wiT jYr insalans, f F nO wel `en t g fAst, n `en t g slO."
a lFan jMzd t prQl abQt a fIld in `ic fYr oksan jMzd t dwel. meni a tFm hI crFd t atAk Hem; bat `enevar hI kEm nIr HE tarnd tElz t wan anaHar, sO Ht `icevar wE hI aprOcd Hem hI waz met bF H hYrnz v wan v Hem. At lAst, hQevar, HE fel a-kwYralN amaN Hemselvz, n Ic went of t pAscar alOn in a separit kYrnar v H fIld. Hn H lFan atAkd Hem wan bF wan n sMn mEd an end v Yl fYr.
-- jMnFtd wI stAnd, divFdd wI fYl. --
a fQlar, tEkN hiz bard-lFm n hiz twigz, went Qt t kAc bardz. sIiN a TraS sitN apon a crI, hI wiSd t tEk i, n fitN hiz twigz t a propar leNkT, wocd intentli, hAvN hiz hOl TYts darektd tYrdz H skF. `Fl Has lUkN apwardz, hI annOiNli crod apon a vFpar aslIp Jast bifYr hiz fIt. H vFpar, tarnN abQt, staN him, n fYlN intM a swMn, H mAn sed t himself, "wO z mI! Ht `Fl F parpasd t hant anaHar, F am mFself fYlan anawErz intM H snErz v deT."
a foks waz mQntN a heJ `en hI lost hiz fUtN n kYt hOld v a brAmbl t sEv himself. hAvN prikd n grIvasli tYrn H sOlz v hiz fIt, hI akjMzd H brAmbl bikYz, `en hI hAd fled t har f asistans, SI hAd jMzd him wYrs Hen H heJ itself. H brAmbl, intaraptN him, sed, "bat jM rIli mast hAv bin Qt v jYr sensz t fAsan jYrself on mI, hM Am mFself YlwEz akastamd t fAsan apon aHarz."
-- t H selfiS Yl r selfiS. --
a foks waz bOstN t a kAt v its klevar divFsz f eskEpN its enamIz. "F hAv a hOl bAg v criks," hI sed, "`ic kntEnz a hanJred wEz v eskEpN mF enamIz."
"F hAv Onli wan," sed H kAt; "bat F k Jenarali mAniJ wiT Ht." Jast At Ht mOmant HE hard H krF v a pAk v hQndz kamN tYrdz Hem, n H kAt imIdiatli skAmpard ap a crI n hid harself in H brAncz. "Hs z mF plAn," sed H kAt. "`at r jM gOiN t d?" H foks TYt farst v wan wE, Hn v anaHar, n `Fl hI waz dibEtN H hQndz kEm nIrar n nIrar, n At lAst H foks in hiz knfjMZn waz kYt ap bF H hQndz n sMn kild bF H hantsmen. H kAt, hM hAd bin lUkN on, sed:
-- betar wan sEf wE Hn a hanJred on `ic jM k not rekan. --
wan mMnlFt nFt a foks waz prQlN abQt a fyrmarz hen-kMp, n sY a kok rMstN hF ap bijond hiz rIc. "gUd nMz, gUd nMz!" hI krFd.
"`F, `at z Ht?" sed H kok.
"kiN lFan hAz diklErd a jMnivarsl crMs. nO bIst mE hart a bard hensfYrT, bat Yl SAl dwel tageHar in braHarli frendSip."
"`F, Ht z gUd nMz," sed H kok; "n HEr F sI sam wan kamN, wiT hMm wI k SEr H gUd tFdNz." n sO sEiN hI krEnd hiz nek fYrward n lUkd afyr of.
"`at z i jM sI?" sed H foks.
"i z Onli mF mAstarz dYg Ht z kamN tYrdz as. `at, gOiN sO sMn?" hI kntinjMd, Az H foks bigAn t tarn awE Az sMn Az hI hAd hard H nMz. "wil jM not stop n kongrAcalEt H dYg on H rEn v jMnivarsl pIs?"
"F wUd glAdli d sO," sed H foks, "bat F fIr hI mE not hAv hard v kiN lFanz dikrI."
-- kanN ofan Qtwits itself. --
a foks invFtd a krEn t sapar n pravFdd naTiN f hiz entartEnmant bat sam sMp mEd v pals, `ic waz pYrd Qt intM a brYd flAt stOn diS. H sMp fel Qt v H loN bil v H krEn At evri mQTfal, n hiz veksESn At not bIiN Ebl t It afYrdd H foks mac amjMzmant. H krEn, in hiz tarn, Askd H foks t sapar H nekst dE, n set bifYr har a flAgan wiT a loN nErO mQT, sO Ht hI kUd Izili insart hiz nek n inJq its kontents At hiz lIZar. H foks, anEbl Ivan t tEst i, met wiT a fitN rikwFtl, Aftar H fASn v har On hospitAliti.
a krO hAvN stOlan a bit v mIt, parcd in a crI n held i in har bIk. a foks, sIiN Hs, loNd t pazes H mIt himself, n bF a wFli scrAtaJam saksIdd. "hQ hAndsam z H krO," hI eksklEmd, in H bjMti v har SEp n in H fErnis v har kmplekSn! O, if har vqs war Onli Ikwal t har bjMti, SI wUd dizarvdli b knsidard H kwIn v bardz!" Hs hI sed disItfali; bat H krO, ANkSas t rifjMt H riflekSn kAst apon har vqs, set ap a lQd kY n Jropd H fleS. H foks kwikli pikd i ap, n Has aJresd H krO: "mF gUd krO, jYr vqs z rFt inaf, bat jYr wit z wontN."
a foks kYt in a crAp eskEpd, bat in sO dMiN lost hiz tEl. HErAftar, fIlN hiz lFf a bardan fram H SEm n ridikjMl t `ic hI waz ikspOzd, hI skImd t knvins Yl H aHar foksz Ht bIiN tEllis waz mac mYr acrAktiv, Has mEkN ap f hiz On depravESn. hI asembld a gUd meni foksz n pablikli AdvFzd Hem t kat of HEr tElz, sEiN Ht HE wUd not Onli lUk mac betar wiTQt Hem, bat Ht HE wUd get rid v H wEt v H braS, `ic waz a vEri grEt inkanvInjans. wan v Hem intaraptN him sed, "if jM hAd not lost jYr tEl, mF frend, jM wUd not Has kQnsl as."
bF an anlaki cAns a foks fel intM a dIp wel fram `ic hI kUd not get Qt. a gOt pAsd bF SYrtli Aftarwardz, n Askd H foks `at hI waz dOiN dQn HEr. "O, hAv jM not hard?" sed H foks; "HEr z gOiN t b a grEt JrQt, sO F Jampd dQn hIr in Yrdar t b Sar t hAv wotar bF mI. `F dOnt jM kam dQn tM?" H gOt TYt wel v hiz AdvFs, n Jampd dQn intM H wel. bat H foks imIdiatli Jampd on har bAk, n bF patN hiz fUt on har loN hYrnz mAniJd t Jamp ap t H eJ v H wel. "gUd-bF, frend," sed H foks, "rimembar nekst tFm..."
-- nevar crast H AdvFs v a mAn in difakaltIz. --
a fAmiSd foks sY sam klastarz v rFp blAk grEps hANN fram a crelisd vFn. SI rizYrtd t Yl har criks t get At Hem, bat wIrId harself in vEn, f sI kUd not rIc Hem. At lAst SI tarnd awE, hFdN har disapqntmant n sEiN: "H grEps r sQr, n not rFp Az F TYt."
a foks swimN akros a rApid rivar waz kErId bF H fYrs v H karant intM a vEri dIp ravIn, `Er hI lE f a loN tFm vEri mac brMzd, sik, n anEbl t mMv. a swYrm v haNgri blad-sakN flFz setlf apon him. a heJhog, pAsN bF, sY hiz ANgwiS n inkwFrd if hI SUd JrFv awE H flFz Ht war tYrmentN him. "bF nO mInz," riplFd H foks; "prE d not malest Hem." "hQ z Hs?" sed H heJhog; "d jM not wont t b rid v Hem?" "nO," ritarnd H foks, "f HIz flFz `ic jM sI r fal v blad, n stiN mI bat litl, n if jM rid mI v HIz `ic r Ylredi sASIEtd, aHarz mYr haNgri wil kam in HEr plEs, n JriNk ap Yl H blad F hAv left."
H foks n H lepard dispjMtd `ic waz H mYr bjMtafal v H tM. H lepard igzibitd wan bF wan H vErias spots `ic dekarEtd hiz skin. bat H foks, intaraptN him, sed, "n hQ mac mYr bjMtafal Hn jM Am F, hM Am dekarEtd, not in bodi, bat in mFnd."
`en farst H foks sY H lFan hI waz tErabli frFtand, n rAn awE n hid himself in H wUd. nekst tFm hQevar hI kEm nIr H kiN v bIsts hI stopd At a sEf distans n wocd him pAs bF. H Tard tFm HE kEm nIr wan anaHar H foks went scrEt ap t H lFan n pAsd H tFm v dE wiT him, AskN him hQ hiz fAmali war, n `en hI SUd hAv H pleZar v sIiN him agen; Hn tarnN hiz tEl, hI pyrtd fram H lFan wiTQt mac sEramOni.
-- familIAriti brIdz kntempt. --
`en farst H foks sY H lFan hI waz tErabli frFtand, n rAn awE n hid himself in H wUd. nekst tFm hQevar hI kEm nIr H kiN v bIsts hI stopd At a sEf distans n wocd him pAs bF. H Tard tFm HE kEm nIr wan anaHar H foks went scrEt ap t H lFan n pAsd H tFm v dE wiT him, AskN him hQ hiz fAmali war, n `en hI SUd hAv H pleZar v sIiN him agen; Hn tarnN hiz tEl, hI pyrtd fram H lFan wiTQt mac sEramOni.
-- familIAriti brIdz kntempt. --
a foks entard H hQs v an Aktar n, ramiJN TrM Yl hiz propartIz, kEm apon a mAsk, an Admarabl imitESn v a hjMman hed. hI plEsd hiz pYz on i n sed, "`at a bjMtafal hed! jet i z v nO vAljM, Az ientFrli lAks brEnz."