a foks n a maNki war crAvalN tageHar on H sEm rOd. Az HE JarnId, HE pAsd TrM a sematEri fUl v monjamants. "Yl HIz monjamants `ic jM sI," sed H maNki, "r irektd in onar v mF Ansestarz, hM war in HEr dE frId man n sitizanz v grEt rinOn." H foks riplFd, "jM hAv cOzan a mOst aprOprIit sabJikt f jYr fYlshUdz, Az F Am Sar nan v jYr Ansestarz wil b Ebl t koncradikt jM."
--a fYls tEl ofan bicrEz itself. --
a foks, ranN bifYr H hQndz, kEm akros a wUdkatar felN an Ok n begd him t SO him a sEf hFdN-plEs. H wUdkatar AdvFzd him t tEk Seltar in hiz On hat, sO H foks krept in n hid himself in a kYrnar. H hantsmn sMn kEm ap wiT hiz hQndz n inkwFrd v H wUdkatar if hI hAd sIn H foks. hI diklErd Ht hI hAd not sIn him, n jet pqntd, Yl H tFm hI waz spIkN, t H hat `Er H foks lE hidan. H hantsmn tUk nO nOtis v H sFnz, bat bilIvN hiz ward, hAsand fYrward in H cEs. Az sMn Az HE war wel awE, H foks dipyrtd wiTQt tEkN nOtis v H wUdkatar: `Eron hI kYld t him n riprOcd him, sEiN, "jM angrEtfal felO, jM O jYr lFf t mI, n jet jM lIv mI wiTQt a ward v TANks." H foks riplFd, "indId, F SUd hAv TANkd jM farvantli if jYr dIdz hAd bin Az gUd Az jYr wardz, n if jYr hAndz hAd not bin crEtarz t jYr spIc."
"O, fYHar," sed a litl frog t H big wan sitN bF H sFd v a pMl, "F hAv sIn sac a tErabl monstar! i waz Az big Az a mQntan, wiT hYrnz on its hed, n a loN tEl, n i hAd hUvz divFdd in tM."
"taS, cFld, taS," sed H Old frog, "Ht waz Onli fyrmar /`Ftz oks. i iznt sO big IHar; hI mE b a litl bit tYlar Hn F, bat F kUd Izili mEk mFself kwFt Az brYd; Jast jM sI." sO hI blM himself Qt, n blM himself Qt, n blM himself Qt. "waz hI Az big Az Ht?" Askd hI.
"O, mac bigar Hn Ht," sed H jaN frog.
agen H Old wan blM himself Qt, n Askd H jaN wan if H oks waz Az big Az Ht.
"bigar, fYHar, bigar," waz H riplF.
sO H frog tUk a dIp breT, n blM n blM n blM, n sweld n sweld n sweld. n Hn hI sed: "Fm Sar H oks z not Az big Az..." bat At Hs mOmant hI barst.
-- self-knsIt mE lId t self-discrakSn. --
tM frogz livd tageHar in a myrS. bat wan hot samar H myrS JrFd ap, n HE left i t lUk f anaHar plEs t liv in: f frogz lFk dAmp plEsz if HE kAn get Hem. bF n bF HE kEm t a dIp wel, n wan v Hem lUkd dQn intM i, n sed t H aHar, "Hs lUks a nFs kMl plEs. let as Jamp in n setl hIr." bat H aHar, hM hAd a wFzar hed on hiz SOldarz, riplFd, "not sO fAst, mF frend. sapOzN Hs wel JrFd ap lFk H mYrS, hQ SUd wI get Qt agen?"
-- lUk bifYr jM lIp. --
wans apon a tFm, `en H san anQnsd hiz intenSn t tEk a wFf, H frogz liftd ap HEr vqsz in klAmar t H skF. JMpitar, distarbd bF H nqz v HEr krOkN, inkwFrd H kYz v HEr kmplEnt. wan v Hem sed, "H san, nQ `Fl hI z siNgl, pyrcz ap H myrS, n kmpelz as t dF mizarabli in Qr Arid hOmz. `at wil Qr fjMcar kndiSn if hI SUd biget aHar sanz?'
H frogz, grIvd At hAvN nO estAbliSd rMlar, sent AmbAsadarz t JMpitar encrItN f a kiN. parsIvN HEr simplisiti, hI kAst dQn a hjMJ log intM H lEk. H frogz war tErafFd At H splAS akEZnd bF its fYl n hid Hemselvz in H depTs v H pMl. bat Az sMn Az HE rIlFzd Ht H hjMJ log waz mOSnlis, HE swAm agen t H top v H wotar, dismisd HEr fIrz, klFmd ap, n bigAn skwotN on i in kntempt. Aftar sam tFm HE bigAn t TiNk Hemselvz il-crItd in H apqntmant v sO inart a rMlar, n sent a sekand depjatESn t JMpitar t prE Ht hI wUd set Ovar Hem anaHar sovrin. hI Hn gEv Hem an Il t gavarn Hem. `en H frogz diskavard hiz Izi gUd nEcar, HE sent jet a Tard tFm t JMpitar t beg him t cMz f Hem stil anaHar kiN. JMpitar, displIzd wiT Yl HEr kmplEnts, sent a hEran, hM prEd apon H frogz dE bF dE til HEr war nan left t krOk apon H lEk.
a mAn hAd tM gEmkoks in hiz pOlcri-jyrd. wan dE bF cAns hI fQnd a tEm pyrcriJ f sEl. hI parcasd i n brYt i hOm t b rIrd wiT hiz gEmkoks. `en H pyrcriJ waz pat intM H pOlcri-jyrd, HE scrak At i n folOd i abQt, sO Ht H pyrcriJ bikEm grIvasli crabld n sapOzd Ht hI waz Has Ivali crItd bikYz hI waz a scrEnJar. not loN Aftarwardz hI sY H koks fFtN tageHar n not separEtN bifYr wan hAd wel bItan H aHar. hI Hn sed t himself, "F SAl nO loNgar discres mFself At bIiN scrak At bF HIz gEmkoks, `en F sI Ht HE kAnot Ivan rifrEn fram kwYralN wiT Ic aHar."
H gIs n H krEnz war fIdN in H sEm medO, `en a bardkAcar kEm t ensnEr Hem in hiz nets. H krEnz, bIiN lFt v wiN, fled awE At hiz aprOc; `Fl H gIs, bIiN slOar v flFt n heviar in HEr bodIz, war kApcard.
a nAt setld on H hYrn v a bUl, n sAt HEr a loN tFm. Jast Az hI waz abQt t flF of, hI mEd a bazN nqz, n inkwFrd v H bUl if hI wUd lFk him t gO. H bUl riplFd, "F did not nO jM hAd kam, n F SAl not mis jM `en jM gO awE."
-- sam men r v mYr konsekwens in HEr On Fz Hn in H Fz v HEr nEbarz. --
a nAt kEm n sed t a lFan, "F d not in H lIst fIr jM, nYr r jM scroNgar Hn F Am. f in `at daz jYr screNkT knsist? jM kAn skrAc wiT jYr klYz n bFt wiT jYr tIT. F ripIt Ht F Am YltageHar mYr pQarfal Hn jM; n if jM dQt i, let as fFt n sI hM wil koNkar." H nAt, hAvN sQndd hiz hYrn fAsand himself apon H lFan n staN him on H noscralz n H pyrts v H fEs divqd v hEr. `Fl crFiN t kraS him, H lFan tYr himself wiT hiz klYz, antil hI paniSd himself sevIrli. H nAt Has privEld Ovar H lFan, n, bazN abQt in a soN v crFamf, flM awE. bat SYrtli Aftarwardz hI bikEm entANgld in H meSz v a kobweb n waz Itan bF a spFdar. hI grEtli lamentd hiz fEt, sEiN, "wO z mI! Ht F, hM kAn wEJ wYr saksesfali wiT H hjMJist bIsts, SUd pEriS mFself fram Hs spFdar, H mOst inkansidarabl v insekts!"
a gOthard hAd sYt t briN bAk a scrE gOt t hiz flok. hI `isld n sQndd hiz hYrn in vEn; H scrAglar pEd nO atenSn t H samanz. At lAst H gOthard TrM a stOn, n brEkN tis hYrn, begd H gOt not t tel hiz mAstar. H gOt riplFd, "`F, jM sili felO, H hYrn wil spIk TO F b sFlant."
-- d not atempt t hFd TiNz `ic kAnot b hid. --
a gOthard, JrFvN hiz flok fram HEr pAscar At IvantFd, fQnd sam wFld gOts miNgld amaN Hem, n Sat Hem ap tageHar wiT hiz On f H nFt. H nekst dE i snOd vEri hyrd, sO Ht hI kUd not tEk H hard t HEr jMZMal fIdN plEsz, bat waz ablFJd t kIp Hem in H fOld. hI gEv hiz On gOts Jast safiSnt fMd t kIp Hem alFv, bat fed H scrEnJarz mYr abandantli in H hOp v entFsN Hem t stE wiT him n v mEkN Hem hiz On. `en H TY set in, hI led Hem Yl Qt t fId, n H wFld gOts skAmpard awE Az fAst Az HE kUd t H mQntanz. H gOthard skOldd Hem f HEr ingrAtitMd in lIvN him, `en darN H stYrm hI hAd tEkan kEr v Hem Hn v hiz On hard. wan v Hem, tarnN arQnd , sed t him: "Ht z H vEri rIzan `F wI r sO kYSas; f if jM jestardE crItd as betar Hn H gOts jM hAv hAd sO loN, i z plEn YlsO Ht if aHarz kEm Aftar as, jM wUd in H sEm mAnar prifar Hem t Qrselvz."
-- Old frendz kAnot wiT impjMniti b sAkrafFsd f nM wanz. --
a mAn wans kept a gOt n a As. H gOt, envIiN H As on akQnt v hiz grEtar abandans v fMd, sed, "hQ SEmfali jM r crItd: At wan tFm grFndN in H mil, n At anaHar kErIiN hevi bardanz"; n hI farHar AdvFzd him t pritend t b epaleptik n fYl intM a dic n sO abtEn rest. H As lisand t hiz wardz, n fYlN intM a dic, waz vEri mac brMzd. hiz mAstar, sendN f a doktar, Askd hiz AdvFs. hI bEd him pYr apon H wMndz H laNz v a gOt. HE At wans kild H gOt, n sO hIld H As.
Yl H gUdz war wans Jrivan Qt bF H ilz fram Ht koman SEr `ic Ic hAd in H afErz v mAnkFnd; f H ilz bF rIzan v HEr nambarz hAd privEld t pazes H arT. H gUdz wYftd Hemselvz t hevan n Askd f a rFcas venJans on HEr parsakjMtarz. HE encrItd JMpitar Ht HE mFt nO loNgar b asOsIEtd wiT H ilz, Az HE hAd naHiN in koman n kUd not liv tageHar, bat war engEJd in ansIsN wYrfEr; n Ht an indisoljMbl lY mFt b lEd dQn f HEr fjMcar pratekSn. Japitar grAntd HEr rikwest n dikrId Ht hensfYrT H ilz SUd vizit H arT in kampani wiT Ic aHar, bat Ht H gUdz SUd wan bF wan entar H hAbitESnz v men. hens i arFzz Ht ilz abQnd, f HE kam not wan bF wan, bat in crMps, n bF nO mInz siNgli: `Fl H gUdz prasId fram JMpitar, n r givan, not alFk t Yl, bat siNgli, n separitli; n wan bF wan t HOz hM r Ebl t disarn Hem.
wan dE a kancrImn gOiN t H nest v hiz gMs fQnd HEr an eg Yl yelO n glitarN. `en hI tUk i ap i waz Az hevi Az led n hI waz gOiN t TrO i awE, bikYz hI TYt a crik hAd bin lEd apon him. bat hI tUk i hOm on sekand TYts, n sMn fQnd t hiz dilFt Ht i waz an eg v pjar gOld. evri mYrnN H sEm TiN akard, n hI sMn bikEm ric bF selN hiz egz. Az hI grM ric hI grM grIdi; n TiNkN t get At wans Yl H gOld H gMs kUd giv, hI kild i n Opand i Onli t fFnd naTiN.
-- grId ofan Ovar rIcz itself. --
an Ql, akastamd t fId At nFt n t slIp darN H dE, waz grEtli distarbd bF H nqz v a grAshopar n arnistli bisYt har t stop carpN. H grAshopar rifjMzd t disist, n carpd lQdar n lQdar H mYr H Ql encrItd. `en SI sY Ht SI kUd get nO riJres n Ht har wardz war dispFzd, H Ql atAkd H cAtarar bF a scrAtaJam. "sins F kAnot slIp," SI sed, "on akQnt v jYr soN `ic, bilIv mI, z swIt Az H lFr v /apolO, F SAl indalJ mFself in JriNkN sam nektar `ic /pAlas lEtli gEv mI. if jM d not dislFk i, kam t mI n wI wil JriNk i tageHar." H grAshopar, hM waz Tarsti, n plIzd wiT H prEz v har vqs, Igarli flM ap. H Ql kEm fYrT fram har holO, sIzd har, n pat har t deT.
a hQnd styrtd a hEr fram hiz lEr, bt Aftar a loN ran, gEv ap H cEs. a gOt-hard sIiN him stop, mokd him, sEiN "H litl wan z H best ranar v H tM." H hQnd riplFd, "jM d not sI H difarans bitwIn as: F waz Onli ranN f a dinar, bt hI f hiz lFf."
a hEr wan dE ridakjMld H SYrt fIt n slO pEs v H tYrtas, hM riplFd, lAfN: "TO jM b swift Az H wind, F wil bIt jM in a rEs." H hEr, bilIvN har asarSn t b simpli imposabl, asentd t H prapOzl; n HE agrId Ht H foks SUd cMz H kYrs n fiks H gOl. on H dE apqntd f H rEs H tM styrtd tageHar. H tYrtas nevar f a mOmant stopd, bt went on wiT a slO bt stedi pEs scrEt t H end v H kYrs. H hEr, lFiN dQn bF H wEsFd, fel fAst aslIp. At lAst wEkN ap, n mMvN Az fAst Az hI kUd, hI sY H tYrtas hAd rIcd hiz gOl, n waz kamfartabli dOzN Aftar har fatIg.
-- slO bt stedi winz H rEs. --
H hErz war sO parsakJmtd bF H aHar bIsts, HE did not nO `Er t gO. Az sMn Az HE sY a siNgl Anaml aprOc Hem, of HE jMzd t ran. wan dE HE sY a crMp v wFld hYrsz stAmpIdN abQt, n in kwFt a pAnik Yl H hErz skatld of t a lEk hyrd bF, ditarmind t JrQn Hemselvz rAHar Hn liv in sac a kntinjMal stEt v fIr. bt Jast Az HE got nIr H bANk v H lEk, a crMp v frogz, frFtand in HEr tarn bF H aprOc v H hErz skatld of, n jAmpd intM H wotar. "crMli," sed wan v H hErz, "TiNz r not sO bAd Az HE sIm."
-- HEr z YlwEz samwan wars of Hn jYrself. --
H hErz harANd H asembli, n yrgjMd Ht Yl SUd b Ikwl. H lFanz mEd Hs riplF: "jYr wardz, O hErz! r gUd; bt HE lAk bOT klYz n tIT sac Az wI hAv."
H hErz wEJd wYr wiT H Iglz, n kYld apon H foksz t help Hem. HE riplFd, "wI wUd wiliNli hAv helpd jM, if wI hAd not nOn hM jM war, n wiT hMm jM war fFtN."
-- kQnt H kost bifYr jM kamit jYrselvz. --
a hEr waz vEri popjalar wiT H aHar bIsts hM Yl klEmd t b har frendz. bt wan dE SI hard H hQndz aprOcN n hOpd t eskEp Hem bF H Ed v har meni frendz. sO, SI went t H hYrs, n Askd him t kEri har awE fram H hQndz on hiz bAk. bt hI diklFnd, stEtN Ht hI hAd impYrtant wark t d f hiz mAstar. "hI felt Sar," hI sed, "Ht Yl har aHar frendz wUd kam t har asistans." SI Hn aplFd t H bUl, n hOpd Ht hI wUd ripel H hQndz wiT hiz hYrnz. H bUl riplFd: "F Am vEri sori, bt F hAv an apqntmant wiT a lEdi; bt F fIl Sar Ht Qr frend H gOt wil d `at jM wont." H gOt, hQevar, fIrd Ht hiz bAk mFt d har sam hyrm if hI tUk har apon i. H rAm, hI felt Sar, waz H propar frend t aplF t. sO SI went t H rAm n tOld him H kEs. H rAm riplFd: "anaHar tFm, mF dIr frend. F d not lFk t intarfIr on H prezant akEZn, Az hQndz hAv bin nOn t It SIp Az wel Az hErz." H hEr Hn aplFd, Az a lAst hOp, t H kAf, hM rigretd Ht hI waz anEbl t help har, Az hI did not lFk t tEk H risponsabiliti apon himself, Az sO meni Oldar parsanz Hn himself hAd diklFnd H tAsk. bF Hs tFm H hQndz war kwFt nIr, n H hEr tUk t har hIlz n lakili eskEpd.
-- hI Ht hAz meni frendz, hAz nO frendz. --
H hyrt , hyrd presd in H cEs, hid himself binIT H lyrJ lIvz v a vFn. H hantsmen, in HEr hEst, OvarSot H plEs v hiz knsIlmnt. sapOzN Yl dEnJar t hAv pAsd, H hyrt bigAn t nibl H tenJrilz v H vFn. wan v H hantsmen, acrAktd bF H raslN v H lIvz, lUkd bAk, n sIiN H hyrt, Sot an ErO fram hiz bO n scrak i. H hyrt, At H pqnt v deT, grOnd: "F Am rFtli sarvd, f F SUd not hAv mAlcrItd H vFn Ht sEvd mI."
H hyrt waz wans JriNkN fram a pMl n AdmFrN H nObl figjar hI mEd HEr. "y," sed hI, "`Er k jM sI sac nObl hYrnz Az HIz, wiT sac Antlarz! F wiS F hAd legz mYr warHi t bEr sac a nObl krQn; i z a piti HE r sO slim n sent an ErO `islN Aftar him. awE bQndd H hyrt, n sMn, bF H Ed v hiz nimbl legz, waz nIrli Qt v sFt v H hantar; bt not nOtisN `Er hI waz gOiN, hI pAsd andar sam crIz wiT brAncz grOiN lO dQn in `ic hiz Antlarz war kYt, sO Ht H hantar hAd tFm t kam ap. "alAs! alAs!" krFd H hyrt:
-- wI ofan dispFz `at z mOst jMsfal t as. --
a hyrt hotli parsMd bF H hQndz fled f refjMJ intM an oks-stYl, n bErId itself in a cras v hE, lIvN naTiN t b sIn bt H tips v hiz hYrnz. sMn Aftar H hantarz kEm ap n Askd if enIwan hAd sIn H hyrt. H stEbl bqz, hM hAd bin restN Aftar HEr dinar, lUkd rQnd, bt kUd sI naHiN, n H hantarz went awE. SYrtli Aftarwardz H mAstar kEm in, n lUkN rQnd, sY Ht samTiN anjMZMal hAd tEkan plEs. hI pqntd t H cras v hE n sed: "`at r HOz tM kjarias TiNz stikN Qt v H hE?" n `en H stEbl bqz kEm t lUk HE diskavard H hyrt, n sMn mEd an end v him. hI Has larnt Ht...
-- naTiN eskEps H mAstarz F. --
a nFtangEl, sitN aloft apon an Ok n siNN akYrdN t hiz wont, waz sIn bF a hYk hM, bIiN in nId v fMd, swMpd dQn n sIzd him. H nFtangEl, abQt t lMz hiz lFf, arnistli begd H hYk t let him gO, sEiN Ht hI waz not big inaf t sAtisfF H haNgar v a hYk hM, if hI wontd fMd, Yt t parsM H lyrJar bardz. H hYk, intaraptN him, sed: "F SUd indId hAv lost mF sensz if F SUd let gO fMd redi in mF hAnd, f H sEk v parsMiN bardz `ic r not jet Ivan wiHin sFt."
H piJanz, tErafFd bF H apIrans v a kFt, kYld apon H hYk t difend Hem. hI At wans knsentd. `en HE hAd Admitd him intM H kOt, HE fQnd Ht hI mEd mYr hAvak n slM a lyrJar nambar v Hem in wan dE Hn H kFt kUd pQns apon in a hOl jIr.
-- avqd a remadi Ht z wars Hn H dizIz. --
a hefar sY an oks hyrd At wark hyrnisd t a plQ, n tYrmentd him wiT riflekSnz on hiz anhApi fEt in bIiN kmpeld t lEbar. SYrtli Aftarwardz, At H hyrvist festavl, H Onar rilIsd H oks fram hiz jOk, bt bQnd H hefar wiT kYrdz n led him awE t H Yltar t b slEn in onar v H akEZn. H oks sY `at waz bIiN dan, n sed wiT a smFl t H hefar: "f Hs jM war alQd t liv in Fdlnis, bikYz jM war prezantli t b sAkrafFsd."
a hen fFndN H egz v a vFpar n kErfali kIpN Hem wyrm, nariSd Hem intM lFf. a swolO, abzarvN `at SI hAd dan, sed, "jM sili krIcar! `F hAv jM hAcd HIz vFparz `ic, `en HE SAl hAv grOn, wil inflikt inJari on Yl, biginN wiT jYrself?"
harkjalIz, wans JarnIiNaloN a nErO rOdwE, kEm akros a scrEnJ-lUkN Anaml Ht rIrd its hed n Tretand him. naTiN dYntd, H hIrO gEv him a fjM lasti blOz wiT hiz klab, n TYt t hAv gon on hiz wE. H monstar, hQevar, mac t H astoniSmnt v harkjalIz, waz nQ TrI tFmz Az big Az i waz bifYr, n v a stil mYr TretanN Aspekt. hI HErapon rIdabld hiz blOz n lEd abQt him fAst n fjariasli; bt H hyrdar n kwikar H scrOkz v H klab, H bigar n mYr frFtfal grM H monstar, n nQ kmplItli fild ap H rOd. pAlas Hn apIrd apon H sIn. "stop, harkjalIz," sed SI. "sIs jYr blOz. H monstarz nEm z scrFf. let i alOn, n i wil sMn bikam Az lirl Az i waz At farst."
-- scrFf fIdz on konflikt. --