a stAg, rQndli cAsd bF H hQndz n blFndd bF fIr t H dEnJar h waz ranN intM, tUk Seltar in a fyrmjyrd n hid hmself in a Sed amaN H oksan. an oks gEv hm Hs kFndli wYrnN: "O anhApi krIcar! `F Sd jM Has, v jYr On akYrd, inkar discrakSn n crast jYrself in H hQs v jYr enami?" H stAg riplFd: "Onli alQ m, frend, t stE `Er F Am, n F wil andartEk t fFnd sam fEvarabl opartMniti v efektN mF eskEp." At H aprOc v H IvnN H hardzmAn kEm t fId hz kAtl, bt did not sI H stAg; n Ivan H fyrm-bElif wi sevral lEbararz pAsd TrM H Sed n fEld t nOtis hm. H stAg, kngrAcalEtN hmself on hz sEfti, bigAn t ikspres hz sinsIr TANks t H oksan hM hAd kFndli helpd hm in H Qr v nId. wan v Hem agen Ansard hm: "w indId wiS jM wel, bt H dEnJar z not Ovar. HEr z wan aHar jet t pAs TrM H Sed, hM hAz Az i war a hanJred Fz, n antil h hAz kam n gon, jYr lFf z stil in pEral." At Ht mOmant H mAstar hmself entard, n hAvN hAd t kmplEn Ht hz oksan hAd not bin proparli fed, h went ap t HEr rAks n krFd Qt: "`F z HEr sac a skErsiti v fodar? HEr z not hAf inaf scrY f Hem t lF on. HOz lEzi felOz hAv not Ivan swept H kobwebz awE." `Fl h Has igzAmand evrITiN in tarn, h spFd H tips v H Antlarz v H stAg pIpN Qt v H scrY. Hn samanN hz lEbararz, h Yrdard Ht H stAg SUd b sIzd n kild.
a stAg Askd a SIp t lend hm a meZar v `It, n sed Ht H wUlf wUd b hz gErantYr. H SIp, fIrN sam frYd waz intendd, ekskjMzd harself, sEiN, "H wUlf z akastamd t sIz `at h wonts n t ran of; n jM, tM, kn kwikli Qtscrip m in jYr rApid flFt. hQ Hn SAl F b Ebl t fFnd jM, `en H dE v pEmnt kamz?"
- tM blAks d not mEk wan `Ft. --
H swolO n H krO hAd a kntenSn abQt HEr plMmiJ. H krO pat an end t H dispjMt bF sEiN, "jYr feHarz r Yl vEri wel in H spriN, bt mFn pratekt m agenst H wintar."
-- fEr weHar frendz r not warT mac. --
i hApand Ht a kancrIman waz plAntN sam hemp sIdz in a fIld `Er a swolO n sam aHar bardz war hopN abQt pikN ap HEr fMd. "biwEr v Ht mAn," sed H swolO. "`F, `at z h dOiN?" sed H aHarz. "Ht z hemp sId h z plAntN; b kErfal t pik ap evri wan v H sIdz, Yr els jM wil ripent i." H bardz pEd nO hId t H swolOz wardz, n bF n bF H hemp grM ap n waz mEd intM kYrd, n v H kYrdz nets war mEd, n meni a bard Ht hAd dispFzd H swolOz AdvFs waz kYt in nets mEd Qt v Ht vEri hemp. "`at did F tel jM?" sed H swolO.
-- discrq H sId v Ivl, Yr i wil grO ap t jYr rMin. --
a swolO, ritarnN fram abrYd n espeSali fond v dwelN wi men, bilt harself a nest in H wYl v a kYrt v Jastis n HEr hAcd sevan jaN bardz. a sarpant glFdN pAst H nest fram its hOl in H wYl Et ap H jaN anfleJd nestliNz. H swolO, fFndN har nest empti, lamentd grEtli n iksklEmd: "wO t m a scrEnJar! Ht in Hs plEs `Er Yl aHarz rFtz r pratektd, F alOn SUd safar roN."
a sartan ric mAn bYt in H myrkit a gMs n a swon. h fed H gMs f hz tEbl n kept H swon f H sEk v its soN. `en H tFm kEm f kilN H gMs, H kUk went t get hm At nFt, `en i waz dyrk, n h waz not Ebl t distiNgwiS wan bard fram H aHar. bF mistEk h kYt H swon insted v H gMs. H swon, Tretand wi deT, barst fYrT intM soN n Has mEd hmself nOn bF hz vqs, n prizarvd hz lFf bF hz meladi.
a vEri haNgri foks, sIiN sam bred n mIt left bF Separdz in H holO v an Ok, krept intM H hOl n mEd a hyrti mIl. `en h finiSd, h waz sO fUl Ht h waz not Ebl t get Qt, n bigAn t grOn n lament hz fEt. anaHar foks pAsN bF hard hz krFz, n kamN ap, inkwFrd H kYz v hz kmplEnN. on larnN `at hAd hApand, h sed t hm, "y, jM wil hAv t rimEn HEr, mF frend, antil jM bikam sac Az jM war `en jM krept in, n Hn jM wil Izili get Qt."
a bq stOl a bUk fram wan v hz frendz n tUk i hOm t hz maHar. S not Onli AbstEnd fram bItN hm, bt enkariJd hm. h nekst stOl a kOt n brYt i t har, n S agen kmendd hm. H jMT, AdvAnsd t adalthUd, prasIdd t stIl TiNz v stil grEtar vAljM. At lAst h waz kYt in H vEri Akt, n hAvN hz hAndz bQnd bihFnd hm, waz led awE t JEl. "y," h riplFd in prizan, "if mF maHar hAd bItan m `en F farst stOl Ht bUk, F SUd not hAv kam t Hs, nYr hAv bin Has led t a disgrEsfal lFf."
a TIf kEm in H nFt t brEk intM a hQs. h brYt wi hm sevral slFsz v mIt in Yrdar t pAsafF H hQsdYg, sO Ht h wUd not alyrm hz mAstar bF byrkN. Az H TIf TrM hm H pIsz v mIt, H dYg sed, "if jM TiNk t stop mF mQT, jM wil b grEtli mistEkan. Hs sadan kFndnis At jYr hAndz wil Onli mEk m mYr wocfal, lest andar HIz anikspektd fEvarz t mFself, jM hAv sam prFvat endz t akampliS f jYr On benafit, n f mF mAstarz inJari."
a TIf rentd a rMm in a tAvarn n stEd a `Fl in H hOp v stIlN samTiN `ic SUd enEbl hm t pE hz detz. `en h hAd wEtd sam dEz in vEn, h sY H inkIpar Jresd in a nM n hAndsam kOt n sitN bifYr hz dYr. H TIf sAt dQn bisFd hm n tYkd wi hm. Az H konvarsESn bigAn t flAg, H TIf jYnd tErabli n At H sEm tFm hQld lFk a wUlf. H inkIpar sed, "`F d jM hQl sO fIrfali?" "F wil tel jM," sed H TIf, "bt farst let m Ask jM t hOld mF klOz, Yr F SAl tEr Hem t Pisz. F nO not, sar, `en F got Hs hAbit v jYnN, nYr `eHar HIz atAks v hQlN war infliktd on m Az a JaJmant f mF krFmz, Yr f eni aHar kYzl bt Hs F d nO, Ht `en F jYn f H Tard tFm, F AkcMali tarn intM a wUlf n atAk men." wi Hs spIc h kmensd a sekand fit v jYnN n agen hQld lFk a wUlf, Az h hAd At farst. H inkIpar, hIrN hz tEl n bilIvN `at h sed, bikEm grEtli alyrmd n, rFzN fram hz sIt, atemptd t ran awE. H TIf lEd hOld v hz kOt n plIdd wi hm t stop, sEiN, "prE wEt, sar, n hOld mF klOz, Yr F SAl tEr Hem t pIsz in mF fjari, `en F tarn intM a wUlf." At H sEm mOmant h jYnd H Tard tFm n set ap a tErabl hQl. H inkIpar, frFtand lest h SUd b atAkd, left hz nM kOt in H TIfs hAnd n rAn Az fAst Az h kUd intM H in f sEfti. H TIf mEd of wi H kOt n did not ritarn agen t H in.
-- evri tEl z not t b bilIvd. --
sam TIvz brOk intM a hQs n fQnd naTiN bt a kok, hMm HE stOl, n got of Az fAst Az HE kUd. apon yrFvN At hOm HE pripErd t kil H kok, hM Has plIdd f hz lFf: "prE spEr m; F Am vEri sarvisabl t men. F wEk Hem ap in H nFt t HEr wark." "Ht z H vEri rIzan `F w mast H mYr kil jM," HE riplFd; "f `en jM wEk jYr nEbarz, jM entFrli pat an end t Qr biznis."
-- H sEfgyrdz v varcM r hEtfal t HOz wi Ivl intenSnz. --
a piJan, apresd bF eksesiv Tarst, sY a kap v wotar pEntd on a sFnbYrd. not nOiN i t b a pikcar, S flM tYrdz i wi a lQd `ar n anwitiNli dASd agenst H sFnbYrd, JyrN harself tErabli. hAvN brOkan har wiNz bF H blO, S fel t H grQnd, n waz kYt bF wan v H bFstAndarz.
-- zIl SUd not Qtran diskreSn. --
a grEt siti waz bisIJd, n its inhAbitants war kYld tageHar t knsidar H best mInz v pratektN i fram H enami. a briklEar arnistli rekamendd briks Az afYrdN H best matIrial f an efektiv rizistans. a kyrpentar, wi Ikwal enTMzIAzm, prapOzd timbar Az a prefarabl meTad v difens. apon `ic a leHar dIlar stUd ap n sed, "sarz, F difar fram jM YltageHar; HEr z nO matIrial f rizistans Ikwal t a kavarN v hFdz n naTiN sO gUd Az leHar."
-- evri mAn f hmself. --
a TraS waz fIdN on a martl-crI n did not mMv fram i bikYz its bErIz war sO diliSas. a fQlar abzarvd har stEiN sO loN in wan spot, n hAvN wel bard-lFmd hz rIdz, kYt har. H TraS, bIiN At H pqnt v deT, eksklEmd, "O fMliS krIcar Ht F Am! f H sEk v a litl plezant fMd F hAv diprFvf mFself v mF lFf."
a tYrtis dizFrd t cEnJ its plEs v rezidans, sO h Askd an Igl t kEri hm t hz nM hOm, promisN har a ric riwYrd f har crabl. H Igl agrId n sIzN H tYrtis bF H Sel wi har tAlanz sYrd aloft. on HEr wE HE met a krO, hM sed t H Igl: "tYrtis z gUd ItN." "H Sel z tM hyrd," sed H Igl in riplF. "H roks wil sMn krAk H Sel," waz H krOz Ansar; n H Igl, tEkN H hint, let fYl H tYrtis on a Syrp rok, n H tM bardz mEd a hyrti mIl v H tYrtis.
-- nevar rilF on an enamIz hAndz. --
a tYrtis, lEzili bAskN in H san, kmplEnd t H sI-bardz v har hyrd fEt, Ht nO wan wUd tIc har t flF. an Igl, havarN nIr, hard har lamenttESn n dimAndd `at riwYrd S wUd giv hm if h wUd tEk har aloft n flOt har in H Er. "F wil giv jM," S sed, "Yl H ricz v H red sI." "F wil tIc jM t flF Hn," sed H Igl; n tEkN har ap in hz tAlanz h kErId har YlmOst t H klQdz sadanli h let har gO, n S fel on a lofti mQntan, dASN har Sel t pIsz. H tYrtis eksklEmd in H mOmant v deT: "F hAv dizarvd mF prezant fEt; f `at hAd F t d wi wiNz n klQdz, hM kn wi difakalti mMv abQt on H arT?"
-- if men hAd Yl HE wiSd, HE wUd b ofan rMind. --
nQ jM mast nO Ht a tQn mQs wans apon a tFm went on a vizit t hz kazin in H kancri. h waz raf n redi, Hs kazin, bt h lavd hz tQn frend n mEd hm hyrtili welkam. bInz n bEkan, cIz n bred, war Yl h hAd t ofar, bt h ofard Hem frIli. H tQn mQs rAHar tarnd ap hz loN nOz At Hs kancri fEr, n sed: "F kn not andarstAnd, kazin, hQ jM kn pat ap wi sac pYr fMd Az Hs, bt v kYrs jM kn not ekpekt enITiN betar in H kancri; kam wi m n F wil SO jM hQ t liv. `en jM hAv bin in tQn a wIk jM wil wandar hQ jM kUd evar hAv stUd a kancri lFf." nO sMnar sed Hn dan: H tM mFs set of f H tQn n yrFvd At H tQn mQsz rezidans lEt At nFt. "jM wil wont sam rifreSmant Aftar Qr loN Jarni," sed H palFt tQn mQs, n tUk hz frend intM H grAnd dFnN-rMm. HEr HE fQnd H rimEnz v a fFn fIst, n sMn H tM mFs war ItN ap JelIz n kEks n Yl Ht waz nFs. sadanli HE hard grQlN n byrkN. "`at z Ht?" sed H kancri mQs. "i z Onli H dYgz v H hQs," Ansard H aHar. "Onli!" sed H kancri mQs. "F d not lFk Ht mjMzik At mF dinar." Jast At Ht mOmant H dYr flM Opan, in kEm tM hjMJ dYgz, n H tM mFs hAd t skAmpar dQn n ran of. "gUd-bF, kazin," sed H kancri mQs, "`at! gOiN sO sMn?" sed H aHar. "jes," h riplFd...
-- betar bInz n bEkan in pIs Hn kEks n El in fIr. --
a crAvalar wIrId fram a loN Jarni lEd dQn, Ovarkam wi fatIg, on H vEri briNk v a dIp wel. Jast Az h waz abQt t fYl intM H wel, dEm fYrcan, i z sed, apIrd t hm. wEkN hm fram hz slambar, S sed, "gUd sar, prE wEk ap: f if jM fYl intM H wel, H blEm wil b TrOn on m, n F SAl get an il nEm amaN mYrtlz; f F fFnd Ht men r Sar t impjMt HEr kalAmitIz t m, hQevar mac bF HEr On foli HE hAv rIli brYt Hem on Hemselvz."
-- evrIwan z mYr Yr les mAstar v hz On fEt. --
a crAvalar abQt t set Qt on a Jarni sY hz dYg stAnd At H dYr screcN hmself. h Askd H dYg Syrpli: "`F d jM stAnd HEr screcN? evrITiN z redi bt jM, sO kam wi m instantli." H dYg, wAgN hz tEl, riplFd: "O, mAstar! F Am kwFt redi; i z jM f `Mm F Am wEtN."
-- H lEzi ofan blEmz dilE on hz mYr Aktiv frend. --
tM crAvalrz, wYrn Qt bF H hIt v H samarz san, lEd Hemselvz dQn At nMn andar H wFdspredN brAncz v a plEn-crI. Az HE restd andar its SEd, wan v H crAvalarz sed t H aHar, "`at a singjMlarli jMslis crI z H plEn! i bErz nO frMt, n z not v H lIst sarvis t mAn." H plEn-crI, intaraptN hm, sed, "jM angrEtfal felOz! d jM, `Fl risIvN benafits fram m n restN andar mF SEd, dEr t diskrFb m Az jMslis n anprofitabl?"
-- sam men andarEt HEr best blesNz. --
H godz, akYrdN t an EnSant leJand, mEd cqs v sartan crIz t b andar HEr speSl pratekSn. JMpitar cOz H Ok, vInas H martl, apolO H lYral, sibalI H pFn, n harkjalIz H poplar. minarva, wandarN `F HE hAd prifard crIz not jIldN frMt, inkwFrd H rIzan f HEr cqs. JMpitar riplFd, "i z lest w SUd sIm t kavit H onar f H frMt." bt sed minarva, "let enIwan sE `at h wil H oliv z mYr dIr t m on akQnt v its frMt." Hn sed JMpitar, "mF dYtar, jM r rFtli kYld wFz; f anles `at w d z jMsfal, H glYri v i z vEn."
a mAn kEm intM a fYrist n Askd H crIz t pravFd hm a hAndl f hz Aks. H crIz knsentd t hz rikwest n gEv hm a jaN AS-crI. nO sMnar hAd H mAn fitd a nM hAndl t hz Aks fram i, Hn h bigAn t jMz i n kwikli feld wi hz scrOks H nOblist JFants v H fYrist. an Old Ok, lamentN `en tM lEt H discrakSn v hz kmpAnjanz, sed t a nEbarN sIdar, "H farst step hAz lost az Yl. if w hAd not givan ap Qr rFts v H AS, w mFt jet hAv ritEnd Qr On privliJz n hAv stUd f EJz."
a crampitar, brEvli lIdN on H sOlJarz, waz kApcard bF H enami. h krFd Qt t hz kAptarz, "prE spEr m, n d not tEk mF lFf wiTQt kYz Yr wiTQt inkwIri. F hAv not slEn a siNgl mAn v jYr crMp. F hAv nO wepanz, n kEri naTiN bt Hs wan brAs crampit." "Ht z H vEri rIzan f `ic jM SUd b pUt t deT," HE sed; "f, `Fl jM d not fFt jYrself, jYr crampit starz Yl H aHarz t bAtl."
evri mAn, akYrdN t an EnSant leJand, z bYrn intM H warld wi tM bAgz saspendd fram hz nek: wan bAg in frant fUl v hz nEbarz fYlts, n a lyrJ bAg bihFnd fild wi hz On fYlts. hens i z Ht men r kwik t sI H fYlts v aHarz, n jet r ofan blFnd t HEr On fElNz.
wan fFn dE tM krAbz kEm Qt fram HEr hOm t tEk a scrOl on H sAnd. "cFld," sed H maHar, "jM r wykN vEri angrEsfali. jM SUd akastam jYrself t wYkN scrEt fYrward wiTQt twistN fram sFd t sFd."
"prE, maHar," sed H jaN wan, "d bt set H igzAmpl jYrself, n F wil folO jM."
-- igzAmpl z H best lesan. --
a mAn hAd tM dYgz: a hQnd, crEnd t asist hm in hz spYrtz, n a hQsdYg, tYt t woc H hQs. `en h ritarnd hOm Aftar a gUd dEz spYrt, h YlwEz gEv H hQsdYg a lyrJ SEr v hz sql. H hQnd, fIlN mac agrIvd At Hs, riprOcd hz kmpAnjan, sEiN, "i z vEri hyrd t hAv Yl Hs lEbar, `Fl jM, hM d not asist in H cEs, enJq H rizalts v mF wark." H hQsdYg riplFd, "d not blEm m, mF frend, bt fFnd fYlt wi H mAstar, hM hAz not tYt m t wark, bt t dipend on H wark v aHarz."
-- cilJren r not t b blEmd f H fYlts v HEr pErants. --
tM frogz war nEbarz. wan inhAbitd a dIp pond, fyr rimMvd fram pablik vjM; H aHar livd in a gali kntEnN litl wotar, n cravarsd bF a kancri rOd. H frog Ht livd in H pond wYrnd hz frend t cEnJ hz rezidans n encrItd hm t kam n liv wi hm, sEiN Ht h wUd enJq grEtar sEfti fram dEnJar n mYr abandant fUd. H aHar rifjMzd, sEiN Ht h felt i sO vEri hyrd t lIv a plEs t `ic h hAd bikam akastamd. a fjM dEz Aftarwardz a hevi wAgan pAsd TrM H gali n kraSd hm t deT andar its `Ilz.
-- a wilfal mAn wil hAv hz wE t hz On dimFz. --
tM men, dedli enamIz t Ic aHar, war sElN in H sEm vesl. ditarmind t kIp Az fyr apyrt Az posabl, H wan sItd hmself in H frant v H Sip, n H aHar in H bAk. a vFlant stYrm arOz, n wi H vesl in grEt dEnJar v siNkN, H wan in H frant inkwFrd v H kAptan `ic v H tM endz v H Sip wUd gO dQn farst. on hz riplFiN Ht h sapOzd i wUd b H bAk, H mAn sed, "deT wUd not b grIvas t m, if F kUd Onli sI mF enami dF bifYr m."
a rivar kErId dQn in its scrIm tM pots, wan mEd v klE n H aHar v brAs. H klE pot sed t H brAs pot, "prE kIp At a distans n d not kam nIr m, f if jM tac m evar sO slFtli, F SAl b brOkan in pIsz, n bisFdz, F bF nO mInz wiS t kam nIr jM."
-- IkwYlz mEk H best frendz. --
tM sOlJarz crAvalN tageHar war set apon bF a robar. H wan fled awE; H aHar stUd hz grQnd n difendd hmself n kild H robar. H robar bIiN slEn, H timid kmpAnjan rAn ap n JrM hz sYrd, n Hn, TrOiN bAk hz klOk sed, "Fl fFt hm n tEk kEr h SAl larn hMm h hAs atAkd." on Hs, h hM hAd fYt wi H robar sed, "F Onli wiS Ht jM hAd helpd m Jast nQ, Ivan if i hAd bin Onli wi HOz wardz, f F SUd hAv bin H mYr enkariJd, bilIvN Hem t b crM; bt nQ pUt ap jYr sYrd in its SIT n hOld jYr Ikwali jMslis taN, til jM kn disIv aHarz hM d not nO jM. F, indId, hM hAv ekspIriansd wi `at spId jM ran awE, nO rFt wel Ht nO dipendans kn b plEsd on jYr vAlar."