tM men war JarnIiN tageHar. wan v Hem pikd ap an Aks Ht lE apon H pAT n sed, "F hAv fQnd an Aks." "nO, mF frend," riplFd H aHar, "d not sE 'F,' bt 'wI' hAv fQnd an Aks." HE hAd not gon fyr difYr HE sY H Onar v H Aks parsMiN Hem, n h hM hAd pikd ap H Aks sed, "wI r andan." "nO," riplFd H aHar, "kIp t jYr farst mOd v spIc, mF frend; `at jM TYt rFt Hn, TiNk rFt nQ. sE 'F,' not 'wI' r andan."
-- h hM SErz H prFz Yt t SEr H dEnJar. --
JMpitar anQnsd Ht h intendd t apqnt a kiN Ovar H bardz, n nEmd a dE on `ic HE war t apIr bifYr hz TrOn, `en h wUd silekt H mOst bjMtafal v Hem Yl t b HEr rMlar. wiSN t lUk HEr best on H akEZn, HE went t H bANks v a scrIm, `Er HE bizId Hemselvz in woSN n prInN HEr feHarz. H JAkdY waz HEr aloN wi H rest, n rIalFzd Ht, wi hz agli plMmiJ, h wUd hAv nO cAns v bIiN cOzan Az h waz: sO h wEtd til HE war Yl gon, n Hn pikd ap H mOst gYdi v H feHarz HE hAd Jropd, n fAsand Hem abQt hz On bodi, wi H rizalt Ht h lUkd mYr priti Hn eni v Hem. `en H apqntd dE kEm, H bardz asembld bifYr JMpitarz TrOn. Aftar pAsN Hem in rivjM, h waz abQt t mEk H JAkdY kiN, `en Yl H rest set apon H JakdY, scripd hm v hz bYrOd plMmz, n ekspOzd hm f H JAkdY Ht h waz.
-- i z not Onli fFn feHarz Ht mEk fFn bardz. --
a vFn waz abandant in H tFm v vintiJ wi lIvz n grEps. a gOt, pAsN bF, nibld H vFnz jaN tenJrilz n its lIvz. H vFn aJresd hm n sed: "`F d jM Has inJar m wiTQt a kYz, n It mF lIvz? z HEr nO jaN grAs left? bt F SAl not hAv t wEt loN f mF Jast rivenJ; f if jM nQ SUd It mF lIvz, n kat m dQn t mF rMt, F SAl pravFd H wFn t pYr Ovar jM `en jM r led Az a viktim t H sAkrafFs."
H wosps n H pyrcriJz, Ovarkam wi Tarst, kEm t a fyrmar n bisYt hm t giv Hem sam wotar t JriNk. HE promisd Ampli t ripE hm H fEvar `ic HE Askd. H pyrcriJz diklErd Ht HE wUd dig arQnd hz vFnz n mEk Hem pradMs fFnar grEps. H wosps sed Ht HE wUd kIp gyrd n JrFv of TIvz wi HEr stiNz. bt H fyrmar intaraptd Hem, sEiN: "F hAv Ylredi tM oksan, hM, wiTQt mEkN eni promisz, d Yl HIz TiNz. i z Sarli betar f m t giv H wotar t Hem Hn t jM."
an Old wIzl waz not Ebl t kAc mFs Az h wans did. h HErfYr rOld hmself in flQr n lE dQn in a dyrk kYrnar. a mQs, sapOzN hm t b fMd, lIpd apon hm, n waz instantli kYt n skIzd t deT. anaHar pEriSd in a simalar mAnar, n Hn a Tard, n stil aHarz Aftar Hem. a vEri Old mQs, hM hAd eskEpd meni a crAp n snEr, abzarvd fram a sEf distans H crik v hz krAfti fO n sed, "y! jM Ht lF HEr, mE jM prospar Jast in H sEm prapYrSn Az jM r `at jM pritend t b!"
a widO hM waz fond v klInN hAd tM litl mEdanz t wEt on har. S waz in H hAbit v wEkN Hem arli in H mYrnN `en H rMstar krOd. H mEdanz, AgravEtd bF sac eksesiv lEbar, rizolvd t kil H rMstar hM rQzd HEr miscris sO arli. `en HE hAd dan Hs, HE fQnd Ht HE hAd Onli pripErd f Hemselvz grEtar crablz, f HEr miscris, nO loNgar hIrN H Qr fram H rMstar, wOk Hem ap t HEr wark in H midl v H nFt.
a sartan pYr widO hAd wan solitEri SIp. At SIrN tFm, wiSN t tEk hz flIs n t avqd ekspens, S SIrd hm harself, bt jMzd H SIrz s anskilfali Ht wi H flIs S SIrd H fleS. H SIp, rFHN wi pEn, sed, "`F d jM hart m s, miscris? `at wEt kn mF blad Ad t H wUl? if jM wont mF flIs n wUl, HEr z H bUcar, hM wil kil m in an instant; bt if jM wont mF flIs n wUl, HEr z H SIrar, hM wil SIr n not hart m."
-- H lIst ekspensiv wE z not YlwEz H grEtist gEn. --
a wFld bYr stUd andar a crI n rabd hz tasks agenst H craNk. a foks pAsN bF Askd hm `F h Has Syrpand hz tIT `en HEr waz nO dEnJar TretanN fram IHar hantar Yr hQnd. h riplFd, "F d i AdvFzadli; f i wUd nevar d t hAv t Syrpan mF wepanz Jast At H tFm F Yt t b jMzN Hem."
H wind n H san war dispjMtN `ic waz H scroNgar. sadanli HE sY a crAvalar kamN dQn H rOd, n H san sed: "F sI a wE t disFd Qr dispjMt. `icevar v as kn kYz Ht crAvalar t tEk of hz klOk SAl b rigyrdd Az H scroNgar. jM bigin." s H san ritFrd bihFnd a klQd, n H wind bigAn t blO Az hyrd Az i kUd apon H crAvalar. bt H hyrdar h blM H mYr klOsli did H crAvalar rAp hz klOk rQnd hm, til At lAst H wind hAd t giv ap in dispEr. Hn H san kEm Qt n SOn in Yl hz glYri apon H crAvalr, hM sMn fQnd i tM hot t wYk wiT hz klOk on.
-- kFndnis efekts mYr Hn sivEriti. --
a wUlf hM hAd a bOn stak in hz TrOt hFrd a krEn, f a lyrJ sam, t pUt har hed intM hz mQT n pUl Qt H bOn. `en H krEn hAd ikscrAktd H bOn n dimAndd H promisd pEmant, H wUlf, grinN n grFndN hz tIT, eksklEmd: "`F, jM hAv Ylredi hAd a safiSnt riwYrd, in hAvN bin parmitd t pUl Qt jYr hed in sEfti fram H mQT n JYz v a wUlf."
-- in sarvN H wikd, ekspekt nO riwYrd, n b TANkfal if jM eskEp inJari f jYr pEnz. --
At wan tFm a vEri lyrJ n scroN wUlf waz bYrn amaN H wUlvz, hM eksIdd Yl hz felO-wUlvz in screNkT, sFz, n swiftnis, s Ht HE jMnAnimasli disFdd t kYl hm "lFan." H wUlf, wi a lAk v sens prapYrSnd t hz InYrmas sFz, TYt Ht HE gEv hm Hs nEm in arnist, n lIvN hz On rEs, knsYrtd eksklMsivli wi H lFanz. an Old slF foks, sIiN Hs, sed, "mE F nevar mEk mFself s ridikjMlas Az jM d in jYr prFd n self-knsIt; f Ivan HO jM hAv H sFz v a lFan amaN wUlvz, in a hard v lFanz jM r definitli a wUlf."
a wUlf sY a gOt fIdN At H samit v a stIp presapis, `Er h hAd nO cAns v rIcN har. h kYld t har n arnistli begd har t kam lOar dQn, lest S fYl bF sam mishAp; n h Add Ht H medOz lE `Er h waz stAndN, n Ht H arbiJ waz mOst tendar. S riplFd, "nO, mF frend, i z not f H pAscar Ht jM invFt m, bt f jYrself, hM r in wont v fMd."
a kid waz parcd ap on H top v a hQs, n lUkN dQn sY a wUlf pAsN andar hm. imIdiatli h bigAn t rivFl n atAk hz enami. "mardarar n TIf," h krFd, "`F r jM hIr nIr onist fOks hQsz? hQ dEr jM mEk an apIrans `Er jYr vFl dIdz r nOn?"
"kars awE, mF jYN frend," sed H wUlf, AdN...
-- i z Izi t b brEv fram a sEf distans. --
a wUlf kamN Qt v a fIld v Ots met a hYrs n Has aJresd hm: "F wUd AdvFz jM t g intM Ht fIld. i z fUl v fFn Ots, `ic F hAv left antacd f jM, Az jM r a frend hMm F wUd lav t hIr enJqiN gUd ItN." H hYrs riplFd, "if Ots hAd bin H fMd v wUlvz, jM wUd nevar indalJd jYr Irz At H kost v jYr beli."
-- men v Ivl repjMtESn, `en HE parfYrm a gUd dId, fEl t get kredit f i. --
wUlf, mItN wi a lAm ascrE fram H fOld, rizolvd not t lE vFalant hAndz on hm, bt t fFnd sam plI t Jastifi t H lAm H wUlfs rFt t It hm. h Has aJresd hm: "sar, lAst jIr jM grOsli insaltd m." "indId," blItd H lAm in a mYrnfal tOn v vqs, "F waz not Hn bYrn." Hn sed H wUlf, "jM fId in mF pAscar." "nO, gUd sar," riplFd H lAm, "F hAv not jet tEstd grAs." agen H wUlf, "jM JriNk fram mF wel." "nO," eksklEmd H lAm, "F nevar jet JrANk wotar, f Az jet mF maHarz milk z bOT fMd n JriNk t m." apon `ic H wUlf sIzd hm n Et hm ap, sEiN, "wel! F wOnt rimEn haNgri, Ivan HO jM rifjMt evri wan v mF AkjMzESnz."
-- H tFrant wil YlwEz fFnd a prItekst f Hz tirani. --
a wUlf, hAvN stOlan a lAm fram a fOld, waz kErIiN hm of t hz lEr. a lFan met hm in H pAT n, sIzN H lAm, tUk i fram hm. stAndN At a sEf distans, H wUlf eksklEmd, "jM hAv anrFcasli tEkan Ht `ic waz mFn fram m!" t `ic H lFan JIriNli riplFd, "i waz rFcasli jYrz, E? H gift v a frend?"
a wUlf, sYrli wMndd n bitan bF dYgz, lE sik n mEmd in hz lEr. bEiN in wont v fMd, h kYld t a SIp hM waz pAsN, n Askd hm t fec sam wotar fram a scrIm flOiN klOs bisFd hm. "f," h sed, "if jM wil briN m JriNk, F wil fFnd mInz t pravFd mFself wi mIt." "jes," sed H SIp, "if F SUd briN jM H wotar, jM wUd dQtlis mEk m pravFd H mIt YlsO.'
-- hipakritikl spIcz r Izili sIn TrM. --
a wUlf folOd a flok v SIp f a loN tFm n did not atempt t inJar wan f Hem. H Separd At farst stUd on hz gyrd agenst hm, Az agenst an enami, n kept a scrikt woc Ovar hz mMvmants. bt `en H wUlf, dE Aftar dE, kept in H kampani v H SIp n did not mEk H slFtist efart t sIz Hem, H Separd bigAn t lUk apon hm Az a gyrdian v hz flok rAHar Hn Az a plotar v Ivl agenst i; n `en akEZn kYld hm wan dE intM H siti, h left H SIp entFrli in hz cyrJ. H wUlf, nQ Ht h hAd H opartMniti, fel apon H SIp n discrqd H grEtar pyrt v H flok. `en H Separd ritarnd t fFnd hz flok discrqd, h eksklEmd: "F hAv bin rFtli sarvd; `F did F crast mF SIp t a wUlf?"
a wUlf, pAsN bF, sY sam Separdz in a hat ItN matan f HEr dinar. aprOcN Hem, h sed, "`at a klAmar jM wUd rEz if F war t d Az jM r dN!"
wans apon a tFm a wUlf rizolvd t disgFz hz apIrans in Yrdar t sikjar fMd mYr Izili. enkEsd in H skin v a SIp, h pAscard wi H flok disIvN H Separd bF hz kostMm. in H IvnN h waz Sat ap bF H Separd in H fOld; H gEt waz klOzd, n H encrans mEd TarOli sikjar. bt H Separd, ritarnN t H fOld darN H nFt t abtEn mIt f H nekst dE, mistEkanli kYt ap H wUlf insted v a SIp, n kild hm instantli.
-- hyrm sIk. hyrm fFnd. --
a wUlf akjMzd a foks v Teft, bt H foks entFrli dinFd H cyrJ. an Ep andartUk t JaJ H mAtar bitwIn Hem. `en Ic hAd fUli stEtd hz kEs H Ep anQnsd Hs vardikt: "F d not TiNk jM, wUlf, evar lost `at jM klEm; n F d bilIv jM, foks, t hAv stOlan `at jM s stQtli dinF."
-- H disonist, if HE Akt onistli, get nO kredit. --
"`F SUd HEr YlwEz b Hs fIr n slYtar bitwIn as?" sed H wUlvz t H SIp. "HOz Ivl-dispOzd dYgz hAv mac t Ansar f. HE YlwEz byrk `enevar w aprOc jM n atAk as bifYr w hAv dan eni hyrm. if jM wUd Onli dismis Hem fram jYr hIlz, HEr mFt sMn b crItIz v pIs n rekansiliaSn bitIn as." H SIp war Izili fMld n dismisd H dYgz, `Erapon H wUlvz discrqd H angyrdd flok At HEr On pleZar.
H wUlvz Has aJresd H SIpdYgz: "`F SUd jM, hM r lFk as in s meni wEz, not b entFrli v wan mFnd wi as, n liv wi as Az braHarz SUd? w difar fram jM in wan pqnt Onli. w liv in frIdam, bt jM bQ dQn t n slEv f men, hM in ritarn f jYr sarvisz flog jM wi `ips n pat kolarz on jYr neks. HE mEk jM YlsO gyrd HEr SIp, n `Fl HE It H matan TrO Onli H bOnz t jM. if jM wil b parswEdd bF as, jM wil giv as H SIp, n w wil enJq Hem in kaman, til w r Yl fUl." H dYgz lisand fEvarabli t HIz prapOzlz, n, entarN H den v H wUlvz, war set apon n tYrn t pIsz.
a waman pazest a hen Ht gEv har an eg evri dE. S ofan pondard hQ S mFt abtEn tM egz dEli insted v wan, n At lAst, t gEn har parpas, ditarmind t giv H hen a dabl alQans v fMd. fram Ht dE H hen bikEm fAt n nevar wans lEd anaHar eg.
a wEfErN mAn, crAvalN in H dezart, met a waman stAndN alOn n tErabli diJektd. h inkwFrd v har, "hM r jM?" "mF nEm z crMT," S riplFd. "n f `at kYz," h Askd, "hAv jM left H siti t dwel alOn hIr in H wildarnis?" S ansard, "bikYz in fYrmar tFmz, Onli a fjM pIpl lFd bt nQ evrIwan daz."