"i z bat onist Ht F SUd AknoliJ At H bIginN v mF risFtal Ht F waz bYrn An YrdinErI /wogal-/bag," bIgAn H krEcar, in a frANk n frendlI tOn. "nOiN nO betar, F jMzd mF yrmz Az wel Az mF legz f wYkN, n krYld andar H eJz v stOnz Yr hid amaN H rMts v grAsz wiT nO TYt bIjond fFndN a fjM insekts smYlar Hn mFself t fId apon."
"H cil nFts rendard mI stif n mOSanlis, f F wYr nO klOHN, bat Ic mYrnN H wYrm rEz v H san gEv mI nM lFf n ristYrd mI t AktivitI. a hYribal egzistans z Hs, bat jM mast rimembar i z H regjMlar YrdEnd egzistans v /wogal-/bagz, Az wel Az v menI aHar tFnI krIcarz Ht inhAbit H arT."
"bat /destinI hAd siNgald mI Qt, hambal HO F waz, f a grAndar fEt! wan dE F krYld nIr t a kancrI skMl hQs, n mF kjarIositI bIiN eksFtd bF H manotanas ham v H stMdants wiHin, F mEd bOld t entar n krIp aloN a krAk bitwIn tM bYrdz antil F rIcd H fyr end, wEr, in frant v a hyrT v glOiN embarz, sAt H mAstar At hiz desk."
"nO wan nOtisd sO smYl a krIcar Az a /wogal-/bag, n wen F fQnd Ht H hyrT waz Ivan wYrmar n mYr kamfartabal Hn H sanSFn, F rizolvd t estAbliS mF fjMcar hOm bisFd i. sO F fQnd a cyrmN nest bitwIn tM briks n hid mFself HErin f menI, menI manTs."
"/prOfesar /nOitYl z, dqtlis, H mOst fEmas skolar in H lAnd v /oz, n Aftar a fjM dEz F bigAn t lisan t H lekcarz n diskYrsz hI gEv hiz pjMpilz. not wan v Hem waz mYr atentiv Hn H hambal, annOtisd /wogal-/bag, n F akwFrd in Hs wE a fand v noliJ Ht F wil mFself konfes z simplI myrvalas. Ht z wF F plEs '/t./I.' /TarOlI /eJjMkEtd apon mF kyrdz; f mF grEtist prFd lFz in H fAkt Ht H warld kn not prOdMs anaHar /wogal-/bag wiT a tenT pyrt v mF On kalcar n EradiSn."
"F d not blEm jM," sed H /skErkrO. "eJjMkESn z a TiN t b prQd v. F'm eJjMkEtd mFself. H mes v brEnz givan mI bF H /grEt /wizard z knsidard bF mF frendz t b anekseld."
"nevarHales," intarraptd H /tin /wUdmAn, "a gUd hyrt z, F bilIv, mac mYr dizFrabal Hn eJjMkESn Yr brEnz."
"t mI," sed H /sY-/hYrs, "a gUd leg z mYr dizFrabal Hn IHar."
"kUd sIdz b knsidard in H lFt v brEnz?" inkwFrd H /pampkinhed, abraptlI.
"kIp kwFit!" kmAndd /tip, starnlI.
"vErI wel, dIr fYHar," Ansard H ObIdIant /JAk.
H /wogal-/bag lisand pESantlI -- Ivan rispektfalI -- t HIz rimyrks, n Hn rizMmd hiz stYrI.
"F mast hAv livd fUlI TrI jIrz in Ht siklMdd skMl-hQs hyrT," sed hI, "JriNkN TarstilI v H evar-flOiN fQnt v limpid noliJ bifYr mI."
"kwFt pOetikl," komentd H /skErkrO, nodN hiz hed aprMviNlI.
"bat wan dE," kntinjMd H /bag, "a myrvalas sarkamstAns akard Ht oltard mF vErI egzistans n brYt mI t mF prezant pinakl v grEtnis. H /prafesar diskavd mI in H Akt v krYlN akros H hyrT, n bifYr F kUd eskEp hI hAd kYt mI bitwIn hiz Tam n fYrfiNgar."
"'mF dIr cilJrin,' sed hI, 'F hAv kApcard a /wogal-/bag -- a vErI rEr n intarestN spesiman. d enI v jM nO wat a /wogal-/bag z?'"
"'nO!' jeld H skolarz, in kYras."
"'Hn,' sed H /prafesar, 'F wil get Qt mF fEmas mAgnifFiN-glAs n TrO H insekt apon a skrIn in a hFlI-mAgnifFd kndiSn, Ht jM mE Yl stadI kErfalI its pekjMlIar knscrakSn n bikam akwEntd wiT its hAbits n mAnar v lFf.'"
"h Hn brYt fram a kabard a mOst kjarIas inscramnt, n bifYr F kUd rIlFz wat hAd hApand F fQnd mFself TrOn apon a skrIn in a hFlI-mAgnifFd stEt -- Ivan Az jM nQ bIhOld mI."
"H stMdants stUd ap on HEr stMlz n krEnd HEr hedz fYrward t get a betar vjM v mI, n tM lital garlz Jampd apon H sil v an Opan windO wEr HE kUd sI mYr plEnlI."
"'bIhOld!" krFd H /prafesar, in a lQd vqs, 'Hs hFlI-mAgnifFd /wogal-/bag; wan v H mOst kjarIas insekts in egzistans!'"
"bIiN /TarOlI /eJMkEtd, n nOiN wat z rikwFrd v a kalcard Jentalmn, At Hs JaNcar F stUd aprFt n, plEsN mF hAnd apon mF bUzam, mEd a vErI palFt bQ. mF AkSan, bIiN anekspektd, mast hAv styrtld Hem, f wan v H lital garlz parcd apon H windO-sil gEv a skrIm n fel bAkward Qt H windO, JrYiN har kmpAnjan wiT har Az SI disapIrd."
"H /prafesar atard a krF v hYrar n raSd awE TrM H dYr t sI if H pYr cilJren war inJard bF H fYl. H skolarz folOd him in a wFld mob, n F waz left alOn in H skMl-rMm, stil in a /hFlI-/mAgnifFd stEt n frI t d Az F plIzd."
"i imIdIatlI akard t mI Ht Hs waz a gUd opartMnitI t eskEp. F waz prQd v mF grEt sFz, n rIlFzd Ht nQ F kUd sEflI crAval enIwEr in H warld, wFl mF sMpIrIar kalcar wUd mEk mI a fit asOsIat f H mOst larnd parsan F mFt cAns t mIt."
"sO, wFl H /prafesar pikd H lital garlz -- hM war mYr frFtand Hn hart -- of H grQnd, n H pjMpalz klastard arQnd him klOslI grMpd, F kYmlI wYkd Qt v H skMl-hQs, tarnd a kYrnar, n eskEpd annOtisd t a grOv v crIz Ht stUd nIr."
"wandarfal!" eksklEmd H /pampkinhed, AdmFriNlI.
"i waz, indId," agrId H /wogal-/bag. "F hAv nevar sIzd t kngrAdjMlEt mFself f eskEpN wFl F waz /hFlI /mAgnifFd; f Ivan mF eksesiv noliJ wUd hAv prMvd v lital jMs t mI hAd F rimEnd a tFnI, insignifikant insekt."
"F didn't nO bifYr," sed /tip, lUkN At H wogal-bag wiT a pazald ekspreSn, "Ht insekts wYr klOz."
"nYr d HE, in HEr nAcaral stEt," ritarnd H scrEnJar. "bat in H kYrs v mF wondarNz F hAd H gUd fYrcan t sEv H nFnT lFf v a tElar -- tElarz hAvN, lFk kAts, nFn lFvz, Az jM probablI nO. H felO waz eksIdNlI grEtfal, f hAd hI lost Ht nFnT lFf i wUd hAv bin H end v him; sO hI begd parmiSan t farniS mI wiT H stFliS kostMm F nQ wEr. i fits vErI nFslI, daz i not?" n H wogal-bag stUd ap n tarnd himself arQnd slOlI, Ht Yl mFt egzAmin hiz parsan.
"hI mast hAv bin a gUd tElar," sed H /skErkrO, samwat envIaslI.
"hI waz a gUd-hyrtd tElar, At enI rEt," obzarvd /nik /copar.
"bat wEr war jM gOiN, wen jM met as?" /tip Askd H /wogal-bag.
"nOwEr in pyrtikjMlar," waz H riplF, "YlHO i z mF intenSn sMn t vizit H emarald sitI n arEnJ t giv a kYrs v lekcarz t selekt YdIansz on H 'AdvAntiJz v mAgnifikESn.'"
"wI r bQnd f H /emarald /sitI nQ," sed H /tin /wUdmAn; "sO, if i plIzz jM t d sO, jM r welkam t crAval in Qr kampanI."
H /wogal-/bag bQd wiT prOfQnd grEs.
"i wil giv mI grEt pleZar," sed hI, "t aksept jYr kFnd invitESn; f nOwEr in H /lAnd v /oz kUd F hOp t mIt wiT sO knJInIal a kampanI."
"Ht z crM," AknoliJd H /pampkinhed. "wI r kwFt Az knJInIal Az flFz n hanI."
"bat -- pyrdan mI if F sIm inkwizitiv -- r jM not Yl rAHar -- ahem! rAHar anjMZMal?" Askd H /wogal-/bag, lUkN fram wan t anaHar wiT ankansIld increst.
"not mYr sO Hn jYrself," Ansard H /skErkrO. "evrITiN in lFf z anjMZMal antil jM get akastamd t i."
"wat rEr filosafI!" eksklEmd H /wogal-/bag, AdmFriNlI.
"jes; mF brEnz r warkN wel tadE," Admitd H /skErkrO, an Aksent v prFd in hiz vqs.
"Hn, if jM r safiSantlI restd n rIfreSd, let as bend Qr steps tYrd H /emarald /sitI," saJestd H mAgnifFd wan.
"wI kAn't," sed /tip. "H /sY-/hYrs hAz brOkan a leg, sO hI kAn't bend hiz steps. n HEr z nO wUd arQnd t mEk him a nM lim fram. n wI kAn't lIv H hYrs bihFnd bIkYz H /pampkinhed z sO stif in hiz /Jqnts Ht hI hAz t rFd."
"hQ vErI anfYrcanat!" krFd H /wogal-/bag. Hn hI lUkd H pyrtI Ovar kErfalI n sed:
"if H /pampkinhed z t rFd, wF not jMz wan v hiz legz t mEk a leg f H hYrs Ht kErIz him? F JaJ Ht bOT r mEd v wUd."
"nQ, Ht z wat F kYl rIl klevarnis," sed H /skErkrO, aprMvinlI. "F wandar wF mF brEnz did not TiNk v Ht loN agO! get t wark, mF dIr /nik, n fit H /pampkinhed'z leg t H /sY-/hYrs."
/JAk waz not espeSalI plIzd wiT Hs FdIa; bat hI sabmitd t hAvN hiz left leg AmpjMtEtd bF H /tin /wUdmAn n witald dQn t fit H left leg v H /sY-/hYrs. nYr waz H /sY-/hYrs espeSalI plIzd wiT H oparESn, IHar; f hI grQld a gUd dIl abQt bIiN "bUcard," Az hI kYld i, n Aftarward diklErd Ht H nM leg waz a disgrEs t a respektfal /sY-/hYrs.
"F beg jM t b mYr kErfal in jYr spIc," sed H /pampkinhed, SyrplI. "rimembar, if jM plIz, Ht i z mF leg jM r abjMzN."
"F kn not fYrget i," ritYrtd H /sY-/hYrs, "f i z kwFt Az flimzI Az H rest v jYr parsan."
"flimzI! mI flimsI!" krFd /JAk, in a rEJ. "hQ dEr jM kYl mI flimzI?"
"bIkYz jM r bilt Az absardlI Az a JampN-JAk," snIrd H hYrs, rOlN hiz notI Fz in a viSas mAnar. "Ivan jYr hed wOn't stE scrEt, n jM nevar kn tel weHar jM r lUkN bAkwardz Yr fYrwardz!"
"frendz, F encrIt jM not t kwYral!" plIdd H /tin /wUdmAn, ANkSaslI. "Az a mAtar v fAkt, wI r nan abav kritisizm; sO let as bEr wiT Ic aHarz' fYlts."
"an ekselant saJescn," sed H /wogal-/bag, aprMviNlI. "jM mast hAv an ekselant hyrt, mF metAlik frend."
"F hAv," ritarnd /nik, wel plIzd. "mF hyrt z kwFt H best pyrt v mI. bat nQ let as styrt apon Qr /JarnI."
HE parcd H wan-leged /pampkinhed apon H /sY-/hYrs, n tFd him t hiz sIt wiT kYrdz, sO Ht hI kUd not posablI fYl of.
n Hn, folOiN H lId v H /skErkrO, HE Yl AdvAnsd in H darekSn v H /emarald /sitI.