Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Itwasmostingeniouslysecuredatvacanthours,byawithetwistedinthehandleofthedoor,andstakessetagainstthewindowshutters;sothatthoughathiefmightgetinwithperfectease,hewouldfindsomeembarrassmentingettingout,—anideamostprobablyborrowedbythearchitect,YostVanHouten,fromthemysteryofaneelpot.Theschoolhousestoodinaratherlonelybutpleasantsituation,justatthefootofawoodyhill,withabrookrunningcloseby,andaformidablebirch-treegrowingatoneendofit.Fromhencethelowmurmurofhispupils’voices,conningovertheirlessons,mightbeheardinadrowsysummer’sday,likethehumofabeehive;interruptednowandthenbytheauthoritativevoiceofthemaster,inthetoneofmenaceorcommand,or,peradventure,bytheappallingsoundofthebirch,asheurgedsometardyloitereralongtheflowerypathofknowledge.Truthtosay,hewasaconscientiousman,andeverboreinmindthegoldenmaxim,“Sparetherodandspoilthechild.”IchabodCrane’sscholarscertainlywerenotspoiled.
Iwouldnothaveitimagined,however,thathewasoneofthosecruelpotentatesoftheschoolwhojoyinthesmartoftheirsubjects;onthecontrary,headministeredjusticewithdiscriminationratherthanseverity;takingtheburdenoffthebacksoftheweak,andlayingitonthoseofthestrong.
