Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Yourmerepunystripling,thatwincedattheleastflourishoftherod,waspassedbywithindulgence;buttheclaimsofjusticeweresatisfiedbyinflictingadoubleportiononsomelittletoughwrong-headed,broad-skirtedDutchurchin,whosulkedandswelledandgrewdoggedandsullenbeneaththebirch.Allthishecalled“doinghisdutybytheirparents;”andheneverinflictedachastisementwithoutfollowingitbytheassurance,soconsolatorytothesmartingurchin,that“hewouldrememberitandthankhimforitthelongestdayhehadtolive.”
Whenschoolhourswereover,hewaseventhecompanionandplaymateofthelargerboys;andonholidayafternoonswouldconvoysomeofthesmalleroneshome,whohappenedtohaveprettysisters,orgoodhousewivesformothers,notedforthecomfortsofthecupboard.Indeed,itbehoovedhimtokeepongoodtermswithhispupils.Therevenuearisingfromhisschoolwassmall,andwouldhavebeenscarcelysufficienttofurnishhimwithdailybread,forhewasahugefeeder,and,thoughlank,hadthedilatingpowersofananaconda;buttohelpouthismaintenance,hewas,accordingtocountrycustominthoseparts,boardedandlodgedatthehousesofthefarmerswhosechildrenheinstructed.Withthesehelivedsuccessivelyaweekatatime,thusgoingtheroundsoftheneighborhood,withallhisworldlyeffectstiedupinacottonhandkerchief.
