Короли и капуста

           Theywerethemarketersstartingtopurchasethefamilysupplyofcassava,plantains,meat,fowls,andtortillas.Décolletétheywereandbare-armedandbare-footed,withasingleskirtreachingbelowtheknee.Stolidandox-eyed,theysteppedfromtheirdoorwaysintothenarrowpathsoruponthesoftgrassofthestreets.

           Thefirsttoemergeutteredambiguoussqueals,andraisedonefootquickly.Anotherstepandtheysatdown,withshrillcriesofalarm,topickatthenewandpainfulinsectsthathadstungthemuponthefeet."Quépicadoresdiablos!"theyscreechedtooneanotheracrossthenarrowways.Sometriedthegrassinsteadofthepaths,buttheretheywerealsostungandbittenbythestrangelittlepricklyballs.Theyplumpeddowninthegrass,andaddedtheirlamentationstothoseoftheirsistersinthesandypaths.Allthroughthetownwasheardtheplaintofthefemininejabber.Thevendersinthemarketstillwonderedwhynocustomerscame.

           Thenmen,lordsoftheearth,cameforth.They,too,begantohop,todance,tolimp,andtocurse.Theystoodstrandedandfoolish,orstoopedtopluckatthescourgethatattackedtheirfeetandankles.Someloudlyproclaimedthepesttobepoisonousspidersofanunknownspecies.

           Andthenthechildrenranoutfortheirmorningromp.Andnowtotheuproarwasaddedthehowlsoflimpinginfantsandcockleburredchildhood.Everyminutetheadvancingdaybroughtforthfreshvictims.