Вітер у вербах
The Wild Wood
Looksasifitwasmadebyasharpedgeofsomethinginmetal.Funny!"Heponderedawhile,andexaminedthehumpsandslopesthatsurroundedthem.
"Well,nevermindwhatdoneit,"saidtheMole,forgettinghisgrammarinhispain."Ithurtsjustthesame,whateverdoneit."
ButtheRat,aftercarefullytyingupthelegwithhishandkerchief,hadlefthimandwasbusyscrapinginthesnow.Hescratchedandshovelledandexplored,allfourlegsworkingbusily,whiletheMolewaitedimpatiently,remarkingatintervals,"O,comeon,Rat!"
SuddenlytheRatcried"Hooray!"andthen"Hooray-oo-ray-oo-ray-oo-ray!"andfelltoexecutingafeeblejiginthesnow.
"Whathaveyoufound,Ratty?"askedtheMole,stillnursinghisleg.
"Comeandsee!"saidthedelightedRat,ashejiggedon.
TheMolehobbleduptothespotandhadagoodlook.
"Well,"hesaidatlast,slowly,"Iseeitrightenough.Seenthesamesortofthingbefore,lotsoftimes.Familiarobject,Icallit.Adoor-scraper!Well,whatofit?Whydancejigsaroundadoor-scraper?"
"Butdon’tyouseewhatitmeans,you—youdull-wittedanimal?"criedtheRatimpatiently.
"OfcourseIseewhatitmeans,"repliedtheMole."Itsimplymeansthatsomeverycarelessandforgetfulpersonhaslefthisdoor-scraperlyingaboutinthemiddleoftheWildWood,justwhereit’ssuretotripeverybodyup.
