Гімн

           Ifitbedeath,weshalldiewithyou.Youaredamned,andwewishtoshareyourdamnation.”

           Theylookeduponus,andtheirvoicewaslow,buttherewasbitternessandtriumphintheirvoice.

           “Youreyesareasaflame,butourbrothershaveneitherhopenorfire.Yourmouthiscutofgranite,butourbrothersaresoftandhumble.Yourheadishigh,butourbrotherscringe.Youwalk,butourbrotherscrawl.Wewishtobedamnedwithyou,ratherthanblessedwithallourbrothers.Doasyoupleasewithus,butdonotsendusawayfromyou.”

           Thentheyknelt,andbowedtheirgoldenheadbeforeus.

           Wehadneverthoughtofthatwhichwedid.WebenttoraisetheGoldenOnetotheirfeet,butwhenwetouchedthem,itwasasifmadnesshadstrickenus.Weseizedtheirbodyandwepressedourlipstotheirs.TheGoldenOnebreathedonce,andtheirbreathwasamoan,andthentheirarmsclosedaroundus.

           Westoodtogetherforalongtime.Andwewerefrightenedthatwehadlivedfortwenty-oneyearsandhadneverknownwhatjoyispossibletomen.

           Thenwesaid:

           “Ourdearestone.Fearnothingoftheforest.Thereisnodangerinsolitude.Wehavenoneedofourbrothers.Letusforgettheirgoodandourevil,letusforgetallthingssavethatwearetogetherandthatthereisjoyasabondbetweenus.Giveusyourhand.Lookahead.Itisourownworld,GoldenOne,astrange,unknownworld,butourown.”

           Thenwewalkedonintotheforest,theirhandinours.

           Andthatnightweknewthattoholdthebodyofwomeninourarmsisneitheruglynorshameful,buttheoneecstasygrantedtotheraceofmen.