Веснянки

           Whenthedisgustedsquirrelbarkedloudly,shesprangtothetrail.

           Thewindarosehigher,thechangesfromlighttodarknessweremoreabrupt,whilethethundercamecloserandlouderateverypeal.Inswarmstheblackbirdsarosefromtheswaleandcameflockingtotheinterior,withaclamoringcry:“T’CHECK,T’CHECK.”Gracklesmarshaledtothetribalcall:“TRALL-A-HEE,TRALL-A-HEE.”Red-wingedblackbirdssweptlow,callingtobelatedmates:“FOL-LOW-ME,FOL-LOW-ME.”Big,jettycrowsgatheredclosetoher,crying,asifwarninghertofleebeforeitwaseverlastinglytoolate.Aheron,fishingthenear-bypoolforFreckles’“find-out”frog,fellintotroublewithamuskratandutteredaraspingnotethatsentMrs.Duncanaroddownthelinewithoutrealizingthatshehadmoved.Shewastooshakentorunfar.Shestoppedandlookedaroundherfearfully.

           Severalbeesstruckherandwereangrilybuzzingbeforeshenoticedthem.Thenthehummingswelledonallsides.Aconvulsivesobshookher,andsheranintothebushes,nowintotheswale,anywheretoavoidtheswarmingbees,ducking,dodging,fightingforherverylife.Presentlythehummingseemedtobecomealittlefainter.Shefoundthetrailagain,andranwithallhermightfromafewofherangrypursuers.

           Assheran,strainingeverymuscle,shesuddenlybecameawarethat,crossingthetrailbeforeher,wasabig,round,blackbody,withbrownmarkingsonitsback,likepaintedgeometricalpatterns.Shetriedtostop,butthelouderbuzzingbehindwarnedhershedarednot.