Веснянки
Chapter II
“Goandtellyourfairytalestotheweepeople!They’rejuistbrashonbelievin’things,”saidDuncan.“Yecannainventanystorytoobigtostopthemfromcallin’forabigger.”
“Idareyoutocomesee!”retortedFreckles.
“Takeye!”saidDuncan.“Ifyemakejuistanebirdlichtonyourheidoreatfraeyourhand,yearefreetohelpyoursel’tomycorn-cribandwheatbintherestofthewinter.”
Frecklesspranginairandhowledinglee.
“Oh,Duncan!You’retoo,aisy”hecried.“Whenwillyoucome?”
“I’llcomenextSabbath,”saidDuncan.“AndI’llbelievethebirdsoftheLimberlostaretameasbarnyardfowlwhenIseeit,andnosooner!”
AfterthatFrecklesalwaysspokeofthebirdsashischickens,andtheDuncansfollowedhisexample.TheverynextSabbath,Duncan,withhiswifeandchildren,followedFrecklestotheswamp.Theysawasightsowonderfulitwillkeepthemtalkingalltheremainderoftheirlives,andmakethemunfailingfriendsofallthebirds.
Freckles’chickenswereawaitinghimattheedgeoftheclearing.Theycutthefrostyairaroundhisheadintocurvesandcirclesofcrimson,blue,andblack.TheychasedeachotherfromFreckles,andsweptsocloselythemselvesthattheybrushedhimwiththeiroutspreadwings.
Attheirfeeding-groundFrecklessetdownhisoldpailofscrapsandsweptthesnowfromasmalllevelspacewithabroomimprovisedoftwigs.Assoonashisbackwasturned,thebirdsclusteredoverthefood,snatchingscrapstocarrytothenearestbushes.
