Білий ікол
The Wall of the World
Butthecubsaw,anditwasawarningandalessontohim —theswiftdownwardswoopofthehawk,theshortskimofitsbodyjustabovetheground, thestrikeofitstalonsinthebodyoftheptarmigan,theptarmigan’ssquawkofagonyandfright, andthehawk’srushupwardintotheblue,carryingtheptarmiganawaywithit.
Itwasalongtimebeforethecubleftitsshelter. Hehadlearnedmuch. Livethingsweremeat. Theyweregoodtoeat. Also,livethingswhentheywerelargeenough,couldgivehurt. Itwasbettertoeatsmalllivethingslikeptarmiganchicks,andtoletalonelargelivethingslikeptarmiganhens. Neverthelesshefeltalittleprickofambition, asneakingdesiretohaveanotherbattlewiththatptarmiganhen—onlythehawkhadcarriedheraway. Maybetherewereotherptarmiganhens. Hewouldgoandsee.
Hecamedownashelvingbanktothestream. Hehadneverseenwaterbefore. Thefootinglookedgood.Therewerenoinequalitiesofsurface. Hesteppedboldlyoutonit;andwentdown,cryingwithfear,intotheembraceoftheunknown. Itwascold,andhegasped,breathingquickly. Thewaterrushedintohislungsinsteadoftheairthathadalwaysaccompaniedhisactofbreathing. Thesuffocationheexperiencedwaslikethepangofdeath. Tohimitsignifieddeath. Hehadnoconsciousknowledgeofdeath,butlikeeveryanimaloftheWild,hepossessedtheinstinctofdeath. Tohimitstoodasthegreatestofhurts. Itwastheveryessenceoftheunknown;itwasthesumoftheterrorsoftheunknown,theoneculminating andunthinkablecatastrophethatcouldhappentohim,aboutwhichheknewnothingandaboutwhichhefearedeverything.
Hecametothesurface,andthesweetairrushedintohisopenmouth. Hedidnotgodownagain.
