Білий ікол
The Makers of Fire
Then,amongstthesticksthemselves,appearedalivething,twistingandturning,ofacolourlikethecolourofthesuninthesky. WhiteFangknewnothingaboutfire. Itdrewhimasthelight,inthemouthofthecavehaddrawnhiminhisearlypuppyhood.Hecrawledtheseveralstepstowardtheflame. HeheardGreyBeaverchuckleabovehim,andheknewthesoundwasnothostile. Thenhisnosetouchedtheflame,andatthesameinstanthislittletonguewentouttoit.
Foramomenthewasparalysed. Theunknown,lurkinginthemidstofthesticksandmoss,wassavagelyclutchinghimbythenose. Hescrambledbackward,burstingoutinanastonishedexplosionofki-yi’s.Atthesound,Kicheleapedsnarlingtotheendofherstick,andthereragedterriblybecauseshecouldnotcometohisaid. ButGreyBeaverlaughedloudly,andslappedhisthighs,andtoldthehappeningtoalltherestofthecamp,tilleverybodywaslaughinguproariously. ButWhiteFangsatonhishaunchesandki-yi’dandki-yi’d,aforlornandpitiablelittlefigureinthemidstoftheman-animals.
Itwastheworsthurthehadeverknown. Bothnoseandtonguehadbeenscorchedbythelivething,sun-coloured,thathadgrownupunderGreyBeaver’shands. Hecriedandcriedinterminably,andeveryfreshwailwasgreetedbyburstsoflaughteronthepartoftheman-animals. Hetriedtosoothehisnosewithhistongue,butthetonguewasburnttoo,andthetwohurtscomingtogetherproducedgreaterhurt;whereuponhecriedmorehopelesslyandhelplesslythanever.
Andthenshamecametohim. Heknewlaughterandthemeaningofit. Itisnotgivenustoknowhowsomeanimalsknowlaughter,andknowwhentheyarebeinglaughedat;butitwasthissamewaythatWhiteFangknewit.
