Read Online Forest World by Felix Salten - Free Book Online Page B

awoke, and all marveled over the guests. They stared at them curiously, but welcomed them, glad they had come.
    Witch inquired, “Poor things, haven’t you anything to eat?”
    â€œOh, we have enough,” Genina answered. “Sweet hay, chestnuts and turnips. Yes, we’re full.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter then?” asked Manni. “No thunder-stick is crashing now.”
    â€œI know. It is not your He that we are so afraid of. If we were, we wouldn’t have come here.”
    â€œWhom are you afraid of?” demanded the stallion.
    â€œThere are others—who murder without the thunder-stick.”
    â€œHow?” Manni wanted to know. “No He can kill without a thunder-stick.”
    â€œThat’s what you think,” the roe mother retorted. “I don’t understand how, myself, but they murder us much more cruelly than with the thunder-stick. You hear nothing, see nothing. Suddenly you can’t move from the spot. You writhe helplessly, gasping for air. But no use! Life is over only after great torture.”
    â€œOh, come on! That’s hard to believe!” snorted Devil.
    â€œJust the same, it’s true,” sighed the roe. “Many hares have fallen victim to this strange death, a few grownups of my family, five or six of our young. And when you have two little ones . . .”
    â€œNothing will happen to you here with us,” Lisa consoled the roe. The cow had forgotten now that she had ever been afraid of her two-legged guardians herself.
    â€œI hope not,” Genina sighed; “but you really don’t know anymore whom you can trust.”
    â€œYou can trust us completely,” Witch affirmed.
    â€œAnd our two-legged ones as well,” Manni nodded.
    â€œYes, I know them,” said the roe mother. “They do no evil.”
    The kids, Mena and Loso, had hung timidly behind their mother.
    â€œHere you are, little ones. Have some.” Devil pushed his crib a little so that some oats fell to the floor. The twins scrambled for the grain, seeking it out gaily and eagerly in the straw, treating themselves to the new and strange meal.
    â€œYou’re quite different from us,” Genina said suddenly.
    â€œObviously.” The stallion drew himself up very tall. “You can see that from the size of our bodies.”
    â€œAs far as that goes,” the roe said, “we have distinguished relatives in the forest who are no smaller than you. And besides, they wear wonderful crowns.”
    The surprise of the horses, the cow and the calf, amused the mother roe. Manni of course recalled seeing Tambo. The doe continued: “What I meant was that your way of life is different from ours.”
    â€œDecidedly,” Devil agreed. “We don’t live such dangerous lives.”
    â€œWe live much more comfortably than you do,” cried Manni.
    â€œOur life is simply grand!” Witch spoke enthusiastically.
    â€œYes, I see. But I wouldn’t change with you for anything,” Genina remarked.
    â€œYet you’ve come here to us,” snorted the stallion.
    â€œYes, because I had to. I was afraid for my little ones. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here with you.”
    Manni was curious. “Why not? Why wouldn’t you like to lead our beautiful kind of life?”
    â€œBecause you lack the most precious thing of all.”
    â€œTo be knocked over by the thunder-stick or to be tortured to death?” mocked the stallion.
    â€œYou don’t understand. I mean our freedom. Even the thunder-stick—it’s hurled very rarely after all—and even slow death by torture belong with our good life. Our wonderful freedom isn’t destroyed so easily. Freedom can never be paid for too dearly!” The mother roe stood radiant in her grace and pride.
    The animals of the stable were all silent, bewildered but moved by an unconscious respect for the delicate little creature.
    The