I had been struck, the moment I saw her again, with her resemblance to the princess, and could not doubt her the daughter of whom Adam had told me; but in Lona the dazzling beauty of Lilith was softened1 by childlikeness, and deepened by the sense of motherhood. “She is occupied probably,” I said to myself, “with the child of the woman I met fleeing!” who, she had already told me, was not half mother enough.
She came at length, sat down beside me, and after a few moments of silent delight, expressed mainly by stroking my face and hands, began to tell me everything that had befallen since I went. The moon appeared as we talked, and now and then, through the leaves, lighted for a quivering moment her beautiful face—full of thought, and a care whose love redeemed2 and glorified3 it. How such a child should have been born of such a mother—such a woman of such a princess, was hard to understand; but then, happily, she had two parents—say rather, three! She drew my heart by what in me was likest herself, and I loved her as one who, grow to what perfection she might, could only become the more a child. I knew now that I loved her when I left her, and that the hope of seeing her again had been my main comfort. Every word she spoke4 seemed to go straight to my heart, and, like the truth itself, make it purer.
She told me that after I left the orchard5 valley, the giants began to believe a little more in the actual existence of their neighbours, and became in consequence more hostile to them. Sometimes the Little Ones would see them trampling6 furiously, perceiving or imagining some indication of their presence, while they indeed stood beside, and laughed at their foolish rage. By and by, however, their animosity assumed a more practical shape: they began to destroy the trees on whose fruit the Little Ones lived. This drove the mother of them all to meditate7 counteraction8. Setting the sharpest of them to listen at night, she learned that the giants thought I was hidden somewhere near, intending, as soon as I recovered my strength, to come in the dark and kill them sleeping. Thereupon she concluded that the only way to stop the destruction was to give them ground for believing that they had abandoned the place. The Little Ones must remove into the forest—beyond the range of the giants, but within reach of their own trees, which they must visit by night! The main objection to the plan was, that the forest had little or no undergrowth to shelter—or conceal9 them if necessary.
But she reflected that where birds, there the Little Ones could find habitation. They had eager sympathies with all modes of life, and could learn of the wildest creatures: why should they not take refuge from the cold and their enemies in the tree-tops? why not, having lain in the low brushwood, seek now the lofty foliage10? why not build nests where it would not serve to scoop11 hollows? All that the birds could do, the Little Ones could learn—except, indeed, to fly!
She spoke to them on the subject, and they heard with approval. They could already climb the trees, and they had often watched the birds building their nests! The trees of the forest, although large, did not look bad! They went up much nearer the sky than those of the giants, and spread out their arms—some even stretched them down—as if inviting12 them to come and live with them! Perhaps, in the top of the tallest, they might find that bird that laid the baby-eggs, and sat upon them till they were ripe, then tumbled them down to let the little ones out! Yes; they would build sleep-houses in the trees, where no giant would see them, for never by any chance did one throw back his dull head to look up! Then the bad giants would be sure they had left the country, and the Little Ones would gather their own apples and pears and figs13 and mesples and peaches when they were asleep!
Thus reasoned the Lovers, and eagerly adopted Lona’s suggestion—with the result that they were soon as much at home in the tree-tops as the birds themselves, and that the giants came ere long to the conclusion that they had frightened them out of the country—whereupon they forgot their trees, and again almost ceased to believe in the existence of their small neighbours.
Lona asked me whether I had not observed that many of the children were grown. I answered I had not, but could readily believe it. She assured me it was so, but said the certain evidence that their minds too had grown since their migration14 upward, had gone far in mitigation of the alarm the discovery had occasioned her.
In the last of the short twilight15, and later when the moon was shining, they went down to the valley, and gathered fruit enough to serve them the next day; for the giants never went out in the twilight: that to them was darkness; and they hated the moon: had they been able, they would have extinguished her. But soon the Little Ones found that fruit gathered in the night was not altogether good the next day; so the question arose whether it would not be better, instead of pretending to have left the country, to make the bad giants themselves leave it.
They had already, she said, in exploring the forest, made acquaintance with the animals in it, and with most of them personally. Knowing therefore how strong as well as wise and docile16 some of them were, and how swift as well as manageable many others, they now set themselves to secure their aid against the giants, and with loving, playful approaches, had soon made more than friends of most of them, from the first addressing horse or elephant as Brother or Sister Elephant, Brother or Sister Horse, until before long they had an individual name for each. It was some little time longer before they said Brother or Sister Bear, but that came next, and the other day she had heard one little fellow cry, “Ah, Sister Serpent!” to a snake that bit him as he played with it too roughly. Most of them would have nothing to do with a caterpillar17, except watch it through its changes; but when at length it came from its retirement18 with wings, all would immediately address it as Sister Butterfly, congratulating it on its metamorphosis—for which they used a word that meant something like REPENTANCE—and evidently regarding it as something sacred.
One moonlit evening, as they were going to gather their fruit, they came upon a woman seated on the ground with a baby in her lap—the woman I had met on my way to Bulika. They took her for a giantess that had stolen one of their babies, for they regarded all babies as their property. Filled with anger they fell upon her multitudinously, beating her after a childish, yet sufficiently19 bewildering fashion. She would have fled, but a boy threw himself down and held her by the feet. Recovering her wits, she recognised in her assailants the children whose hospitality she sought, and at once yielded the baby. Lona appeared, and carried it away in her bosom20.
But while the woman noted21 that in striking her they were careful not to hurt the child, the Little Ones noted that, as she surrendered her, she hugged and kissed her just as they wanted to do, and came to the conclusion that she must be a giantess of the same kind as the good giant. The moment Lona had the baby, therefore, they brought the mother fruit, and began to show her every sort of childish attention.
Now the woman had been in perplexity whither to betake herself, not daring to go back to the city, because the princess was certain to find out who had lamed22 her leopardess: delighted with the friendliness23 of the little people, she resolved to remain with them for the present: she would have no trouble with her infant, and might find some way of returning to her husband, who was rich in money and gems24, and very seldom unkind to her.
Here I must supplement, partly from conjecture25, what Lona told me about the woman. With the rest of the inhabitants of Bulika, she was aware of the tradition that the princess lived in terror of the birth of an infant destined26 to her destruction. They were all unacquainted, however, with the frightful27 means by which she preserved her youth and beauty; and her deteriorating28 physical condition requiring a larger use of those means, they took the apparent increase of her hostility29 to children for a sign that she saw her doom30 approaching. This, although no one dreamed of any attempt against her, nourished in them hopes of change.
Now arose in the mind of the woman the idea of furthering the fulfilment of the shadowy prediction, or of using the myth at least for her own restoration to her husband. For what seemed more probable than that the fate foretold31 lay with these very children? They were marvellously brave, and the Bulikans cowards, in abject32 terror of animals! If she could rouse in the Little Ones the ambition of taking the city, then in the confusion of the attack, she would escape from the little army, reach her house unrecognised, and there lying hidden, await the result!
Should the children now succeed in expelling the giants, she would begin at once, while they were yet flushed with victory, to suggest the loftier aim! By disposition33, indeed, they were unfit for warfare34; they hardly ever quarrelled, and never fought; loved every live thing, and hated either to hurt or to suffer. Still, they were easily influenced, and could certainly be taught any exercise within their strength!—At once she set some of the smaller ones throwing stones at a mark; and soon they were all engrossed35 with the new game, and growing skilful36 in it.
The first practical result was their use of stones in my rescue. While gathering37 fruit, they found me asleep, went home, held a council, came the next day with their elephants and horses, overwhelmed the few giants watching me, and carried me off. Jubilant over their victory, the smaller boys were childishly boastful, the bigger boys less ostentatious, while the girls, although their eyes flashed more, were not so talkative as usual. The woman of Bulika no doubt felt encouraged.
We talked the greater part of the night, chiefly about the growth of the children, and what it might indicate. With Lona’s power of recognising truth I had long been familiar; now I began to be astonished at her practical wisdom. Probably, had I been more of a child myself, I should have wondered less.
It was yet far from morning when I became aware of a slight fluttering and scrambling38. I rose on my elbow, and looking about me, saw many Little Ones descend39 from their nests. They disappeared, and in a few moments all was again still.
“What are they doing?” I asked.
“They think,” answered Lona, “that, stupid as they are, the giants will search the wood, and they are gone to gather stones with which to receive them. Stones are not plentiful40 in the forest, and they have to scatter41 far to find enow. They will carry them to their nests, and from the trees attack the giants as they come within reach. Knowing their habits, they do not expect them before the morning. If they do come, it will be the opening of a war of expulsion: one or the other people must go. The result, however, is hardly doubtful. We do not mean to kill them; indeed, their skulls42 are so thick that I do not think we could!—not that killing43 would do them much harm; they are so little alive! If one were killed, his giantess would not remember him beyond three days!”
“Do the children then throw so well that the thing MIGHT happen?” I asked.
“Wait till you see them!” she answered, with a touch of pride. “—But I have not yet told you,” she went on, “of a strange thing that happened the night before last!—We had come home from gathering our fruit, and were asleep in our nests, when we were roused by the horrid44 noises of beasts fighting. The moon was bright, and in a moment our trees glittered with staring little eyes, watching two huge leopardesses, one perfectly45 white, the other covered with black spots, which worried and tore each other with I do not know how many teeth and claws. To judge by her back, the spotted46 creature must have been climbing a tree when the other sprang upon her. When first I saw them, they were just under my own tree, rolling over and over each other. I got down on the lowest branch, and saw them perfectly. The children enjoyed the spectacle, siding some with this one, some with that, for we had never seen such beasts before, and thought they were only at play. But by degrees their roaring and growling47 almost ceased, and I saw that they were in deadly earnest, and heartily48 wished neither might be left able to climb a tree. But when the children saw the blood pouring from their flanks and throats, what do you think they did? They scurried49 down to comfort them, and gathering in a great crowd about the terrible creatures, began to pat and stroke them. Then I got down as well, for they were much too absorbed to heed50 my calling to them; but before I could reach them, the white one stopped fighting, and sprang among them with such a hideous51 yell that they flew up into the trees like birds. Before I got back into mine, the wicked beasts were at it again tooth and claw. Then Whitey had the best of it; Spotty ran away as fast as she could run, and Whitey came and lay down at the foot of my tree. But in a minute or two she was up again, and walking about as if she thought Spotty might be lurking52 somewhere. I waked often, and every time I looked out, I saw her. In the morning she went away.”
“I know both the beasts,” I said. “Spotty is a bad beast. She hates the children, and would kill every one of them. But Whitey loves them. She ran at them only to frighten them away, lest Spotty should get hold of any of them. No one needs be afraid of Whitey!”
By this time the Little Ones were coming back, and with much noise, for they had no care to keep quiet now that they were at open war with the giants, and laden53 with good stones. They mounted to their nests again, though with difficulty because of their burdens, and in a minute were fast asleep. Lona retired54 to her tree. I lay where I was, and slept the better that I thought most likely the white leopardess was still somewhere in the wood.
I woke soon after the sun, and lay pondering. Two hours passed, and then in truth the giants began to appear, in straggling companies of three and four, until I counted over a hundred of them. The children were still asleep, and to call them would draw the attention of the giants: I would keep quiet so long as they did not discover me. But by and by one came blundering upon me, stumbled, fell, and rose again. I thought he would pass heedless, but he began to search about. I sprang to my feet, and struck him in the middle of his huge body. The roar he gave roused the children, and a storm as of hail instantly came on, of which not a stone struck me, and not one missed the giant. He fell and lay. Others drew near, and the storm extended, each purblind55 creature becoming, as he entered the range of a garrisoned56 tree, a target for converging57 stones. In a short time almost every giant was prostrate58, and a jubilant pæan of bird-song rose from the tops of fifty trees.
Many elephants came hurrying up, and the children descending59 the trees like monkeys, in a moment every elephant had three or four of them on his back, and thus loaded, began to walk over the giants, who lay and roared. Losing patience at length with their noise, the elephants gave them a few blows of their trunks, and left them.
Until night the bad giants remained where they had fallen, silent and motionless. The next morning they had disappeared every one, and the children saw no more of them. They removed to the other end of the orchard valley, and never after ventured into the forest.
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1
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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3
glorified
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| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
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4
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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7
meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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counteraction
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| 反对的行动，抵抗，反动 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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10
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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12
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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13
figs
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| figures 数字，图形，外形 | |
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14
migration
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| n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙 | |
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15
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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16
docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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17
caterpillar
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| n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫 | |
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18
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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21
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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22
lamed
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| 希伯莱语第十二个字母 | |
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23
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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24
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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25
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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26
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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27
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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28
deteriorating
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| 恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 ) | |
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29
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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30
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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31
foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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33
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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34
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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37
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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38
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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39
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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40
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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41
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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42
skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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43
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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44
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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45
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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46
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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47
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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48
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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49
scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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51
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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52
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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53
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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54
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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55
purblind
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| adj.半盲的；愚笨的 | |
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56
garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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57
converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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58
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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59
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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