THELANDOFTHEEXILE
&helighthasgrowhesky;Idonotknowwhatthetimeis。
Thereisnofuninmyplay,soIhaveetoyou。ItisSaturday,ourholiday。
Leaveoffyourwork,mother;sitherebythewindowahedesertofTepāntarialeis?
Theshadowoftherainshascoveredthedayfromendtoend。
Thefieringissgtheskywithitsnails。
&hebleanditthunders,Ilovetobeafraidiandgtoyou。
&heheavyrainpattersforhoursonthebambooleaves,andourwindowsshakeahegustsofwialoheroom,mother,withyou,aalkaboutthedesertofTepāntariale。
&,mother,ontheshoreofwhatsea,atthefootofwhathills,inthekingdomofwhatking?
Thereareomarkthefields,nofootpathacrossitbywhichthevillagersreachtheirvillageintheevening,orthewomanwhogathersdrystitheforestgherloadtothemarket。WithpatchesofyellowgrassinthesandandoreewherethepairofwiseoldbirdshavetheirhedesertofTepāntar。
Iehow,onjustsuchacloudyday,theyoungsonofthekingisridingaloneohroughthedesert,iheprinpriso’spalaceacrossthatunkno>
&hehazeoftherainesdowsky,andlightningstartsuplikeasuddenfitofpain,doesherememberhisunhappymother,abahekihecoinghereyes,whileheridesthroughthedesertofTepāntariale?
&her,itisalmostdarkbeforethedayisover,aravellersyohevillageroad。
Theshepherdboyhasgonehomeearlyfromthepasture,andmeheirfieldstositonmatsuheirhuts,watgthesgclouds。
Mother,Ihaveleftallmybooksoaskmetodomylessonsnow。
WhenIgrowupandambiglikemyfather,Ishalllearnallthatmustbelearnt。
Butjustforto-day,tellme,mother,wherethedesertofTepāntarialeis?