THEHERO
&usimagiravellingandpassingthreanddangeroustry。
YinapalanquinandIamtrottingbyyouonaredhorse。
Itiseveningandthesuhewastehilieswanandgreybeforeus。Thelaeandbarren。
Yhtehinking—“Iknoehaveeto。”
Isaytoyou,“Mother,donotbeafraid。”
Themeadowispricklywithspikygrass,andthroughitrunsanarrowbrokenpath。
Thereareobeseeniheyhavegoheirvillagestalls。
Itgrowsdarkanddimonthelandandsky,aellwherewearegoing。
Suddenlyyoudaskmeilightisthathebank?”
Justthesoutafearfulyell,andfigureserunningtowardsus。
Yousitcrouyourpalanquihehegodsinprayer。
Thebearers,shakinginterror,hidethemselvesihornybush。
Ishouttoyou,“Don’tbeafraid,mother,Iamhere。”
Withlongstitheirhandsandhairallwildabouttheirheads,theyenearerandnearer。
Ishout,“Haveacare!Youvillaiepmoreandyouaredeadmen。”
Theygiveaerribleyellandrushfor>
Youclutdandsay,“Dearboy,forheaven’ssake,keepawayfromthem。”
Isay,“Mother,justyouwatchme。”
ThenIspurmyhallop,andmyswordandbucklerclashagaiher。
&beessofearful,mother,thatitwouldgiveyouacoldshuddercouldyouseeitfromyourpalanquin。
Manyofthemfly,aopieces。
Iknowyouarethinking,sittingallbyyourself,thatyourboymustbedeadbythistime。
ButIetoyouallstaihblood,andsay,“Mhtisovernow。”
Youeoutandkissme,pressioyourheart,andyousaytoyourself,
“Idon’tknowwhatIshoulddoifIhadn’tmyboytoese。”
Athousahierday,andwhy’tsugetruebyce?
Itwouldbelikeastoryinabook。
Mybrotherwouldsay,“Isitpossible?Ialwaysthoughthewassodelicate!”
epeoplewouldallsayi,“Wasitnotluckythattheboywaswithhismother?”