Читать книгу A Bag Of Moonshine - Alan Garner, Alan Garner - Страница 9

One winter’s day, Tom Poker went out chopping wood. (It was a hard winter, and times were bad.)

He’d not gone far when he trod on some ice; and he slipped and he fell, and it took his breath away. Tom Poker said to the ice, “Ice, ice,” said Tom Poker, “you’ve knocked me down. You must be strong.”

“I am,” said the ice. “You may depend on it.”

“But when the sun comes, you run away,” said Tom Poker.

“Oh,” said the ice, “that’s very true.”

“Well, then,” said Tom Poker; “sun is stronger.”

And the ice said, “He is, seemingly.”

Tom Poker said to the sun, “Sun, sun,” said Tom Poker, “are you strong?”

“I am,” said the sun. “You may depend on it.”

“But when cloud comes, you hide,” said Tom Poker.

“Oh,” said the sun, “that’s very true.”

“Well, then,” said Tom Poker; “cloud is stronger.”

And the sun said, “She is, seemingly.”

Tom Poker said to the cloud, “Cloud, cloud,” said Tom Poker, “are you strong?”

“I am,” said the cloud. “You may depend on it.”

“But when wind comes, you’re blown to bits,” said Tom Poker.

“Oh,” said the cloud, “that’s very true.”

“Well, then,” said Tom Poker; “wind is stronger.”

And the cloud said, “She is, seemingly.”

Tom Poker said to the wind, “Wind, wind,” said Tom Poker, “are you strong?”

“I am,” said the wind. “You may depend on it.”

“But can you shift hill?” said Tom Poker.

“I can’t,” said the wind. “That’s very true.”

“Well, then,” said Tom Poker; “hill is stronger.”

And the wind said, “He is, seemingly.”

Tom Poker said to the hill, “Hill, hill,” said Tom Poker, “are you strong?”

“I am,” said the hill. “You may depend on it.”

“But can you stand on tree?” said Tom Poker.

“I can’t,” said the hill.

“But tree can stand on you,” said Tom Poker.

“She can,” said the hill. “That’s very true.”

“Well, then,” said Tom Poker; “tree is stronger.”

And the hill said, “She is, seemingly.”

Tom Poker said to the tree, “Tree, tree,” said Tom Poker, “are you strong?”

“I am,” said the tree. “You may depend on it.”

Tom Poker swung his axe. “Then have that! and have that! and have that!” said Tom Poker. “Have that! And now who is strong?” said Tom Poker.

But the tree said never a word; for he’d chopped the tree down.

“Me, seemingly! Strongest of all!” said Tom Poker. And he gave a hop. But he hopped on the ice, and he slipped; and the ice took his breath away from Tom Poker.