Читать книгу Gobble-Up Stories - Oscar Mandel - Страница 12

THE EAGLE ON THE MOUNTAIN

Five sportsmen were climbing a huge mountain which no human being had ever scaled. The gales blew and whistled between the crags, on all sides chasms opened, the air was thin, the men gasped and tottered in the hurls of snow, three were buried in an avalanche which tore the face of the mountain, a fourth lost hold of a ledge and fell headlong to his death, and at last the fifth stumbled to the top, where, under a cold sun, he planted the flag of his favorite nation. The top of the flagpole happened to be adorned with a large brass knob. An eagle, attracted by this shiny new object, descended and perched on the knob, even as the last sportsman was beginning his journey down. The brass ball made an elegant seat, he thought, and after taking a few nibbles from the flag he decided he liked it too; it had a colorful taste. Another eagle flew by. “What have you got there?” he called.

“Oh, nothing. Just a new perch and things,” replied the first eagle.

“How did you ever find them?” asked his friend, who was strongly impressed.

“I hate to boast,” said the eagle, “but do you see that biped lumbering downhill? He brought them up for me.” The other eagle could hardly deny the evidence. Word soon spread, and the lucky bird on the flagpole became the most considered eagle of the range.