Ветер в ивах
The River Bank
Hethoughthishappinesswascompletewhen,ashemeanderedaimlesslyalong,suddenlyhestoodbytheedgeofafull-fedriver.Neverinhislifehadheseenariverbefore—thissleek,sinuous,full-bodiedanimal,chasingandchuckling,grippingthingswithagurgleandleavingthemwithalaugh,toflingitselfonfreshplaymatesthatshookthemselvesfree,andwerecaughtandheldagain.Allwasa-shakeanda-shiver—glintsandgleamsandsparkles,rustleandswirl,chatterandbubble.TheMolewasbewitched,entranced,fascinated.Bythesideoftheriverhetrottedasonetrots,whenverysmall,bythesideofamanwhoholdsonespellboundbyexcitingstories;andwhentiredatlast,hesatonthebank,whiletheriverstillchatteredontohim,ababblingprocessionofthebeststoriesintheworld,sentfromtheheartoftheearthtobetoldatlasttotheinsatiablesea.
Ashesatonthegrassandlookedacrosstheriver,adarkholeinthebankopposite,justabovethewater’sedge,caughthiseye,anddreamilyhefelltoconsideringwhatanice,snugdwelling-placeitwouldmakeforananimalwithfewwantsandfondofabijouriversideresidence,abovefloodlevelandremotefromnoiseanddust.Ashegazed,somethingbrightandsmallseemedtotwinkledownintheheartofit,vanished,thentwinkledoncemorelikeatinystar.Butitcouldhardlybeastarinsuchanunlikelysituation;anditwastooglitteringandsmallforaglow-worm.
