Ветер в ивах
The River Bank
Whetheryougetaway,orwhetheryoudon’t;whetheryouarriveatyourdestinationorwhetheryoureachsomewhereelse,orwhetheryounevergetanywhereatall,you’realwaysbusy,andyouneverdoanythinginparticular;andwhenyou’vedoneitthere’salwayssomethingelsetodo,andyoucandoitifyoulike,butyou’dmuchbetternot.Lookhere!Ifyou’vereallynothingelseonhandthismorning,supposingwedropdowntherivertogether,andhavealongdayofit?"
TheMolewaggledhistoesfromsheerhappiness,spreadhischestwithasighoffullcontentment,andleantbackblissfullyintothesoftcushions."WhatadayI’mhaving!"hesaid."Letusstartatonce!"
"Holdhardaminute,then!"saidtheRat.Heloopedthepainterthrougharinginhislanding-stage,climbedupintohisholeabove,andafterashortintervalreappearedstaggeringunderafatwickerluncheon-basket.
"Shovethatunderyourfeet,"heobservedtotheMole,ashepasseditdownintotheboat.Thenheuntiedthepainterandtookthescullsagain.
"What’sinsideit?"askedtheMole,wrigglingwithcuriosity.
"There’scoldchickeninsideit,"repliedtheRatbriefly:
"coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinssaladfrenchrolls–
cresssandwichespottedmeatgingerbeerlemonadesodawater—"
"Ostop,stop!"criedtheMoleinecstasies.