Железный человек
The Coming of the Iron Man
Onlyoneoftheironhands,lyingbesideanoldsand-loggedwashed-upseaman’sboot,waveditsfingersforaminute,likeacrabonitsback. Thenitlaystill.
Whilethestarswentonwheelingthroughtheskyandthewindwentontuggingatthegrassonthecliff-topandtheseawentonboilingandbooming.
NobodyknewtheIronManhadfallen.
Nightpassed.
Justbeforedawn,asthedarknessgrewblueandtheshapesoftherocksseparatedfromeachother, twoseagullsflewcryingovertherocks.Theylandedonapatchofsand. Theyhadtwochicksinanestonthecliff. Nowtheyweresearchingforfood.
Oneoftheseagullsflewup–Aaaaaark!Hehadseensomething. Heglidedlowoverthesharprocks.Helandedandpickedsomethingup. Somethingshiny,roundandhard.ItwasoneoftheIronMan’seyes. Hebroughtitbacktohismate.Theybothlookedatthisstrangething.Andtheeyelookedatthem. Itrolledfromsidetosidelookingfirstatonegull,thenattheother. Thegulls,peeringatit,thoughtitwasastrangekindofclam,peepingatthemfromitsshell.
Thentheothergullflewup,wheeledaroundandlandedandpickedsomethingup. Someawkward,heavything. Thegullflewlowandslowly,draggingtheheavything. Finally,thegulldroppeditbesidetheeye. Thisnewthinghadfivelegs.Itmoved.Thegullsthoughtitwasastrangekindofcrab. Theythoughttheyhadfoundastrangecrabandastrangeclam. TheydidnotknowtheyhadfoundtheIronMan’seyeandtheIronMan’srighthand.
