Page:Bambi A Life in the Woods (1928).pdf/129

fire would shoot out and far away from Him you would drop down dying with your breast torn open. They all sat bowed while they talked about Him, as though they felt the presence of some dark, unknown power controlling them.

They listened curiously to the many stories that were always horrible, full of blood and suffering. They listened tirelessly to everything that was said about Him, tales that were certainly invented, all the stories and sayings that had come down from their fathers and great-grandfathers. In each one of them they were unconsciously seeking for some way to propitiate this dark power, or some way to escape it.

“What difference does it make,” young Karus asked quite despondently, “how far away He is when He kills your”

“Didn’t your clever crow explain that to you?” old Nettla mocked.

“No,” said Karus with a smile. “She says that she’s often seen Him but no one can explain Him.”

“Yes, he knocks the crows out of the trees, too, when he wants to,” Ronno observed.

“And he brings down the pheasant on the wing,” Aunt Ena added.