Page:Bambi A Life in the Woods (1928).pdf/47

morning or late evening,” she said, “or at night.”

“And never in the daytime, never?”

His mother hesitated. “Well,” she said at last, “sometimes a few of us do go there in the daytime.. . . But those are special occasions.. . . I can’t just explain it to you, you are too young yet.. . . Some of us do go there. . . . But we are exposed to the greatest danger.”

“What kind of danger?” asked Bambi all attention.

But his mother did not want to go on with the conversation. “We’re in danger, and that’s enough for you, my son. Youc an’t understand such things yet.”

Bambi thought that he could understand everything except why his mother did not want to tell him the truth. But he kept silent.

“That’s what life means for us,” his mother went on, “though we all love the daylight, especially when we’re young, we have to lie quiet all day long. We can only roam around from evening till morning. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” said Bambi.

“So, my son, we'll have to stay where we are. We're safe here. Now lie down again and go to sleep.”