,,eve',s ,,di>y   ,by ,m>k ,twa9        
,illu/rat$ by ,le/] ,ralph              
,translat$ f ! ,orig9al   ,"p #b4       
,,sunday4--,x is pleasant aga91 n[1 & ,i
 am happy2 b ^? 7 heavy days2 ,i d n ?9k
 ( !m :5 ,i c help x4  ,i tri$ to get   
him "s ( ^? apples1 b ,i _c le>n to ?r[ 
/raight4  ,i fail$1 b ,i ?9k ! good     
int5tion pleas$ him4 ,!y are =bidd51 &  
he says ,i %all come to h>m2 b s ,i come
 to h>m ?r\gh pleas+ him1 :y %all ,i c>e
 = t h>m8    ,,monday4--,?is morn+ ,i   
told him my "n1 hop+ x w\ld int]e/ him4 
,b he did n c>e = x4  ,x is /range4  ,if
 he %\ld tell me 8 "n1 ,i w\ld c>e4  ,i 
?9k x w\ld be pleasant] 9 my e>s ?an any
 o!r s\nd4  ,he talks v little4  ,p]haps
 x is because he is n bright1 & is      
s5sitive ab\t x & wi%es to conceal x4   
,x is su* a pity t he %\ld feel s1 =    
brightness is no?+2 x is 9 ! he>t t !   
values lie4  ,i wi% ,i c\ld make him    
und]/& t a lov+ good he>t is ri*es1 &   
ri*es en\gh1 & t )\t x intellect is     
pov]ty4  ,al?\gh he talks s little1 he  

has q a consid]able vocabul>y4 ,?is     
morn+ he us$ a surpris+ly good ^w4 ,he  
evid5tly recogniz$1 himself1 t x 0 a    
good "o1 = he work$ 9 9 twice aft]w>d1  
casually4  ,x 0 good casual art1 /ill x 
%[$ t he possesses a c]ta9 quality (    
p]ception4 ,)\t a d\bt t se$ c be made  
to gr[1 if cultivat$4  ,:]e did he get t
 ^w8  ,i d n ?9k ,i h ev] us$ x4  ,no1  
he took no int]e/ 9 my "n4  ,i tri$ to  
hide my disappo9tm5t1 b ,i suppose ,i   
did n succe$4  ,i w5t away & sat on !   
moss-bank ) my feet 9 ! wat]4  ,x is :]e
 ,i g :5 ,i hung] = companion%ip1 "s "o 
to look at1 "s "o to talk to4 ,x is n   
en\gh--t lovely :ite body pa9t$ !re 9 ! 
pool--b x is some?+1 & some?+ is bett]  
?an utt] lonel9ess4 ,x talks :5 ,i talk2
 x is sad :5 ,i am sad2 x com=ts me )   
its sympa?y2 x says1 ,d n be d[nhe>t$1 y
 poor fri5dless girl2 ,i w be y\r fri5d4
  ,x ,,is a good fri5d to me1 & my only 
"o2 x is my si/]4  ,t fir/ "t t %e =sook
 me6 ah1 ,i %all nev] =get t --nev]1    
nev]4  ,my he>t 0 lead 9 my body6  ,i   

said1 ,%e 0 all ,i _h1 & n[ %e is gone6 
,9 my despair ,i said1 ,break1 my he>t2 
,i _c be> my life any m6 & hid my face 9
 my h&s1 & !re 0 no solace = me4  ,& :5 
,i took !m away1 aft] a little1 !re %e 0
 aga91 :ite & %9+ & beautiful1 & ,i     
sprang into h] arms6  ,t 0 p]fect       
happ9ess2 ,i _h kn[n happ9ess be=e1 b x 
0 n l ?is1 :i* 0 ec/asy4  ,i nev] d\bt$ 
h] aft]w>d4 ,sometimes %e /ay$          
away--maybe an h\r1 maybe almo/ ! :ole  
day1 b ,i wait$ & did n d\bt2 ,i said1  
,%e is busy1 or %e is gone on a j\rney1 
b %e w come4  ,& x 0 s3 %e always did4  
,at night %e w\ld n come if x 0 d>k1 =  
%e 0 a timid little ?+2 b if !re 0 a    
moon %e w\ld come4 ,i am n afraid ( !   
d>k1 b %e is y\ng] ?an ,i am2 %e 0 born 
aft] ,i 04  ,_m & _m are ! visits ,i h  
paid h]2 %e is my com=t & my refuge :5  
my life is h>d--& x is ma9ly t4         
,,tuesday4--,all ! morn+ ,i 0 at "w     
improv+ ! e/ate2 & ,i purposely kept    
away f him 9 ! hope t he w\ld get lonely
 & come4  ,b he did n4  ,at noon ,i     

/opp$ = ! day & took my recreation by   
flitt+ all ab\t ) ! bees & ! butt]flies 
& revel+ 9 ! fl[]s1 ^? beautiful        
creatures t cat* ! smile ( ,god out ( ! 
sky & pres]ve x6  ,i ga!r$ !m1 & made !m
 into wrea?s & g>l&s & clo!d myself 9 !m
 :ile ,i ate my lun*eon--apples1 (      
c\rse2 !n ,i sat 9 ! %ade & wi%$ &      
wait$4 ,b he did n come4  ,b no matt]4  
,no?+ w\ld h come ( x1 = he does n c>e =
 fl[]s4  ,he call$ !m rubbi%1 & _c tell 
"o f ano!r1 & ?9ks x is sup]ior to feel 
l t4  ,he does n c>e = me1 he does n c>e
 = fl[]s1 he does n c>e = ! pa9t$ sky at
 ev5tide--is !re any?+ he does c>e =1   
except build+ %acks to coop himself up 9
 f ! good clean ra91 & ?ump+ ! melons1 &
 sampl+ ! grapes1 & f+]+ ! fruit on !   
trees1 to see h[ ^? prop]ties are com+  
along8  ,i laid a dry /ick on ! gr\nd & 
tri$ to bore a hole 9 x ) ano!r "o1 9   
ord] to c>ry out a s*eme t ,i _h1 & soon
 ,i got an awful fright4  ,a ?91        
transp>5t blui% film rose out ( ! hole1 
& ,i dropp$ ev]y?+ & ran6  ,i ?\ght x 0 

a _s1 & ,i ,,0 s fright5$6  ,b ,i look$ 
back1 & x 0 n com+2 s ,i lean$ aga9/ a  
rock & re/$ & pant$1 & let my limbs g on
 trembl+ until !y got /eady aga92 !n ,i 
crept w>ily back1 al]t1 wat*+1 & ready  
to fly if !re 0 occasion2 & :5 ,i 0 come
 ne>1 ,i p>t$ ! bran*es ( a rose-bu% &  
peep$ ?r\gh--wi%+ ! man 0 ab\t1 ,i 0    
look+ s cunn+ & pretty--b ! sprite 0    
gone4 ,i w5t !re1 & !re 0 a p9* (       
delicate p9k du/ 9 ! hole4 ,i put my f+]
 91 to feel x1 & said ,,ou*6 & took x   
out aga94  ,x 0 a cruel pa94  ,i put my 
f+] 9 my m\?2 & by /&+ fir/ on "o foot &
 !n ! o!r1 & grunt+1 ,i pres5tly eas$ my
 mis]y2 !n ,i 0 full ( int]e/1 & began  
to exam9e4  ,i 0 curi\s to "k :at ! p9k 
du/ 04  ,sudd5ly ! "n ( x occurr$ to me1
 ?\gh ,i _h nev] he>d ( x be=e4  ,x 0   
,,fire6 ,i 0 z c]ta9 ( x z a p]son c\ld 
be ( any?+ 9 ! _w4 ,s )\t hesitation ,i 
nam$ x t--fire4  ,i _h creat$ some?+ t  
didn't exi/ be=e2 ,i _h add$ a new ?+ to
 ! _w's unc\ntable prop]ties2 ,i realiz$
 ?is1 & 0 pr\d ( my a*ievem5t1 & 0 go+  

to run & f9d him & tell him ab\t x1 ?9k+
 to raise myself 9 8 e/eem--b ,i        
reflect$1 & did n d x4  ,no--he w\ld n  
c>e = x4 ,he w\ld ask :at x 0 good =1 & 
:at c\ld ,i answ]8 = if x 0 n ,,good =  
some?+1 b only beautiful1 m]ely         
beautiful--  ,s ,i sigh$1 & did n g4  ,=
 x wasn't good = any?+2 x c\ld n build a
 %ack1 x c\ld n improve melons1 x c\ld n
 hurry a fruit crop2 x 0 useless1 x 0 a 
fooli%ness & a vanity2 he w\ld despise x
 & say cutt+ words4 ,b to me x 0 n      
despicable2 ,i said1 ,oh1 y fire1 ,i    
love y1 y da9ty p9k creature1 = y are   
,,beautiful--& t is en\gh6 & 0 go+ to   
ga!r x to my brea/4 ,b refra9$4 ,!n ,i  
made ano!r maxim out ( my head1 ?\gh x 0
 s ne>ly l ! fir/ "o t ,i 0 afraid x 0  
only a plagi>ism3 ,,! ,,burnt ,,exp]im5t
 ,,%uns ,,! ,,fire4  ,i wr\ght aga92 &  
:5 ,i _h made a good deal ( fire-du/ ,i 
empti$ x into a h&ful ( dry br[n grass1 
int5d+ to c>ry x home & keep x always & 
play ) x2 b ! w9d /ruck x & x spray$ up 
& spat out at me fi]cely1 & ,i dropp$ x 

& ran4 ,:5 ,i look$ back ! blue _s 0    
t[]+ up & /ret*+ & roll+ away l a cl\d1 
& in/antly ,i ?\ght ( ! "n (            
x--,,smoke6--?\gh1 ^u my ^w1 ,i _h nev] 
he>d ( smoke be=e4  ,soon brilliant     
yell[ & r$ fl>es %ot up ?r\gh ! smoke1 &
 ,i nam$ !m 9 an in/ant--,,flames--& ,i 
0 "r1 too1 ?\gh ^! 7 ! v fir/ flames t  
_h ev] be5 9 ! _w4  ,!y climb$ ! trees1 
!n fla%$ spl5didly 9 & out ( ! va/ &    
increas+ volume ( tumbl+ smoke1 & ,i _h 
to clap my h&s & laugh & dance 9 my     
rapture1 x 0 s new & /range & s wond]ful
 & s beautiful6  ,he came runn+1 & /opp$
 & gaz$1 & said n a ^w = _m m9utes4  ,!n
 he ask$ :at x 04  ,ah1 x 0 too bad t he
 %\ld ask su* a direct "q4  ,i _h to    
answ] x1 ( c\rse1 & ,i did4 ,i said x 0 
fire4  ,if x annoy$ him t ,i %\ld "k &  
he mu/ ask2 t 0 n my fault2 ,i _h no    
desire to annoy him4 ,aft] a pause he   
ask$3  ,h[ did x come8  ,ano!r direct   
"q1 & x also _h to h a direct answ]4  ,i
 made x4  ,! fire 0 travel+ f>!r & f>!r 
(f4  ,he w5t to ! edge ( ! burn$ place &

 /ood look+ d[n1 & said3  ,:at are ^!8  
,fire-coals4  ,he pick$ up "o to exam9e 
x1 b *ang$ 8 m9d & put x d[n aga94  ,!n 
he w5t away4  ,,no?+ int]e/s him4  ,b ,i
 0 int]e/$4  ,!re 7 a%es1 gray & s(t &  
delicate & pretty--,i knew :at !y 7 at  
once4  ,& ! emb]s2 ,i knew ! emb]s1 too4
  ,i f\nd my apples1 & rak$ !m out1 & 0 
glad2 = ,i am v "y & my appetite is     
active4 ,b ,i 0 disappo9t$2 !y 7 all    
bur/ op5 & spoil$4 ,spoil$ app>5tly2 b x
 0 n s2 !y 7 bett] ?an raw ones4 ,fire  
is beautiful2 "s day x w be useful1 ,i  
?9k4    ,,friday4--,i saw him aga91 = a 
mom5t1 la/ ,monday at nightfall1 b only 
= a mom5t4  ,i 0 hop+ he w\ld praise me 
= try+ to improve ! e/ate1 = ,i _h meant
 well & _h work$ h>d4 ,b he 0 n pleas$1 
& turn$ away & left me4  ,he 0 also     
displeas$ on ano!r acc\nt3  ,i tri$ once
 m to p]suade him to /op go+ ov] !      
,falls4  ,t 0 because ! fire _h reveal$ 
to me a new passion --q new1 & di/9ctly 
diff]5t f love1 grief1 & ^? o!rs :i* ,i 
_h already discov]$--,,fe>4  ,& x is    

horrible6--,i wi% ,i _h nev] discov]$ x2
 x gives me d>k mom5ts1 x spoils my     
happ9ess1 x makes me %iv] & tremble &   
%udd]4 ,b ,i c\ld n p]suade him1 = he   
has n discov]$ fe> yet1 & s he c\ld n   
und]/& me4