Waltey
Žrtveno jagnje
158 The Lamb of Sacrifice
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land · Charles M. SkinnerO besedilu
Žrtveno jagnje
- Vir
- Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
- Avtor
- Charles M. Skinner
- Jezik branja
- Slovenščina
- Jezik izvirnika
- English
- Čas branja
- 2 min branja
- Obseg
- 2 strani
- Naslov izvirnika
- 158 The Lamb of Sacrifice
O izvirniku
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
Obsežna zgodovinska zbirka ameriških legend, ki jih je Skinner zbral in avtorsko rekonstruiral. Bralni jezik je Slovenščina, izvirnik pa prihaja iz vira Myths and Legends of Our Own Land v jeziku English.
Besedilo
Žrtveno jagnje
Revolucija se je začenjala, domovi so bili prazni, kmetije zapuščene, industrija je zastajala, rekvizicije tuje vojske pa so izčrpale zaloge prebivalstva. V dolino reke Connecticut je prijezdil sel z novicami o stiski v obalnih mestih in prosil kmete, naj odstopijo nekaj živine, mlinarje pa, naj prispevajo nekaj moke za pomoč Bostonu. Ko je prispel v Windham, ga je prijazno sprejel pastor White, ki je z zvonjenjem sklical svoje vernike in s cerkvenih stopnic tako zgovorno opisal stisko svojih bratov, da je imel sel do večera že čredo ovc, čredo goveda in voz žita, s katerimi naj bi zjutraj krenil na pot. Pastorjeva hči, plašna deklica devetih ali desetih let, je s svojim ljubljenim jagnjetom prišla k očetu in mu rekla: »Tudi tega moram dati, saj so tam majhni otroci, ki jokajo, ker nimajo kruha in mesa.«
»Ne, ne,« je odgovoril pastor, jo pobožal po glavi in se ji nasmehnil. »Od otročičev ne pričakujejo pomoči. Le steci v posteljo, jutri pa se boš lahko igrala s svojim jagnjetom.«
Toda v jutranji zarji, ko je sel gnal čredo po vaški ulici, se je obrnil ob klicu otroškega glasu in čez kamnit zid zagledal deklico, ob njej pa njeno snežno belo jagnje.
»Počakajte,« je zaklicala, »moje jagnje mora k lačnim otrokom v Boston. Tako majhno je, prosim, nesite ga del poti in mu dajte sveže trave in vode. To je vse, kar imam.«
S temi besedami je poljubila nedolžni obrazek svojega ljubljenčka, ga položila mladeniču v naročje in stekla proč, po licih pa so se ji lesketale solze. Sel je malo bitje stisnil k prsim in občudujoče gledal za deklico: v njem sta se razplamtela ponos in upanje za deželo, v kateri so se celo otroci odzivali klicu domoljubja. »Bog mi pomagaj, to jagnje bom odnesel v mesto kot žrtveni dar.« Nato se je obrnil proti vzhodu in z odločnim korakom krenil naprej.
Izvirnik
158 The Lamb of Sacrifice
Naslednje strani prikazujejo izvirno besedilo za primerjavo.
The Revolution was beginning, homes were empty, farms were deserted, industries were checked, and the levies of a foreign army had consumed the stores of the people. A messenger rode into the Connecticut Valley with tidings of the distress that was in the coast towns, and begged the farmer folk to spare some of their cattle and the millers some of their flour for the relief of Boston. On reaching Windham he was received with good will by Parson White, who summoned his flock by peal of bell, and from the steps of his church urged the needs of his brethren with such eloquence that by nightfall the messenger had in his charge a flock of sheep, a herd of cattle, and a load of grain, with which he was to set off in the morning. The parson's daughter, a shy maid of nine or ten, went to her father, with her pet lamb, and said to him, “I must give this, too, for there are little children who are crying for bread and meat.”
“No, no,” answered the pastor, patting her head and smiling upon her. “They do not ask help from babes. Run to bed and you shall play with your lamb to-morrow.”
But in the red of the morning, as he drove his herd through the village street, the messenger turned at the hail of a childish voice, and looking over a stone wall he saw the little one with her snow-white lamb beside her.
“Wait,” she cried, “for my lamb must go to the hungry children of Boston. It is so small, please to carry it for some of the way, and let it have fresh grass and water. It is all I have.”
So saying, she kissed the innocent face of her pet, gave it into the arms of the young man, and ran away, her cheeks shining with tears. Folding the little creature to his breast, the messenger looked admiringly after the girl: he felt a glow of pride and hope for the country whose very children responded to the call of patriotism. “Now, God help me, I will carry this lamb to the city as a sacrifice.” So saying, he set his face to the east and vigorously strode forward.
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