Prevod
There was once a man who had written some new verses for the “ABC Book”—two lines for each letter, just as in the old ABC. He thought it was time for something new: the old verses were so worn out, and he was always very fond of his own. The new ABC was still only in manuscript, and had been placed beside the old printed one in the great bookcase, where so many learned books and entertaining books stood. But the old ABC evidently did not care to be the new one’s neighbour, for it had jumped off the shelf, giving the new one a shove as it went, so that it too lay on the floor, with all its loose leaves scattered about. The old ABC lay with its first page uppermost, and that is its most important page, for there stand all the letters, capitals and small. That page contains everything all the other books live on: the alphabet, the letters that rule the world. What a tremendous power they possess! Everything depends on how they are ordered to stand. They can give life, kill, gladden, and grieve. Set up singly, they mean nothing; but marshalled in ranks—why, when Our Lord made them bear His thoughts, we felt more than we could endure and bowed low, yet the letters were able to bear it.
There they lay now, facing upwards! And the Cock in the great A shone with red, blue, and green feathers. He puffed out his chest, for he knew what the letters meant, and that he was the only living creature among them.
When the old ABC Book fell to the floor, he flapped his wings, flew out, and perched on the edge of the bookcase, smoothed his feathers with his beak, and crowed until the sound rang through the room. Every book in the case, which otherwise stood night and day as though dozing whenever it was not in use, heard that trumpet blast. Then the Cock spoke out, loud and clear, about the wrong done to the worthy old ABC Book.
“Everything must be new nowadays, everything must be different!” he said. “Everything must be so advanced! Children are so clever that now they can read before they know their letters. ‘They must have something new!’ said the man who wrote the new ABC verses lying scattered there on the floor. I know them! More than ten times I have heard him read them aloud to himself; he took such pleasure in it. No, give me my own good old verses, with Xanthus, and the pictures that go with them! I shall fight for them, I shall crow for them! Every book in the case must know them well! Now I shall read these new handwritten ones, and read them quite calmly! Then let us agree that they are no good!”
A. Nurse. A nurse goes dressed in Sunday best, With others’ children proudly blessed. B. Farmer. Once farmers suffered many a slight; Now they push forward left and right!
“I find that verse utterly feeble!” said the Cock. “But I shall read on!”
C. Columbus. Columbus sailed the ocean blue, And made the world as large as two!
D. Denmark. Of Denmark’s realm the legends say, God will not turn His hand away! “A great many people will find that very fine!” said the Cock. “But I don’t! I find nothing here fine at all! On we go!”
E. Elephant. An elephant has a heavy tread, Though youthful thoughts may fill his head! F. Eclipse. Eclipses suit the moon, perhaps: It spends so long in little caps!
G. Hog. Though in his snout a ring you place, A hog will never learn good grace. H. Hurrah. A loud hurrah is often heard To be a most unthinking word! “How is a child to understand that?” said the Cock. “True, the title page says, ‘An ABC Book for Young and Old,’ but the old have other things to do than read ABC verses, and the young cannot understand them! There are limits to everything! On we go!”
J. Earth. Our Earth is our mother, so great and so round, And back in our mother at last we are found! “Well, that is coarse!” said the Cock. K. Cow. Calf. A cow is a bull’s good lady wife; A calf may reach the same in life!
“Now how is anyone * to explain that family relationship to children?”
L. Lion. Lorgnette. Wild lions need no lorgnette to see; Tame lions in the stalls disagree.
M. Morning Sun. The golden morning sun will rise, Though not because the farm cock cries. “Now he is insulting me!” said the Cock. “But at least I am in good company—in company with the sun! On we go!”
N. Negro. A Negro’s black his whole life through; No washing makes him white for you. O. Olive Leaf. The finest leaf—can you say which? The dove’s own olive leaf was such.
P. Brow. A human brow may hold in store What times and lands can scarce find room for. Q. Cattle. To own fine cattle is a treat; To be one is a lesser feat.
E. Round Tower. Though like the Round Tower you are made, That does not give you noble grade. S. Swine. Do not let pride possess your mind Because your woods hold many swine.
“Now, if you will allow me, I shall crow!” said the Cock. “Reading so much is a strain on one’s strength! One must draw breath!” And then he crowed, with a sound as piercing as a brass trumpet, and it was a great pleasure to hear—for the Cock. “On we go!”
T. Teakettle. Tea Urn. The kettle ranks as chimney, yet Can sing as fine as urns, you bet. U. Clock. Though clocks keep striking as they run, Eternity is never done!
“That is meant to be so deep,” said the Cock, “but I cannot find it at the bottom!”
V. Raccoon. A raccoon washes things with such care, It may wash till there is nothing there!
X. — — “Here he could not think of anything new!” In the sea of marriage a rock is known: Xanthippe, said Socrates, naming his own. “He had to fall back on Xanthippe after all. Xanthus is better!”
Y. Ygdrasil. Beneath Ygdrasil’s tree the gods held sway; The tree and the gods have passed away! “We are nearly through now!” said the Cock. “That is always a comfort. On we go.”
Æ. Ass. An ass is still an ass, behold, Although its body’s clad in gold. Ø. Oyster. An oyster puts no trust in men: They eat it out of house and home!
“That is the end of it! But it is not over yet! Now it is to be printed! And then it is to be read! It is to be offered in place of the worthy old alphabet verses in my book! What does the assembly say—learned and unlearned, single volumes and collected works? What does the bookcase say? I have spoken—now the others may act!”
And the books stood, and the bookcase stood, but the Cock flew back down into his great A and looked proudly about him. “I spoke well, I crowed well! The new ABC Book cannot match that! It is sure to die! It is dead already! It has no Cock!”
