Pagina 486 di 788

He ran; besprinkled with the glittering down, borne forward as if

on wheels by the motion of the close-packed wings, he seemed to

be Chochlik, the winged evil spirit.159

But the most terrible slaughter, though the least uproar, was

among the hens. Young Buzzard assaulted the hencoop, and,

catching them with a cord, he pulled down from the roosts the

cocks and the rough-feathered and crested hens; one after another

he strangled them and laid them in a heap; lovely birds, fed upon

pearl barley. Heedless Buzzard, what fervour carried thee away!

Never after this wilt thou win thy pardon from the angry Zosia!