Excerpt
Bambiand#8217;s Children andlt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../styles/9781442487475.css"andgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;a id="ch01"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;andlt;a id="page_1"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;andlt;img width="138" height="180" src="../images/ch01.jpg" alt="Images"andgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;h3 andgt;Chapter Oneandlt;/h3andgt; andlt;BRandgt;THE DARKNESS TOWARD THE EAST was thinning now. Still the owland#8217;s cry drifted down the pathways of the forest, pale stars glimmered in the farthest gloom; but fox and marten paused from hunting, belly-deep in mist, and sniffed the coming dawn.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Trees, unwilling to awake, turned restless leaves; the birds that roosted in their branches opened round and sleepy eyes. A twig snapped suddenly.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;a id="page_2"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;and#8220;Whoand#8217;s that?and#8221; a startled magpie cried. and#8220;Whoand#8217;s that moving there?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Her mate drew a sleepy head from under his wing.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;No one! Who could it be?and#8221; he chided her crossly. and#8220;Just worry, worry, worry, and itand#8217;s hardly dawnand#160;.and#160;.and#160;.and#160;!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;We heard it, too, we did! Thereand#8217;s surely something coming!and#8221; the tomtits in the bushes whispered fearfully.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;A blackbird tried a fluty note. A jay, inquisitive and unafraid, screeched cheerfully:andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Itand#8217;s Faline, the roe-deer! Faline and her children!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Crows came flapping from their nests.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Faline!and#8221; they echoed disapprovingly. and#8220;She spoils her children. They have their own way in everything. Disgraceful!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Faline turned her quiet brown eyes upward to the treetops.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;You see, Geno,and#8221; she said, and#8220;what they think of me? Now, be a good boy and stop whining.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;But Iand#8217;m tired. I want to lie down,and#8221; Geno complained.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Heand#8217;s not a bit tired!and#8221; His sister Gurri trotted close andlt;a id="page_3"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;to her motherand#8217;s red-brown flanks. and#8220;Itand#8217;s just because I ran faster than he did when I played his stupid old game. Heand#8217;s an old sorehead!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Iand#8217;m not a sorehead, and you canand#8217;t run as fast as I can! Youand#8217;re just a girl, thatand#8217;s all you areand#160;.and#160;.and#160;.and#160;!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Iand#8217;d like to know what thatand#8217;s got to do with it!and#8221; Gurri tossed her head and a shower of dewdrops fell gleaming from a low-hanging bush.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Children!and#8221; Faline remonstrated soothingly.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Well, Mother, if he wasnand#8217;t such a spoilsport! Boso and Lana wanted to go on playing, but he,and#8221; she mimicked him disparagingly, and#8220;he was so tired!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Angrily Geno drummed his small hoofs on the winding path.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Youand#8217;ll see! I wonand#8217;t show you any more games!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;All right, Iand#8217;ll make up my own!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;You will!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;All right, Boso will! Heand#8217;s cleverer than you are and heand#8217;s nice!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The crows flew away with great flapping of black wings.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;a id="page_4"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;and#8220;You see? What did we tell you!and#8221; they croaked scornfully. and#8220;Just listen to those children!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Nasty black things!and#8221; Geno scoffed. and#8220;If my father, Bambi, were here, heand#8217;d show you!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Ho, ho, ho!and#8221; chortled the crows. and#8220;Teach him manners, Faline!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;A woodpecker paused in his drumming at an old oak tree.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Thatand#8217;s it, Faline,and#8221; he cried shrilly; and#8220;otherwise heand#8217;ll have no friends when he needs them.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;The woodpeckerand#8217;s giving good advice,and#8221; Faline told her son; but Geno interrupted her. He leaped away from the path-side, jostling his sister.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Somethingand#8217;s coming through the bushes!and#8221; Black nostrils trembled; ears peaked toward the sound.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Faline regarded him placidly. and#8220;Itand#8217;s only the polecat,and#8221; she told him. and#8220;He wonand#8217;t hurt you. Donand#8217;t be frightened.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;The polecat smells awful!and#8221; Gurri shied a little, nostrils closed.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Thatand#8217;s how he protects himself. Itand#8217;s good protection. He doesnand#8217;t have to run fast, or to watch forever, even in the most dangerous place.and#8221;