Forest World by Felix Salten Read Free Book Online Page A

moist body. Then he carefully stood the calf on its unsteady legs near its mother. “There you are.” He gave Lisa a friendly smile. “The rest is your affair.”
    The calf stood dizzily while Lisa proudly washed it with her tongue. Peter saw that everything was in order and that the calf was muzzling for its milk. He caressed the cow’s flanks. “That was pretty well done,” he said, and went out of the barn.
    He was no sooner gone than the horses rushed to Lisa’s stall.
    â€œOh, what a cute baby!” cried the mare.
    â€œIt’s beautiful all right,” the stallion admitted.
    Manni asked Lisa, “Now you’re happy, aren’t you?”
    The cow didn’t answer, but went on washing her baby.
    â€œNever forget the help that He gave you,” said the donkey.
    â€œHe and His help! I don’t trust it,” whispered the stallion.
    Lisa lifted her head and uttered a loud cry of despair. Her big dark eyes showed returning fear.
    â€œ Must you frighten her?” the donkey scolded Devil. “You ought to be grateful yourself and you talk like a base ingrate!”
    â€œI’m only warning her, that’s all,” Devil defended himself. “Just in case—”
    â€œWell, your warning isn’t needed!” Manni grew angry. “He was good to the milk-giver. He’s always good to us, always does the very best He can for us.” He turned back to Lisa. “You’d better be grateful and stop being so suspicious! Nobody’s going to take your baby!”
    â€œI hope you’re right,” Lisa sighed. She resumed her washing.
    â€œHow that baby drinks!” Witch said gently.
    â€œIt tastes good to him,” remarked Devil, who felt somewhat ashamed now.
    Thoughtfully, contentedly, Manni watched the cow and her calf.

Chapter 7
    T HE THUNDER-STICK HAD SPOKEN again.
    Martin had known that it would, and stayed home.
    A dangerous outlaw stag had to be killed. He had run amok. With his two sharp daggers he had threatened to murder or wound every opponent he could find. He had been attacking all the other stags—until Peter found him.
    And now Arilla, the dead outlaw’s mate, would not move from beside his body.
    Even when Peter lifted his victim up and carried him away, Arilla slipped along too, hidden in the thicket. She looked mournfully at the dangling head of her mate. When it finally disappeared from sight, she sent forth a trembling farewell.
    â€œHow beautiful he was! How wonderfully beautiful and proud!”
    She wept, for she thought she was alone.
    â€œProud?” Rabot, a young buck, joined her. “Proud as evil!”
    â€œNo!” she contradicted him. “He was brave—the bravest of all!”
    â€œWith a crown like his it was easy to be brave.”
    Arilla broke into fresh tears. “That crown! Long, straight as a fir, and so richly pearled! With points as blindingly white as sapling wood when he had rubbed off their covering!”
    â€œThose sharp points were deadly and he threatened everyone with them!”
    â€œYes.” Arilla straightened up proudly. “You feared him. Everyone feared him.”
    â€œDoes that seem good to you? That is certainly a worthy ambition to have! To make everyone afraid of you!”
    â€œWell, it is .” Arilla tossed her head. “Then you’re respected. No one attacks you. No one dares to.”
    â€œYou’re wrong, Arilla. Listen, I’m your friend—we’re all friends together, aren’t we?”
    â€œYe-es.”
    â€œAll right, then tell me: who was his friend? Not a single one of us!”
    â€œHe didn’t need any friends!”
    â€œOh, now you’re wrong again. Everybody needs friends. Having friends gives a fine feeling of security. Friends make life happy.”
    Arilla kept her head turned away. “He had a feeling of security. Because—”
    â€œBecause he fought so?