THE LEECH
And deliberately Zarathustra went further and deeper through forests and past moory vales. But, as cometh to pass with all who meditate on hard things, he stepped on a man unawares. And, behold, a^l at once a cry of pain and two curses and twenty evil abusive words splashed into his face, so that, in his terror, he lifted his stick and beat him on whom he had trodden. But immediately afterwards he re- covered his senses, his heart laughing at the folly just done by him.
" Forgive," said he unto the trodden one, who had got up angrily and sat down again. " Forgive, and, above all, listen unto a parable.
As a wanderer who dreameth of distant things on a lonely road, striketh unawares against a sleeping dog, a dog which is lying in the sun ;
As both of these, terrified unto death, start and snap at each other, like unto mortal enemies, thus it came to pass unto us.
And yet ! And yet ! How little was lacking for them to fondle each other, that dog and that lonely one ! For both are lonely ! "
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