Part 16 (1/2)
THE PIG You can say your prayers; your last hour has come.... But don't hide the little girl.... I want to feast my eyes on her.... I'm going to eat her first....
TYLTYL What have I done to you?...
THE SHEEP Nothing at all, my little man.... Eaten my little brother, my two sisters, my three uncles, my aunt, my grandpapa and my grandmamma.... Wait, wait, when you're down, you shall see that I have teeth also....
THE a.s.s And I hoofs!...
THE HORSE (_haughtily pawing the ground_) You shall see what you shall see!... Would you rather that I tore you with my teeth or knocked you down with a kick?... (_He moves ostentatiously towards_ TYLTYL, _who faces him and raises his knife. Suddenly the_ HORSE, _seized with panic, turns and rushes away_.) Ah, no!... That's not fair!... That's against the rules!.... He's defending himself!...
THE c.o.c.k (_unable to hide his admiration_) I don't care, the little chap's full of grit!...
THE PIG (_to the_ BEAR _and the_ WOLF) Let us all rush on them together.... I will support you from the rear....
We will throw them down and share the little girl when she is on the ground....
THE WOLF Divert their attention in front.... I am going to make a turning movement....
(_He goes round_ TYLTYL, _whom he attacks from behind and half overthrows_.)
TYLTYL You brute!... (_He raises himself on one knee brandis.h.i.+ng his knife and doing his best to cover his little sister, who utters yells of distress.
Seeing him half overturned, all the_ ANIMALS _and_ TREES _come up and try to hit him_. TYLTYL _calls distractedly for a.s.sistance_.) Help! Help!... Tylo! Tylo!... Where is the Cat?... Tylo!... Tylette!
Tylette!... Come! Come!...
THE CAT (_hypocritically, holding aloof_) I can't come.... I have sprained my paw....
TYLTYL (_warding of the blows and defending himself as best he can_) Help!... Tylo! Tylo!... I can't hold out!... There are too many of them!...
The Bear! The Pig! The Donkey! The a.s.s! The Fir-tree! The Beech!... Tylo!
Tylo! Tylo!...
(_Dragging his broken bonds after him, the_ DOG _leaps from behind the trunk of the_ OAK _and, elbowing his way through_ TREES _and_ ANIMALS, _flings himself before_ TYLTYL, _whom he defends furiously_.)
THE DOG (_distributing great bites_) Here! Here, my little G.o.d!... Don't be afraid! Have at them!... I know how to use my teeth!... Here, there's one for you, Bear, in your fat hams!...
Now then, who wants some more?... Here, that's for the Pig and that's for the Horse and that's for the Bull's tail!... There, I've torn the Beech's trousers and the Oak's petticoat!... The Fir-tree's making tracks!... Whew, it's warm work!...
TYLTYL (_overcome_) I'm done for!... The Cypress has caught me a great blow on the head....
THE DOG Ow!... That's the Willow!... He's broken my paw!...
TYLTYL They're coming back, they're charging down upon us, all together!... This time, it's the Wolf!...
THE DOG Wait till I give him one for himself!...
THE WOLF Fool!... Our brother!... His father drowned your seven puppies!...
THE DOG Quite right!... And a good thing too!... It was because they looked like you!...
ALL THE TREES AND ANIMALS Renegade!... Idiot!... Traitor!... Felon!... Simpleton!... Judas!... Leave him!... He's a dead man!... Come over to us!...
THE DOG (_drunk with ardour and devotion_) Never! Never!... I alone against all of you!... Never! Never!... True to the G.o.ds, to the best, to the greatest!... (_To_ TYLTYL) Take care, here's the Bear!... Beware of the Bull!... I'll jump at his throat....