Blackaver's Heart
I am sorry, Hyzenthlay.
I have failed you, let
you down with my terrible inadequacies.
I could not outrun the
Owslafa – I'm sorry.
Ripped ears do not
bother me. The stares of
the does and bucks with shattered
hope for the future hurt
my heart – I'm sorry.
But I am glad
that I saved you from
this fate; the stares, the flies
that buzz about my
ears' pain – I'm sorry.
My heart is like
my fur; as black as
night with no stars, the kind
they have in Efrafa. A
fearful night – I'm sorry.
But now my hope,
too, is gone. I am
wasting into nothingness as dark as
Efrafa. Let me go; let
me die – I'm sorry.
But who is this?
A buck who wished to
join Efrafa and be Owslafa, but
still has heart to ask
my pain? - I'm sorry.
I have given up.
Tomarrow I will sleep past
My watch in this tunnel and
never return. Let me silflay
with Frith – I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Hyzenthlay, but
My time here was wasted.
I have no tricks like El-hairah -
only fur like the Rabbit
of Inle – I'm sorry.