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Вступление
THE TALKING LEAVES
ADAD
Sequoia's winters were sixteen Silent tongue spirit clean
A
He walked at his father's side Across the smoking battle ground
DA
Where red and white men lay all around
So many here had died The wind had scattered around
DAD
Snow white leaves upon the ground Not leaves like leaves from trees
ADA
Sequoia said, "What can this be?" "What's the strange thing here I see?"
DAD
"From where come leaves like these? "Sequoia turned to his father's eyes
A
And he said, "Father you're wise From where come such snow white leaves
With such strange marks upon these squares
ADAD
Not even the wise owl could put them there So strange these snow white leaves"
A
His father shielding his concern Resenting the knowledge Sequoia yearned
DA
Crumbled the snow white leaves He said, "When I explain then it's done
These are talking leaves, my son The white men's talking leaves"
DAD
The white man takes a berry of black and red
ADA
And an eagle's feather from the eagle's bed
ADA
And he makes bird track marks And the marks on the leaves they say
D
Carry messages to his brother far away
AD
And his brother knows what's in his heart
A
They see these marks and they understand
DAD
The truth in the heart of the far off man The enemies can't hear them
A
Said Sequoia's father, "Son
They weave bad medicine on these talking leaves Leave such things to them"
ADA
Then Sequoia walking lightly Followed his father quietly
But so amazed was he
DAD
If the white man talks on leaves Why not the Cherokee?
ADA
Vanished from his father's face Sequoia went from place to place
DAD
But he could not forget Year after year he worked on and on
ADA
Till finally he cut into stone The Cherokee alphabet
A
Sequoia's hair by now was white
His eyes began to lose their light But he taught all who would believe
DAD
That the Indian's thoughts could be written down
ADA
Just as the white men's there on the ground
DA
And he left us these talking leaves