PuiulIoanAlexandruBratescuVoinesti

Introprimavara,oprepelitaaproapemoartadeobosealacaveneadedeparte,
tocmaidinAfricasalasatdinzborintrunlanverdedegrau,lamargineaunui
lastar.Dupacesaodihnitvreocateva
zile,ainceputsaadunebetigase,foiuscate,paiesifiredefansisiafacutuncuibpe
unmosoroidepamant,maisus,casanuilineceploile;peurma,sapteziledea
randulaouatcateunou,intotsapte
ouamicicanistecofeturisiainceputsalecloceasca.Aivazutcumstagainapeoua?
Asastasiea,doarcaeainlocsasteaincotet,staafaraingrau;siploua,plouade
varsasieanusemisca,canucumvasapatrunzaopicaturadeploaielaoua.Dupatrei
saptamaniiauiesitnistepuidraguti,nugoicapuiidevrabie,imbracaticupufgalben
capuiidegaina,darmici,parcaerausaptegogosidematase,siauinceputsaumble
pringraudupamancare.Prepelitaprindeacateofurnica,oricateolacusta,leo
firimiteainbucatelemici,siei,pic!pic!pic!cucioculetelelor,omancaunumaidecat.
Sieraufrumosi,cumintisiascultatori;seplimbauprimprejurulmameilorsicandii
striga:Pitpalac!repedeveneaulangaea.Odata,priniunie,candauvenittaraniisa
seceregraul,almaimaredintrepuinaalergatrepedelachemareamasii,sicumnu
stiasazboare,hat!laprinsunflacausubcaciula.Cefricaapatitcandsasimtit
stransinpalmaflacaului,numa,elastiut;iibateainimacaceasorniculmeudin
buzunar;daraavutnorocdeuntaranbatran,caresarugatpentruel:
Lasaljos,maMarine,caepacatdeel,moare.Nulvezicadeabiaecatluleaua?!
Candsavazutscapat,fugasperiatlaprepelitasaispuieceapatit.Ealaluat,la
mangaiatsiiaspus:
Vezicevasazicasanumaasculti?Candteifacemare,osafacicumaivreatu,
daracum,caestimic,sanuiesiniciodatadinvorbamea,capotisapatestisimairau.
Siasatraiauacololinistitisifericiti.Dinseceratulgrauluisidinridicareasnopilorse
scuturaserapemiristeogroazadeboabecucaresehraneausi,macarcanueravreo
apaprinapropiere,nusufereaudesete,cabeaudimineatapicaturiderouadepefirele
deiarba.Ziua,canderacalduramare,staulaumbrainlastar;dupaamiaza,candse
potoleavipia,ieseaucutotiipemiriste;iarinnoptileracoroaseseadunaugramada,ca
subuncort,subaripileocrotitoarealeprepelitei.
Incetincetpufuldepeeisaschimbatinfulgisiinpene,sicuajutorulmameilorau
inceputsazboare.Lectiiledezborsefaceaudimineatasprerasaritulsoarelui,candse
inganaziuacunoaptea,sisearain
amurg,caciziuaeraprimejdiosdinpricinaheretilor,caredadeautarcoalepedeasupra
miristii.
Mamaloriiasezalarandsiiiintreba:Gata?Da,raspundeauei.Una,doua,
trei!Sicandziceatrei,frrr!zburaucutotiidelamarginealastaruluitocmaicolo
langacantonuldepesoseasitotasa
indarat.Simamalorlespuneacaiinvatasazboarepentruocalatorielunga,pecare
trebuiausofacaincurand,candotrecevara.Siosazburampesusdetot,zilesi
nopti,siosavedemdedesubtulnostruorasemarisirauri,simarea.
Introdupaamiazapelasfarsitulluiaugust,pecandpuiisejucaufrumosinmiriste
imprejurulprepelitei,audocarutavenindsioprinduseindrumeaguldepemarginea
lastarului.Auridicattotiinsuscapetelecuochisoriicanistemargelenegresi
ascultau.Nero!inapoi!saauzitunglasstrigand.Puiinaupriceput;darmamalor,
careintelesesecaeunvanator,aramasincremenita.

Scaparealoreralastarul,dartocmaidintracoloveneavanatorul.Dupaoclipade
socoteala,leaporuncitsasepituleascajos,lipiticupamantul,sicuniciunpretsa
nusemiste.
Euosazbor;voisaramanetinemiscati;carezboara,epierdut.Atiinteles?
Puiiauclipitdinochicauintelessiauramasasteptandintacere.Seauzeafasaitul
unuicainecarealergaprinmiristesidincandincandglasulomului:
Undefugi?inapoi,Nero!
Fasaitulseapropieuitecainele:aramasimpietritcuolabainsus,cuochiitinta
inspreei.
Nuvamiscati,lesoptesteprepelitasisestrecoarabinisormaideparte.Cainele
pasesteincetdupaea.Seapropiegrabitsivanatorul.Uitel:piciorulluieacumasade
aproapedeei,incatvadcumiseurcaofurnicapecarambulcizmei.Vai!cumlebate
inima.Dupacatevaclipeprepelitazboararascupamantul,ladoipasidelabotul
cainelui,careourmareste;vanatorulsedeparteazastrigand:Inapoi!inapoi!Nu
poatetrage,defricasanusiimpustecainele;darprepelitaseprefaceasadebinecae
ranita,incatcainelevreacuoricepretsoprinda;iarcandsocotesteeacaeinafarade
bataiapustii,zboararepedesprelastar.Invremeaastapuiulalmaimare,inlocsastea
nemiscatcafratiilui,dupacumleporuncisemasa,zboara;vanatoruliiaudeparaitul
zborului,seintoarcesitrage.Eracamdeparte.Osinguraalicalaajunslaaripa.Na
picat,apututzburapanainlastar;daracolo,demiscarea
aripii,osullainceputnumaiplesnitsacrapatdetot,sipuiulacazutcuoaripa
moarta.Vanatorul,cunoscanddesimealastaruluisivazandcatraseseintrunpui,nus
aluatdupadansul,socotindcanu
facetrudadealcautaprinlastar.Ailaltipuinusaumiscatdinloculundeilasase
prepelita.Ascultau
intacere.Dincandincandseauzeaupocnetedepuscasiglasulvanatoruluistrigand
Apporte!Maitarziucarutasaindepartatinsprevanatorpedrumeagullastarului;
incetincetpocnetelesistrigatelesaupierdut,saustins,siintacereaseriicareselasa
nusemaiauzeadecatcanteculgreierilor;iarcandsainnoptatsirasarealunadinspre
Cornatel,auauzitdeslusitglasulmameilorchemanduidincapulmiristii:Pitpalac!
pitpalac!Repedeauzburatinspreeasiaugasito.Eaianumarat:lipsea
unul.
Undeenenea?
Nustim,azburat.Atunciprepelitadisperataainceputsalstrigetare,maitare,
ascultanddintoatepartile.Dinlastariaraspunsunglasstins:Piu!piu!Candla
gasit,candiavazutariparupta,aintelescaerapierdut;darsiaascunsdurerea,casa
nuldeznadajduiascapeelDatunciauinceputziletristepentrubietulpui;seuita
cuochiiplansicumfratiiluiseinvataulazbordimineatasiseara;iarnoaptea,cand
ailaltiadormeausubaripamamei,elointrebacuspaima:
Mama,nueasacaosamafacbine?Nueasacosamergsieusamiaraticetati
marisirauri,simarea?
Da,mama,raspundeaprepelita,silindusesanuplanga.
Siatrecutvara.Auvenittaraniicupluguriledeauaratmiristea;prepelitasamutat
cupuiiintrunlandeporumbdealaturi;darpestecatavavremeauvenitoameniide
auculesporumbul,autaiatcoceniisiauintorslocul;atuncisamutatinnisteparloage
dinmarginealastarului.Inloculzilelormarisifrumoaseauvenitzilemicisi
posomorate,ainceputsacadabrumasisaserareascafrunzalastarului.Peinseratese
vedeauranduniciintarziatezburandinrasulpamantului,oripalcuridealtepasari

calatoare,iarintacereanoptilorfriguroaseseauzeaustrigatelecocorilor,mergand
toateinaceeasiparte,catremiazazi.Ininimabieteiprepeliteeraoluptasfasietoare.
Arfivrutsaserupaindoua:jumatatesaplececucopiiisanatosi,caresufereaude
frigultoamneiinaintate,iarjumatatesaramaiecupuiulschilod,careseagatadeeacu
disperare.Suflareadusmanoasaacrivatului,pornitafaravesteintrozi,ahotarato.
Decatsaimoaratotipuii,maibinenumaiunulsifarasaseuiteinapoi,casanui
slabeascahotararea,azburatcupuiizdraveni,pecandalranitstrigacudeznadejde:
Numalasati!Numalasati!
Aincercatsasetarascadupaei,darnaputut,siaramasinloc,urmarinduicuochii
panaaupieritinzareadinspremiazazi.Pestetreizile,toatapreajmaeraimbracatain
hainaalbasireceaiernii.Dupaoninsoarecuviscol,urmaunsenincasticla,aducand
cudansulungeraprig.Lamarginealastarului,unpuideprepelita,cuariparupta,sta
zgribulitdefrig.Dupadurerilegrozavedepanaadineaori,urmeazaacumopiroteala
placuta.Prinmintealuifulgeracrampeiedevedeniimiristeuncarambdecizma
pecareseurcaofurnicaaripacaldaamamei.Seclatinaintropartesiintralta,si
picamort,cudegetelegheareiimpreunatecapentruinchinaciune.