"Anthony, Piers- Incarnations of Immortality 5- Being a Green Mother" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

"We can not touch the things of the children of man. At least, not to affect them. Only mortal creatures can do that."

Orb accepted that. "Then tell me where it is, and I'll fetch it myself."

"Gladly!" The sprite led her downstream a short distance. There, hung up on a dead branch, was an inflated inner tube.

Orb waded into the shallow water, her legs tingling with the chill of it, and hauled on the tube. "Oh, it's heavy," she complained. "Can't you help me?"

"I don't think so," the sprite said sadly. "I really can't touch you or it." She demonstrated by reaching out to touch Orb, and her hand passed through Orb's arm without sensation.

"Oh, you're a ghost!" Orb exclaimed, not certain whether to be pleased or frightened.

"No, just a sprite. I can touch natural things like water, but not unnatural things like the children of man."

Orb decided it was time for introductions. "I'm Orb," she announced. "Who are you?"

"I'm-" The sprite paused, concentrating. "Oh, I don't think I have a name! I never realized."

"Oh, that's very sad!" Orb said. "I must give you a name."

"Oh, would you?" the sprite asked, pleased.

Orb concentrated, trying to think of a name. Beads of water trailed down the tube as she continued to tug at it. "Waterbead!" she exclaimed.

The sprite clapped her little hands. She was not much larger than Orb, though formed as an adult or nearly adult woman. "Oh, thank you!" Then, focusing on the tube:

"Maybe if you lifted it a little, instead of just pulling ..."

Orb lifted-and abruptly the tube came free. She clambered into it, and in a moment was floating.

"If you paddle with your hands. . . " Waterbead suggested.

Orb paddled, and the tube began to move. Soon she was out in the pool, moving splashily. The sprites laughed and splashed back at her. The droplets of water did touch her; they were natural. This was indeed fun, despite the cold.

Waterbead swam out ahead, making little whirlpools in the water. Then the other sprites joined in, fashioning a larger whirlpool. Orb's tube spun around in it, making her laugh giddily. Oh, yes, this was fun!

They were now at the lower side of the pool, and the current was picking up, carrying Orb on down the river. "Maybe you should paddle upstream," Waterbead said.

"Why?" Orb was enjoying the ride.

The sprites suffered one of their little pauses. "We can't go too far that way," one explained. "The water goes bad."

Orb didn't like bad water, so she paddled. But now the current was too strong for her. She made no headway, and soon her arms were tired, and the tube picked up speed downstream.

"We can't follow!" a sprite cried. One by one they dropped back, returning to the quieter pool, until only Waterbead remained.

"Maybe you should go to shore," Waterbead suggested.

"Why?"