"Rachel Pollack - Immortal Snake" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pollack Rachel)

We can dress you andтАФтАЭ

Broken held up a hand. тАЬI think the storyteller will be enough for me.
What time does he begin?тАЭ

She entered the Hall of Precious Happiness just as the guests
finished the final glass of wine, the last dates coated in exotic jellies. She
wore a white dress, cut too large and made of thick cloth so that it appeared
she had no body, only a head riding on clouds. She might as well have worn
burlap from head to toe with only an eyehole for all the difference it made.
Or, for that matter, a dress of light spun from the mouths of stars. Tribute of
AngelsтАЩs head rose up as if pulled by wires the moment she entered the
room. She saw him and staggered backward. After that neither moved, but
only stared with frozen faces, as if they would hold that moment forever.

Immortal Snake took no notice, only said, тАЬWell? WeтАЩre done eating.
WeтАЩre ready. Blessed God, you havenтАЩt run out of stories, have you?тАЭ

Tribute of Angels lowered his eyes. тАЬNo, Great Lord. The well of
stories is inexhaustible, for every moment more stories are born than
anyone can tell.тАЭ

тАЬWell, then you better begin.тАЭ

тАЬThe fulfillment comes before the wish.тАЭ

That night Tribute of Angels told of a king, an alchemist, who had
discovered that he could live forever by drinking the blood of young
women. He had no shortage of sacrifices; he was rich, and powerful, and
the poor offered their daughters to him. But he was also alone, and he
longed for a queen who could rule alongside him. One day he heard of a
woman more beautiful than the birds, more perfect than the morning star.
He sent his nephew to bring her back for him. тАЬTell her,тАЭ he said, тАЬthat she
will never die, for I will not take her, but instead we will share our blood, and
together we will drink the milk of paradise.тАЭ

The king lived on an island, and so the nephew sailed away in a
marvelous round boat guided by songs; he would sing to the sea, and the
currents would carry him. When the woman heard the kingтАЩs message she
agreed to go with the nephew, for all her life she had never allowed herself
any pleasure or desire, fearful that a fever or a random arrow or a hungry
beast would take her away from whatever happiness she might possibly
find. She traveled with him, and they were in sight of land, when a whale
breached against the side of the boat, pitching them against each other.
The nephew had his mouth open and it happened that his teeth fell against
her neck, so that he, and not his uncle, was the first to taste her blood.
 Nothing sweeter had ever flowed down the throat of any creature,
human, or angel. And for her, the puncture of his teeth was like the burst of
a bubble that had hid from her all the glory and wonder of the world. He told
her that if she joined with him she would give up immortality, for only his