"Jane Yolen - The White Babe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Yolen Jane)

punctuated by the slapping of palms.
Then without warning both torches were doused in the waterbuckets, and the dark sisters in the circle
disappeared. The circle was halved and there was a clatter of wands hitting the floor. Only Marjo, who
sat beyond the range of the two doused torches, and the dark sisters of the watchers who stood far from
the game, remained for the lights from the kitchen shone upon them.
AmaldaтАЩs voice counted out those who had lost their wands. тАЬDomina, Catrona, Marna.тАЭ Then she
turned and nodded for two new torches to be brought.
The relighted circle arranged itself, as dark sisters appeared again. The losersтАФDomina, Catrona,
and Marna and their dark halvesтАФwent into the kitchen for something to drink. Playing at the wands was
thirsty work. But Selna stood, the child at her breast, and spoke so loudly no one could miss it.
тАЬIt has been a tiring day, sweet Jenna, and time we were both in bed. I will put out the light tonight.тАЭ
There was a gasp hard around the circle. To put out the light was to send your sister back into the
darkness. To announce it so, was an affront.
MarjoтАЩs mouth grew tighter, but she said nothing as she stood with Selna and followed her out of the
room. But Sammor spoke to their departing backs.
тАЬRemember, Selna, that it is said If your mouth turns into a knife, it will cut off your lipsтАЭ She did
not expect an answer and, indeed, got none.


тАЬYou shamed me,тАЭ Marjo said softly when they reached their room. тАЬYou have never done such a
thing before. Selna, what is wrong?тАЭ
тАЬNothing is wrong,тАЭ Selna answered, arranging the baby in her cot, smoothing the blanket and
touching the childтАЩs white hair with a finger. She began to hum an old cradle song. тАЬLook! She is already
asleep.тАЭ
тАЬI mean, what is wrong between as?тАЭ Marjo bent over the cot and stared at the sleeping child. тАЬShe
is a sweetling.тАЭ
тАЬThere, you see? Nothing is wrong between us. We both love her.тАЭ
тАЬHow can you love her after so short a time? She is nothing but a bit of flesh and coos. Later she shall
be someone to loveтАФstrong or weak, bright-eyed or sad, handy with her hands or her mouth. But now
she is onlyтАжтАЭ MarjoтАЩs voice stopped abruptly in mid-sentence for Selna had blown out the large candle
over the bed.
тАЬThere is nothing wrong between us now, sister,тАЭ Selna whispered into the black room.
She lay down on the bed, conscious of MarjoтАЩs empty half for her sister could always be counted on
to talk and laugh and come up with a quick answer before they slept. Then she turned over and, holding
her breath, listened a moment for the babyтАЩs breathing. When she was sure the child was safe, she let out
the air with a loud percussive sigh and fell asleep.

The History:
The тАЬgame of wandsтАЭ has come down to us in a highly suspect form. It is played today only by
girl children in the Upper Dales where the chorus, sung in modal tuning by watchers (usually
boys) standing outside the circle goes:

Round and round and round the ring
The willow sword we now do fling.

The concentric circles of players sit on the ground facing one another, wands in hand. Once
made of willow (which no longer grows in the Upper Dales though evidence of a different
floraculture proves willows may have been plentiful a thousand years ago), the wands today are
manufactured of a plastine that is both flexible and strong. At a drum signal, the wands are
passed from hand to hand in a clockwise manner for seven beats, then returned for seven beats.