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

Donya smiled and rocked the child in her arms. тАЬThis is an infant, Selna. A babe. Look around at my
own maids. Seven of them. And once they were each this size. They walked at a year, only one sooner.
Do not expect too much from your child and she will grow in your love. When her moon time comes, she
will not turn from you. When she reads from the Book of Light and calls her own sister into this world,
she will not foresake you. But if you push her too much, you will push her away. A child is not yours to
own but yours to raise. She may not be what you will have her be, but she will be what she has to be.
Remember what they say, that Wood may remain twenty years in the water but it is still not a fish.тАЭ
тАЬWho is becoming the bore now?тАЭ asked Selna in a weary voice. She took Jenna, who was still
smiling, back from the kitchener and went from the room.

***

That night there was a full moon and all the dark sisters were called forth. In the great open
amphitheater the circle of women and their children was complete.
Selna stood in the circleтАЩs center below the altar which was flanked by three rowan trees. Marjo was
by her side. For the first time in almost a year there was a new fosterling to celebrate, though two of the
gardeners and one warrior had each borne a babe. But those infants had already had their consecration
to the goddess. It was JennaтАЩs turn now.
The priestess sat silently on the backless throne atop the rock altar, her own dark sister throned
beside her. Their black hair braided with tiny white flowers, lips stained red with the juice of berries, they
waited until the crowd of worshippers quieted. Then they leaned forward, hands on knees, and stared
down at Selna and Marjo, but only the priestess herself spoke.
тАЬWho bears the child?тАЭ
тАЬMother, I do,тАЭ said Selna, raising Jenna to eye level. For her the word mother had a double meaning
for the priestess had been her own foster mother, who had grieved sorely when Selna had chosen to
follow the warrior way.
тАЬAnd I,тАЭ said Marjo.
They stepped together up onto the first altar rise.
тАЬAnd who bore the child?тАЭ the priestess asked.
тАЬMother, a woman of the town,тАЭ said Selna.
тАЬShe died in the woods,тАЭ Marjo added.
They mounted the second step.
тАЬAnd who now bleeds for the child?тАЭ the priestess asked.
тАЬShe shall have my blood,тАЭ said Selna.
тАЬAnd mine.тАЭ MarjoтАЩs voice was a quiet echo.
They reached the third step and the priestess and her dark sister rose. The priestess took the silent
babe from SelnaтАЩs hands, turned, and placed the child upon the throne. Marjo and Selna were beside her
in one fluid movement.
 Then the priestess dropped to her knees before the child and, taking her long black braid, she wound
it about the childтАЩs waist. Her sister, on the other side of the throne, did the same. As soon as they were
done, Selna and Marjo knelt and offered their hands, wrists up.
Taking a silver pin from a box mounted in the arm of the throne, the priestess pierced SelnaтАЩs wrist
where the blue vein branched. At the same time, her sister with an identical pin did the same for Marjo.
They held the warriors wrists together so that the blood flowed each to each.
Next the priestess turned and pricked Jenna lightly, above the navel, signaling to Selna and Marjo
silently with her free hand. They bent over and placed their wrists side by side on the babyтАЩs belly so that
their bloods mingled.
Then the priestess and her sister drew their twined braids over the steady hands. тАЬBlood to blood,тАЭ
the priestess intoned. тАЬLife to life.тАЭ The entire congregation of AltaтАЩs-hame repeated the words, a rolling
echo in the clearing. тАЬWhat is the childтАЩs name?тАЭ