A second stork, slightly smaller, with chalk white wings, gently descended on the field. The he-stork in the middle of the field, seemed to awake as from sleep, spread his wings, lifted his long neck, yawned, and began to run around and around the she-stork with his head lowered, crying, “Clia-clia.” He stopped, lifted his slightly opened, red beak, in which he held a green toad, looked at the she-stork proudly, as if saying, “My wife will never die of hunger,” and gave her the toad. And while she scarcely lifted her neck, rolled her eyes and swallowed the toad that was averse to make the journey down her throat, he pecked her lovingly with his beak, put his head under her wing and looked for something. He stood on one leg again, began to slap his wings, flew around the she-stork, ogled her, stretching his long, limber neck, and the erstwhile silent bird began to sing, “Clia-clia-qua, Clia-clia-qua.” Zelik came out of the water. “Go home, Rachel, and bring an egg. The nest is empty by now. Put on your shoes.” Rachel joyously put on her shoes. She felt more comfortable, and jumped up. “Well, why don’t you go?” “I’m too lazy to go myself.” “Then I’ll go with you. All right?” The children leaping up and taking each other by the hand, were lost from sight in the woods. III Zelik approached the barn where the storks had built their nest. He took the egg from Rachel, held it in his lips, and swiftly like a cat began to climb the straight wall. He grasped a jutting piece of wood, waited a little as if seeking balance, and threw his body on to the roof. The nest was made of an old wooden harrow. In the harrow lay a basket, filled with grass and twigs. The close odor of fish, toads, and chickens, struck Zelik in the face. Three large eggs lay in the nest. He took out one of them, replaced it with the goose-egg, and wanted to descend from the roof, when the two storks suddenly appeared and flew at him with wide-spread wings. Zelik barely had time to get down, but he was so frightened lest the storks attack him that he remained standing with the egg in both hands. Rachel shrieked loudly. “Zelik, jump down.” Zelik, crouched, covered his face with both hands, like one expecting a blow, and began to slide down the incline of the roof. The he-stork, flying swiftly by, stretched his long neck and directed his sharp beak at Zelik’s face. Zelik dodged the beak of the stork, caught the blow in his back, and fell from the roof like a stone. The egg broke and covered him with yellow liquid. Rachel thought that Zelik was surely dead from the blow. She began to pinch herself from fear, fell to her knees before Zelik, embraced him with both hands, and began to kiss him and to cry. “Zelik, my dear, does it hurt you much, tell me? It’s all my fault. Why did I bring the egg?”