He unbound the boat from the raft. Rachel looked around to see if any of her folks noticed them, and sprang joyously into it. Rachel saw the little crystal waves leap up, swallow each other, and blend before her eyes. She became still happier, and gave a strange shriek. They landed on the island, dragged the boat on to the shore, and lay down in the grass. The storks sat in a wide semi-circle. Two old storks like two prominent citizens, walked in the center of the ring. The “he-stork” came flying, holding the dead gosling in his beak, and carried it to the old pair. “Here, look.” The old storks looked long at the gosling, smelled it, threw it around with their long necks, made some strange sounds and two storks rose and flew away. Soon they came back with the “she-stork.” The messengers with a “Clia-clia, clia-clia,” told of her explanation. The storks again became noisy and excited, broke their ring, pressed into one heap, and from far it seemed that a broad-boned monster, with tens of agile heads stood in the middle of the Vistula, and cried “Clia-clia, clia-clia.” The storks surrounded the “she-stork.” The mate approached her, poked her in the head, and then great long necks with open beaks flew at her from all sides, feathers whirled in the air, and the bird was torn to pieces. It was late. Rachel sat and cried, knowing that she and Zelik were guilty of everything. Zelik lifted her. “Come, Rachel. Let’s go home.” They entered the boat. Heavy clouds suddenly rose from the Vistula, stood up like walls and all became complete darkness. A bolt of lightning lit up the whole river. Rachel became confused. She saw nothing in the blinding light, forgot that she was in a boat, and jumped up. A thunder rolled, as if rocky hills were being sundered. A flood came down from heaven. Rachel was no longer in the boat. Zelik threw off his coat, and searched for her, diving into the water. But she was not to be seen. The Vistula stormed. Black waves, like angry animals with foaming mouths stood up high and threatening, roared, and threw themselves at Zelik. And lightnings like fiery ribbons, blinded his eyes on all sides. The boat was already far from him. It drifted down the river. A wave covered Zelik, and he felt that he was growing lighter. He ceased to struggle, and saw a palace with green lights closing towards him. Wanda, surrounded by whitish lightning, hung in the air above him. She called him to her, showed him Rachel, sent lightning to him, and the flashes like long tongues became thinner and thinner. The lightnings tickled him, kissed him, burned him, and his mother stood over him, squeezed lemons into sugar, and put it into his mouth. And suddenly Wanda spread out her watery tresses. They became longer, enfolded him, and water poured on him from a thousand pipes, extinguishing the lightning flashes. He felt so well, so well. And he swam on. --Translated by Jacob Robbins. A TALE OF A HUNGRY MAN DAVID PINSKI