The old man withdrew, but came back immediately and offered Zarathustra
bread and wine. “A bad country for the hungry,” said he; “that is why
I live here. Animal and man come unto me, the anchorite. But bid thy
companion eat and drink also, he is wearier than thou.” Zarathustra
answered: “My companion is dead; I shall hardly be able to persuade him
to eat.” “That doth not concern me,” said the old man sullenly; “he
that knocketh at my door must take what I offer him. Eat, and fare ye
well!”—
Thereafter Zarathustra again went on for two hours, trusting to the path
and the light of the stars: for he was an experienced night-walker, and
liked to look into the face of all that slept. When the morning dawned,
however, Zarathustra found himself in a thick forest, and no path was
any longer visible. He then put the dead man in a hollow tree at his
head—for he wanted to protect him from the wolves—and laid himself
down on the ground and moss. And immediately he fell asleep, tired in
body, but with a tranquil soul.
9.
Long slept Zarathustra; and not only the rosy dawn passed over his head,
but also the morning. At last, however, his eyes opened, and amazedly he
gazed into the forest and the stillness, amazedly he gazed into himself.
Then he arose quickly, like a seafarer who all at once seeth the land;
and he shouted for joy: for he saw a new truth. And he spake thus to his
heart:
A light hath dawned upon me: I need companions—living ones; not dead
companions and corpses, which I carry with me where I will.
But I need living companions, who will follow me because they want to
follow themselves—and to the place where I will.
A light hath dawned upon me. Not to the people is Zarathustra to speak,
but to companions! Zarathustra shall not be the herd’s herdsman and
hound!
To allure many from the herd—for that purpose have I come. The people
and the herd must be angry with me: a robber shall Zarathustra be called
by the herdsmen.
Herdsmen, I say, but they call themselves the good and just. Herdsmen, I
say, but they call themselves the believers in the orthodox belief.
Behold the good and just! Whom do they hate most? Him who breaketh up
their tables of values, the breaker, the law-breaker:—he, however, is
the creator.
Behold the believers of all beliefs! Whom do they hate most? Him who
breaketh up their tables of values, the breaker, the law-breaker—he,
however, is the creator.
Companions, the creator seeketh, not corpses—and not herds or believers
either. Fellow-creators the creator seeketh—those who grave new values
on new tables.
Companions, the creator seeketh, and fellow-reapers: for everything is
ripe for the harvest with him. But he lacketh the hundred sickles: so he
plucketh the ears of corn and is vexed.
Companions, the creator seeketh, and such as know how to whet their
sickles. Destroyers, will they be called, and despisers of good and
evil. But they are the reapers and rejoicers.