Unworldly Wise: as the owl remarked to the rabbit

XX. THE STORM

XX. THE STORM 'A bit stormy today,' said the owl, digging his claws firmly into his swaying branch, 'better stay indoors—since you have one/ T am potentially underground,' called the rabbit through the wind whistling among the trees, 'but you are high up where you are; hang on tightly—or join me down here!' 'You seem to forget,' hooted the owl severely; 'I am the wind.' 'Of course, of course; I forgot,' called the rabbit apologetically, 'but why must you do it?' 'I do not do it,' hooted the owl, 'I do not do anything. I just am it/ 'Bad luck!' the rabbit screamed, 'must be worse for you up there than it is for me down here!' 'It certainly is—relatively,' replied the owl. 'But, after all, why not?' 'Seems only fair to me,' hasarded the rabbit, 'since you are it.' 'But you are it also, you ass!' the owl hooted back. 'I never thought of that!' the rabbit called, diving out of the way of a falling branch; 'but am I a donkey too?' T was using the term figuratively/ the owl screeched back, 'but of course you are nevertheless/ 'And as stupid as that also?' the rabbit queried. 37 xx. THE STORM 'A bit stormy today,' said the owl, digging his claws firmly into his swaying branch, 'better stay indoors-since you have one.' 'I am potentially underground,' called the rabbit through the wind whistling among the trees, 'but you are high up where you are; hang on tightly-or join me down here!' 'You seem to forget,' hooted the owl severely; 'I am the wind.' 'Of course, of course; 1 forgot,' called the rabbit apologetically, 'but why must you do it?' 'I do not do it,' hooted the owl, 'I do not do anything. 1 just am it.' 'Bad luck!' the rabbit screamed, 'must be worse for you up there than it is for me down here!' 'It certainly is-relatively,' replied the owl. 'But, after all, why not?' 'Seems only fair to me,' hasarded the rabbit, 'since you are it.' 'But you are it also, you ass!' the owl hooted back. 'I never thought of that!' the rabbit called, diving out of the way of a falling branch; 'but am 1 a donkey too?' 'I was using the term figuratively,' the owl screeched back, 'but of course you are nevertheless.' 'And as stupid as that also?' the rabbit queried. 37 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 j XX. The Storm 'Donkeys are not stupid at all,' the owl replied, 'it is a human locution—and idiotic, as usual where other animals are in question. It is as they appear in the splitmind of self-infatuated bipeds.' At that moment the branch broke off, and the owl flapped down beside the rabbit. 'Better down here,' he remarked, 'in an emergency at least; any rats about or other rascally rodents?' 'Not in this weather!' exclaimed the rabbit, 'but may I offer you hospitality ?' 'Thanks indeed,' said the owl, 'but I could not return it, and I should not be able to spread my wings if you asked me an unusually stupid question.' 'Harmless friends are better than dangerous enemies,' urged the rabbit; 'you would be safer in my house.' 'Safety is relative,' explained the owl, shouting down the wind, 'friends and enemies also. All that is my eye.' 'Quite so,' commented the rabbit slyly, 'and lucky we have two/ 'We have two of everything,' the owl assented, 'or of almost everything that matters. I so arranged it.' 'How clever of you, and what foresight!' said the rabbit ingratiatingly. 'I am so proud to have such a friend.' 'My dear good bunny,' said the owl affectionately, 'what difference could there be between "friends" and "enemies" ? The ones have as good a flavour as the others!' 'Yes, yes, of course,' replied the rabbit nervously, but, but if a rat were to attack me now—would you not defend me?' 'Of course, of course,' the owl assured her warmly, 'rats are much more savoury than rabbits!' 'Is that your definition of "love"?' asked the rabbit, slightly offended. 39 xx. The Storm 'Donkeys are not stupid at all,' the owl replied, 'it is a human locution-and idiotic, as usual where other animals are in question. It is as they appear in the splitmind of self-infatuated bipeds.' At that moment the branch broke off, and the...