Message #33022

[VoraX]

 59. The Second Dance Song

                            1.

  "INTO thine eyes gazed I lately, O Life: gold saw I gleam in thy
night-eyes,- my heart stood still with delight:
  -A golden bark saw I gleam on darkened waters, a sinking,
drinking, reblinking, golden swing-bark!
  At my dance-frantic foot, dost thou cast a glance, a laughing,
questioning, melting, thrown glance:
  Twice only movedst thou thy rattle with thy little hands- then did
my feet swing with dance-fury.-
  My heels reared aloft, my toes they hearkened,- thee they would
know: hath not the dancer his ear- in his toe!
  Unto thee did I spring: then fledst thou back from my bound; and
towards me waved thy fleeing, flying tresses round!
  Away from thee did I spring, and from thy snaky tresses: then
stoodst thou there half-turned, and in thine eye caresses.
  With crooked glances- dost thou teach me crooked courses; on crooked
courses learn my feet- crafty fancies!
  I fear thee near, I love thee far; thy flight allureth me, thy
seeking secureth me:- I suffer, but for thee, what would I not
gladly bear!
  For thee, whose coldness inflameth, whose hatred misleadeth, whose
flight enchaineth, whose mockery- pleadeth:
  -Who would not hate thee, thou great bindress, in-windress,
temptress, seekress, findress! Who would not love thee, thou innocent,
impatient, wind-swift, child-eyed sinner!
  Whither pullest thou me now, thou paragon and tomboy? And now
foolest thou me fleeing; thou sweet romp dost annoy!
  I dance after thee, I follow even faint traces lonely. Where art
thou? Give me thy hand! Or thy finger only!
  Here are caves and thickets: we shall go astray!- Halt! Stand still!
Seest thou not owls and bats in fluttering fray?
  Thou bat! Thou owl! Thou wouldst play me foul? Where are we? From
the dogs hast thou learned thus to bark and howl.
  Thou gnashest on me sweetly with little white teeth; thine evil eyes
shoot out upon me, thy curly little mane from underneath!
  This is a dance over stock and stone: I am the hunter,- wilt thou be
my hound, or my chamois anon?
  Now beside me! And quickly, wickedly springing! Now up! And over!-
Alas! I have fallen myself overswinging!
  Oh, see me lying, thou arrogant one, and imploring grace! Gladly
would I walk with thee- in some lovelier place!
  -In the paths of love, through bushes variegated, quiet, trim! Or
there along the lake, where gold-fishes dance and swim!
  Thou art now a-weary? There above are sheep and sun-set stripes:
is it not sweet to sleep- the shepherd pipes?
  Thou art so very weary? I carry thee thither; let just thine arm
sink! And art thou thirsty- I should have something; but thy mouth
would not like it to drink!-
  -Oh, that cursed, nimble, supple serpent and lurking-witch! Where
art thou gone? But in my face do I feel through thy hand, two spots
and red blotches itch!
  I am verily weary of it, ever thy sheepish shepherd to be. Thou
witch, if I have hitherto sung unto thee, now shalt thou- cry unto me!
  To the rhythm of my whip shalt thou dance and cry! I forget not my
whip?- Not I!"-

                            2.

  Then did Life answer me thus, and kept thereby her fine ears closed:
  "O Zarathustra! Crack not so terribly with thy whip! Thou knowest
surely that noise killeth thought,- and just now there came to me such
delicate thoughts.
  We are both of us genuine ne'er-do-wells and ne'er-do-ills. Beyond
good and evil found we our island and our green meadow- we two
alone! Therefore must we be friendly to each other!
  And even should we not love each other from the bottom of our
hearts,- must we then have a grudge against each other if we do not
love each other perfectly?
  And that I am friendly to thee, and often too friendly, that knowest
thou: and the reason is that I am envious of thy Wisdom. Ah, this
mad old fool, Wisdom!
  If thy Wisdom should one day run away from thee, ah! then would also
my love run away from thee quickly."-

  Thereupon did Life look thoughtfully behind and around, and said
softly: "O Zarathustra, thou art not faithful enough to me!
  Thou lovest me not nearly so much as thou sayest; I know thou
thinkest of soon leaving me.
  There is an old heavy, heavy, booming-clock: it boometh by night
up to thy cave:-
  -When thou hearest this clock strike the hours at midnight, then
thinkest thou between one and twelve thereon-
  -Thou thinkest thereon, O Zarathustra, I know it- of soon leaving
me!"-
  "Yea," answered I, hesitatingly, "but thou knowest it also"- And I
said something into her ear, in amongst her confused, yellow,
foolish tresses.
  "Thou knowest that, O Zarathustra? That knoweth no one- -"

  And we gazed at each other, and looked at the green meadow o'er
which the cool evening was just passing, and we wept together.-
Then, however, was Life dearer unto me than all my Wisdom had ever
been.-

  Thus spake Zarathustra.

                            3.

                           One!

  O man! Take heed!

                           Two!

  What saith deep midnight's voice indeed?

                          Three!

  "I slept my sleep-

                          Four!

  "From deepest dream I've woke and plead:-

                          Five!

  "The world is deep,

                           Six!

  "And deeper than the day could read.

                          Seven!

  "Deep is its woe-

                          Eight!

  "Joy- deeper still than grief can be:

                          Nine!

  "Woe saith: Hence! Go!

                           Ten!

  "But joys all want eternity-

                         Eleven!

  "Want deep profound eternity!"

                         Twelve!