Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/434

 4OO THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, IV

Thus spake the shadow, and Zarathustra's face grew longer when he heard his words. "Thou art my shadow ! " he said sadly at last.

"Thy danger is not small, thou free spirit and wan- derer ! Thou hast had a bad day. See unto it, that a worse evening be not added.

Unto such unstable ones, as thou art, at last even a prison seemeth bliss. Sawest thou ever how capt- ured criminals sleep ? They sleep quietly ; they enjoy their new security.

Beware lest at last a narrow creed catch thee, a hard, severe illusion ! For thou art now seduced and tempted by everything narrow and firm.

Thou hast lost thy goal. Alas ! how wilt thou bear and brook that loss ? By it thou hast also lost the way!

Thou poor wandering one, thou fleeting one, thou weary butterfly ! Wilt thou have this night a place of rest and home ? If so, go up unto my cave !

Yonder goeth the way unto my cave. And now I will quickly run away from thee. Already some- thing lieth on me like a shadow.

I will run alone, so that it may again grow light around me. For that purpose I must be yet a long while gaily on my legs. But in the evening at my home there will be a dance ! "

Thus spake Zarathustra.

�� �