Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/87

 OF THE TREE AT THE HILL 53

Now, it is waiting and waiting, for what is it waiting, say? It dwelleth too close to the clouds. It is waiting I suppose for the first lightning ? "

Zarathustra having so said the youth cried with vehement gesture. "Ay, Zarathustra, thou speakest truth. It was for my destruction that I longed when I was striving upwards, and thou art the light- ning I waited for ! Behold, what am I since thou hast appeared unto us ? It is the envy of thee which hath destroyed me ! " Speaking thus the youth wept bitterly. Zarathustra, however, put his arm round him and led him away with him.

When they had walked a while together Zara- thustra thus began :

" It teareth my heart. Better than thy words say it, thine eye telleth me all thy danger.

Thou art not free yet, thou seekest freedom still. Weary with watching thou art made by thy seeking, and much too wakeful.

Towards the free height thou art striving, for stars thy soul is thirsting. But thy bad instincts are also thirsting for freedom.

Thy wild dogs seek freedom ; in their cellar they bark for lust when thy spirit seeketh to open all prisons.

To me thou art still a prisoner meditating freedom for himself : alas ! ingenious becometh the soul of such prisoners, but guileful and bad also

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