Translation:The High Mountains/62

Nearby a man, who held a small, light axe, cut a slit in the pine trees.

—A Yeusois! said the children as soon as they saw him.

—He can't be a bad man, said Matthias, otherwise he would have run away as soon as he saw us.

The children then asked and learnt that this resin collector had authorisation of the Chief Engineer to collect the resin.

When they went nearer, they noticed the great care he took when he incised the much-loved pines, to get the resin to drip without harming them. He very gently made an fine incision. He knew how trees too can feel pain.