Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/185

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE DANCE-SONG
151

And when I talked with my wild wisdom privately, she told me angrily: 'Thou willest, thou desirest, thou lovest; therefore only thou praisest life!'

Then I almost answered in anger and told the truth unto the angry one; and one cannot answer more angrily than when 'telling the truth' unto one's wisdom.

For thus things stand among us three. I love life alone from the bottom—and, verily, the most, when I hate her!

But that I am fond of wisdom and often too fond, that is because she remindeth me of life very much!

Wisdom hath life's eye, life's laughter, and even life's little golden fishing-rod. Is it my fault that the two are so like unto each other?

And when once life asked me: 'Wisdom, who is she?'—I eagerly said: 'Oh yes! wisdom!

One is thirsty for her and is not satisfied; one looketh through veils; one catcheth with nets.

Is she beautiful? I do not know. But even the oldest carps are lured by her.

Changeable she is and defiant; often I saw her bite her own lip and pass the comb the wrong way through her hair.

Perhaps she is wicked and deceitful, and in all respects a woman; but just when speaking badly of herself she seduceth most.'

When I told that unto life, she laughed wickedly