142 THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, II
And for ever your heart said unto itself : ' From the folk I have sprung; thence also sprang the voice of God.'
Stiff necks and wisdom ye always had, like the asses, when ye were the folk's advocates.
And many a mighty one who wished to drive well with the folk, harnessed in front of his horses a little ass, a famous wise man.
And now I wish, ye famous wise men, ye would finally and entirely throw off the hide of the lion!
The hide of the beast of prey, the many-coloured, and the shaggy hair of the explorer, seeker, conqueror !
Alas ! in order to make me believe in your ' truth- fulness,' ye would require first to break your revering will.
Truthful thus I call him who goeth into godless deserts and hath broken his revering heart.
In yellow sand burnt by the sun, it is true, he leer- eth thirstily at the islands full of wells where living things rest under dark trees.
But his thirst persuadeth him not to become like these comfortable ones ; for where oases are, there are idols also.
Hungry, violent, lonely, godless thus the lion's will willeth itself.
Free from the happiness of slaves ; saved from Gods and adorations ; fearless and fear-inspiring ; great and lonely ; this is the will of the truthful one.
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