THE VOLUNTARY BEGGAR
When Zarathustra had left the ugliest man, he felt cold and he felt lonely. For many cold and lonely things passed through his mind, chilling even his limbs. But when walking on and on, upwards, downwards, now passing green meadows, then over wild stony Strata where once peradventure an impatient brook had lain down to sleep, he felt all at once warmer and heartier again.
" What hath happened unto me ? " he asked himself. " Something warm and living refresheth me. It must be nigh unto me.
Already I am less alone. Unconscious companions and brethren hover round me; their warm breath toucheth my soul."
But when he looked round him and searched for the comforters of his loneliness, behold, there were cows standing on a hill together. Their nearness and smell had warmed his heart. But these cows seemed to listen eagerly unto a speaker, and took no notice of him who approached them. But when Zarathustra was quite nigh unto them, he heard dis- tinctly a human voice out of the midst of the cows.
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