When i built my house in the woods , i brought a couple of wild geese from another take . i cut my wings a bit, so that they will not leave my lake, and soon they are nested on a small island , not hidden , but open to the world around. there in the soft nest greay white eggs were laid. the patient mother sat on them for four weeks and the gander, night and day, swam round the island keeping watch. the young ones came at last and next day the left the nest and went swimming on the lake. they always kept the same order; the mother first, the little ones behind, and last the gander,keeping watch. the young grew big and strong. in three months' time they were almost as big as the old ones. then they began to feel their wings and take short flights across the lake. when october came, there, high in the sky the old call was heard. down from the north they came. the wild geese on my lake answered back and lined up on the lake. their mother led the way. she gave the word, swimming faster, then spread her broad wings a little, and the young ones rose to join those other geese in the southern sky. "honk, honk, honk! " come on! come one! they called to each other; this was their marching song. but what? the mother is not in the line. both mother and father are still on the lake. come back! come back! they called. so back the young ones came. what's the matter? what's up? what's up? they called excitedly all together swimming nervously about. why don't we go? what is it, mother? but the mother could not tell. only this she knew, that for some stranger reason, she could not rise with the rest. next time perhaps everything will certainly go well. so, when the old call was again heard high in the sky, they lined up again. the mother passed the word: now, now. they swam faster and faster, then spread their wings. and as they went, they rose. but again the mother was not there, and the father, too, was left behind the lake, calling, come back! come back! and the young ones obeyed and came back. мне перевести надо
