Bambi: Chapters 16 And 17

Tonight we read Chapters 16 and 17 of the timeless classic, Bambi, by Felix Salten. Tonight's reading describes the return of an unexpected character and the adventures he had while gone. This audio is perfect for children or adults who want to discover magic or find adventure before a great night's sleep.

Transcript

Bambi by Felix Salton,

Chapter 16.

A couple of days later,

With nothing to worry about,

They made their way together through the thicket of oaks that lay on the other side of the meadow.

They were about to go across the meadow and there,

Where the lofty oak tree stood,

They would be back on their usual paths.

The bushes ahead of them became lighter,

And there they stopped and peered out.

There by the oak was something red,

Moving.

Who could that be?

Whispered Bambi.

I expect it's Rano or Karis,

Thought Faeleen.

Bambi doubted this.

They don't dare come near me anymore.

Bambi looked more carefully.

No,

He decided,

That isn't Karis or Rano.

It's a stranger.

Faeleen agreed,

Astonished and very curious.

You're right,

A stranger.

I can see that too now.

Odd,

They watched.

He seems very careless,

Called Faeleen.

Stupid,

Said Bambi.

He's really stupid.

He's behaving like a little child,

As if there weren't any dangers at all.

Let's go over there,

Suggested Faeleen.

She was too curious.

All right then,

Bambi answered.

Let's go.

I want to get a look at this lad.

They made a few steps,

But then Faeleen hesitated.

But what if he wants to fight you?

He's strong.

Bah.

Bambi lowered his head to one side and had a disdainful look.

Look how small his crown is.

Why should I be frightened of that?

He's big and fat,

But strong?

I don't think so.

Just come with me.

They went.

Across the meadow,

The other deer was busy biting at grass and did not notice them until they had come quite a long way out of the meadow.

He immediately ran out to meet them.

He made joyful,

Playful jumps and again seemed to be very childlike.

Bambi and Faeleen were puzzled and waited for him.

Now he was just a few steps away.

Like them,

He stood still.

After a little while,

He asked,

Don't you recognize me?

Bambi had lowered his head,

Ready for combat.

Do you know us?

He replied.

The stranger interrupted him.

But Bambi,

He called,

Full of admonishment but trusting.

Bambi became hesitant,

But when he heard his name being used,

The sound of this voice tugged at some kind of memory in his heart.

But Faeleen made no delay and jumped forward to meet the stranger.

Gobo,

She exclaimed,

And then she was silent.

She stood there without a word,

Without moving.

She had lost her breath completely.

Faeleen,

Said Gobo gently.

Faeleen,

Sister,

You recognize me?

He went to her and kissed her.

Suddenly the tears began to flow down his cheeks.

Faeleen cried too and she was unable to speak.

But Gobo,

Bambi began.

His voice quivered and he was very excited.

He was deeply touched and astonished beyond measure.

Gobo,

Aren't you dead?

Gobo laughed.

You can see,

Can't you?

I think it's easy enough to see that I'm not dead.

But that time,

In the snow,

Bambi persisted.

That time,

Gobo lowered his head bashfully.

That time it was him who saved me.

And where have you been all this time,

Asked Faeleen now in astonishment.

Gobo answered,

With him.

I've been with him all this time.

He became silent,

Looked at Faeleen and Bambi and greatly enjoyed the sight of their helpless astonishment.

Then he added,

Yes,

My dear friends,

I have had many new experiences,

More than all of you put together here in this forest of yours.

It sounded a little boastful,

But they still did not notice that.

They were too taken up with the enormity of their surprise.

Tell us about them,

Exclaimed Faeleen,

Unable to control herself.

Well,

Said Gobo complacently,

I could tell you about them all day long and wouldn't have told you everything.

Bambi insisted.

Go on then,

Tell us.

Gobo went to Faeleen and became serious.

Is mother still alive?

He asked timidly and quietly.

Yes,

Faeleen cheerfully declared.

She's alive.

I haven't seen her for a long time though.

I want to go and see her straight away,

Said Gobo.

Are you coming with me?

And off they went.

All along the way they were silent.

Bambi and Faeleen could feel Gobo's impatient yearning to see his mother,

And that's why neither of them said anything.

Gobo strode hurriedly forward and said nothing,

And they did nothing to stop him.

Except that now and then when he blindly ran through a place where the paths crossed,

Always running straight ahead,

Or when in sudden haste he rushed into another direction,

They would quietly call to him,

This way,

Bambi would whisper,

Or Faeleen would say,

No,

It goes round here now.

A couple times they had to go across broad clearings.

They noticed that Gobo never stopped at the edge of the trees,

Never even glanced around to see that it was safe.

He would simply run out there with no caution at all.

Bambi and Faeleen looked at each other in amazement whenever that happened,

But they said nothing and hesitantly followed Gobo.

They had to wander about in this way,

Searching and going up and down for a long time.

Gobo suddenly recognized the paths he had used in his childhood.

He looked at them in wonder,

And it did not occur to him that Bambi and Faeleen had led him to them.

He looked round at them and declared,

What do you think of that?

Look how good I was at finding my way here.

They said nothing.

They merely once more looked at each other.

Shortly afterwards,

They came to a small chamber in the foliage.

Here,

Called Faeleen as she slipped into it.

Gobo followed her and then stopped.

It was the chamber where they both had been born,

Where they had lived as little children with their mother.

Gobo and Faeleen looked close into each other's eyes.

They said not a word.

Faeleen kissed her brother,

Then they hurried on.

They probably spent another hour going up and down.

The sun shone more and more brightly through the twigs.

The forest became more and more quiet.

It was time to lie down and rest.

Gobo though did not feel tired.

He hurried forward,

Breathed heavily because of his impatient excitement,

And looked around without any plan.

He flinched when a weasel rushed out from the long grass and passed under him.

He nearly stepped on the pheasants who were pressed close down to the ground,

And when they flew up in front of him with loud flapping of wing and told him off,

He was very alarmed.

Bambi was amazed at how unfamiliar he seemed with everything,

And how he proceeded as if blind.

We can't find her,

He exclaimed in bewilderment.

Faeleen soothed them.

We will soon,

She said with emotion.

Not long now,

Gobo.

She looked at him.

He was once again wearing the disheartened expression that she knew so well.

Should we call for her,

She said with a grin?

Should we start calling again like we used to when we were still children?

Bambi continued walking,

Just a few steps,

And then he caught a glimpse of Auntie Ina.

She had already lain down to rest,

And lay without moving in the shadow of a hazel bush,

Very near.

At last,

He said to himself.

At that moment,

Gobo and Faeleen arrived.

All three of them stood beside each other,

And looked over at Ina.

She had quietly raised her head,

And looked sleepily at them.

Gobo made a few hesitant steps forward and gently called,

Mother.

As if snatched up by a thunderbolt,

Ina was no longer lying down,

But up on her feet and standing as if cemented into position.

Gobo quickly jumped to her.

Mother,

He began again.

He wanted to speak,

But could not utter a word.

His mother looked closely into his eyes.

She began to stand with less stiffness.

She was shaking so much that wave after wave ran over her back and shoulders.

She asked no questions.

She did not ask for an explanation,

Not for an account of what had happened.

Slowly she kissed Gobo,

Kissed his cheeks,

His neck,

His lips,

Without cease.

She washed him with her kisses,

Just as she had done when she had given birth to him.

Bambi and Faeleen had left.

Chapter 17 They stood together in the middle of a thicket in a small clearing,

And Gobo told them where he had been.

Their friend the Hare sat there too,

Raised his ears in amazement as he listened tensely,

And let them sink again in awe at what he heard,

Only to raise them again immediately after.

The magpie squatted on the lowest twig of the young beech tree and listened in astonishment.

The Jay sat uneasily nearby on an ash tree,

Sometimes screeching in his amazement.

A pair of pheasants they knew had found their way with their wives and children.

They craned their necks in wonderment as they listened,

Drew them back in,

Turned their heads here and there,

And remained speechless.

The squirrel bounded in and moved in a way that showed he was very excited.

He soon slipped down the ground,

Ran up one or another tree,

Then leant back on his erected tail and showed his white breast.

He continually wanted to interrupt Gobo,

Wanted to say something,

But each time all those around him ordered him to be quiet.

He told them about how he'd lain helpless in the snow and waited for death.

It was the dogs who found me,

He said,

Those dogs are terrifying.

They're absolutely the most terrifying things in the whole wide world.

Their throats are full of blood,

Their voices are full of anger and without mercy.

He looked round at everyone there and went on.

But,

Well,

Afterwards I played with them as if we were all equal.

He was very proud of himself.

I don't need to be scared of them anymore because now we're all good friends.

Still though,

When they start to get angry there's a thumping in my head and my heart gets quite stiff.

But they don't always mean it in such a nasty way.

And as I've just said,

I'm their friend now.

But there's so much power in their voices it's horrible.

He became silent.

Go on then,

Faeleen insisted.

Gobo looked at her.

Well back then they would have torn me limb from limb.

But then he came along.

Gobo paused.

The others could scarcely breathe.

Yes,

Said Gobo,

Then he came along.

He called the dogs off and they immediately became quite quiet.

He called to them again and they lay motionless on the ground in front of him.

Then he lifted me up.

I screamed but he stroked me.

He held me gently,

Pressed into his chest.

He didn't hurt me.

And then he carried me off.

Faeleen interrupted him.

What do you mean carried you?

Gobo began to explain,

In detail with some self-importance.

It's very easy,

Interjected Bambi.

Think of the squirrel,

Faeleen.

What he does when he's holding a nut and carries it away.

Now the squirrel wanted a chance to speak at last.

A cousin of mine,

He began with enthusiasm,

But the others immediately insisted,

Be quiet,

Be quiet.

Let Gobo carry on speaking.

The squirrel had to stay silent.

He was cowed and bewildered,

Pressed his fore paws against his white breast and turned to the magpie to speak just to him.

I was just saying,

A cousin of mine.

But the magpie simply turned his back on him.

Gobo told them of marvelous things.

It's cold outside and the storm is howling,

But indoors with him,

There's no wind and it's as warm as in summer.

Outside the rain is lashing down from the sky so that everything's in water,

But indoors with him,

There's not a drop of rain and you stay dry.

The pheasants twitched their necks up high and turned their heads.

When everywhere outside was deep in snow,

I was inside nice and warm.

I was even quite hot and he gave me hay to eat,

Chestnuts,

Potatoes,

Turnips,

Everything I could have wished for.

Hay,

They all asked at once,

Astonished,

Incredulous,

Excited.

Fresh,

Sweet hay,

Gobo repeated calmly and looked triumphantly round at them.

The squirrel tried to squeeze in a voice,

A cousin of mine.

Just be quiet,

The others ordered.

And Feline asked Gobo vigorously,

Where did he get hay from and all those other things in the winter?

He grows it,

Answered Gobo,

Whenever he wants.

Whatever he wants,

He grows it.

And when he wants it,

It's there for him.

Feline continued asking questions.

Weren't you afraid,

Gobo,

All the time you were with him?

Gobo thought himself very clever and grinned.

My dear Feline,

I wasn't afraid,

Not anymore.

After all,

I knew he didn't want to do anything to hurt me.

Why should I have been afraid?

You all think he's very nasty,

But he's not nasty.

When he likes anyone,

When anyone does something for him,

He's nice.

Lovely and nice.

There's no one in the whole wide world who could be as nice as he is.

Suddenly as Gobo was speaking in this way,

An elder emerged silently from the bushes.

Gobo did not notice him and continued speaking.

But all the others had seen the elder and held their breath in awe of him.

The elder stood there without moving and watched Gobo with deep and serious eyes.

Gobo said,

And it wasn't just him,

It was his children.

They loved me too,

And his wife and everyone.

They stroked me,

Gave me food and played with me.

He broke off.

He had seen the elder.

Everyone became silent.

Then the elder in his calm and authoritative voice said,

What's that stripe on your neck?

Everyone looked at him and became aware for the first time of the dark stripe made of compressed and eroded hair that went around Gobo's neck.

Gobo answered the elder uncertainly,

That?

That's from the collar I wore.

It's his collar.

And yes,

It's a great honor to wear his collar.

It's.

.

.

He became confused and stammered.

All were silent.

The elder kept a sad and piercing look on Gobo for a long time.

You poor thing,

He said gently.

Then he turned around and was gone.

In the silence that followed him,

From this disturbance,

The squirrel started to chatter.

You see,

A cousin of mine was there with him too.

He'd caught him and locked him in a.

.

.

Oh,

For a very long time,

Till one day my cousin.

.

.

But no one was listening to the squirrel.

They all went away.

And that is the end of our story this evening.

Until next time,

Sweet dreams.