,*APT] #f 
,! ,SILKWORM 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TRANSLATOR 3 ,NA?AN ,HASKELL ,DOLE 

,TEXT 3 

,9 MY G>D5 !RE W]E SOME OLD MULB]RY TREES4  
,!Y HAD BE5 SET \T LONG AGO BY MY GR&FA!R4  

,ONE AUTUMN ,I WAS GIV5 A QUANTITY #a ( SILKWORM  
EGGS1 & ADVIS$ TO RAISE ! WORMS & MAKE SILK4  

,!SE EGGS W]E D>K GRAY & SO SMALL ?AT 9 MY  
ZOLOTNIK ,I C\NT$ FIVE ?\S& EI<T HUNDR$ &  
?IRTY-FIVE ( !M4 ,!Y W]E SMALL] ?AN ! HEADS  
( ! SMALLE/ P9S4 ,!Y W]E P]FECTLY 9]T 2  
ONLY1 :5 !Y W]E CRU%$1 !Y MADE A CRACKL+  
S\ND4  

,I HEAP$ !M UP ON MY TABLE & HAD =GOTT5 ALL  
AB\T !M4  

,BUT :5 SPR+ CAME1 ,I W5T ONE DAY \T 9TO  
MY G>D5 & NOTIC$ ?AT ! MULB]RY BUDS W]E  
SWELL+1 & W]E EV5 9 LEAF :]E ! SUN GOT TO  
!M4 ,!N ,I REMEMB]$ AB\T MY SILKWORM EGGS1  
& AS SOON AS ,I W5T 9TO ! H\SE ,I BEGAN TO EX-  
AM9E !M & SCATT] !M OV] A WID] SURFACE4  

,! L>G] P>T ( !M W]E NO LONG] ( A D>K  
GRAY AS BE=E1 BUT SOME HAD TURN$ 9TO A LI<T GRAY  
COLOR1 :ILE O!RS W]E /ILL BRI<T]1 ) MILKY  
%ADES4 ,! NEXT MORN+ ,I W5T E>LY TO LOOK AT !  
EGGS1 & SAW ?AT ! WORMS HAD ALREADY CREPT \T (  
SOME ( !M1 & ?AT O!RS W]E SWOLL5 & FILL$  
UP4 ,!Y HAD EVID5TLY BECOME CONSCI\S 9 !IR  
%ELLS ?AT !IR NUTRIM5T WAS READY = !M4  

,! LITTLE WORMS W]E BLACK & HAIRY1 & SO SMALL  
?AT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE !M4 ,I EXAM9$ !M )  
A MAGNIFY+ GLASS1 & C\LD SEE ?AT 9 ! EGG !Y  
LAY CURL$ UP 9 LITTLE R+S1 & :5 !Y EM]G$  
!Y /RAI<T5$ !MSELVES \T4  

,I W5T \T 9TO ! G>D5 TO MY MULB]RY TREE1 GA?-  
]$ ?REE H&F ULS ( LEAVES1 & LAID !M BY !M-  

#a ,A ZOLOTNIK1 EQUAL TO TWO & =TY-HUNDR$?S DRAMS1 ONE N9ETY-SIX?  
F ! ,RUSSIAN P\ND1 :I* IS N9E-T5?S ( \RS4  

SELVES ON ! TABLE1 & W5T TO MAKE A PLACE = !M1  
AS ,I HAD BE5 TOLD TO DO4  

,:ILE ,I WAS GETT+ READY ! PAP]1 ! WORMS P]-  
CEIV$ ! PRES5CE ( ! LEAVES ON ! TABLE1 &  
CRAWL$ OV] TO !M4 ,I MOV$ ! LEAVES AWAY &  
TRI$ TO ATTRACT ! WORMS ALONG1 & !Y1 JU/ LIKE DOGS  
ATTRACT$ BY A PIECE ( MEAT1 CREPT 9 PURSUIT ( !  
LEAVES OV] ! TABLE-CLO?1 ACROSS ! P5CILS1 P5-  
KNIVES1 & PAP]S4  

,!N ,I CUT \T A %EET ( PAP] & RIDDL$ IT )  
HOLES MADE ) A KNIFE4 ,I SPREAD ! LEAVES ON !  
PAP] & LAID ! PAP] ) ! LEAVES OV] !  
WORMS4 ,! WORMS CREPT ?R\< ! HOLES 2 !Y ALL  
M\NT$ ON ! LEAVES & IMM$IATELY SET TO WORK  
FE$+4  

,9 ! SAME WAY ,I LAID A PAP] COV]$ ) LEAVES  
OV] ! O!R WORMS1 & !Y LIKEWISE1 AS SOON AS !Y  
W]E HAT*$1 IMM$IATELY CREPT ?R\< ! HOLES &  
BEGAN TO FE$4  

,ALL ! WORMS ON EA* %EET ( PAP] GA!R$  
TOGE!R & ATE ! LEAVES1 BEG9N+ AT ! $GE4  
,!N1 :5 !Y HAD /RIPP$ !M CLEAN1 !Y BEGAN  
TO CRAWL OV] ! PAP] 9 SE>* ( NEW FOOD4 ,!N ,I  
W\LD SPREAD OV] !M FRE% %EETS ( P]=AT$  
PAP] COV]$ ) MULB]RY LEAVES1 & !Y W\LD  
CRAWL ?R\< TO ! NEW FOOD4  

,!Y LAY 9 MY ROOM ON A %ELF1 & :5 !RE  
W]E NO LEAVES1 !Y W\LD CRAWL OV] ! %ELF1 REA*-  
+ ! V]Y $GE2 BUT !Y NEV] FELL TO ! FLOOR1  
AL?\< !Y W]E BL9D4  

,AS SOON AS A WORM W\LD COME TO ! ABYSS1 BE=E  
LETT+ HIMSELF D[N1 HE W\LD PUT \T ( HIS M\?  
A LITTLE ?READ & FA/5 IT TO ! $GE1 !N LET HIMSELF  
D[N1 HANG SUSP5D$1 MAKE 9VE/IGATIONS1 & IF IT  
PLEAS$ HIM TO LET HIMSELF D[N1 HE W\LD LET HIM-  
SELF D[N 2 BUT IF HE WANT$ TO RETURN1 !N HE W\LD  
PULL HIMSELF BACK BY MEANS ( HIS WEB4  

,DUR+ ALL ! TW5TY-F\R H\RS ( ! DAY !  
WORMS DID NO?+ ELSE BUT FE$ 2 & IT WAS NECESS>Y  
TO GIVE !M MULB]RY LEAVES 9 GREAT] & GREAT]  
QUANTITIES4 ,:5 FRE% LEAVES W]E BR\<T1 & !Y  
W]E CRAWL+ OV] !M1 !N !RE W\LD BE A RU/L+  
S\ND1 LIKE ! NOISE ( RA9 ON FOLIAGE4 ,?IS WAS MADE  
BY !M AS !Y BEGAN TO EAT4  

,9 ?IS WAY ! OLD WORMS LIV$ FIVE DAYS4 ,BY ?IS  
TIME !Y HAD GR[N 5ORM\SLY1 & W\LD EAT T5  
TIMES AS MU* AS AT FIR/4  

,I KNEW ?AT ON ! FIF? DAY IT WAS TIME = !M TO  
ROLL !MSELVES UP1 & ,I WAS ON ! WAT* = ?IS TO  
BEG94 ,9 ! EV5+ ( ! FIF? DAY ONE ( ! OLD  
WORMS /RET*$ HIMSELF \T ON ! PAP] & CEAS$  
TO EAT OR TO MOVE4  

,DUR+ ! NEXT TW5TY-F\R H\RS ,I WAT*$ HIM =  
A LONG TIME4 ,I KNEW ?AT ! WORMS %$ !IR SK9S A  
NUMB] ( TIMES1 :5 !Y HAVE GR[N SO L>GE ?AT  
!IR %ELLS >E TOO SMALL = !M1 & !N !Y PUT  
ON NEW ONES4  

,ONE ( MY COMPANIONS TOOK TURNS ) ME 9 WAT*-  
+ ! PROCESS4 ,9 ! EV5+ HE CRI$ 3  

0 ,COME 2 HE IS BEG9N+ TO UNDRESS 6 0  

,I W5T OV] TO ! %ELF1 & WAS JU/ 9 TIME TO SEE  
?AT ?IS WORM HAD FA/5$ HIS OLD %ELL TO ! PAP]  
& HAD MADE A R5T NE> HIS M\?1 WAS ?RU/+ \T  
HIS HEAD1 & WAS /RUGGL+ & TWI/+ SO AS TO GET  
\T 2 BUT HIS OLD %IRT W\LD NOT LET HIM GO4  

,I LOOK$ AT HIM = A LONG TIME /RUGGL+ !RE &  
UNABLE TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF1 & ,I FELT A DESIRE TO HELP  
HIM4  

,I TRI$ TO PICK HIM \T BY MEANS ( MY F+]-NAIL1  
BUT 9/ANTLY SAW ?AT ,I HAD DONE A FOOLI% ?+4 ,A  
SORT ( LIQUID GU%$ OV] MY F+]-NAIL1 & ! WORM  
DI$4  

,I ?\<T ?AT IT WAS HIS BLOOD 2 BUT !N ,I SAW ?AT  
! WORM HAD UND] HIS SK9 A WAT]Y JUICE = ! PUR-  
POSE ( FACILITAT+ ! PROCESS ( SLIPP+ \T ( !  
%IRT4 ,MY F+]-NAIL HAD EVID5TLY DI/URB$ ! =MA-  
TION ( ! NEW %IRT1 = ! WORM1 ?\< HE WAS  
LOOS5$1 SPE$ILY P]I%$4  

,I DID NOT T\* ANY ( ! O!RS1 & 9 ! SAME  
WAY !Y ALL CAME \T ( !IR %IRTS4 ,A FEW ( !M1  
H[EV]1 DI$ 2 BUT ALL ( !M1 AFT] A LONG & PA9-  
FUL /RUGGLE1 AT LA/ EM]G$ FROM !IR OLD %IRTS4  

,AFT] !Y HAD MOLT$1 ! WORMS BEGAN TO EAT MORE  
VORACI\SLY ?AN EV]1 & ,I HAD TO BR+ !M /ILL  
MORE MULB]RY LEAVES4 ,9 ! C\RSE ( F\R DAYS !Y  
W5T TO SLEEP AGA91 & AGA9 W5T ?R\< ! *ANGE  
( SK94  

,!N !Y ATE /ILL MORE LEAVES1 & !Y MEASUR$  
AS MU* AS AN EI<? ( A V]%OK X 9 L5G?4  

,!N AT ! 5D ( SIX DAYS !Y AGA9 W5T TO SLEEP1  
& ONCE MORE ! TRANS=MATION FROM OLD %ELLS 9TO  
NEW ONES TOOK PLACE1 & !Y BEGAN TO BE V]Y L>GE  
& FAT1 & WE HAD REALLY CONSID]ABLE TR\BLE TO KEEP  
!M SUPPLI$ ) LEAVES4  

,ON ! N9? DAY ! OLD WORMS 5TIRELY CEAS$ TO  
FE$1 & !Y W5T CRAWL+ UP ON ! %ELF & !  
SUPPORTS4 ,I CAU<T SOME ( !M & GAVE !M FRE%  
LEAVES1 BUT !Y TURN$ !IR HEADS AWAY FROM ! LEAVES  
& CRAWL$ (F AGA94  

,I !N RECOLLECT$ ?AT ! SILKWORMS1 :5 !Y >E  
AB\T TO SP9 !IR COCOONS1 #b ABSOLUTELY CEASE TO FE$1  
& GO TO CLIMB+4  

,I PUT !M BACK1 & BEGAN TO WAT* :AT !Y W\LD  
DO4  

,SOME ( ! OLD ONES CRAWL$ UP ON ! CEIL+1 TOOK  
UP POSITIONS AP>T1 EA* BY HIMSELF1 CRAWL$ >\ND A  
LITTLE1 & !N BEGAN TO FA/5 A WEB 9 V>I\S  
DIRECTIONS4  

,I WAT*$ ONE 9 P>TICUL>4 ,HE W5T 9TO A CORN]1  
EXT5D$ A HALF-DOZ5 ?READS AT A DI/ANCE ( A V]%OK  
FROM HIM 9 EV]Y DIRECTION 2 !N HE HUNG HIMSELF TO  
!M1 D\BL$ HIMSELF ALMO/ 9 TWO1 LIKE A HORSE%OE1  
& BEGAN TO MOVE HIS HEAD R\ND & R\ND1 & TO  
S5D \T A SILK5 WEB 9 SU* A WAY ?AT ! WEB BEGAN  
TO :IP ITSELF >\ND HIM4  

,BY EV5+ HE WAS1 AS IT W]E1 9 A MI/ ( HIS [N  
WEAV+4 ,HE C\LD BE SC>CELY SE51 & ON ! NEXT  
DAY HE WAS 5TIRELY 9VISIBLE 9 HIS COCOON4 ,HE WAS  
5TIRELY 5WRAPP$ 9 SILK1 & YET HE /ILL KEPT SP9-  
N+4 ,AT ! 5D ( ?REE DAYS HE CEAS$ TO SP91 &  
DI$4  

,AFT]W>DS ,I LE>N$ H[ LONG A ?READ HE HAD SPUN  
9 ?OSE ?REE DAYS4 ,IF ! :OLE COCOON BE UNW\ND1  
IT WILL SOMETIMES GIVE A ?READ MORE ?AN A V]/ #c 9  
L5G?1 & R>ELY LESS 2 & IT IS EASY TO RECKON H[  
MANY TIMES ! WORM HAS TO TURN HIS HEAD DUR+ !SE  
?REE DAYS TO SP9 SU* A ?READ 2 IT WILL BE NOT LESS ?AN  
?REE HUNDR$ ?\S& TIMES4 ,9 O!R WORDS1 HE TURNS  
HIS HEAD R\ND )\T CEAS+ ONCE EV]Y SECOND =  
SEV5TY-TWO H\RS4 ,WE NOTIC$ ALSO AFT] ?IS LABOR WAS  
F9I%$1 :5 WE TOOK A FEW ( ! COCOONS & CUT  
!M OP51 ?AT ! WORMS W]E P]FECTLY DRY & :ITE  
AS WAX4  

,I WAS AW>E ?AT FROM !SE COCOONS1 ) !IR DRY1  
:ITE1 WAX-LIKE 9SIDES1 BUTT]FLIES W\LD COME =? 2  
BUT AS ,I LOOK$ AT !M1 ,I C\LD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,/ILL1 ON  
! TW5TIE? DAY1 ,I BEGAN TO WAT* :AT W\LD HAPP5  
TO ?OSE ?AT ,I HAD LEFT4  

,I KNEW ?AT ON ! TW5TIE? DAY ! *ANGE W\LD  
TAKE PLACE4 ,AS YET NO?+ WAS TO BE SE51 & ,I EV5  
BEGAN TO ?9K ?AT !RE WAS SOME MI/AKE AB\T IT1  
:5 SUDD5LY ,I NOTIC$ ?AT ! 5D ( ONE ( !  
COCOONS HAD GR[N D>K & MOI/4 ,I WAS EV5 9-  
CL9$ TO BELIEVE ?AT IT WAS SPOIL$1 & WAS 9CL9$ TO  
?R[ IT AWAY4  

,BUT !N ,I ?\<T1 0 ,MAY IT NOT BE ! BEG9N+ (  
! *ANGE 8 0 ,& SO ,I KEPT WAT*+ IT TO SEE :AT  
W\LD HAPP54  

,&1 9 FACT1 FROM ! MOI/ SPOT SOME?+ MOV$4  
,= A LONG TIME ,I C\LD NOT MAKE \T :AT IT WAS4 ,BUT  
!N SOME?+ APPE>$ LIKE A HEAD ) FEEL]S4  

7 ,! FEEL]S MOV$4 ,!N ,I P]CEIV$ ?AT A LEG WAS  
?RU/ ?R\< ! HOLE1 !N ANO!R1 & ! LEG WAS  
CL++ HOLD & TRY+ TO GET LOOSE FROM ! COCOON4  
,SOME?+ CAME \T F>!R & F>!R1 & AT LA/ ,I  
P]CEIV$ A MOI/ BUTT]FLY4  

,:5 ALL ITS SIX LEGS W]E FRE$1 ! TAIL FOLL[$2  
:5 IT WAS 5TIRELY \T1 IT SAT !RE4 ,:5 ! BUTT]-  
FLY BECAME DRY1 IT WAS :ITE 2 IT SPREAD ITS W+S1 FLEW  
UP1 CIRCL$ >\ND1 & LI<T$ ON ! W9D[-PANE4  

,AT ! 5D ( TWO DAYS ! BUTT]FLY LAID ITS EGGS ON  
! W9D[-SILL1 & FA/5$ !M TOGE!R4 ,! EGGS  
W]E YELL[I% 9 COLOR4 ,TW5TY-FIVE BUTT]FLIES LAID  
!IR EGGS 3 ,I COLLECT$ FIVE ?\S& ( !M4  

,! NEXT YE> ,I RAIS$ /ILL MORE SILKWORMS1 & SPUN  
(F /ILL MORE SILK4 

#a ,A V]%OK IS #a4#g#e 9*4 ,!RE >E SIXTE5 V]%OKS 9 AN >%94  

#b ,9 ,RUSSIAN ! WORD KUKLA MEANS BO? DOLL & *RYSALIS4 

#c #ce FEET4  

,FROM 3 ,WIKIS\RCE4ORG4 

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