[Percival-users] Or horse may be instant

[Lingao <vo...@ci...>]

O emanate from every green thing? Idling along the hedgerows towards the
woodlands there may perchance be seen small tufts of white rabbit's fur
in the grass, torn from herself by the doe to form a warm lining to the
hole in which her litter will appear: a 'sign' this that often guides a
robber to her nest. Yonder on the rising ground, towering even in their
fall over the low (lately cut) ash plantation, lie the giant limbs of
the mighty oaks, thrown just as they felt the quickening heat. The bark
has been stripped from the trunk and branches; the sun has turned the
exposed surface to a deep buff colour, which contrasts with the fresh
green of the underwood around and renders them visible afar. When the
oak first puts forth its buds the woods take a ruddy tint. Gradually the
background of green comes to the front, and the oak-apples swell,
streaked with rosy stains, whence their semblance to the edible fruit of
the orchard. All unconscious of the white or red cross daubed on the
rough bark, the tree prepares its glory of leaf, though doomed the while
by that sad mark to the axe. Cutting away the bushes with his billhook,
the woodman next swings the cumbrous grub-axe, whose wide edge clears
the earth from the larger roots. Then he puts his pipe in his pocket,
and settles to the serious work of the 'great axe,' as he calls it. I
never could use this ungainly tool aright: a top-heavy, clumsy, awkward
thing, it rules you instead of you ruling it. The handle, too, is
flat--almost with an edge itself sometimes--and is quite beyond the
grasp of any but hands of iron. Now the American axe feels balanced like
a sword; this is because of the peculiar curve of the handle. To strike
you stand with the left foot slightly forward, and the left hand