CHAPTER XII
It was summer and sizzling hot. The same longing he had felt before began to stir again in Bambi. But much more strongly now than then. It seethed in his blood and made him restless. He strayed far afield.
One day he met Faline. He met her quite unexpectedly, for his thoughts were so confused, his senses so clouded by the restless desire that raged within him, that he did not even recognize Faline. She was standing in front of him. Bambi stared at her speechless for a while. Then he said as though fascinated, “How beautiful you have grown, Faline!”
“So you recognized me again?” Faline replied.
“How could I help recognizing you?” cried Bambi. “Didn’t we grow up together?”
Faline sighed. “It’s a long time since we’ve seen each other,” she said. Then she added, “People grow to be strangers,” but she was already using her gay bantering tone again. They remained together.
“I used to walk on this path with my mother when I was a child,” Bambi said after a while.
“It leads to the meadow,” said Faline.
“I saw you for the first time on the meadow,” said Bambi a little solemnly. “Do you remember?”
“Yes,” Faline replied. “Gobo and me.” She sighed softly and said, “Poor Gobo....”
Bambi repeated, “Poor Gobo.”
Then they began to talk about old times and asked each other every minute, “Do you remember?” Each saw that the other still remembered everything. And they were both pleased at that.
“Do you remember how we used to play tag on the meadow?” Bambi reminisced.
“Yes, it was like this,” said Faline and she was off like an arrow. At first Bambi hung back, somewhat surprised, and then he rushed after her. “Wait! wait!” he cried joyously.
“I can’t wait,” teased Faline, “I’m in too much of a hurry.” And bounding lightly away, she ran in a circle through the grass and bushes. At last Bambi caught up with her and barred the way. Then they stood quietly side by side. They laughed contentedly. Suddenly Faline leaped into the air as though some one had hit her, and bounded off anew. Bambi rushed after her. Faline raced around and around, always managing to elude him.
“Stop!” Bambi panted. “I want to ask you something.”
Faline stopped.
“What do you want to ask me?” she inquired curiously.
Bambi was silent.
“O, so you’re only fooling me,” said Faline, and started to turn away.
“No,” said Bambi quickly. “Stop! stop! I wanted ... I wanted to ask you ... do you love me, Faline?...”
She looked at him more curiously than before, and a little guardedly. “I don’t know,” she said.
“But you must know,” Bambi insisted. “I know very well that I love you. I love you terribly, Faline. Tell me, don’t you love me?”
“Maybe I do,” she answered coyly.
“And will you stay with me?” Bambi demanded passionately.
“If you ask me nicely,” Faline said happily.
“Please do, Faline, dear, beautiful, beloved Faline,” cried Bambi beside himself with love. “Do you hear me? I want you with all my heart.”
“Then I’ll certainly stay with you,” said Faline gently, and ran away.
In ecstasy, Bambi darted after her again. Faline fled straight across the meadow, swerved about and vanished into the thicket. But as Bambi swerved to follow her there was a fierce rustling in the bushes and Karus sprang out.
“Halt!” he cried.
Bambi did not hear him. He was too busy with Faline. “Let me pass,” he said hurriedly, “I haven’t time for you.”
“Get out,” Karus commanded angrily. “Get away from here this minute or I’ll shake you until there’s no breath left in your body. I forbid you to follow Faline.”
The memory of last summer when he had been so often and so miserably hunted awakened in Bambi. Suddenly he became enraged. He did not say a word, but without waiting any longer rushed at Karus with his antlers lowered.
His charge was irresistible and, before he knew what had happened, Karus was lying in the grass. He was up again quicker than a flash, but was no sooner on his feet than a new attack made him stagger.
“Bambi,” he cried. “Bam ...” he tried to cry again, but a third blow, that glanced off his shoulder, nearly choked him with pain.
Karus sprang to one side in order to elude Bambi who came rushing on again. Suddenly he felt strangely weak. At the same time he realized with a qualm that this was a life and death struggle. Cold terror seized him. He turned to flee from the silent Bambi who came rushing after him. Karus knew that Bambi was furious and would kill him without mercy, and that thought numbed his wits completely. He fled from the path and, with a final effort, burst through the bushes. His one hope was of escape.
All at once Bambi ceased chasing him. Karus did not even notice this in his terror, and kept straight on through the bushes as fast as he could go. Bambi had stopped because he had heard Faline’s shrill call. He listened as she called again in distress and fear. Suddenly he faced about and rushed back.
When he reached the meadow he saw Ronno pursuing Faline who had fled into the thicket.
“Ronno,” cried Bambi. He did not even realize that he had called.
Ronno, who could not run very fast because of his lameness, stood still.
“O, there’s our little Bambi,” he said scornfully, “do you want something from me?”
“I do,” said Bambi quietly but in a voice which control and overpowering anger had completely altered. “I want you to let Faline alone and to leave here immediately.”
“Is that all?” sneered Ronno. “What an insolent gamin you’ve got to be. I wouldn’t have thought it possible.”
“Ronno,” said Bambi still more softly, “it’s for your own sake. If you don’t go now you’ll be glad to run later, but then you’ll never be able to run again.”
“Is that so?” cried Ronno in a rage. “Do you dare to talk to me like that? It’s because I limp, I suppose. Most people don’t even notice it. Or maybe you think I’m afraid of you, too, because Karus was such a pitiful coward. I give you fair warning....”
“No, Ronno,” Bambi broke in, “I’ll do all the warning. Go!” His voice trembled. “I always liked you, Ronno. I always thought you were very clever and respected you because you were older than I am. I tell you once and for all, go. I haven’t any patience left.”
“It’s a pity you have so little patience,” Ronno said with a sneer, “a great pity for you, my boy. But be easy, I’ll soon finish you off. You won’t have long to wait. Maybe you’ve forgotten how often I used to chase you.”
At the thought of that Bambi had nothing more to say. Nothing could hold him back. Like a wild beast he tore at Ronno who met him with his head lowered. They charged together with a crash. Ronno stood firm but wondered why Bambi did not blench back. The sudden charge had dazed him, for he had not expected that Bambi would attack him first. Uneasily he felt Bambi’s giant strength and saw that he must keep himself well in hand.
He tried to turn a trick as they stood forehead pressed against forehead. He suddenly shifted his weight so that Bambi lost his balance and staggered forward.
Bambi braced with his hind legs and hurled himself on Ronno with redoubled fury before he had time to regain his footing. A prong broke from Ronno’s antlers with a loud snap. Ronno thought his forehead was shattered. The sparks danced before his eyes and there was a roaring in his ears. The next moment a terrific blow tore open his shoulder. His breath failed him and he fell to the ground with Bambi standing over him furiously.
“Let me go,” Ronno groaned.
Bambi charged blindly at him. His eyes flashed. He seemed to have no thought of mercy.
“Please stop,” whined Ronno pitifully. “Don’t you know that I’m lame? I was only joking. Spare me. Can’t you take a joke?”
Bambi let him alone without a word. Ronno rose wearily. He was bleeding and his legs tottered. He slunk off in silence.
Bambi started for the thicket to look for Faline, but she came out of her own accord. She had been standing at the edge of the woods and had seen it all.
“That was wonderful,” she said laughingly. Then she added softly and seriously, “I love you.”
They walked on very happily together.