A NEW YEAR'S FABLE
237
the Doctor of Sciences, was the first to start the ball rolling. In
his spare time he was a student of antiquity and a collector
of stone axes, ancient coins and old books; and,
in
my
opinion, the whole significance of his peaceful life lay in this
hobby rather than in our work.
"A curious thing!" he exclaimed, inviting us to listen. "Not
long ago, while deciphering an inscription on a stone slab, I
discovered the following image."
He showed us a white sheet of paper on which an owl with
large ears had been drawn in
ink.
"I also succeeded in deciphering the inscription," the chief
announced proudly. "There was a name there and words that
read: 'And his age was nine hundred.'''
"Y-yes ..." one of my other colleagues, who loved to
dress smartly and to play practical jokes, said thoughtfully.
"Four hundred would be enough for me ... ."
"Why do you need it?" a dry, broad-shouldered,
elderly man, who usually was silent, asked abruptly. He was
sitting near me and differed from all of us by his marked care–
lessness in dress, his taciturnity and his incredible capacity for
work. "You have no need for these four hundred years," he
added. "You're in no hurry anyhow."
"I'd like you to note!" the chief exclaimed, raising his
voice to make it clear that he had been interrupted, "I'd like
you to note that owls of this type have been discovered at dif–
ferent times in various countries. In one of the deserts there
stands a gigantic owl of granite. But this is the first such find in
our locality.
If
I may boast a little," and hereupon the chief
smiled broadly, "both this owl and this inscription are my
personal discovery. I excavated the slab in my own garden."
We congratulated the lucky man, examined the owl once
again, and then dispersed to our places of work.
"I'll make it my business to discover the meaning of this
image," the chief said. "Then I shall publish the findings ."
