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Emancipation. A Life Fable
by Kate Chopin
There was once an animal born into this world, and opening his eyes upon Life, he saw above
and about him confining walls, and before him were bars of iron through which came air
and light from without; this animal was born in a cage.
Here he grew, and throve in strength and beauty under the care of an invisible protecting
hand. Hungering, food was ever at hand. When he thirsted water was brought, and when he
felt the need to rest, there was provided a bed of straw upon which to lie; and here
he found it good, licking his handsome flanks, to bask in the sun beam that he thought existed
but to lighten his home.
Awaking one day from his slothful rest, lo! the door of his cage stood open: accident
had opened it. In the corner he crouched, wondering and fearingly. Then slowly did he
approach the door, dreading the unaccustomed, and would have closed it, but for such a task
his limbs were purposeless. So out the opening he thrust his head, to see the canopy of the
sky grow broader, and the world waxing wider.
Back to his corner but not to rest, for the spell of the Unknown was over him, and again
and again he goes to the open door, seeing each time more Light.
Then one time standing in the flood of it; a deep in-drawn breath -- a bracing of strong
limbs, and with a bound he was gone.
On he rushes, in his mad flight, heedless that he is wounding and tearing his sleek
sides -- seeing, smelling, touching of all things; even stopping to put his lips to the
noxious pool, thinking it may be sweet.
Hungering there is no food but such as he must seek and ofttimes fight for; and his
limbs are weighted before he reaches the water that is good to his thirsting throat.
So does he live, seeking, finding, joying and suffering. The door which accident had
opened is opened still, but the cage remains forever empty!
End of Emancipation. A Life Fable
by Kate Chopin