Zid koji se penje na planinu

Danas Polly posjećuje veliki zid. Počinje na rubu grada. Zatim se penje ravno uz planinu, s kulom za kulom, poput divovskih kamenih stuba. Berta hoda s njom do prvih vrata. Onda kuna ide kući. Penjanje je za ptice, kaže.

Today Polly visits the great wall. It begins at the edge of the town. Then it climbs straight up the mountain, with tower after tower, like giant stone stairs. Berta walks with her to the first gate. Then the marten goes home. Climbing is for birds, she says.

Zid je vrlo, vrlo star. Prije više od tisuću godina ovim je gradom vladala berberska obitelj zvana Banu Razin. Grad još uvijek nosi njihovo ime. Oni su sagradili prve zidine i četvrtastu kamenu stražarsku kulu na vrhu grebena.

The wall is very, very old. More than a thousand years ago, a Berber family called the Banu Razin ruled this town. The town still carries their name. They built the first walls and the square stone watchtower at the top of the ridge.

Polly leti do stražarske kule i slijeće na rub. Odavde grad izgleda sićušno, sami ružičasti krovovi unutar petlje rijeke. U sjenovitom kutu sjedi velika ušara. Spava nakon noćnog posla. Otvori jedno narančasto oko i kaže dobar dan.

Polly flies up to the watchtower and lands on the edge. From here the town looks tiny, all pink roofs inside the river's loop. In a shady corner sits a big eagle owl. He is sleeping after his night work. He opens one orange eye and says hello.

Polly ostaje dugo i gleda kako se oblaci miču iznad planina. Ova kula promatra već tisuću godina, pomisli. Na povratku kaže zidu hvala. Zid ne kaže ništa. Zidovi su tihi radnici.

Polly stays a long time and watches the clouds move over the mountains. This tower has watched for a thousand years, she thinks. On the way down she says thank you to the wall. The wall says nothing. Walls are quiet workers.