15/03/2017 JackalsandArabs

JackalsandArabs
byFranzKafka(/author/franzkafka/biobooksstories)

TranslationbyIanJohnston

Wewerecampingintheoasis.Mycompanionswereasleep.AnArab,tallandwhite,wentpastme.Hehadbeen
tendingtohiscamelsandwasgoingtohissleepingplace.

Ithrewmyselfonmybackintothegrass.Iwantedtosleep.Icouldnt.ThehowlingofajackalinthedistanceI
satupstraightagain.Andwhathadbeensofarawaywassuddenlycloseby.Aswarmingpackofjackalsaround
me,theireyesflashingdullgoldandgoingout,slenderbodiesmovinginaquick,coordinatedmanner,asifthey
werebeingcontrolledbyawhip.

Oneofthemcamefrombehind,pushedhimselfundermyarm,rightagainstme,asifitneededmywarmth,then
steppedinfrontofmeandspoke,almosteyetoeyewithme.

Imtheoldestjackalformilesaround.ImhappyImstillabletowelcomeyouhere.Ihadalreadyalmostgiven
uphope,forwevebeenwaitingforyouaninfinitelylongtime.Mymotherwaited,andhermother,andallher
mothers,rightbacktothemotherofalljackals.Believeme!

Thatsurprisesme,Isaid,forgettingtolightthepileofwoodwhichlayreadytokeepthejackalsawaywithits
smoke,Imverysurprisedtohearthat.Ivecomefromthehighnorthmerelybychanceandaminthemiddleof
ashorttrip.Whatdoyouwantthen,Jackal?

Asifencouragedbythisconversation,whichwasperhapsfartoofriendly,theydrewtheircirclemoreclosely
aroundme,allpantingandsnarling.

Weknow,theoldestbegan,thatyoucomefromthenorth.Ourhoperestsonthatverypoint.Inthenorththere
isawayofunderstandingthingswhichonecannotfindhereamongtheArabs.Youknow,fromtheircool
arroganceonecannotstrikeasparkofcommonsense.Theykillanimalstoeatthem,andtheydisregardrotting
carcasses.

Dontspeaksoloud,Isaid.ThereareArabssleepingcloseby.

Youreallyareastranger,saidthejackal.Otherwiseyouwouldknowthatthroughoutthehistoryoftheworlda
jackalhasneveryetfearedanArab.Shouldwefearthem?Isitnotmisfortuneenoughthatwehavebeencastout
amongsuchpeople?

Maybethatcouldbe,Isaid.Imnotuptojudgingthingswhicharesofarremovedfromme.Itseemstobea
veryoldconflictitsprobablyinthebloodandsoperhapswillonlyendwithblood.

Youareverycleversaidtheoldjackal,andtheyallpantedevenmorequickly,theirlungsbreathingrapidly,
althoughtheywerestandingstill.AbittersmellstreamedoutoftheiropenjawsattimesIcouldtolerateitonly
byclenchingmyteeth.Youareveryclever.Whatyousaidcorrespondstoourancientdoctrine.Sowetaketheir
blood,andthequarrelisover.

Oh!Isaid,moresharplythanIintended,theylldefendthemselves.Theyllshootyoudownindroveswiththeir
guns.

Youdonotunderstandus,hesaid,acharacteristicofhumanbeingswhichhasnotdisappeared,noteveninthe
highnorth.Wearenotgoingtokillthem.TheNilewouldnothaveenoughwatertowashusclean.Themeresight
oftheirlivingbodiesmakesusrunawayimmediatelyintocleanerair,intothedesert,which,forthatveryreason,
isourhome.

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15/03/2017 JackalsandArabs

Allthejackalssurroundingusandinthemeantimeevenmorehadcomeupfromadistanceloweredtheir
headsbetweenthefrontlegsandcleanedthemwiththeirpaws.Itwasasiftheywantedtoconcealanaversion
whichwassoterrible,thatIwouldhavemuchpreferredtotakeabigjumpandescapebeyondtheircircle.

Sowhatdoyouintendtodo,Iasked.Iwantedtostandup,butIcouldnt.Twoyounganimalswereholdingme
firmlyfrombehindwiththeirjawsbitingintomyjacketandshirt.Ihadtoremainsitting.Theyareholdingyour
train,saidtheoldjackalseriously,bywayofexplanation,amarkofrespect.Theyshouldletmego,Icried
out,turningbackandforthbetweentheoldoneandtheyoungones.Ofcourse,theywill,saidtheoldone,if
thatswhatyouwant.Butitwilltakealittlewhile,for,asisourhabit,theyhavedugtheirteethindeepandmust
firstlettheirjawsopengradually.Meanwhile,listentoourrequest.Yourconducthasnotmademeparticularly
receptivetoit,Isaid.Dontmakeuspayforourclumsiness,hesaid,andnowforthefirsttimehebroughtthe
plaintivetoneofhisnaturalvoicetohisassistance.Wearepooranimalsallwehaveisourteeth.Foreverything
wewanttodogoodandbadtheonlythingavailabletousisourteeth.Sowhatdoyouwant?Iasked,only
slightlyreassured.

Sir,hecriedout,andallthejackalshowled.Tomeitsoundedveryremotelylikeamelody.Sir,youshouldend
thequarrelwhichdividestheworldintwo.Ourancestorsdescribedamanlikeyouastheonewhowilldoit.We
mustbefreeoftheArabswithairwecanbreathe,aviewofthehorizonaroundusclearofArabs,nocriesof
painfromasheepwhichanArabhasknifed,andeveryanimalshoulddiepeacefullyandbeleftundisturbedforus
todrainitemptyandcleanitrightdowntothebones.Cleanlinessthatswhatwewantnothingbutcleanliness.
Nowtheywereallcryingandsobbing.Howcanyoubearitinthisworld,younobleheartandsweetentrails?Dirt
istheirwhitedirtistheirblacktheirbeardsarehorriblelookingatthecorneroftheireyesmakesonespitand
iftheylifttheirarms,hellopensupintheirarmpits.Andthatswhy,sir,thatswhy,mydearsir,withthehelpof
yourallcapablehands,withthehelpofyourallcapablehandsyoumustusethesescissorstoslitrightthrough
theirthroats.Hejerkedhishead,andinresponseajackalcameupcarryingonitscaninetoothasmallpairof
sewingscissorscoveredwitholdrust.

Sofinallythescissorsitstimetostop!criedtheArableaderofourcaravan,whohadcreptuponusfrom
downwind.Nowheswunghisgiganticwhip.

Thejackalsallfledquickly,butstillremainedatsomedistancehuddledcloselytogether,manyanimalssoclose
andtensethatitlookedasiftheywereinanarrowpenwithjackolanternsflyingaroundthem.

So,youtoo,sir,haveseenandheardthisspectacle,saidtheArab,laughingascheerfullyasthereticenceofhis
racepermitted.Soyouknowwhattheanimalswant,Iasked.Ofcourse,sir,hesaid.Thatscommon
knowledgeaslongasthereareArabs,thesescissorswanderthroughthedesertsandwillwanderwithusuntil
theendofdays.EveryEuropeanisofferedthemforthegreatworkeveryEuropeanisexactlytheonewhoseems
tothemqualifiedtodoit.Theseanimalshaveanabsurdhope.Theyreidiots,realidiots.Thatswhywerefondof
them.Theyareourdogs,finerthantheonesyouhave.Now,watchthis.Inthenightacameldied.Ihavehadit
broughthere.

Fourbearerscameandthrewtheheavycarcassrightinfrontofus.Nosoonerwasitlyingtherethanthejackals
raisedtheirvoices.Everyoneofthemcreptforward,itsbodyscrapingtheground,asifdrawnbyanirresistible
rope.TheyhadforgottentheArabs,forgottentheirhatred.Thepresenceofapowerfullystinkingdeadbodywiped
outeverythingandenchantedthem.Oneofthemwasalreadyhangingatthecamelsthroatandwithitsfirstbite
hadfoundtheartery.Likeasmallragingpumpwhichwithadeterminationmatchedonlybyitshopelessness
seekstoputoutanoverpoweringfire,everymuscleofitsbodypulledandtwitchedinitsplace.Thenrightaway
allthemwerelyingthereonthecorpseinamountainousheap,workinginthesameway.

Thentheleadercrackedhissharpwhippowerfullyallaroundabovethem.Theyraisedtheirheads,halffaintingin
theirintoxicatedstate,lookedattheArabstandinginfrontofthem,startedtofeelthewhipnowhittingtheir
muzzles,jumpedaway,andranbackadistance.Butthecamelsbloodwasalreadylyingthereinpools,stinkingto
heaven,andthebodywastornwideopeninseveralplaces.Theycouldnotresist.Theywerethereagain.The
leaderoncemoreraisedhiswhip.Igrabbedhisarm.Sir,youareright,hesaid.Wellleavethemtotheircalling.
Besides,itstimetobreakcamp.Youveseenthem.Wonderfulcreatures,arentthey?Andhowtheyhateus!

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15/03/2017 JackalsandArabs

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