Translation:The Man Who Lost a Button/III.
III.
[edit]And one day, the man who lost a button stepped over the threshold of his house with his eyes fixed on the ground.
But after the first step, he paused, uncertain.
Which path should he take? Where should he search?
He no longer knew the paths of the earth. He had never even looked at them. Until now, he had walked, treading over all obstacles, dodging pits, rivers, and abysses at the last moment. Like a swallow, he only knew the airways that led to the nest. Of his past journeys, he had only dim memories.
Nothing left but going forward, walking and walking, wherever the feet would go, but now, he was constantly looking at the earth: noticing everything on it, even the tiniest thing, for the button was small and gray.
And the man left. Slowly. Without looking back at anything. Without batting an eyelash.
His house was second to last on that side of town. It was therefore right on the path that led to the peak of a nearby hill.
He vaguely remembered some height not far from his house. Yes! That day it was already dark when he looked at the first stars in the sky, and he was disturbed by the evening buzz of the town, the town he didn’t even notice.
He intended to take a good look at that hill. Who knows? Maybe even today...