O man! Take heed!

          What saith deep midnight's voice indeed?

          "I slept my sleep-,

          "From deepest dream I've woke, and plead:-

          "The world is deep,

          "And deeper than the day could read.

          "Deep is its woe-,

          "Joy- deeper still than grief can be:

          "Woe saith: Hence! Go!

          "But joys all want eternity-,

          "-Want deep, profound eternity!"

                     80. The Sign

  IN THE morning, however, after this night, Zarathustra jumped up
from his couch, and, having girded his loins, he came out of his
cave glowing and strong, like a morning sun coming out of gloomy
mountains.

  "Thou great star," spake he, as he had spoken once before, "thou
deep eye of happiness, what would be all thy happiness if thou hadst
not those for whom thou shinest!

  And if they remained in their chambers whilst thou art already
awake, and comest and bestowest and distributest, how would thy
proud modesty upbraid for it!

  Well! they still sleep, these higher men, whilst I am awake: they
are not my proper companions! Not for them do I wait here in my
mountains.

  At my work I want to be, at my day: but they understand not what are
the signs of my morning, my step- is not for them the awakening-call.

  They still sleep in my cave; their dream still drinketh at my
drunken songs. The audient ear for me- the obedient ear, is yet
lacking in their limbs."

  -This had Zarathustra spoken to his heart when the sun arose: then
looked he inquiringly aloft, for he heard above him the sharp call
of his eagle. "Well!" called he upwards, "thus is it pleasing and
proper to me. Mine animals are awake, for I am awake.

  Mine eagle is awake, and like me honoureth the sun. With
eagle-talons doth it grasp at the new light. Ye are my proper animals;
I love you.

  But still do I lack my proper men!"-

  Thus spake Zarathustra; then, however, it happened that all on a
sudden he became aware that he was flocked around and fluttered
around, as if by innumerable birds,- the whizzing of so many wings,
however, and the crowding around his head was so great that he shut
his eyes. And verily, there came down upon him as it were a cloud,
like a cloud of arrows which poureth upon a new enemy. But behold,
here it was a cloud of love, and showered upon a new friend.

  "What happeneth unto me?" thought Zarathustra in his astonished
heart, and slowly seated himself on the big stone which lay close to
the exit from his cave. But while he grasped about with his hands,
around him, above him and below him, and repelled the tender birds,
behold, there then happened to him something still stranger: for he
grasped thereby unawares into a mass of thick, warm, shaggy hair; at
the same time, however, there sounded before him a roar,- a long, soft
lion-roar.

  "The sign cometh," said Zarathustra, and a change came over his
heart. And in truth, when it turned clear before him, there lay a
yellow, powerful animal at his feet, resting its head on his knee,-
unwilling to leave him out of love, and doing like a dog which again
findeth its old master. The doves, however, were no less eager with
their love than the lion; and whenever a dove whisked over its nose,
the lion shook its head and wondered and laughed.

  When all this went on Zarathustra spake only a word: "My children
are nigh, my children"-, then he became quite mute. His heart,
however, was loosed, and from his eyes there dropped down tears and
fell upon his hands. And he took no further notice of anything, but
sat there motionless, without repelling the animals further. Then flew
the doves to and fro, and perched on his shoulder, and caressed his
white hair, and did not tire of their tenderness and joyousness. The
strong lion, however, licked always the tears that fell on
Zarathustra's hands, and roared and growled shyly. Thus did these
animals do.-

  All this went on for a long time, or a short time: for properly
speaking, there is no time on earth for such things-. Meanwhile,
however, the higher men had awakened in Zarathustra's cave, and
marshalled themselves for a procession to go to meet Zarathustra,