The cry of distress

The next day sat Zarathustra again on the stone in front of his cave, whilst his animals roved about in the world outside to bring home new food,—also new honey: for Zarathustra had spent and wasted the old honey to the…

Zarathustra, tracing his shadow outside his cave, is startled by a second shadow: the soothsayer. They greet each other, and the soothsayer warns that waves of distress are rising round the mountain.

“O Zarathustra, I have come that I may seduce thee to thy last sin!”

The soothsayer answers 'Pity!' with an overflowing heart and announces his aim.

Zarathustra was silent thereupon, confused and staggered; at last he asked, like one who hesitateth in himself: “And who is it that there calleth me?” “But thou knowest it, certainly,” answered the soothsayer warmly,…

The soothsayer reveals that the cry comes from the higher man. Zarathustra is horror-struck and breaks into a sweat.

“O Zarathustra,” he began, with sorrowful voice, “thou dost not stand there like one whose happiness maketh him giddy: thou wilt have to dance lest thou tumble down! But although thou shouldst dance before me, and leap…

The soothsayer says Zarathustra must dance lest he fall, and that no joyous man or happiness is to be found among the hidden, buried-alive ones.

“Nay! Nay! Three times Nay!” exclaimed he with a strong voice, and stroked his beard—“THAT do I know better! There are still Happy Isles!

Zarathustra recovers his serenity, tells the soothsayer to stop splashing him with misery, and decides to go at once to the forest where the cry came from.

With those words Zarathustra turned around to depart. Then said the soothsayer: “O Zarathustra, thou art a rogue! I know it well: thou wouldst fain be rid of me! Rather wouldst thou run into the forest and lay snares…

The soothsayer accuses Zarathustra of running away and says he will wait in the cave. Zarathustra offers him his honey and says that he too is a soothsayer.