第26部分(第6/7 頁)

　fire；　they　have　the　sharp　sweet　taste　of　a　parsnip。　She　recognizes　the　bird；　too；　some　wild　thing　they　call　a　groosling　in　her　district。　She　says　sometimes　a　flock　will　wander　into　the　orchard　and　they　get　a　decent　lunch　that　day。　For　a　while；　all　conversation　stops　as　we　fill　our　stomachs。　The　groosling　has　delicious　meal　thatˇs　so　fatty；　the　grease　drips　down　your　face　when　you　bite　into　it。

¨Oh；〃　says　Rue　with　a　sigh。　¨Iˇve　never　had　a　whole　leg　to　myself　before。〃

Iˇll　bet　she　hasnˇt。　Iˇll　bet　meat　hardly　ever　es　her　way。　¨Take　the　other；〃　I　say。

¨Really？〃　she　asks。

¨Take　whatever　you　want。　Now　that　Iˇve　got　a　bow　and　arrows；　I　can　get　more。　Plus　Iˇve　got　snares。　I　can　show　you　how　to　set　them；〃　I　say。　Rue　still　looks　uncertainly　at　the　leg。　¨Oh；　take　it；〃　I　say；　putting　the　drumstick　in　her　hands。　¨It　will　only　keep　a　few　days　anyway；　and　weˇve　got　the　whole　bird　plus　the　rabbit。〃　Once　sheˇs　got　hold　of　it；　her　appetite　wins　out　and　she　takes　a　huge　mouthful。

¨Iˇd　have　thought；　in　District　Eleven；　youˇd　have　a　bit　more　to　eat　than　us。　You　know；　since　you　grow　the　food；〃　I　say。

Rueˇs　eyes　widen。　¨Oh；　no；　weˇre　not　allowed　to　eat　the　crops。〃

¨They　arrest　you　or　something？〃　I　ask。

¨They　whip　you　and　make　everyone　else　watch；〃　says　Rue。　¨The　mayorˇs　very　strict　about　it。〃

I　can　tell　by　her　expression　that　itˇs　not　that　unmon　an　occurrence。　A　public　whippingˇs　a　rare　thing　in　District　12；　although　occasionally　one　occurs。　Technically；　Gale　and　I　could　be　whipped　on　a　daily　basis　for　poaching　in　the　woods　�　well；　technically；　we　could　get　a　whole　lot　worse　�　except　all　the　officials　buy　our　meat。　Besides；　our　mayor；　Madgeˇs　father；　doesnˇt　seem　to　have　much　taste　for　such　events。　Maybe　being　the　least　prestig