before adam(亚当之前)-第12节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the arrow with his teeth。 As he did so he held the arrow firmly in both
hands so that it would not play about in the wound； and at the same time I
held on to him。 I often meditate upon this scenethe two of us； half…
grown cubs； in the childhood of the race； and the one mastering his fear；
beating down his selfish impulse of flight； in order to stand by and succor
the other。 And there rises up before me all that was there foreshadowed；
and I see visions of Damon and Pythias； of life…saving crews and Red
Cross nurses； of martyrs and leaders of forlorn hopes； of Father Damien；
and of the Christ himself； and of all the men of earth； mighty of stature；
whose strength may trace back to the elemental loins of Lop…Ear and Big…
Tooth and other dim denizens of the Younger World。
When Lop…Ear had chewed off the head of the arrow； the shaft was
withdrawn easily enough。 I started to go on； but this time it was he that
stopped me。 My leg was bleeding profusely。 Some of the smaller veins
had doubtless been ruptured。 Running out to the end of a branch； Lop…
Ear gathered a handful of green leaves。 These he stuffed into the wound。
They accomplished the purpose； for the bleeding soon stopped。 Then we
went on together； back to the safety of the caves。
41
… Page 42…
Before Adam
CHAPTER VIII
Well do I remember that first winter after I left home。 I have long
dreams of sitting shivering in the cold。 Lop…Ear and I sit close together；
with our arms and legs about each other； blue…faced and with chattering
teeth。 It got particularly crisp along toward morning。 In those chill early
hours we slept little； huddling together in numb misery and waiting for the
sunrise in order to get warm。
When we went outside there was a crackle of frost under foot。 One
morning we discovered ice on the surface of the quiet water in the eddy
where was the drinking…place； and there was a great How…do…you…do about
it。 Old Marrow…Bone was the oldest member of the horde； and he had
never seen anything like it before。 I remember the worried； plaintive look
that came into his eyes as he examined the ice。 （This plaintive look
always came into our eyes when we did not understand a thing； or when
we felt the prod of some vague and inexpressible desire。） Red…Eye； too；
when he investigated the ice； looked bleak and plaintive； and stared across
the river into the northeast； as though in some way he connected the Fire
People with this latest happening。
But we found ice only on that one morning； and that was the coldest
winter we experienced。 I have no memory of other winters when it was
so cold。 I have often thought that that cold winter was a fore…runner of
the countless cold winters to come； as the ice…sheet from farther north
crept down over the face of the land。 But we never saw that ice…sheet。
Many generations must have passed away before the descendants of the
horde migrated south； or remained and adapted themselves to the changed
conditions。
Life was hit or miss and happy…go…lucky with us。 Little was ever
planned； and less was executed。 We ate when we were hungry； drank
when we were thirsty； avoided our carnivorous enemies； took shelter in the
caves at night； and for the rest just sort of played along through life。
We were very curious； easily amused； and full of tricks and pranks。
There was no seriousness about us； except when we were in danger or
were angry； in which cases the one was quickly forgotten and the other as
42
… Page 43…
Before Adam
quickly got over。
We were inconsecutive； illogical； and inconsequential。 We had no
steadfastness of purpose； and it was here that the Fire People were ahead
of us。 They possessed all these things of which we possessed so little。
Occasionally； however； especially in the realm of the emotions； we were
capable of long…cherished purpose。 The faithfulness of the monogamic
couples I have referred to may be explained as a matter of habit； but my
long desire for the Swift One cannot be so explained； any more than can
be explained the undying enmity between me and Red…Eye。
But it was our inconsequentiality and stupidity that especially
distresses me when I look back upon that life in the long ago。 Once I
found a broken gourd which happened to lie right side up and which had
been filled with the rain。 The water was sweet； and I drank it。 I even
took the gourd down to the stream and filled it with more water； some of
which I drank and some of which I poured over Lop…Ear。 And then I
threw the gourd away。 It never entered my head to fill the gourd with
water and carry it into my cave。 Yet often I was thirsty at night；
especially after eating wild onions and watercress； and no one ever dared
leave the caves at night for a drink。
Another time I found a dry； gourd； inside of which the seeds rattled。
I had fun with it for a while。 But it was a play thing； nothing more。
And yet； it was not long after this that the using of gourds for storing water
became the general practice of the horde。 But I was not the inventor。
The honor was due to old Marrow…Bone； and it is fair to assume that it was
the necessity of his great age that brought about the innovation。
At any rate； the first member of the horde to use gourds was Marrow…
Bone。 He kept a supply of drinking…water in his cave； which cave
belonged to his son； the Hairless One； who permitted him to occupy a
corner of it。 We used to see Marrow…Bone filling his gourd at the
drinking…place and carrying it carefully up to his cave。 Imitation was
strong in the Folk； and first one； and then another and another； procured a
gourd and used it in similar fashion； until it was a general practice with all
of us so to store water。
Sometimes old Marrow…Bone had sick spells and was unable to leave
43
… Page 44…
Before Adam
the cave。 Then it was that the Hairless One filled the gourd for him。 A
little later； the Hairless One deputed the task to Long…Lip； his son。 And
after that； even when Marrow…Bone was well again； Long…Lip continued
carrying water for him。 By and by； except on unusual occasions； the men
never carried any water at all； leaving the task to the women and larger
children。 Lop…Ear and I were independent。 We carried water only for
ourselves； and we often mocked the young water…carriers when they were
called away from play to fill the gourds。
Progress was slow with us。 We played through life； even the adults；
much in the same way that children play； and we played as none of the
other animals played。 What little we learned； was usually in the course
of play； and was due to our curiosity and keenness of appreciation。 For
that matter； the one big invention of the horde； during the time I lived with
it； was the use of gourds。 At first we stored only water in the gourdsin
imitation of old Marrow…Bone。
But one day some one of the womenI do not know which onefilled
a gourd with black…berries and carried it to her cave。 In no time all the
women were carrying berries and nuts and roots in the gourds。 The idea；
once started； had to go on。 Another evolution of the carrying…receptacle
was due to the women。 Without doubt； some woman's gourd was too
small； or else she had forgotten her gourd； but be that as it may； she bent
two great leaves together； pinning the seams with twigs； and carried home
a bigger quantity of berries than could have been contained in the largest
gourd。
So far we got； and no farther； in the transportation of supplies during
the years I lived with the Folk。 It never entered anybody's head t
