before adam(亚当之前)-第13节
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the years I lived with the Folk。 It never entered anybody's head to weave
a basket out of willow…withes。 Sometimes the men and women tied
tough vines about the bundles of ferns and branches that they carried to
the caves to sleep upon。 Possibly in ten or twenty generations we might
have worked up to the weaving of baskets。 And of this； one thing is sure：
if once we wove withes into baskets； the next and inevitable step would
have been the weaving of cloth。 Clothes would have followed； and with
covering our nakedness would have come modesty。
Thus was momentum gained in the Younger World。 But we were
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without this momentum。 We were just getting started； and we could not
go far in a single generation。 We were without weapons； without fire；
and in the raw beginnings of speech。 The device of writing lay so far in
the future that I am appalled when I think of it。
Even I was once on the verge of a great discovery。 To show you how
fortuitous was development in those days let me state that had it not been
for the gluttony of Lop…Ear I might have brought about the domestication
of the dog。 And this was something that the Fire People who lived to the
northeast had not yet achieved。 They were without dogs； this I knew
from observation。 But let me tell you how Lop…Ear's gluttony possibly
set back our social development many generations。
Well to the west of our caves was a great swamp； but to the south lay a
stretch of low； rocky hills。 These were little frequented for two reasons。
First of all； there was no food there of the kind we ate； and next； those
rocky hills were filled with the lairs of carnivorous beasts。
But Lop…Ear and I strayed over to the hills one day。 We would not have
strayed had we not been teasing a tiger。 Please do not laugh。 It was old
Saber…Tooth himself。 We were perfectly safe。 We chanced upon him in
the forest； early in the morning； and from the safety of the branches
overhead we chattered down at him our dislike and hatred。 And from
branch to branch； and from tree to tree； we followed overhead； making an
infernal row and warning all the forest…dwellers that old Saber…Tooth was
coming。
We spoiled his hunting for him； anyway。 And we made him good and
angry。 He snarled at us and lashed his tail； and sometimes he paused and
stared up at us quietly for a long time； as if debating in his mind some way
by which he could get hold of us。 But we only laughed and pelted him
with twigs and the ends of branches。
This tiger…baiting was common sport among the folk。 Sometimes half
the horde would follow from overhead a tiger or lion that had ventured out
in the daytime。 It was our revenge； for more than one member of the
horde； caught unexpectedly； had gone the way of the tiger's belly or the
lion's。 Also； by such ordeals of helplessness and shame； we taught the
hunting animals to some extent to keep out of our territory。 And then it
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was funny。 It was a great game。
And so Lop…Ear and I had chased Saber…Tooth across three miles of
forest。 Toward the last he put his tail between his legs and fled from our
gibing like a beaten cur。 We did our best to keep up with him； but when
we reached the edge of the forest he was no more than a streak in the
distance。
I don't know what prompted us； unless it was curiosity； but after
playing around awhile； Lop…Ear and I ventured across the open ground to
the edge of the rocky hills。 We did not go far。 Possibly at no time were we
more than a hundred yards from the trees。 Coming around a sharp corner
of rock （we went very carefully； because we did not know what we might
encounter）； we came upon three puppies playing in the sun。
They did not see us； and we watched them for some time。 They were
wild dogs。 In the rock…wall was a horizontal fissureevidently the lair
where their mother had left them； and where they should have remained
had they been obedient。 But the growing life； that in Lop…Ear and me
had impelled us to venture away from the forest； had driven the puppies
out of the cave to frolic。 I know how their mother would have punished
them had she caught them。
But it was Lop…Ear and I who caught them。 He looked at me； and
then we made a dash for it。 The puppies knew no place to run except
into the lair； and we headed them off。 One rushed between my legs。 I
squatted and grabbed him。 He sank his sharp little teeth into my arm； and
I dropped him in the suddenness of the hurt and surprise。 The next
moment he had scurried inside。
Lop…Ear； struggling with the second puppy； scowled at me and
intimated by a variety of sounds the different kinds of a fool and a bungler
that I was。 This made me ashamed and spurred me to valor。 I grabbed
the remaining puppy by the tail。 He got his teeth into me once； and then I
got him by the nape of the neck。 Lop…Ear and I sat down； and held the
puppies up； and looked at them； and laughed。
They were snarling and yelping and crying。 Lop…Ear started
suddenly。 He thought he had heard something。 We looked at each other
in fear； realizing the danger of our position。 The one thing that made
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animals raging demons was tampering with their young。 And these
puppies that made such a racket belonged to the wild dogs。 Well we
knew them； running in packs； the terror of the grass…eating animals。 We
had watched them following the herds of cattle and bison and dragging
down the calves； the aged； and the sick。 We had been chased by them
ourselves； more than once。 I had seen one of the Folk； a woman； run
down by them and caught just as she reached the shelter of the woods。
Had she not been tired out by the run； she might have made it into a tree。
She tried； and slipped； and fell back。 They made short work of her。
We did not stare at each other longer than a moment。 Keeping tight
hold of our prizes； we ran for the woods。 Once in the security of a tall tree；
we held up the puppies and laughed again。 You see； we had to have our
laugh out； no matter what happened。
And then began one of the hardest tasks I ever attempted。 We started
to carry the puppies to our cave。 Instead of using our hands for climbing；
most of the time they were occupied with holding our squirming captives。
Once we tried to walk on the ground； but were treed by a miserable hyena；
who followed along underneath。 He was a wise hyena。
Lop…Ear got an idea。 He remembered how we tied up bundles of
leaves to carry home for beds。 Breaking off some tough vines； he tied his
puppy's legs together； and then； with another piece of vine passed around
his neck； slung the puppy on his back。 This left him with hands and feet
free to climb。 He was jubilant； and did not wait for me to finish tying my
puppy's legs； but started on。 There was one difficulty； however。 The
puppy wouldn't stay slung on Lop…Ear's back。 It swung around to the
side and then on in front。 Its teeth were not tied； and the next thing it did
was to sink its teeth into Lop…Ear's soft and unprotected stomach。 He let
out a scream； nearly fell； and clutched a branch violently with both hands
to save himself。 The vine around his neck broke； and the puppy； its four
legs still tied； dropped to the ground。 The hyena proceeded to dine。
Lop…Ear was disgusted and angry。 He abused the hyena； and then
went off alone through the trees。 I had no reason that I knew for want
