before adam(亚当之前)-第11章
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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 wanting
to carry the puppy to the cave； except that I WANTED to； and I stayed by
my task。 I made the work a great deal easier by elaborating on Lop…Ear's
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idea。 Not only did I tie the puppy's legs； but I thrust a stick through his
jaws and tied them together securely。
At last I got the puppy home。 I imagine I had more pertinacity than
the average Folk； or else I should not have succeeded。 They laughed at
me when they saw me lugging the puppy up to my high little cave； but I
did not mind。 Success crowned my efforts； and there was the puppy。
He was a plaything such as none of the Folk possessed。 He learned
rapidly。 When I played with him and he bit me； I boxed his ears； and
then he did not try again to bite for a long time。
I was quite taken up with him。 He was something new； and it was a
characteristic of the Folk to like new things。 When I saw that he refused
fruits and vegetables； I caught birds for him and squirrels and young
rabbits。 （We Folk were meat…eaters； as well as vegetarians； and we were
adept at catching small game。） The puppy ate the meat and thrived。 As
well as I can estimate； I must have had him over a week。 And then；
coming back to the cave one day with a nestful of young…hatched
pheasants； I found Lop…Ear had killed the puppy and was just beginning to
eat him。 I sprang for Lop…Ear；the cave was small；and we went at it
tooth and nail。
And thus； in a fight； ended one of the earliest attempts to domesticate
the dog。 We pulled hair out in handfuls； and scratched and bit and
gouged。 Then we sulked and made up。 After that we ate the puppy。
Raw？ Yes。 We had not yet discovered fire。 Our evolution into cooking
animals lay in the tight…rolled scroll of the future。
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CHAPTER IX
Red…Eye was an atavism。 He was the great discordant element in
our horde。 He was more primitive than any of us。 He did not belong
with us； yet we were still so primitive ourselves that we were incapable of
a cooperative effort strong enough to kill him or cast him out。 Rude as
was our social organization； he was； nevertheless； too rude to live in it。
He tended always to destroy the horde by his unsocial acts。 He was
really a reversion to an earlier type； and his place was with the Tree People
rather than with us who were in the process of becoming men。
He was a monster of cruelty； which is saying a great deal in that day。
He beat his wivesnot that he ever had more than one wife at a time； but
that he was married many times。 It was impossible for any woman to
live with him； and yet they did live with him； out of compulsion。 There
was no gainsaying him。
No man was strong enough to stand against him。
Often do I have visions of the quiet hour before the twilight。 From
drinking…place and carrot patch and berry swamp the Folk are trooping
into the open space before the caves。 They dare linger no later than this；
for the dreadful darkness is approaching； in which the world is given over
to the carnage of the hunting animals； while the fore…runners of man hide
tremblingly in their
