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！
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 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 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 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 take