Межзвёздный скиталец

           Manyhorseswerebroken,andsomemen,butIlivedatthelasttothedaywhen,atthechangingofcamp-sitesinthepursuitofthemeatinitsseasons,ourverybabes,inbasketsofwillow-withes,wereslungsideandsideonthebacksofourhorsesthatcarriedourcamp-trappageanddunnage.

           I,ayoungman,hadseenmyvision,dreamedmydream;Selpa,thewoman,hadheldmefromthatfardesire;butOthar,theseedofustoliveafter,glimpsedmyvisionandwontoit,sothatourtribebecamewealthyinthegainsofthechase.

           Therewasawoman—onthegreatdriftdownoutofEurope,awearydriftofmanygenerations,whenwebroughtintoIndiatheshorthorncattleandtheplantingofbarley.ButthiswomanwaslongbeforewereachedIndia.Wewerestillinthemid-mostofthatcenturies-longdrift,andnoshrewdnessofgeographycannowplaceformethatancientvalley.

           ThewomanwasNuhila.Thevalleywasnarrow,notlong,andtheswiftslopeofitsfloorandthesteepwallsofitsrimwereterracedforthegrowingofriceandofmillet—thefirstriceandmilletweSonsoftheMountainhadknown.Theywereameekpeopleinthatvalley.Theyhadbecomesoftwiththefarmingoffatlandmadefatterbywater.Theirswasthefirstirrigationwehadseen,althoughwehadlittletimetomarktheirditchesandchannelsbywhichallthehillwatersflowedtothefieldstheyhadbuilded.