До Адама

           I,themodern,amincontestablyaman;yetI,Big-Tooth,theprimitive,amnotaman.Somewhere,andbystraightlineofdescent,thesetwopartiestomydualpersonalitywereconnected.WeretheFolk,beforetheirdestruction,intheprocessofbecomingmen?AnddidIandminecarrythroughthisprocess?Ontheotherhand,maynotsomedescendantofminehavegoneintotheFirePeopleandbecomeoneofthem?Idonotknow.Thereisnowayoflearning.Onethingonlyiscertain,andthatisthatBig-Toothdidstampintothecerebralconstitutionofoneofhisprogenyalltheimpressionsofhislife,andstampedtheminsoindeliblythatthehostsofinterveninggenerationshavefailedtoobliteratethem.

           ThereisoneotherthingofwhichImustspeakbeforeIclose.ItisadreamthatIdreamoften,andinpointoftimetherealeventmusthaveoccurredduringtheperiodofmylivinginthehigh,inaccessiblecave.IrememberthatIwanderedfarintheforesttowardtheeast.ThereIcameuponatribeofTreePeople.Icrouchedinathicketandwatchedthematplay.Theywereholdingalaughingcouncil,jumpingupanddownandscreechingrudechoruses.

           Suddenlytheyhushedtheirnoiseandceasedtheircapering.Theyshrankdowninfear,andquestedanxiouslyaboutwiththeireyesforawayofretreat.ThenRed-Eyewalkedinamongthem.Theycoweredawayfromhim.Allwerefrightened.Buthemadenoattempttohurtthem.Hewasoneofthem.Athisheels,onstringybendedlegs,supportingherselfwithknucklestothegroundoneitherside,walkedanoldfemaleoftheTreePeople,hislatestwife