До Адама

           Itrepresentedstrength,thatbodyofmyfather’s,strengthwithoutbeauty;ferocious,primordialstrength,madetoclutchandgripeandrendanddestroy.

           Hishipswerethin;andthelegs,leanandhairy,werecrookedandstringy-muscled.Infact,myfather’slegsweremorelikearms.Theyweretwistedandgnarly,andwithscarcelythesemblanceofthefullmeatycalfsuchasgracesyourlegandmine.Irememberhecouldnotwalkontheflatofhisfoot.Thiswasbecauseitwasaprehensilefoot,morelikeahandthanafoot.Thegreattoe,insteadofbeinginlinewiththeothertoes,opposedthem,likeathumb,anditsoppositiontotheothertoeswaswhatenabledhimtogetagripwithhisfoot.Thiswaswhyhecouldnotwalkontheflatofhisfoot.

           Buthisappearancewasnomoreunusualthanthemannerofhiscoming,theretomymotherandmeasweperchedabovetheangrywildpigs.Hecamethroughthetrees,leapingfromlimbtolimbandfromtreetotree;andhecameswiftly.Icanseehimnow,inmywake-a-daylife,asIwritethis,swingingalongthroughthetrees,afour-handed,hairycreature,howlingwithrage,pausingnowandagaintobeathischestwithhisclenchedfist,leapingten-and-fifteen-footgaps,catchingabranchwithonehandandswingingonacrossanothergaptocatchwithhisotherhandandgoon,neverhesitating,neveratalossastohowtoproceedonhisarborealway.