До Адама

           Eventhefiercesthuntinganimalswesobedevilledthattheylearnedtoleaveourplacesalone.Wewerenotfighterslikethem;wewerecunningandcowardly,anditwasbecauseofourcunningandcowardice,andourinordinatecapacityforfear,thatwesurvivedinthatfrightfullyhostileenvironmentoftheYoungerWorld.

           Lop-Ear,Ifigure,wasayearolderthanI.Whathispasthistorywashehadnowayoftellingme,butasIneversawanythingofhismotherIbelievedhimtobeanorphan.Afterall,fathersdidnotcountinourhorde.Marriagewasasyetinarudestate,andcoupleshadawayofquarrellingandseparating.Modernman,whatofhisdivorceinstitution,doesthesamethinglegally.Butwehadnolaws.Customwasallwewentby,andourcustominthisparticularmatterwasratherpromiscuous.

           Nevertheless,asthisnarrativewillshowlateron,webetrayedglimmeringadumbrationsofthemonogamythatwaslatertogivepowerto,andmakemighty,suchtribesasembracedit.Furthermore,evenatthetimeIwasborn,therewereseveralfaithfulcouplesthatlivedinthetreesintheneighborhoodofmymother.Livinginthethickofthehordedidnotconducetomonogamy.Itwasforthisreason,undoubtedly,thatthefaithfulcoupleswentawayandlivedbythemselves.Throughmanyyearsthesecouplesstayedtogether,thoughwhenthemanorwomandiedorwaseatenthesurvivorinvariablyfoundanewmate.

           Therewasonethingthatgreatlypuzzledmeduringthefirstdaysofmyresidenceinthehorde.Therewasanamelessandincommunicablefearthatresteduponall.