До Адама

           Heshiftedhisposition,walkingawayseveralsteps,thenshifteditasecondtime.Thebow-stringtwanged,thearrowleapedupward,andBroken-Tooth,utteringaterriblescream,felloffthebranch.Isawhimashewentdown,turningoverandover,allarmsandlegsitseemed,theshaftofthearrowprojectingfromhischestandappearinganddisappearingwitheachrevolutionofhisbody.

           Sheerdown,screaming,seventyfeethefell,smashingtotheearthwithanaudiblethudandcrunch,hisbodyreboundingslightlyandsettlingdownagain.Stillhelived,forhemovedandsquirmed,clawingwithhishandsandfeet.IremembertheFire-Manrunningforwardwithastoneandhammeringhimonthehead...andthenIremembernomore.

           Always,duringmychildhood,atthisstageofthedream,didIwakeupscreamingwithfright—tofind,often,mymotherornurse,anxiousandstartled,bymybedside,passingsoothinghandsthroughmyhairandtellingmethattheywerethereandthattherewasnothingtofear.

           Mynextdream,intheorderofsuccession,beginsalwayswiththeflightofLop-Earandmyselfthroughtheforest.TheFire-ManandBroken-Toothandthetreeofthetragedyaregone.Lop-EarandI,inacautiouspanic,arefleeingthroughthetrees.Inmyrightlegisaburningpain;andfromtheflesh,protrudingheadandshaftfromeitherside,isanarrowoftheFire-Man.Notonlydidthepullandstrainofitpainmeseverely,butitbotheredmymovementsandmadeitimpossibleformetokeepupwithLop-Ear.

           AtlastIgaveup,crouchinginthesecureforkofatree.Lop-Earwentrighton.