До Адама

           IalwaysranwhenIsawtheoldmantotteringalongonhistwocanes.OldMarrow-Boneevenhadabitofsparseandstragglywhitebeardthatseemedidenticalwiththewhiskersoftheoldman.

           AsIhavesaid,Marrow-Bonewastheonlyoldmemberofthehorde.Hewasanexception.TheFolkneverlivedtooldage.Middleagewasfairlyrare.Deathbyviolencewasthecommonwayofdeath.Theydiedasmyfatherhaddied,asBroken-Toothhaddied,asmysisterandtheHairlessOnehadjustdied—abruptlyandbrutally,inthefullpossessionoftheirfaculties,inthefullswingandrushoflife.Naturaldeath?Todieviolentlywasthenaturalwayofdyinginthosedays.

           NoonediedofoldageamongtheFolk.Ineverknewofacase.EvenMarrow-Bonedidnotdiethatway,andhewastheonlyoneinmygenerationwhohadthechance.Abadrippling,anyseriousaccidentalortemporaryimpairmentofthefaculties,meantswiftdeath.Asarule,thesedeathswerenotwitnessed.

           Membersofthehordesimplydroppedoutofsight.Theyleftthecavesinthemorning,andtheynevercameback.Theydisappeared—intotheravenousmawsofthehuntingcreatures.

           ThisinroadoftheFirePeopleonthecarrot-patchwasthebeginningoftheend,thoughwedidnotknowit.ThehuntersoftheFirePeoplebegantoappearmorefrequentlyasthetimewentby.Theycameintwosandthrees,creepingsilentlythroughtheforest,withtheirflyingarrowsabletoannihilatedistanceandbringdownpreyfromthetopoftheloftiesttreewithoutthemselvesclimbingintoit