До Адама

           Stillanothertime,sofiercelydidhesnapherfromthebranch,shewasflungclearacrossagapintoanothertree.Itwasremarkable,thewayshegrippedandsavedherself.Onlywhendriventoitdidsheseekthetemporarysafetyofthethinbranches.Butshewassotiredthatshecouldnototherwiseavoidhim,andtimeaftertimeshewascompelledtotaketothethinbranches.

           Stillthechasewenton,andstilltheFolkscreeched,beattheirchests,andgnashedtheirteeth.Thencametheend.Itwasalmosttwilight.Trembling,panting,strugglingforbreath,theSwiftOneclungpitiablytoahighthinbranch.Itwasthirtyfeettotheground,andnothingintervened.Red-Eyeswungbackandforthonthebranchfartherdown.Itbecameapendulum,swingingwiderandwiderwitheverylungeofhisweight.Thenhereversedsuddenly,justbeforethedownwardswingwascompleted.Hergripsweretornloose,and,screaming,shewashurledtowardtheground.

           Butsherightedherselfinmid-airanddescendedfeetfirst.Ordinarily,fromsuchaheight,thespringinherlegswouldhaveeasedtheshockofimpactwiththeground.Butshewasexhausted.Shecouldnotexercisethisspring.Herlegsgaveunderher,havingonlypartlymettheshock,andshecrashedonoveronherside.This,asitturnedout,didnotinjureher,butitdidknockthebreathfromherlungs.Shelayhelplessandstrugglingforair.

           Red-Eyerusheduponherandseizedher.Withhisgnarlyfingerstwistedintothehairofherhead,hestoodupandroaredintriumphanddefianceattheawedFolkthatwatchedfromthetrees.ThenitwasthatIwentmad.