До Адама

           ForthesakeofconvenienceIhavemyselfgivennamestothevariousFolkIwasmorecloselyincontactwith,andthe“Chatterer”isthemostfittingdescriptionIcanfindforthatpreciousstepfatherofmine.Asforme,Ihavenamedmyself“Big-Tooth.”Myeye-teethwerepronouncedlylarge.)

           ButtoreturntotheChatterer.Hepersistentlyterrorizedme.Hewasalwayspinchingmeandcuffingme,andonoccasionhewasnotabovebitingme.Oftenmymotherinterfered,andthewayshemadehisfurflywasajoytosee.Buttheresultofallthiswasabeautifulandunendingfamilyquarrel,inwhichIwastheboneofcontention.

           No,myhome-lifewasnothappy.IsmiletomyselfasIwritethephrase.Home-life!Home!Ihadnohomeinthemodernsenseoftheterm.Myhomewasanassociation,notahabitation.Ilivedinmymother’scare,notinahouse.Andmymotherlivedanywhere,solongaswhennightcameshewasabovetheground.

           Mymotherwasold-fashioned.Shestillclungtohertrees.Itistrue,themoreprogressivemembersofourhordelivedinthecavesabovetheriver.Butmymotherwassuspiciousandunprogressive.Thetreesweregoodenoughforher.Ofcourse,wehadoneparticulartreeinwhichweusuallyroosted,thoughweoftenroostedinothertreeswhennightfallcaughtus.Inaconvenientforkwasasortofrudeplatformoftwigsandbranchesandcreepingthings.Itwasmorelikeahugebird-nestthananythingelse,thoughitwasathousandtimescruderintheweavingthananybird-nest.ButithadonefeaturethatIhaveneverseenattachedtoanybird-nest,namely,aroof.