До Адама
Chapter VII
Butatthattimeabowandarrowhadnomeaningforme.HowwasItoknowthatdeathlurkedinthatbentpieceofwood?ButLop-Earknew.HehadevidentlyseentheFirePeoplebeforeandknewsomethingoftheirways.TheFire-Manpeeredupathimandcircledaroundthetree.AndaroundthemaintrunkabovetheforkLop-Earcircledtoo,keepingalwaysthetrunkbetweenhimselfandtheFire-Man.
Thelatterabruptlyreversedhiscircling.Lop-Ear,caughtunawares,alsohastilyreversed,butdidnotwintheprotectionofthetrunkuntilaftertheFire-Manhadtwangedthebow.
Isawthearrowleapup,missLop-Ear,glanceagainstalimb,andfallbacktotheground.Idancedupanddownonmyloftyperchwithdelight.Itwasagame!TheFire-ManwasthrowingthingsatLop-Earaswesometimesthrewthingsatoneanother.
Thegamecontinuedalittlelonger,butLop-Eardidnotexposehimselfasecondtime.ThentheFire-Mangaveitup.Ileanedfaroutovermyhorizontallimbandchattereddownathim.Iwantedtoplay.Iwantedtohavehimtrytohitmewiththething.Hesawme,butignoredme,turninghisattentiontoBroken-Tooth,whowasstillteeteringslightlyandinvoluntarilyontheendofthebranch.
Thefirstarrowleapedupward.Broken-Toothyelledwithfrightandpain.Ithadreacheditsmark.Thisputanewcomplexiononthematter.Inolongercaredtoplay,butcrouchedtremblingclosetomylimb.Asecondarrowandathirdsoaredup,missingBroken-Tooth,rustlingtheleavesastheypassedthrough,archingintheirflightandreturningtoearth.
TheFire-Manstretchedhisbowagain.
