До Адама

           Andofthis,onethingissure:ifoncewewovewithesintobaskets,thenextandinevitablestepwouldhavebeentheweavingofcloth.Clotheswouldhavefollowed,andwithcoveringournakednesswouldhavecomemodesty.

           ThuswasmomentumgainedintheYoungerWorld.Butwewerewithoutthismomentum.Wewerejustgettingstarted,andwecouldnotgofarinasinglegeneration.Wewerewithoutweapons,withoutfire,andintherawbeginningsofspeech.ThedeviceofwritinglaysofarinthefuturethatIamappalledwhenIthinkofit.

           EvenIwasonceonthevergeofagreatdiscovery.ToshowyouhowfortuitouswasdevelopmentinthosedaysletmestatethathaditnotbeenforthegluttonyofLop-EarImighthavebroughtaboutthedomesticationofthedog.AndthiswassomethingthattheFirePeoplewholivedtothenortheasthadnotyetachieved.Theywerewithoutdogs;thisIknewfromobservation.ButletmetellyouhowLop-Ear’sgluttonypossiblysetbackoursocialdevelopmentmanygenerations.

           Welltothewestofourcaveswasagreatswamp,buttothesouthlayastretchoflow,rockyhills.Thesewerelittlefrequentedfortworeasons.Firstofall,therewasnofoodthereofthekindweate;andnext,thoserockyhillswerefilledwiththelairsofcarnivorousbeasts.

           ButLop-EarandIstrayedovertothehillsoneday.Wewouldnothavestrayedhadwenotbeenteasingatiger.Pleasedonotlaugh.ItwasoldSaber-Toothhimself.Wewereperfectlysafe.Wechanceduponhimintheforest,earlyinthemorning,andfromthesafetyofthebranchesoverheadwechattereddownathimourdislikeandhatred.