До Адама
Chapter IX
ButRed-Eyewalkedrough-shodoverallourcustoms,andwesofearedhimthatwewereincapableofthecollectiveactionnecessarytopunishhim.
ItwasduringthesixthwinterinourcavethatLop-EarandIdiscoveredthatwewerereallygrowingup.Fromthefirstithadbeenasqueezetogetinthroughtheentrance-crevice.Thishadhaditsadvantages,however.IthadpreventedthelargerFolkfromtakingourcaveawayfromus.Anditwasamostdesirablecave,thehighestonthebluff,thesafest,andinwinterthesmallestandwarmest.
ToshowthestageofthementaldevelopmentoftheFolk,Imaystatethatitwouldhavebeenasimplethingforsomeofthemtohavedrivenusoutandenlargedthecrevice-opening.Buttheyneverthoughtofit.Lop-EarandIdidnotthinkofiteitheruntilourincreasingsizecompelledustomakeanenlargement.Thisoccurredwhensummerwaswellalongandwewerefatwithbetterforage.Weworkedatthecreviceinspells,whenthefancystruckus.
Atfirstwedugthecrumblingrocksawaywithourfingers,untilournailsgotsore,whenIaccidentallystumbledupontheideaofusingapieceofwoodontherock.Thisworkedwell.Alsoitworkedwoe.Onemorningearly,wehadscratchedoutofthewallquiteaheapoffragments.Igavetheheapashoveoverthelipoftheentrance.Thenextmomenttherecameupfrombelowahowlofrage.Therewasnoneedtolook.Weknewthevoiceonlytoowell.TherubbishhaddescendeduponRed-Eye.
Wecroucheddowninthecaveinconsternation.Aminutelaterhewasattheentrance,peeringinatuswithhisinflamedeyesandraginglikeademon.
