Part 3
The Makers of Fire
Thecubcameuponitsuddenly. Itwashisownfault. Hehadbeencareless. Hehadleftthecaveandrundowntothestreamtodrink. Itmighthavebeenthathetooknonoticebecausehewasheavywithsleep. (Hehadbeenoutallnightonthemeat-trail,andhadbutjustthenawakened.) Andhiscarelessnessmighthavebeenduetothefamiliarityofthetrailtothepool. Hehadtravelleditoften,andnothinghadeverhappenedonit.
Hewentdownpasttheblastedpine,crossedtheopenspace,andtrottedinamongstthetrees. Then,atthesameinstant,hesawandsmelt. Beforehim,sittingsilentlyontheirhaunches,werefivelivethings,thelikeofwhichhehadneverseenbefore. Itwashisfirstglimpseofmankind. Butatthesightofhimthefivemendidnotspringtotheirfeet,norshowtheirteeth,norsnarl. Theydidnotmove,butsatthere,silentandominous.
Nordidthecubmove. Everyinstinctofhisnaturewouldhaveimpelledhimtodashwildlyaway,hadtherenotsuddenlyandforthefirsttimeariseninhimanotherandcounterinstinct. Agreatawedescendeduponhim. Hewasbeatendowntomovelessnessbyanoverwhelmingsenseofhisownweaknessandlittleness. Herewasmasteryandpower,somethingfarandawaybeyondhim.
Thecubhadneverseenman,yettheinstinctconcerningmanwashis. IndimwaysherecognisedinmantheanimalthathadfoughtitselftoprimacyovertheotheranimalsoftheWild. Notaloneoutofhisowneyes,butoutoftheeyesofallhisancestorswasthecubnowlookinguponman —outofeyesthathadcircledinthedarknessaroundcountlesswintercamp-fires, thathadpeeredfromsafedistancesandfromtheheartsofthicketsatthestrange,two-leggedanimalthatwaslordoverlivingthings.
