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twigs　that　broke　continually　with　my　weight。　Twenty

feet　beneath　me　was　the　earth。



Wildly　and　morewildly　he　teetered；　grinning　at　me　his

gloating　hatred。　　Then　came　the　end。　　All　four　holds

broke　at　the　same　time；　and　I　fell；　back…downward；

looking　up　at　him；　my　hands　and　feet　still　clutching

the　broken　twigs。　　Luckily；　there　were　no　wild　pigs

under　me；　and　my　fall　was　broken　by　the　tough　and

springy　bushes。



Usually；　my　falls　destroy　my　dreams；　the　nervous　shock

being　sufficient　to　bridge　the　thousand　centuries　in　an

instant　and　hurl　me　wide　awake　into　my　little　bed；

where；　perchance；　I　lie　sweating　and　trembling　and　hear

the　cuckoo　clock　calling　the　hour　in　the　hall。　　But

this　dream　of　my　leaving　home　I　have　had　many　times；

and　never　yet　have　I　been　awakened　by　it。　　Always　do　I

crash；　shrieking；　down　through　the　brush　and　fetch　up

with　a　bump　on　the　ground。



Scratched　and　bruised　and　whimpering；　I　lay　where　I　had

fallen。　Peering　up　through　the　bushes；　I　could　see　the

Chatterer。　　He　had　set　up　a　demoniacal　chant　of　joy　and

was　keeping　time　to　it　with　his　teetering。　　I　quickly

hushed　my　whimpering。　　I　was　no　longer　in　the　safety　of

the　trees；　and　I　knew　the　danger　I　ran　of　bringing　upon

myself　the　hunting　animals　by　too　audible　an　expression

of　my　grief。



I　remember；　as　my　sobs　died　down；　that　I　became

interested　in　watching　the　strange　light…effects

produced　by　partially　opening　and　closing　my　tear…wet

eyelids。　　Then　I　began　to　investigate；　and　found　that　I

was　not　so　very　badly　damaged　by　my　fall。　　I　had　lost

some　hair　and　hide；　here　and　there；　the　sharp　and

jagged　end　of　a　broken　branch　had　thrust　fully　an　inch

into　my　forearm；　and　my　right　hip；　which　had　borne　the

brunt　of　my　contact　with　the　ground；　was　aching

intolerably。　　But　these；　after　all；　were　only　petty

hurts。　　No　bones　were　broken；　and　in　those　days　the

flesh　of　man　had　finer　healing　qualities　than　it　has

to…day。　　Yet　it　was　a　severe　fall；　for　I　limped　with　my

injured　hip　for　fully　a　week　afterward。



Next；　as　I　lay　in　the　bushes；　there　came　upon　me　a

feeling　of　desolation；　a　consciousness　that　I　was

homeless。　　I　made　up　my　mind　never　to　return　to　my

mother　and　the　Chatterer。　　I　would　go　far　away　through

the　terrible　forest；　and　find　some　tree　for　myself　in

which　to　roost。　　As　for　food；　I　knew　where　to　find　it。

For　the　last　year　at　least　I　had　not　been　beholden　to

my　mother　for　food。　　All　she　had　furnished　me　was

protection　and　guidance。



I　crawled　softly　out　through　the　bushes。　　Once　I　looked

back　and　saw　the　Chatterer　still　chanting　and

teetering。　　It　was　not　a　pleasant　sight。　　I　knew　pretty

well　how　to　be　cautious；　and　I　was　exceedingly　careful

on　this　my　first　journey　in　the　world。



I　gave　no　thought　as　to　where　I　was　going。　　I　had　but

one　purpose；　and　that　was　to　go　away　beyond　the　reach

of　the　Chatterer。　　I　climbed　into　the　trees　and

wandered　on　amongst　them　for　hours；　passing　from　tree

to　tree　and　never　touching　the　ground。　　But　I　did　not

go　in　any　particular　direction；　nor　did　I　travel

steadily。　It　was　my　nature；　as　it　was　the　nature　of　all

my　folk；　to　be　inconsequential。　　Besides；　I　was　a　mere

child；　and　I　stopped　a　great　deal　to　play　by　the　way。



The　events　that　befell　me　on　my　leaving　home　are　very

vague　in　my　mind。　　My　dreams　do　not　cover　them。　　Much

has　my　other…self　forgotten；　and　particularly　at　this

very　period。　　Nor　have　I　been　able　to　frame　up　the

various　dreams　so　as　to　bridge　the　gap　between　my

leaving　the　home…tree　and　my　arrival　at　the　caves。



I　remember　that　several　times　I　came　to　open　spaces。

These　I　crossed　in　great　trepidation；　descending　to　the

ground　and　running　at　the　top　of　my　speed。　　I　remember

that　there　were　days　of　rain　and　days　of　sunshine；　so

that　I　must　have　wandered　alone　for　quite　a　time。　　I

especially　dream　of　my　misery　in　the　rain；　and　of　my

sufferings　from　hunger　and　how　I　appeased　it。　　One　very

strong　impression　is　of　hunting　little　lizards　on　the

rocky　top　of　an　open　knoll。　　They　ran　under　the　rocks；

and　most　of　them　escaped；　but　occasionally　I　turned

over　a　stone　and　caught　one。　　I　was　frightened　away

from　this　knoll　by　snakes。　　They　did　not　pursue　me。

They　were　merely　basking　on　flat　rocks　in　the　sun。　　But

such　was　my　inherited　fear　of　them　that　I　fled　as　fast

as　if　they　had　been　after　me。



Then　I　gnawed　bitter　bark　from　young　trees。　　I　remember

vaguely　the　eating　of　many　green　nuts；　with　soft　shells

and　milky　kernels。　And　I　remember　most　distinctly

suffering　from　a　stomach…ache。　　It　may　have　been　caused

by　the　green　nuts；　and　maybe　by　the　lizards。　I　do　not

know。　　But　I　do　know　that　I　was　fortunate　in　not　being

devoured　during　the　several　hours　I　was　knotted　up　on

the　ground　with　the　colic。







CHAPTER　V





My　vision　of　the　scene　came　abruptly；　as　I　emerged　from

the　forest。　　I　found　myself　on　the　edge　of　a　large

clear　space。　　On　one　side　of　this　space　rose　up　high

bluffs。　　On　the　other　side　was　the　river。　　The　earth

bank　ran　steeply　down　to　the　water；　but　here　and　there；

in　several　places；　where　at　some　time　slides　of　earth

had　occurred；　there　were　run…ways。　　These　were　the

drinking…places　of　the　Folk　that　lived　in　the　caves。



And　this　was　the　main　abiding…place　of　the　Folk　that　I

had　chanced　upon。　　This　was；　I　may　say；　by　stretching

the　word；　the　village。　My　mother　and　the　Chatterer　and

I；　and　a　few　other　simple　bodies；　were　what　might　be

termed　suburban　residents。　　We　were　part　of　the　horde；

though　we　lived　a　distance　away　from　it。　　It　was　only　a

short　distance；　though　it　had　taken　me；　what　of　my

wandering；　all　of　a　week　to　arrive。　Had　I　come

directly；　I　could　have　covered　the　trip　in　an　hour。



But　to　return。　　From　the　edge　of　the　forest　I　saw　the

caves　in　the　bluff；　the　open　space；　and　the　run…ways　to

the　drinking…places。　And　in　the　open　space　I　saw　many

of　the　Folk。　　I　had　been　straying；　alone　and　a　child；

for　a　week。　　During　that　time　I　had　seen　not　one　of　my

kind。　　I　had　lived　in　terror　and　desolation。　And　now；

at　the　sight　of　my　kind；　I　was　overcome　with　gladness；

and　I　ran　wildly　toward　them。



Then　it　was　that　a　strange　thing　happened。　　Some　one　of

the　Folk　saw　me　and　uttered　a　warning　cry。　　On　the

instant；　crying　out　with　fear　and　panic；　the　Folk　fled

away。　　Leaping　and　scrambling　over　the　rocks；　they

plunged　into　the　mouths　of　the　caves　and

disappeared。。。all　but　one；　a　little　baby；　that　had　been

dropped　in　the　excitement　close　to　the　base　of　the

bluff。　　He　was　wailing　dolefully。　　His　mother　dashed

out；　he　sprang　to　meet　her　and　held　on　tightly　as　she

scrambled　back　into　the　cave。



I　was　all　alone。　　The　populous　open　space　had　of　a

sudden　become　deserted。　　I　sat　down　forlornly　and

whimpered。　　I　could　not　understand。　　Why　had　the　Folk

run　away　from　me？　In　later　time；　when　I　came　to　know

their　ways；　I　was　to　learn。　　When　they　saw　me　dashing

out　of　the　forest　at　top　speed　they　concluded　that　I

was　being　pursued　by　some　hunting　animal。　　By　my

unceremonious　approach　I　had　stampeded　them。



As　I　sat　and　watched　the　cave…mouths　I　became　aware

that　the　Folk　were　watching　me。　　Soon　they　were

thrusting　their　heads　out。　　A　little　later　they　were

calling　back　and　forth　to　one　another。　　In　the　hurry

and　confusion　it　had　happened　that　all　had　not　gained

their　own　caves。　　Some　of　the　young　ones　had　sought

refuge　in　other　caves。　　The　mothers　did　not　call　for

them　by　name；　because　that　was　an　invention　we　had　not

yet　made。　　All　were　nameless。　The　mothers　uttered

querulous；　anxious　cries；　which　were　recognized　by　the

young　ones。　　Thus；　had　my　mother　been　there　calling　to

me；　I　should　have　recognized　her　voice　amongst　the

voices　of　a　thousand　mothers；　and　in　the　same　way　would

she　have　recognized　mine　amongst　a　thousand。



This　calling　back　and　forth　continued　for　some　time；

but　they　were　too　cautious　to　come　out　of　their　caves

and　descend　to　the　ground。　Finally　one　did　come。　　He

was　destined　to　play　a　large　part　in　my　life；　and　for

that　matter　he　already　played　a　large　part　in　the　lives

of　all　the　members　of　the　horde。　　He　it　was　whom　I

shall　call　Red…Eye　in　the　pages　of　this　historyso

called　because　of　his　inflamed　eyes；　the　lids　being

always　red；　and；　by　the　peculiar　effect　they　produced；

seeming　to　advertise　the　terrible　savagery　of　him。　　The

color　of　his　soul　was　red。



He　was　a　monster　in　all　ways。　　Physically　he　was　a

giant。　　He　must　have　weighed　one　hundred　and　seventy

pounds。　　He　was　the　largest　one　of　our　kind　I　ever　saw。

Nor　did　I　ever　see　one　of　the　Fire　People　so　large　as

he；　nor　one　of　the　Tree　People。　　Sometimes；　when　in　the

newspapers　I　happen　upon　descriptions　of　our　modern

bruisers　and　prizefighters；　I　wonder　what　chance　the

best　of　them　would　have　had　against　him。



I　am　afraid　not　much　of　a　chance。　　With　one　grip　of　his

iron　fingers　and　a　pull；　he　could　have　plucked　a

muscle；　say　a　biceps；　by　the　roots；　clear　out　of　their

bodies。　　A　back…handed；　loose　blow　of　his　fist　could

have　smashed　their　skulls　like　egg…shells。　With　a　sweep

of　his　wicked　feet　（or　hind…hands）　he　could　have

disembowelled　them。　　A　twist　could　have　broken　their

necks；　and　I　know　that　with　a　single　crunch　of　his　jaws

he　could　have　pierced；　at　the　same　moment；　the　great

vein　of　the　throat　in　front　and　the　spinal　marrow　at

the　back。



He　could　spring　twenty　feet　horizontally　from　a　sitting

position。　He　was　abominably　hairy。　　It　was　a　matter　of

pride　with　us　to　be　not　very　hairy。　　But　he　was　covered

with　hair　all　over；　on　the　inside　of　the　arms　as　well

as　the　outside；　and　even　the　ears　themselves。　　The　only

places　on　him　where　the　hair　did　not　grow　were　the

soles　of　his　hands　and　feet　and　beneath　his　eyes。　　He

was　frightfully　ugly；　his　ferocious　grinning　mouth　and

huge　down…hanging　under…lip　being　but　in　harmony　with

his　terrible　eyes。



This　was　Red…Eye。　　And　right　gingerly　he　crept　out　or

his　cave　and　descended　to　the　ground。　　Ignoring　me；　he

proceeded　to　reconnoitre。　　He　bent　forward　from　the

hips　as　he　walked；　and　so　far　forward　did　he　bend；　and

so　long　were　his　arms；　that　with　every　step　he　touched

the　knuckles　of　his　hands　to　the　ground　on　either　side

of　him。　　He　was　awkward　in　the　semi…erect　position　of

walking　that　he　assumed；　and　he　really　touched　his

knuckles　to　the　ground　in　order　to　balance　himself。

But　oh；　I　tell　you　he　could　run　on　all…fours！　Now　this

was　something　at　which　we　were　particularly　awkward。

Furthermore；　it　was　a　rare　individual　among　us　who

balanced　himself　with　his　knuckles　when　walking。　　Such

an　individual　was　an　atavism；　and　Red…Eye　was　an　even

greater　atavism。



That　is　what　he　wasan　atavism。　　We　were　in　the

process　of　changing　our　tree…life　to　life　on　the

ground。　　For　many　generations　we　had　been　going　through

this　change；　and　our　bodies　and　carriage