the great flood that came in the spring brought death and misery to the tribes of savages that lived upon the banks of the river. many were drowned in the swift waters, while others were borne away and scattered in strange lands. a few members of the tribe of cave dwellers found safety in the trees near the old hollow. far below, many of their brothers and sisters, with the men and women of other tribes, clung to the great trees where they also found security.
strong arm, quack quack and little laughing boy were among these. with the foolish one and the hairy man they lived in the great banyan until the river crept back into its old channel. then they descended upon the earth once more and began their long journey toward the hollow, 96where they had lived with a small group of cave dwellers, the people of their own tribe.
all the face of the world seemed covered with a layer of rich mud, deposited by the river. the sun grew warmer with every day and a hot steam arose continually from the earth. strong arm and his little band made their way slowly, for the moist air gave them a fever and weakened them. always it was very difficult to find food, for the roots lay buried in the soft mud. it was necessary to search in the branches of the trees for the nests of birds, and occasionally they found a few gulls’ eggs.
for two nights they had slept in the limbs of trees, while strong arm watched wearily lest an enemy approach.
already at this early stage in their journey the rank grasses of the tropics were springing up. a thousand creeping things thrust out their heads from the mud and slime. and the tracks of the black bear, the wooly-haired rhinoceros and the sabre-toothed tiger were seen once more along the river bank.
very cautiously this small band of savages advanced, for they had only rough sticks to use in defending themselves. on the third day they had traveled but a little way and of eggs they found none, nor any other thing. their stomachs cried for food and they ventured beyond the skirts 97of the wood, where dangers lurked, seeking something with which to satisfy their hunger.
strong arm advanced, with caution, ahead of the little party. when he had gone but a little way, before him, from the cane, there arose suddenly a huge man. he was taller than any man among the tribe of the cave dwellers, and with a stout stick he struck strong arm a blow on the head that dashed him to the ground. though the arm of the big man was swift, it was not much quicker than quack quack, who threw herself upon him from behind. laughing boy added his blows to hers, scratching and biting the legs of the stranger with all his young power, till he also lay motionless.
a soft movement in the cane announced the presence of another and more wary enemy. but the blows of quack quack, the hairy man and the foolish one soon drove him from cover, where they beat him freely, till he threw up his hands in a gesture of submission.
then, borne on the winds that swept the old forest, came a faint smell of fresh meat to the nostrils of the hungry group. the anger of the travelers was soon forgotten and strong arm now commanded the two strangers to lead them to the feast. with a great show of friendliness, they limped forward and conducted their victors to a fire that blazed above a pile of rocks.
and they poked away the coals that covered 98a basin fashioned among the stones, like a great oven. covered with large leaves, lay the roasted body of a man, which the two strangers dragged steaming from the flames. then the cave dwellers and the strangers seized each his portion of the meat and fell to eating. and the flesh of the roasted man seemed very good to them.
till the new moon grew round and full, the cave people and the hairy man remained with the strangers, while the water slowly drained off the swampy river banks and the way toward their old home in the hollow became more safe.
they now had always the wonderful fire with which to protect themselves against the forest animals. no caves there were and the trees abounded with the green snakes and many other enemies, but for all these the small group of men and quack quack, the woman, were not harmed.
upon the rocks they kept the fire burning continually and at night they slept securely while some among them fed the blaze.
very soon the cave people began to call the shorter of the two strangers big foot, because his feet were very long. the other they called tall, on account of his extreme height.
although strong arm, quack quack and the foolish one were from tribes strange to big foot and tall, they were all able to understand each other perfectly, by means of the simple gesture language common to all tribes in the lower stage 99of savagery. thus, the hairy man, from still another tribe, had no difficulty in making himself understood, nor in learning the thoughts or wishes of his companions.
one day, when hunting, the little band came upon a flint pit. to the cave people the old gravel bed meant nothing, but tall and big foot became greatly excited, and they grabbed the flakes that had become chipped from the flint cores and dashed them violently against a great stone lying near. faint sparks flew. then tall covered the rocks with the feathers of a dead fowl and struck among them with the flint flake. soon the feathers were ignited by the sparks. and strong arm and quack quack marveled at the fire beast which the strange rock had been able to summon.
the tribe from whence tall and big foot came, had long known the use of flint in kindling fires, and well they knew the treasures they had found. from them the cave people learned, also, and strong arm and quack quack bore with them always thereafter, one of these strange and wonderful stones, with which they soon became able to call forth the fire beast to their protection.
more and more, as the days passed, tall taught them wonderful things. the flesh they cooked remained sweet for many days and did not grow rank with time, as raw meat did. thus a new hope sprang up in the hearts of the cave people, for armed with these rude flints, they 100were able at any time to kindle a fire and protect themselves from the forest enemies. also they cooked their food and, this made possible the long, dangerous journey to the land of their fathers.
in spite of the height of tall and the long limbs and great muscles of big foot, they wished always to carry out the desires of quack quack. not only was she a woman, and for all women they cherished a great tenderness, but also was she strong, and both these men were unable to forget the blows she had given them when first they had attacked the cave dwellers and their little band. to quack quack, therefore, they looked for commands and they obeyed her words and gestures, while they sought her good will. but in spite of all this, strong arm remained the leader over all, for he was able to stand up before any man in the group, and the words which he spoke and the desires he made known were always for the good of the band.
so it came about naturally that when strong arm and quack quack signified their desire to return to the hollow, which was the old home of the cave people, that the hairy man, tall and big foot gave heed to them.
and they all made preparations for the journey. the large bones which they had found, were made formidable, when they were cracked and split open at the end. also they gathered 101knotted limbs from the trees, which the cave people were accustomed to wave savagely around their heads, crushing in the skulls of the enemy.
but they prized nothing so highly as the rough pieces of flint flakes which they dug from the old gravel bed. wonder and awe they felt for these strange stones, and not a little fear. to them even inanimate things possessed life, and the small flakes of flint were only a new, queer sort of animal that had hitherto befriended them by calling forth the great fire beast. these might also be capable of doing them harm, and it was with deep feelings of uncertainty that they first began to use these wonderful flint rocks.
in the hunt which preceded their departure, the little band were fortunate in snaring a fat young boar. they speedily killed him and dragged his body to the top of a small rocky hill. and they pulled out the loose stones, building a deep, basin-like oven, into which they put the body. this they covered with green palm leaves. then a fire was kindled over this great oven and everybody made ready for the feast.
but the fragrant odor of roast meat reached the nose of the sabre-toothed tiger and he followed the scent till he came to the small camp. and all the stray members of the little band crouched low on the opposite side of the big blaze in mortal terror. for here there were no caves in which they could take refuge and their numbers 102were too few for them to fight the enemy safely in the open.
but all the loose stones they had dislodged and pulled out when building the great oven, lay about them. and they gathered them up and piled them high like a great wall, for they feared an attack from the rear. and the rude wall of stones rose almost to their waists.
very warily the tiger crept up the hill and approached the flames. the wind bore the smell of the roasting meat squarely into his teeth, and lured him on. but the wind carried, too, the thick smoke upon him, and he choked and paused to reconnoiter. as the wind died down he advanced hungrily, but the smoke and sparks from the flames sent him back to the foot of the hill.
the little band of savages watched him, while their limbs trembled and their hair stood on end. between them and the tiger roared the tall sheet 103of flames, but soon he began to circle the hill seeking an easy way to attack. below the rude wall, erected by them, the terrifying smoke and flying sparks no longer threatened. and he sniffed the air and advanced cautiously.
in the meantime, the small band of savages were rendered almost beside themselves with fear. of weapons they had none. all their new sharp bone spears lay at the foot of the hill, with the great knotted clubs. the foolish one started one of the big stones rolling down upon the tiger, but it passed instead of deterring him.
then strong arm seized a large burning bough and hurled it straight into the great beast’s face. but the tiger crouched low on the ground and the blazing torch passed over his head without harming him. low he lay, with his long striped tail swaying to and fro, like the tail of a great 104cat. his eyes glowed with rage and fear and his lips were curled back in a snarl of fury.
of all things in the old forest the strange, red, flaming fire alone had caused him to hesitate. the fierce unknown spat out a breath of hot smoke that bit into his muscular throat and choked him and the hot blaze held a menace that thrilled his long, lank body with a new fear.
still he did not give up. never in all his strong, free life in the forest had he ever given up. but he retreated to the foot of the hill, circling round and round it once more.
long he continued, with his body crouched low, and his head thrown up, scenting at once the rich odor of the roasting boar, and the thick smoke, so full of strange menace.
again and again he advanced, driven by the hunger within him, only to retreat because of the fear that would not be subdued. but as the sun sank low in the west, the little band scattered the flames and dragged out the roasted body of the young boar. from this they tore, eagerly, great chunks of the warm and dripping flesh and devoured them and one and all they thought no meat had ever tasted so sweet before.
during the feast they watched the tiger always, and they laid new branches upon the fire to keep it alive. but ere any one was filled—as savages were used to fill their stomachs after a long period of fasting—strong arm made known 105his wishes. soon everybody understood his desire to reserve a portion of the young boar, that, should they prove unequal to the task of driving off the tiger, they might fling to him and escape.
to his wise suggestion all listened and obeyed except big foot, who declined to relinquish his portion. it was only after strong arm had thrust him down the side of the hill, threatening to hurl him to the hungry beast below, that big foot yielded. once more strong arm had proven himself the leader of the band. once more had his words resulted in the welfare of the group.
for, the flames having subsided a little, the smell of the meat drew old sabre-tooth irresistibly, and he made a bold and sudden dash upon the band.
but strong arm was quick also and a yell of warning he gave, as he threw a blazing bough upon him. but the tiger leaped over it and made his way nearer. now the others seized burning branches and hurled them, until he must step straight upon the glowing coals to advance. and the fierce fires under his feet and the sparks and flames about him, sent the old fear through his blood and sent the tiger down the hill and through the forest snarling and howling with pain. long they hear his roarings re-echoing through the old woods, but when darkness came on they descended and gathered more branches and leaves to continue the fire throughout the night.
