 section five of a story of the Stone Age. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. A story of the Stone Age by H. G. Wells, section five. The fight in the lion's thicket. Uglomi lay still, his back against an alder, and his thigh was a red mass terrible to see. No civilized man could have lived who had been so sorely wounded, but Udina got him thorns to close his wounds, and squatted beside him day and night, smiting the flies from him with a fan of reeds by day, and in the night threatening the hyenas with the first ax in her hand. And in a little while he began to heal. It was high summer, and there was no rain. Little food they had during the first two days as wounds were open. In the low place where they had were no roots nor little beasts, and the stream, with its water snails and fish, was in the open a hundred yards away. She could not go abroad by day for fear of the tribe, her brothers and sisters, nor by night for fear of the beast, both on his account and hers. So they shared the lion with the vultures. But there was a trickle of water nearby, and Udina brought him plenty in her hands. Where Uglomi lay was well hidden from the tribe by a thicket of alders, and all fenced about with bullrushes and tall reeds. The dead lion he had killed lay near his old lair in a place of trampled reeds fifty yards away, in sight through the reed stems, and the vultures fought each other for the choices pieces, and kept the jackals off him. Very soon a cloud of flies had looked like bees hung over him, and Uglomi could hear their humming. And when Uglomi's flesh was already healing, and it was not many days before that began, only a few bones of the lion remained scattered and shining white. For the most part Uglomi sat still during the day, looking before him at nothing. Sometimes he would mutter of the horses and bears and lions, and sometimes he would beat the ground with the first axe and say the names of the tribe. He seemed to have no fear of bringing the tribe for hours together. But chiefly he slept, dreaming little because of his loss of blood and the slightness of his food. During the short summer nights both kept awake. All the while the darkness lasted, things moved about them, things they never saw by day. For some nights the hyenas did not come, and then one moonless night near a dozen came, and fought for what was left of the lion. The night was a tumult of growling, and Uglomi and Eudena could hear the bones snap in their teeth. But they knew the hyena dare not attack any creature alive and awake, and so they were not greatly afraid. A daytime Udena would go along the narrow path the old lion had made in the reeds, until she was beyond the bend, and then she would creep into the thicket and watch the tribe. She would lie close by the alders where they had bound her to offer her up to the lion, and then she could see them on the knoll by the fire, small and clear, as she had seen them that night. But she told Uglomi little of what she saw, because she feared to bring them by their names. For so they believed in those days, that naming called. She saw the men prepare stabbing spears and throwing stones on the morning after Uglomi had slain the lion, and go out to hunt him, leaving the women and children on the knoll. Little they knew how near he was as they tracked off in single file towards the hills, with cysts the tracker leading them. And she watched the women and children after the men had gone, gathering fernfrauns and twigs for the night fire, and the boys and the girls running and playing together. But the very old woman made her feel afraid. Towards noon, when most of the others were down at the stream by the bend, she came and stood on the hither side of the knoll, a gnarled brown figure, and gesticulated so that Eudena could scarce believe she was not seen. Eudena lay like a hare in its form, with shining eyes fixed on the bent witch away there, and presently she dimly understood it was the lion that the old woman was worshiping, the lion Uglomi had slain. And the next day the hunters came back weary, carrying a fawn, and Eudena watched the feast enviously. And then came a strange thing. She saw, distinctly she heard, the old woman shrieking and gesticulating and pointing towards her. She was afraid, and crept like a snake out of sight again. But presently curiosity overcame her, and she was back at her spying place. And as she peered her heart stopped, for there were all the men, with their weapons in their hands, walking together towards her from the knoll. She dared not move, lest her movement should be seen, but she pressed herself close to the ground. The sun was low, and the golden light was in the faces of the men. She saw they carried a piece of red, rich meat thrust through by an ashen stake. Presently they stopped. Go on, scream the old woman. Ketskin grumbled, and they came on, searching the thicket with sun-dazzled eyes. Here, said Sis. And they took the ashen stake with a meat upon it, and thrust it into the ground. Uya! cried Sis. Behold thy portion! And Uglomi we have slain. Of a truth we have slain Uglomi. This day we slew Uglomi. And tomorrow we will bring his body to you. And the others repeated the words. They looked at each other and behind them, and partially turned and began going back. At first they walked half-turned to the thicket. Then, facing the mound, they walked faster, looking over their shoulders. Then faster. Soon they ran. It was a race at last, until they were near the knoll. Then Sis, who was hindmost, was first to slack in his pace. The sunset passed, and the twilight came. The fires glowed red against the hazy blue of the distant chestnut trees, and the voices over the mound were merry. Udina lay scarcely stirring, looking from the mound to the meat, and then to the mound. She was hungry, but she was afraid. At last she crept back to Uglomi. He looked round at the little rustle of her approach. His face was in shadow. Have you got me some food, he said. She said she could find nothing, but that she would seek further, and went back along the lion's path until she could see the mound again. But she could not bring herself to take the meat. She had the brute's instinct of a snare. She felt very miserable. She crept back at last towards Uglomi, and heard him stirring and moaning. She turned back to the mound again, then she saw something in the darkness near the stake, and peering distinguished a jackal. In a flash she was brave and angry. She sprang up, cried out, and ran towards the offering. She stumbled and fell, and heard the growling of the jackal going off. When she arose, only the ash and stake lay on the ground. The meat was gone. So she went back to fast through the night with Uglomi, and Uglomi was angry with her, because she had no food for him. But she told him nothing of the thing she had seen. Two days passed, and they were near starving, when the tribe slew a horse. Then came the same ceremony, and a haunt was left on the ash and stake. But this time Eudena did not hesitate. By acting in words she made Uglomi understand, but he ate most of the food before he understood. And then as her meaning passed to him, he grew merry with his food. I am Uya, he said. I am the lion. I am the great cave bear. I, who was only Uglomi, I am Wei Yu the cunning. It is well that they should feed me. For presently, I will kill them all. Then Eudena's heart was light, and she laughed with him, and afterwards she ate what he had left of the horse flesh with gladness. After that he was in a dream, and the next day he made Eudena bring him the lion's teeth and claws, so much of them as she could find, and hack him a club of alder. And he put the teeth and claws very cunningly into the wood, so that the points were outward. Very long it took him, and he blunted two of the teeth hammering them in, and was very angry and threw the thing away. But afterwards he dragged himself to where he had thrown it and finished it. A club of a new sort set with teeth. That day there was more meat for them both, and offering to the lion from the tribe. It was one day, more than a hand's fingers of days, more than anyone had skill to count, after Uglomi had made the club, that Eudena, while he was asleep, was lying the thicket watching the squatting place. There had been no meat for three days, and the old woman came and worshipped after her manner. Now, while she worshipped, Eudena's little friend Sai and another, a child of the first girl Sissid loved, came over to the knoll and stood regarding her skinny figure, and presently they began to mock her. Eudena found this entertaining, but suddenly the old woman turned on them and quickly saw them. For a moment she stood, and they stood motionless, and then with a shriek of rage, she rushed towards them, and all three disappeared over the crest of the knoll. Presently the children reappeared among the ferns beyond the shoulder of the hill. Little Sai ran first, for she was an active girl, and the other child ran squealing with the old woman close upon her. And over the knoll came Sissid with a bone in his hand, and bow and ket skin of sequiously behind him, each holding a piece of food. And they laughed aloud and shouted to see the old woman so angry. And with a shriek the child was caught, and the old woman set to work slapping, and the child screaming. And it was very good after dinner fun for them. Little Sai ran on a little way, and she stopped at last between fear and curiosity. And suddenly came the mother of the child, with hair streaming, panting with a stone in her hand, and the old woman turned about like a wild cat. She was equal of any woman, was the chief of the fire-minders, in spite of her years. But before she could do anything, Sissid shouted to her, and the clamor rose loud. Other shock heads came into sight. It seemed the whole tribe was at home in feasting. But the old woman dared not go on reeking herself on the child's siss befriended. Everyone made noises and called names, even little Sai. Abruptly the old woman let go of the child she had caught, and made a swift run at Sai, for Sai had no friends. And Sai, realizing her danger when it was almost upon her, made off headlong with a faint cry of terror, not heeding with her she ran, straight to the lair of the lion. She swerved aside into the reeds presently, realizing now with her she went. But the old woman was a wonderful old woman, as active as she was spiteful, and she caught Sai by the streaming hair within thirty yards of Udina. All the tribe now was running down the knoll and shouting and laughing ready to see the fun. Then something stirred in Udina, something that had never stirred in her before, and thinking all of little Sai and nothing of her fear, she sprung down from her ambush, and ran swiftly forward. The old woman did not see her, for she was busy beating little Sai's face with her hand, beating with all her heart, and suddenly something hard and heavy struck her cheek. She went reeling, and saw Udina with flaming eyes and cheeks between her and little Sai. She shrieked with astonishment and terror, and little Sai, not understanding, set off towards the gaping tribe. They were quite close now, for the sight of Udina had driven their fading fear of the lion out of their heads. In a moment, Udina had turned from the cowering old woman and overtaken Sai. Sai, she cried, Sai, and caught the child up in her arms as it stopped, pressing the nail-line face to hers, and turned about to run towards her lair, the lair of the old lion. The old woman stood waist-high in the reeds, and screamed foul things in inarticulate rage, but did not dare to intercept her. And at the bend of the path, Udina looked back and saw all the men of the tribe crying to one another, and Cis coming at a trot along the lion's trail. She ran straight along the narrow way towards the reeds to the shady place where Uglomi sat with his healing thigh, just awakened by the shouting and rubbing his eyes. She came to him, a woman, with little Sai in her arms. Her heart throbbed in her throat. Uglomi, she cried, Uglomi, the tribe comes. Uglomi sat staring in stupid astonishment at her and Sai. She pointed with Sai in one arm. She sawed among her feeble store of words to explain. She could hear the men calling. Apparently they had stopped outside. She put down Sai and caught up the new club with the lion's teeth, and put it into Uglomi's hand, and ran three yards and picked up the first axe. Ah! said Uglomi, waving the new club, and suddenly he perceived the occasion, and rolling over began to struggle to his feet. He stood but clumsily. He supported himself by one hand against the tree, and just touched the ground gingerly with the toe of his wounded leg. In the other hand, he gripped the new club. He looked at his healing thigh, and suddenly the reeds began whispering, and ceased, and whispered again. And coming cautiously along the track, bending down and holding his fire-hardened stabbing stick of ash in his hand, appeared Sis. He stopped dead, and his eyes met Uglomi's. Uglomi forgot he had a wounded leg. He stood firmly on both feet. Something trickled. He glanced down and saw a little god of blood had oozed out along the edge of the healing wound. He rubbed his hand there to give him the grip of his club, and his eyes fixed again on Sis. Wah! he cried, and sprang forward. And Sis, still stooping and watchful, drove his stabbing stick up very quickly in an ugly thrust. It ripped Uglomi's guarding arm, and the club came down in a counter that Sis was never to understand. He fell as an ox falls to the poleaxe at Uglomi's feet. To Beau it seemed the strangest thing. He had a comforting sense of tall reeds on either side, and an impenetrable rampart Sis between him and any danger. Snail-eater was close behind, and there was no danger there. He was prepared to shove behind and send Sis to death or victory. That was his place as second man. He saw the butt of the spear Sis carried leap away from him, and suddenly a dull whack, and the broad back fell away forward, and he looked Uglomi in the face over his prostrate leader. It felt to Beau, as if his heart had fallen down a well. He had a throwing stone in one hand, and an ashen stabbing stick in the other. He did not live to the end of his momentary hesitation which to use. Snail-eater was a reddier man, and besides Beau did not fall forward as Sis had done, but gave it his knees and hips, crumpling up with a tooth club upon his head. The snail-eater drove his spear forward, swift and straight, and took Uglomi in the muscle of the shoulder, and then he drove him hard with a smiting stone in his other hand, shouting out as he did so. The new club switched ineffectively through the reeds. Udina saw Uglomi come staggering back from the narrow path into the open space, tripping over Sis and with a foot of ashen steak sticking out of him over his arm. And then the snail-eater, whose name she had given, had his final injury from her, as his exultant face came out of the reeds after his spear. For Sis swung the first axe swift and high, and hit him fair and square on the temple, and down he went on Sis at prostrate Uglomi's feet. But before Uglomi could get up, the two red-haired men were tumbling out of the reeds, spears and smiting stones ready, and snake hard behind them. Once she struck on the neck, but not to fell him, and he blundered aside and spoiled his brother's blow at Uglomi's head. In a moment Uglomi dropped his club and had his assailant by the waist, and had pitched him sideways sprawling. He snatched at his club again and recovered it. The man Udina had hit, stabbed at her with a spear as he stumbled from her blow, and involuntarily she gave ground to avoid him. He hesitated between her and Uglomi, half turned, gave a vague cry at finding Uglomi so near, and in a moment Uglomi had him by the throat, and the club had its third victim. As he went down Uglomi shouted, no words, but an exultant cry. The other red-haired man was six feet from her with his back to her, and a darker red streaking his head. He was struggling to his feet. She had an irrational impulse to stop his rising. She flung the ax at him, missed, saw his face in profile, and he had swerved beyond little sigh, and was running through the reeds. She had a transitory vision of Snake standing in the throat of the path, half turned away from her, and then she saw his back. She saw the club whirling through the air, and the shock head of Uglomi, with blood in the hair and blood upon the shoulder, vanishing below the reeds in pursuit. Then she heard Snake scream like a woman. She ran past sigh to where the handle of the ax stuck out of a clump of fern, and turning, found herself panting it alone with three motionless bodies. The air was full of shouts and screams. For a space she was sick and giddy, and then it came into her head that Uglomi was being killed along the reed path, and with an inarticulate cry she leapt over the body of Beau and hurried after him. Snake's feet lay across the path, and his head was among the reeds. She followed the path until it bent round and opened out by the elders, and then she saw all that was left of the tribe in the open, scattering like dead leaves before Gale, and going back over the knoll. Uglomi was hard upon Kat's skin. But Kat's skin was fleet of foot and got away, and so did young Wayu Hall when Uglomi turned upon him, and Uglomi pursued Wayu Hall far beyond the knoll before he desisted. He had the rage of battle on him now, and the wood thrust through his shoulder stung him like a spur. When she saw he was in no danger she stopped running and stood panting. Watching the distant active figures run up and vanish one by one over the knoll. In a little time she was alone again. Everything had happened very swiftly. The smoke of brother fire rose straight and steady from the squatting place, just as it had done ten minutes ago, when the old woman had still yonder, worshipping the lion. And after a long time, as it seemed, Uglomi reappeared over the knoll, and came back to Yudina, triumphant and breathing heavily. She stood, her hair about her eyes in hot-faced, with a blood-stained axe in her hand, at the place where the tribe had offered her as a sacrifice to the lion. Wa! cried Uglomi at the sight of her, his face alight with the fellowship of battle, and he waved his new club, red now and hairy, and at the sight of his glowing face, her tense pose relaxed somewhat, and she stood sobbing and rejoicing. Uglomi had a queer, unaccountable pang at the sight of her tears, but he only shouted Wa! the louder, and shook the axe east and west. He called manfully for her to follow him, and turned back striding, with the club swinging in his hand, towards the squatting place, as if he had never left the tribe. And she ceased her weeping, and followed quickly, as a woman should. So Uglomi and Yudina came back to the squatting place from which they had fled many days before from the face of Uya, and by the squatting place lay a deer half-eaten, just as there had been before Uglomi was a man, or Yudina a woman. So Uglomi sat down to eat, and Yudina beside him like a man, and the rest of the tribe watched them from safe hiding places. And after a time, one of the elder girls came back temerously, carrying little sigh in her arms, and Yudina called to them by name, and offered them food. But the elder girl was afraid and would not come. Though sigh struggled to come to Yudina. Afterwards, when Uglomi had eaten, he sat dozing, and at last he slept, and slowly the others came out of the hiding places and drew near. And when Uglomi woke, save that there were no men to be seen, as seen as though he had never left the tribe. Now there was a strange thing but true, that all through this fight Uglomi forgot that he was lame, and was not lame, and after he had rested, behold, he was a lame man. And he remained a lame man to the end of his days. Catskin, and the second red-haired man, and Wei-Yu-Ha, who chip flints cunningly as his father had done before him, fled from the face of Uglomi, and none knew where they hid. But two days after, they came and squatted a good way off from the knoll among the bracken under the chestnuts and watched. Uglomi's rage had gone. He moved to go against them and did not, and at sundown, they went away. That day too, they found the old woman among the ferns, where Uglomi had blundered upon her when he had pursued Wei-Yu-Ha. She was dead and more ugly than ever, but whole. The jackals and vultured had tried her and left her. She was ever a wonderful old woman. The next day, the three men came again and squatted nearer, and Wei-Yu-Ha had two rabbits to hold up, and the red-haired man a wood pigeon. And Uglomi stood before the women and mocked them. The next day they sat again nearer, without stones or sticks, and with the same offerings, and Katskin had a trout. It was rare men caught fish in those days, but Katskin would stand silently in the water for hours and catch them with his hand. And the fourth day, Uglomi suffered these three to come to the squatting-place in peace with the food they had with them. Uglomi ate the trout. Thereafter, for many moons, Uglomi was master and had his will in peace. And on the fullness of time, he was killed and eaten, even as Uya had been slain. End of Section 5 End of A Story of the Stone Age by H. G. Wells Recording by James Christopher J. X. Christopher at yahoo.com December 2009