 Preface to Stories of the Cave People This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Stories of the Cave People by Mary Marcy Preface No man or woman can begin to intelligently interpret the causes of social phenomena and human progress today without a practical knowledge of sociology and a general understanding of the underlying causes of social evolution. Man has risen from a stage of lowest savagery, little higher than the apes, buffeted by the hand of nature, dependent upon the wild game he might kill or the food he found ready to hand, a fearing and furtive creature of the forests and of the plains, preyed upon by a thousand stronger foes, to a being able to provide warmth in clothing and shelter against the rains and the cold and food against the seasons. He has become a master instead of a plaything of the elements. In a large measure he has become arbiter of his own food supply and, hence, his own destiny. He has subjugated in a marvelous degree the forces of nature and harnessed them to his needs. The ordinary man all over the world today does not know these things. He attributes all this wonderful progress to a supernatural agency or to supernatural agencies. He believes that the institutions of today have existed since the beginning of time, that the gods created man exactly as we find him in the twentieth century, that the present ideas of morality, religion, law, and human justice have always prevailed. He is unable to tell whence we sprung and which way we are going. Amid a changing world, he sees only fixed things. He knows neither the origin nor the trend of anything. To him the world, the human race, and all social institutions began as they are now and will be world without end. But science has shown us that the only stable fact in the world today is the process of change, how man has evolved through the ageless past and the direction of the social current. In this little book I have sought in a series of stories or sketches to present only the first steps in human progress as elaborated by Louis J. Morgan in his brilliant work on ancient society. If they stimulate the young folks to a more comprehensive study of the struggles of primitive man and the causes of his slow but steady advance, they shall have fulfilled their purpose. The author, End of Preface. Section 1 of Stories of the Cave People This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Stories of the Cave People by Mary Marcy Section 1 A Song of the Cave People by Gerald J. Lively Here now a tale, a tale of human genesis, a tale of first endeavor, the dawn flush in the night. It's a long, long way to go to those days of long ago, but your baby feet have trod it, oh ye children of the light. Dark were our early days, night and cold encumbered us, driving us to trees and caves who had no eyes to fight. Yet it still seems very near, does that dreary age of fear, when we trembled in our shelters at the noises of the night. Pray to all the stronger beasts, mock of half the lesser ones, little less and lower ones marveled at our shame. Till from out our utter need came the thought and came the deed, and we won our way to freedom with the all compelling flame. Noises we misunderstood, dreams that came to trouble us, shades that shrank and lithened and danced about our way. Our world was full of hosts, of goblins, gnomes and ghosts. Are ye still afraid of goblins, oh ye children of the day? Stork, but for flint and bone, pitted we our wit against the saber-tooth and cave-bear, and beasts we slew for food. But the fiercest fight began when we slew our brother-man. Oh, children of the daylight, have ye lost the taste for blood? Dim is the tale we tell, dust of time has muffled it, far apart the happenings that may ye lords of earth. By the ages in between times ye know and play to scene, have pity on our childish ways and pride in all our worth. The Fire-Beast No one among the cave-people knew how to kindle a fire. On several occasions, when they found the trees in the forest of flame, strong-arm had borne back to the hollow a burning branch. Immediately all the other cave-people were seized with their desire to have torches and they swarmed around the skirts of the blaze and secured boughs also, and on they sped toward home and the hollow amid roars of laughter and much pride. Till the spax from one of the branches blew into the frowsy hair of the stumbler and set him aflame. Instantly all the cave-people dropped their bows in terror and the stumbler beat his head with his hand, uttering shrill cries of pain. Only strong-arm advanced steadily toward the river, grunting his disgust. Ba-ba, he said many times, spitting the words from his mouth. Strong-arm was the great man of the tribe. No one among the cave-people could jump so far, or lift so large a rock as he. His back was broader than the shoulders of the other men. His head was less fat and his eyes were very keen and saw many things. When they reached the hollow, strong-arm gathered dry leaves and sticks and built a huge bonfire upon the rocks and the old woman and greybeard came out of their cave to marvel at his work. The young men brought branches and leaves and fed the flames and when night came on the cave-people sat around the fire and laughed together for the wolves came out of their holes and showed their white fangs and the yellow eyes gleamed through the darkness, but they hovered on the edge of the woods for they were afraid. Far into the night the cave-people danced. While the flame from the fire brightened the whole hollow, they beat their hands together and chanted in two tones from a minor strain and not till they were worn out with dancing and fuel gathering did they crawl back into their caves. But in the morning the fire was dead. Grey ashes marked the spot of their gaiety and the cave-people were filled with awe and wonder, but they learnt many things. The next time strong-arm brought a blazing bow to the hollow he discovered that the fire burned best when the branches met the face of the wind and in time they learnt to coax the coal to live through the night by covering them carefully with ashes and damp moss and at last by watchful care the cave-people were able to keep their fire burning constantly. The cave-women with little children who were unable to hunt with the men came in time to be the natural caretakers of the fire. It was the foolish one who first in a fit of wantonness threw a hunk of bare-meat upon the coals and it was strong-arm the wise one who fished it out again for in those days bare-meat was not to be had all the time and famine followed close upon the hills of feasting. Often a chunk of bare-meat was the most precious thing in the world. Strong-arm ate the steak which he had poked from the coals and he found it delicious then he threw more chunks into the fire and gave them to the cave-people. After that everyone threw his meat into the flames by and by they stuck great hunks of raw flesh upon long sticks and broiled them over the fire no longer as darkness crept over the world where the cave-people forced into their caves for safety secure around the fire they danced and chanted rude measures wherein they mocked their enemies the mountain lion and the gray wolves who came forth in the night and watched them hungrily from a fire. Four times had the nut season come and gone since the birth of little laughing-boy and he could remember one day only when the fire had not burned upon the rocks in the hollow ever since he had been able to walk he had trotted at his mother's heels down to the shore when the air was chill and had squatted very close to the coals for the warmth was very pleasant to his small body his mother quack quack which made wild duck in the language of the cave-people always screamed shrilly to him and gesticulated wildly till he crept back out of danger while she scoured the woods for logs and branches but there came a day when he crawled down to the river and found no fire on the shore then his father strong arm had gone upon a long journey many paths he had crossed and his journey along the bank of the river to a friendly neighboring tribe and he returned after several sons with the good fire in his hands since then the cave-people had tended the fire more carefully than ever thus laughing-boy came to know that the fire was a friend a friend who protected the cave-people from the wild animals of the forest he knew also that it was very good to feel the warm flames near his brown body when the days were cool and that it hurt very much if touched with his fingers laughing-boy always ran at the side of his mother quack quack tagging at her heels or hanging on her shoulders although a very big boy as cave-boys grew he had never been weaned and always when he grew cold or hungry he ran to her side and pulled at her breasts uttering queer little grunts and cries in the bad seas and quack quack grew very thin as laughing-boy nursed at her breasts when he was four years old and the fruit was dead and the nuts and the berries were nowhere to be found from the north fork of the river to the bend far below quack quack felt that she could no longer endure but pushed him from here again and again giving him bits of meat and fish to chew when once the cave-people had hunted twelve days without bringing home any large game the eyes of people grew deep with hunger and their faces were drawn and gaunt a few fish they caught and again found bitter roots and some scrubby tubes but these meant only mouthful to the cave people when they could one and all have devoured great hunks of meat strong arms sat on the bank of the river one whole day but the storms had driven the fish upstream and he caught only two small ones that flooded and beat themselves against the sticks which he had rammed into the mud after the fashion of offence quack quack who was often alone in the hollow felt the gnawing pangs of hunger more keenly every day as she weakly thrust laughing-boy from her breasts again and again and staggered into the forest after fresh fuel and there came a time when the hunger and pain grew so strong that she remembered only that she must satisfy them then she pushed laughing boy into the cave which was a place that served to her and strong arm for a home and with a mighty effort rolled a stone before the entrance laughing boy too was very hungry but she knew he was safe from the beasts of the forest she heard his low wails as she turned her back on the hollow and hurried away towards the branch of the river pausing only when she saw the scrub ends of the wild plants to examine them but she found nothing to eat only many holds where the cave people had thrust their sticks in a search of roots quack quack continued on her way almost forgetting the mountain lion and the dangers that assailed without for the hunger passion was strong within her the wild duck she sought and knew their haunts of old it was because of her skill in catching them that she had earned her name among the cave people better than any other she knew their habits and how to catch and kill one among them without alarming the flock this she had discovered when she was a very little girl in those days it had been almost impossible for the cave people to catch the wild duck while they were sometimes successful in killing one the others always scattered in terror soon they began to regard the cave people as their enemies and immediately one of them appeared the alarm was given but when quack quack the mother of laughing boy was ten years old and the cave people were disgusted because the wild ducks eluded them so quickly she found a way to deceive the flocks she had waded out into the fork of the river with the great green leaves of the coconut palm wet and flapping about her head for the sun was very hot and she stood quietly among the rushes when a flock of wild ducks swam slowly down the stream suddenly she stretched out her arm under the water and seized one of the ducks by the legs and drew him down and then the rest of the flock unsuspicious of danger swam on slowly around the bend professor star says in his some first steps in human progress that this old method of catching wild ducks is still practiced by the tribes in Patagonia then the little brown girl ran out of the water holding aloft the duck which was dead her mother was very proud as well as the young brown girl and all the cave people clapped their hands and said good good and the young men said woman meaning she was grown very wise and after that everybody called her quack quack after the voice of the wild duck and quack quack grew very proud of her accomplishment and spent long hours hiding in the rushes for ducks all the cave people put leaves or back over their heads in order to hide themselves and try to catch them as the brown young girl had done but they always frightened away the flock even when they were lucky enough to seize one of the ducks many years had passed since the brown girl discovered the new way of hunting but the brown woman who they still called quack quack had not forgotten she could not forget with a great hunger in her breast as she slipped through the wood along the riverbank gently she stepped making no sound and every little while she parted the brushes lining the river with her hands and peered through but there were no ducks and she caught her breath each time eagerly and went further on twitching her ears nervously when she was almost exhausted after some time she again parted the brush now her eyes flashed her small nostrils quivered and her hands were convulsively for there not very far away evidently drowsing near the rushes she saw a solitary wild duck the brown woman drew in her breath and softly very softly withdrew from the brush and bent her steps further up the river on her way she tore a long strip of dead back from a tree and wound it carefully around her head and face then she plunged into the river until it rose above her shoulders when she had waited very gently with the current downstream the water was very cold but quack quack clutched her hands sharply and stepped on wood deeper into the sluggish current till only the rough back which covered her head remained in view slowly very slowly she felt her way over the soft bottom making no sound causing not even a ripple in the water a small bow floated at her side and she kept pace with it going no faster no slower than it drifted till she came close very close to the motionless duck then her hand shot forth and she dragged it sharply under the water but it was alone there was none to take flight at its cries and quack quack the brown woman scrambled up the bank ringing the duck's neck as she ran she shivered in the wind and shielded herself in the brush and then lying flat on the ground buried her teeth into the duck's breast swift she ate making loud noises with her lips and grunting joyfully and not until the last portion was gone did she rise and turn her face toward the hollow her stomach sagged with its heavy load and she walked slowly cluttered with food when the cave people saw her they cried out wild duck wild duck they looked at her stomach big and distended and were very miserable for they knew after what manner she had earned her name the fire on the rocks in the hollow was cold and dead and strong arm was very angry but quack quack said nothing she heard the cry of laughing boy as she slipped into the cave and she threw herself onto the bed of dead leaves and drew him whimpering to her breast and section two section three of stories of the cave people this is a leper vox recording all leper vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit lepervox.org recording by linda mary nelson vancouver bc stories of the cave people by mary marcy the ornament of big nose as far back as any of the cave people could remember their fathers had used the bones of wild beasts as weapons i suppose they discovered long before that the marrow inside these bones was very good to eat then they hammered them with great stones till the bones split open and after they had eaten the marrow somebody discovered the sharp bones made very formidable weapons no one had ever found sticks so strong and so sharp as these bone weapons by and by all the cave people processed great bones split at one end like a sharp sword almost every day the youths and maidens through bones are sticks to display their skill and the one whose aim was true and who showed most power in his arm strutted about and struck out his chest in order that all the other cave people might know how great he was one there was whom they call big nose now in the time of the cave people it was a marvelous thing for a child to possess a nose that protruded generally cave noses were much like the noses of the tree people with merely two large nostrils in the center of the face slightly extended preceding the head in order that the owner might catch the smell of danger or of good food but him the cave people called big nose because his nose turned down instead of upward and it extended nearly half an inch beyond his face when he was only a slim brown youth big nose became able to out throw all the other young folks he could fling his rough bone javelin many feet further than any of the others and with greater force at the edge of the woods he would hurl it far among the trees and clip off every time the heads of the small purple flowers that grew taller and slim in the forest big nose grew proud and held his head very high and he begun after a little while to wander farther and farther into the woods alone for he desired greatly to meet the mountain lion or the green snake in order that he might kill them with his weapon and become still greater in the eyes of the cave people every one thought he was brave but very foolish for the youths and maidens rarely wandered about in the forest alone too often had their brothers gone out and never returned and there was fear in their hearts but in spite of their warnings big nose continued to hunt and one day when he had traveled beyond the great rocks he discovered a large tree lying prone upon the ground the spring storms had uprooted it and flung it down to die big nose sped on till he reached the oak tree when he heard from its branches a deep growl and much scratching big nose drew back quickly and sheltered himself behind a great tree waiting aloft he held his bone spear ready to hurl it upon the enemy he waited a long time but nothing came forth from the boughs of the oak tree and gradually he grew bolder and cautiously advanced again his ears twitched constantly and he drew his lips back from his teeth just as dogs do when they attack the enemy big nose still heard the low growling but he saw nothing when he reached the fallen oak he saw that its branches were flung over a deep hole in the ground he peered into it carefully and saw a black bear digging frantically with her paws evidently she had blundered through the branches of the tree and had fallen down into the hollow when big nose found there was no danger he grew very happy and laughed softly to himself for the black bear stood upon her hind feet and clawed the air trying to get out and he dropped stones upon her head till she grew wild with rage and staggered about trying to reach him with her paws big nose laughed softly and continued to tease her till she stood again on her hind feet exposing her throat in rage then he lifted his arms above his head and flung the bone javelin into her breast with all his strength the bear dropped to the ground plying at the bone which protruded from her throat dripping with blood furiously she tore about the pit beating its sides with her paws and big nose was terrified when he saw his bone weapon fall to the bottom of the hollow and he ran about hunting for a long stick with which he hoped to poke it out again when he returned to the pit bearing sticks and bows he found the bear pressing her paws to her breast and growling with rage very carefully he bent over the hollow and poked his weapon but the bear discovered his movements and turned quickly upon him with a stroke of her great paw she slashed savagely at his arm and laid it open to the bone big nose choked back a cry of pain then he arose to his feet and staggered homeward softly he went and his feet touched the earth gently dry leaves did not crack under them and he made no sound but his wound bled badly and he grew weak with pain then he stopped at the side of a dead tree and tore off a strip of bark which he wrapped tightly around his arm and he sped quickly for the wild beast came forth eagerly at the smell of blood and he had no weapon with which to defend himself but he arrived at the hollow in safety and the old men among the cave people knotted their heads and threw out their hands as much as to say we told you so but the youths and maidens gathered around big nose with much interest saying what what which in the language of the cave people means what is the matter and the brown maidens came near and gazed upon big nose with wonder and admiration even lightfoot who had alone slain the man who came down the river from the enemies the arrow people was pleased with big nose and brought herbs with which to wrap his wounds but big nose waved them all aside with a lofty gesture though the pain hurt him sorely his face was calm and he knew all the cave people would think long of his bravery and his blood was warm because lightfoot looked upon him with love and fire in her eyes when all the eyes of the cave people were directed upon him big nose dealt quickly on the ground and dug a small hole in the earth with his arm that was uninjured he pointed into it growling in imitation of the black bear and they knew he had discovered a bear that had stumbled into a hollow then big nose threw a stick into the hole and they understood that he had hurled his bone javelin upon the bear snatching a second stick he poked furiously to show how he had sought to extricate his weapon with another deep growl he pulled out his arm and held his wound where all could see it was in this way that the cave people talked to each other their words were few and most of their ideas were expressed by gestures quack quack they said when they meant while duck a deep growl signified the back bear while a long line made by drawing a finger through the dust or sand gave everybody to understand the person spoke of a snake if you have seen a pantomime show you will understand something of the manner of the gesture language of the cave people even we civilized folks long accustomed to verbal language say many things to each other every day by facial expression and by gesture and so even the children among the cave people understood the adventures big nose had encountered when his pantomime monologue was finished the men and women of the tribe rose eagerly they pointed first to the hole big nose had dug in the ground and then toward the forest as much as to say is the bear still in the pit and one of them asked big nose kill big nose shook his head and started toward the wood indicating that the cavemen were to follow so the strong men started through the forest they hurried forward keeping close together with their bone javelins in their hands for it was growing dusk but all were hungry and cave people who have eaten little for 24 hours are willing to risk some danger for a meal of fresh meat they reached the pit safely the bear still growled savagely in pain and it was after much jabbing with their bone weapons that they dispatched her speedily they dragged her from the hole and began at once to skin and disembowel her they worked into the dark hacking up and distributing portions in order that each man might carry back to the hollow his share of the burden very sharply the cavemen drew in their breath for the fresh blood of the bear smelled good to them but the terror of the night was strong upon them and they listened intently sniffing the air twitching their ears and trembling with fear for it is in the night that the wild beast creeped forth for food and the smell of fresh blood reaches a long way off so the cavemen huddled together very close each carrying a portion of the dripping kirkus of the bear big nose two or a huge chunk of the meat which he chewed from time to time his wounded arm aches sorely but because of the pride in his heart he spoke not but the way to the hollow seemed very far and his knees almost sank beneath each man bore his bone weapon pointing away from his fellows in order that the hyena if it sprang at them might receive the sharp bone point strong arm was he who thought most of the fire and the safety it brought but he was unable to express his thoughts for the sign of the fire among the cave people was spoken in a gesture and gesture language is not understood in the darkness one terrifying incident marked the journey home soft footfalls crumbled the leaves and two green eyes spotted the black but the cavemen huddled together and shriek so loudly that the animal whatever it was dashed away in fear when they came to the hollow the cavemen called loudly to the others and distributed big chunks of bear meat which they all ate eagerly with great satisfaction then the people crept into their caves rolled great stones before the entrances and slept many sons came and went away again and big nose was so proud of his wound that he moved his arm with great care the blood that covered it grew hard and black but he sought to preserve it there always in order to recall to the minds of the cave people thoughts of his courage to him it was a precious ornament so beautiful it caused the young men to regard him with jealousy and the young women with admiration and lightfoot who was very beautiful in the eyes of all the cave people refused to look any longer upon the other use of the tribe and when big nose asked her to share his cave she was proud and happy and went to live with him and became his wife one there was among the use of the cave people whom they had never called man which is to say you are wise and brave therefore you are a man him they called run fast because in spite of the hair grown heavy upon his face it was always his custom to run away when trouble came all the cave people were often afraid for death sometimes lurked in the shadows and their ignorance was so great that they were unable to explain very common occurrences but run fast was more fearful than the old women and the little children run fast hated big nose because big nose had done all the things he was afraid to do but one day he crept into the wood he thought he knew of a way that would cause all the cave people to look upon him with admiration he did not see laughing boy slip through the brush behind him run fast did not travel far he never went far from the hollow when he was alone and he did not see little laughing boy who watched him curiously from the bushes then run fast did a very strange thing seizing his split bone knife he scraped his arm till the blood ran and dropped on the ground then he bounded tightly with a piece of bark just as big nose had done he returned to the hollow screaming wildly until the cave people gathered to learn the cause of his distress and he repeated in the language of gesture the same story big nose had told a few sons before the strong men and the women surveyed him sharply for it did not seem possible to them that run fast had killed anything but little laughing boy who saw that run fast was receiving much attention because of the blood upon his arm pushed his way among the people with a stone in his hand he rubbed fiercely up and down his forearm till the blood flowed pointing to run fast and shaking his head his meaning was plain the cave people understood him it was see me i can scratch myself harder than run fast did then all the cave people knew what run fast had done and they cried baby baby to run fast and he was disgraced before them all after that when the young men of the tribe came home with blood upon their bodies the strong men shook their heads and refused to believe tales of their adventures unless they brought back something to prove their words so it came to be a custom among the cave people that the men or women who had killed a savage beast carried home with him the tail or the hide or teeth of the animal these they wore always as tokens of their bravery thus the cave people first adorned their bodies end of section three recording by linda mary nielson vancouver bc section number four of stories of the cave people this is a labor box recording all labor box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit labor box org recording by linda mary nielson vancouver bc stories of the cave people by mary mercy chapter four when run fast went hunting for a wife the cave people were skillful fisherfolk from the bark of a coconut plum which they bound to the forked branches of trees they made nets and caught the fish the cave babies were able to swim almost before they could walk when for the first time their fathers and mothers threw them into the edge of the river they would beat the water with their little hands and with much splashing make their way toward the bank again boat making however came slowly to the cave people they knew of course how logs or the trunks of trees float but tree felling was beyond their knowledge and their tools not until they had learned to fashion cane rafts rudely strung or bound together with strips of bark where the cave people able to ride against the current of the river but these cane rafts were so light that they were able with little effort to paddle upstream if they hugged the banks of the river where the current was weak when the men of the hairy folk who dwelt far up the river descended upon the cave people and sought to take away their women and their daughters the cave people gave them blow for blow and in the end drove the intruders back into the wood and the secret of the matter was a strange sickness that had came upon the women of the hairy folk and had stricken them with an unknown illness the women of the hairy folk had died in great pain one by one till only the old and unattractive ones remained to the tribe and the young men of the hairy folk went forth to seek new wives now run fast was the greatest coward among the tribe of the cave people but after the hairy folk were driven away he felt that a great strength had come into his heart much hair covered his face and his limbs were as live as the branches of the willow shining in the sun like bars of burnish copper but his courage was like the water of cool springs running from him always for this reason he had never been able to win for himself a wife stripling lads had routed him and taken the young woman he loved and so he remained alone in the tribe deep in his heart run fast knew that it would be by brave deeds alone that he could gain a wife and it was the laugh of the cave people and the scorn of the young women as well as the hunger in his heart that drove run fast one day along the river bank he bore only his bone weapon split at the end like a strong javelin at his side and beyond down past him flowed the great river and as he ran he kept close to the bank for he knew that there only would he be able to allude the fierce hyenas and the black bear it was the first time run fast had ever traveled forth from the cave people alone there was a trembling in his strong limbs and upon breaking of a twig or the falling of a branch he started forth closer to the river and the waters rush continually past him with a mad roar and he knew that he had only to throw himself into the current to be born swiftly back in the direction wins he had come of this one thing run fast had no fear for he had been accustomed to the water for many seasons for many hours he traveled only pausing at the edge of the river and dipping his palms cup wise to drink and when he grew hungry run fast skirted the edge of the forest for nuts then he resumed his journey for he remembered the word of strong arm and his gesture toward the sun when strong arms spoke of the homes of the hairy folk this meant that it would take one of the cavemen a day of hard walking to reach their dwelling places when the western sky was covered with the gold of the setting sun run fast found a raft tied to a tree with a piece of bark the raft was rude and very heavy being merely the trunk of a great tree across which were bound branches and pieces of cane would serve to prevent the log from rolling over in the river and dumping the people into the water run fast knew the raft belonged to the hairy folk for according to the words of strong arm there remained but a little way to travel before he would reach their homes but he marked the spot where the raft lay well if the hairy folk discovered his approach he had only to throw himself upon the raft and be born toward the hollow where dwelt the tribe of the cave people so eager was run fast to reach the enemy but he slipped through the wood like a shadow in the evening the rustle of the leaves was not heard as his feet sped over them and he was in the land of the hairy folk before he was aware when he saw the men walking about or squatting over a piece of bare meat run fast slip into the brush where unseen he could watch the manner of living of these folks his limbs trembled sorely for the quick beating of his heart refused to subside so heavy was it with fear but his heart said over and over again that did he but kill one of the men of the hairy folk or return to his people with one of their women all the cave people would look upon him with wonder and admiration he knew also that if the men of the hairy folk discovered him he would have need to run very swiftly to allude their vengeance it was this thought that brought the sweat to his brow and caused his hair to bristle with fear the longing to feed his anger against the enemy burned within him but fear taught him reason so he lay long among the bushes awaiting an opportunity to harm them men he saw lying with distented bellies after a meal of fresh meat but no women darker it grew as the sun continued to ride low in the west and he had need of all his newfound courage to prevent his limbs from running away came a time when he felt he could endure the waiting no longer that a woman walked forth from one of the caves tall she was and very thin and so heavy grew the hair upon her chin and face that he first mistook her for a man heavily she walked as though she were very old or weary with much pain and at her heels trotted a small brown boy long run fast watched her eagerly for his cave was lonely for want of a wife his eyes gleamed and he heard his mind the yells of the men of the hairy folk when he should carry off one of their women at length as the woman bent her steps toward the caves run fast rushed upon her like the winds that came when the buds grow large he made no sound but the brown boy who first saw him set up a cry of alarm with the sweep of his arm run fast struck the boy to the earth and sees the woman whom he bore clawing and scratching to the bank of the river the hairy woman showed her great teeth making hideous sounds of rage she tore at his hair and dug her teeth into his arms but nothing stopped run fast on he dashed dragging pulling and finally carrying her as he went soon they reached the edge of the river where lay the raft and close upon their heels mad with rage came the men of the hairy folk very quickly run fast tore loose the bark that held the raft and drew the woman into it with him then he gave a mighty shove that sent them whirling into the river where the current caught the raft and bore it swiftly downstream the men of the hairy folk were now on the bank of the river and some of them leaped into the water others hurled their bone weapons toward run fast but none of them stuck home and beating down the woman he paddled with his hands and they were soon beyond pursuit at this season of the year the current of the river made about five miles an hour and the distance it had taken run fast a hard day's journey to cover would be made by the raft in a few hours continually the old woman struck at run fast and he had great difficulty in keeping her from throwing herself into the river but a blow from his fists soon quieted her and she ceased to struggle by and by the stars came out and the moon showed her face and covered the surface of the river with a flood of gold the old woman snarled but run fast held her very tightly in his arms his heart sung a song of pride and triumph for he knew that he would no longer be the scorn of the cave people no more would he be compelled to sit alone in his cave with the howl of the hyena to make him more lonely the day of his triumph was at hand and with tenderness he drew the old woman close to his breast and the stars laughed and the moon smiled while the raft floated steadily noiselessly down the river but the face of the woman was hard with pain for she knew that men may come and men may go but the small brown boy in the home of the hairy folk would be her boy forever who can know the understanding of the dog which lost in a strange land finds his way home again or the animals at the forest how they find the old haunts through the unknown ways and who among us can say how run fast understood that when the moon rose high in the heavens the raft would be nearing the bend in the river which appeared before the hollow where in lay the homes of the cave people for the cave people were unable to count one they made known by the pointing of a foreign finger upward and two by pointing two fingers but beyond this they had no signs for the numbers but flung out their hands as though to say many but run fast knew even as his brothers would have known under similar circumstances and when the raft curved about the bend he paddled with his hand to steer the boat close to the shore very cautiously he pushed the woman on to the bank before him for the beast came often to the river edge to drink but he saw no danger then making fast the boat he bore the woman of the hairy folk over the rocks to his cave and rolled a great stone before the entrance and his heart was glad and his blood was warm for he knew that no longer would he be an outcast among his people two sons had come and gone again when run fast bent his steps toward the forest and the old woman disappeared doubtless she turned her face toward the home of the small brown boy among the hairy folk run fast was thus again made lonely but the voices of his brothers cheered him always they said man man when he appeared for he had proven his courage and his bravery among the tribe the young women looked tenderly at the strength of his limbs and he was become honored among his people Charles Darwin says in his decent of men in utterly barbarous times the women had more power in choosing rejecting and tempting their lovers or of afterwards changing their husbands then might have been expected he gives several illustrations page six twenty crow well addition in section number four recording by linda mary nelson vancouver bc chapter five of stories of the cave people this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org stories of the cave people by mary mercy chapter five little laughing boy when the luscious fruit ripened and fell and the nut season came around the time of joy and plenty was at hand for the cave dwellers the millions of fish sought the shallows of the river nourishing plants with a strange bittersweet flavor thrust up their heads and the nests were full of eggs for the hand of him who cared together it was then only that the cave people were never hungry with plenty abounding always in the forest they feasted continually and grew fat against those periods of famine that spread through the long after suns and the dreary wet seasons true it was that their enemies of the forest throw and grew strong also the green snakes awoke and wound themselves around the branches of the trees with eyes that glistened and glowed towards every living creature and the brush grew thick and abounded with creeping things the cubs of the black bear flourished and the fierce hyena yielded bountiously to her young great flocks of strange and familiar birds darkened the sky and swooped down upon the very bushes and swept them bare but for all these there was enough and to spare for the wants of the cave dwellers even the limbs of strong arm the wise and brave grew soft during this season for his stomach was always filled the fierce rays of the tropical sun beat down upon the heads of the cave dwellers filling them with a sweet drowsiness there was nothing to drive them forth from the shades of the hollow where the waters of the river washed the green rocks and teamed with thousands of golden and silver fish it was not in the season of plenty that the cave people learned new ways to trap the black bear or to snare the wild pig nor did they at that time seek to fashion new weapons or to travel strange paths rarely they plied the waters these were not the days of progress or discovery and the minds of the cave people retorted and they forgot many things they had learned in the times of hunger and activity the hands of the youths and maidens lost a portion of their cunning and the older members of the tribe grew lazy and dull for the breadfruit ripened and the tubers grew thick and all the land smurled with a bountiful supply of daily food the season of plenty was calm and the cave people loved and laughed and feasted and were content few dangerous menace during those days and the members of the tribe forgot fears and drowsed in peace but the children of the cave people grew strong lifting their heads the fierce rays of the sun were unable to subdue them laughing boy grown tall and straight was weaned at last always he laughed showing his large white teeth like a dark dog snapping at a bone and he danced around about spilling the strong life that surged up within him and would not be stilled with his young friend the fish whom the cave people had given his name because of his early skill in swimming laughing boy learned many things their joy and juvenility seemed exhaustive and their rumps and chatterings ended only with the days not many years before the fathers and mothers of the cave people had come down out of the trees to dwell the trees well has found shelter in the natural caves that lined the riverbank in time they learned to walk on two legs the cave dwellers resembled them very closely the arms of the cave people had grown shorter as they ceased to swing themselves constantly from tree to tree the thumb of the foot disappeared and they now possessed a great toe in its place still the feet of the cave dwellers retained the power of prehension they were able to hold to cling awkwardly with them in the children this power was very marked on the skirts of the forest they loved to clamber up the slim trees poise on the swaying bells and swing themselves from branch to branch like young monkeys this gave them strength of limb and quickness or vision soon they learned to choose those branches strong enough to bear their weight as they flung themselves through great gaps of space to seize the bowels of a neighboring tree but the fear of the green snakes that wound about and hid themselves among the leaves kept them near the hollow only on rare occasions did they penetrate deep into the forest among many of the savages living today great skill and agility prevails we are told of tribes whose members are able by a partial circling of the trunks with their arms and by the clinging and pressing of flexible toes to mount trees in a sort of walk jack london writes that this is a common practice of the natives of the salsy islands and we are assured by several young friends that the art has not wholly disappeared among our own boys many were their feats accomplished among the swaying branches of the trees by laughing boy and his friend the fish in their frolics many years ago their feet were never still their jabberings flowed without end tireless of the birds they were and gay as youth itself one day as they played laughing boy found a flat curved piece of wood it was as long as the arm of a man and had been split from a tree during a storm laughing boy held the stick firing to the air at his friend the fish but the fish threw himself from the bank into the river to avoid it and he screamed with joy as he disappeared beneath the waters then a very strange thing happened for the flat stick swish through the air like a great bird far over the river then it turned about and worlds slowly back again where it fell at the feet of laughing boy at once the hair of his head rose with fear and he ran to his mother uttering shrill squeals of alarm quack quack awoke from her sleep and snatched up a bone weapon for she thought one of the forest enemies had attacked laughing boy but he pointed only to a strange curved stick and clung to her in terror all the while he jabbered wildly quack quack desired to quiet his fear so she flung the stick far out over the river as he had done then again the big stick swish through the air turned about and world gently back striking her arm then it fell at her feet where upon laughing boy screamed and ran into the cave then a great fear excelled quack quack and she added her cries to his and all the cave people hurried to her side to learn the cause of so much trouble again the strange stick was held toward the river and once more it returned and all the cave people marveled and were afraid for they could not understand the stick that returned when it was thrown strong arm only was brave enough to touch it with his fingers his face bore a strange wonder that such things could be possible to a mere stick and he carried it to his cave where he hid it among the rocks under the dead leaves but when the nuts were gone and the season of plenty had passed away and there was need for the cave people to hunt he brought it forth again after many seasons a flat stick curved in the manner of the one first family laughing boy came to be used as a weapon by the cave people perhaps you have seen the painted boomerangs sold in some of our stores today they are the same shape as those first used by the ancient cave dwellers a small pasteboard boomerang cut the right size and shape will interest the children when struck with the lead pencil it will whirl through the air and return just as the larger and more formidable boomerangs did when thrown at their enemies by the cave dwellers many thousands of years ago after a time the alarm and excitement caused by laughing boys discovery of the first rude boomerang died away the strange stick no longer menaced them and the cave people returned to their feasting and their slumbers and laughing boy and his young friend the fish resumed their play they chased each other up and down the hollow or concealed themselves in the long grass that lined the riverbank at each discovery they tossed and rolled over and over again like puppies wild with the exuberance of young bird it was one of their great pledges to lie chattering in the grass on the top of the riverbank and roll tumbling down into the clear waters then amid a great splashing and much laughter to clamber out and up the slope again thus the children of the cave dwellers romped and grew strong during the season of plenty in the days of old one day of chance that laughing boys stumbled over a large coconut during his frolics with his young friend he seized it in his arms and danced about jabbering with glee that his friend might know the treasure he had found in an incident the fish was upon him but laughing boy rolled over in the grass and bounded away with squeals of delight then for no reason in the world save that the blood pounded riotously in his veins he darted into the wood bearing his prize the fish followed close on his heels as laughing boy threw shrill mocking cries over his shoulder the fish gave answer with a whirling stone while more mocking cries from laughing boy announced that his aim was bad and oh the fun of the chase through the deep woods the rollicking laugh and the deep shelter of the fish as they startled the birds from the nest in the old forest the brush grew thicker with every step and the trees locked branches more closely with the neighbors for want of room to stretch them freely toward the sun when he reached the tall Laotania palm which marked the point beyond which it was unsafe for the children of the cave people to go alone laughing boy concealed himself in the brush he thought to be able to lose his brown playmate and while the fish sought him beyond the bunya bunya to dash backward towards the hollow in a moment came the fish but the deep breathing of laughing boy and a rustling of the bushes made known his hiding place as his friend parted the thicket laughing boy had time only to crawl out on the opposite side and dart on wood ere he was caught a shout and a shrill chattering told his victory and he disappeared again the fish rented his displeasure but he was not far behind in the tall bamboo so laughing boy again hid himself and it was by the tripping of the fish over a creeping vine that he escaped but his foot blended on a cone from the bunya tree and the coconut slipped from his hands the two boys threw themselves downward and rolled over each other in their eagerness to recover it the fish gave a shout of joy and made away holding the coconut above his head for laughing boy to see a warm sweat covered their bodies and their bronze skin shone like burnished copper on and on they ran further and still further they plunged into the depths of the forest they forgot the dangers that lurk there and the wise warnings of the cave people they forgot their playmate crooked leg who had wandered into the wood and vanished from the face of the hollow fears they had none only laughter and the joy of abundant youth all this time the grown members of the tribe of the cave people slept securely in the cool of the hollow their protruding bellies told of continued eating and no one among them marked the absence of the fish and laughing boy thicker and more dark grew the forest which the boys penetrated the way grew rough and the tough vines trailing through the undergrowth often tripped them still they lunged forward with no thought of turning their faces toward the hollow it was a crackling in the brush that warned them the coconut rolled from the hands of the fish and the boys crouched low together no sound they made save the breath in their throats which struggled to be free kush on they strained their bodies into an attitude of listening came again a soft rustling in the thicket this time nearer and then through the long bamboosa they saw the head and throats of a gray hyena for a moment they paused while the sweat froze on their brown skins their lips drew back in a snarl of helpless rage but the hyena covered the ground with great bound and they flung their arms about a tall sapling their breath burst from them in quick gasps for they were near spent with running but they dug their toes into the rough bark and the strength of the fish enabled them to speedily mount to the fork branches above but many moments laughing boy clung halfway up the trunk of the tree with the hyena snapping at his heels at every leap so near she came that he curled his feet up under his small body the teeth of the hyena shone white and her eyes gleamed a great fear paralyzed him the fish danced about on the limbs above chattering wildly till laughing boy gathered breath and courage to continue his way to safety there he sat huddled among the leaves close to the fish and for a long time they gazed quivering at the enemy below but a caution holy new had come to them and they scrambled it into the branches of a neighboring banyan slowly and with care then on through several trees that brought them nearer to the homes of the cave dwellers with much shivering they made their way pausing often to mark the progress of the enemy she moved as they advanced persistently like a hungry dog watching a bone slowly and fearfully the boys continued toward the hollow through the interlock limbs of the great trees but the hyena followed from a banya banya the boys pelted her with cones which she dodged easily unmoved she continued to gaze longingly upon them while the slather dripped from her lips at one time the boys almost threw themselves into the coils of a huge green snake that wound itself around the trunk of a coconut palm they were not expecting new dangers a quick leap and they swung downward clean closely to the bow of a neighboring banya and then scrambled up to safety once more thus they made on but the distance they had run so joyously a short time before seemed now to stretch before them without end sometimes they paused to rest and gather breath at these points they huddled together and whimpered very low or snarled jabbering at the enemy as she sat on her haunches waiting but the glad time came when they saw below the familiar berry bushes beyond that the arboreal way was not unknown with a new freedom and ease they flung themselves forward the leaps grew daring in their feet more sure till at last they reached the edge of the wood near the hollow here they lifted their voices in sharp cries that aroused the cave people from their torpor soon the stalwart members of the tribe had seized their bone weapons and hurried to the rescue at first the hyena did not retreat before them but darted in and out slushing the cave people with her great fangs but the fierce stabs of many bone weapons soon sent her fleeing back into the forest soon quack quack soothed the whimpering of laughing boy holding him close to her breast the nut seasons came and the nut seasons passed away and laughing boy grew tall and strong though his deeds were brave and his arm was long he hunted with the tribe for he had learned the wisdom of the cave dwellers he knew that it was not safe for a man or a woman to fight alone the least of the forest enemies was able to destroy them strong men had wandered into the forest to return no more but when the tribe went forth great deeds were possible even the saber tooth tiger had been destroyed by the thrusts of many it was the strength of all the cave people that made safe the lives of everyone end of chapter five section number six of stories of cave people this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Linda Marie Nielsen Vancouver BC stories of the cave people by Mary Marcy chapter five hunting an echo to the cave people dreams were chief among the great mysteries none of the strange occurrences of the world about them so filled them with wonder and awe as the deeds they performed and the adventures they encountered while their bodies they wrapped in sleep often it was difficult for them to separate the dream world from the world of reality this may account for the reports of those anthropologists who charge savage tribes with being the most amazing liars in the world it may be some of these primitive men and women have merely related the remarkable exploits of their dreams which they were not always able to distinguish clearly from their actual experiences often the cavemen might go forth alone in the night and after traveling a journey of many sons slay fearlessly all the members of a hostile tribe while he slept securely in his cave but when he reported his dream adventures to his wife she refused often to believe them whenever she stirred during the night she had found him at her side or perhaps she had grown through the long darkness with the colic that comes from too much eating of the early fruit this she made known to the dreamer indeed he had slumbered peacefully through all her trouble again when a cave dweller fell asleep beside his brothers and dreamed of dispatching the saber-tooth tiger with a single blow the whole tribe was ready to assure him in the language of the cave people that he had not moved from his resting place but had slept continually this was all very strange when the fire dashed through the sky during a storm or the waters of the river climbed up over the bank and flooded the woods they were not so wonderful as these dream things many men and women of the tribe had closed their eyes in the long sleep but when the cave people slumbered the dead came back again to journey and hunt the forest with their brothers and sisters and so in time the cave people came to believe that their friends who had deserted the body still lived that they had themselves fought and hunted while their bodies slept the cave people knew well and that the dead come back again they knew also for they had seen and spoken with them in their dream journeys this was the origin of the idea of spirit at first only dim and confused but gathering strength as the years rolled away the seed of the idea of immortality sprang also from the dreams of primitive men though the saber-tooth tiger devoured a brother he would surely return again they had seen these things with their own eyes in dreams the cave people saw also their shadows that followed where they went moving slowly when they walked and swiftly when they ran keeping ever at their sides when it cave meant gazed into the river always a face look back at him and the other members of the tribe told him he saw his own image this also was very strange if he journeyed as far as the great canyon and sent his voice echoing among the big rocks a call came bounding back to him although there was no other man there gradually he came to believe the cry was the voice of a spirit and that the face he had seen in the waters of the river was the face of a spirit also to all things the cave people attributed animation to them everything was alive young trees were the children of big trees and great stones were the fathers of small stones little they spoke of these things for their words were few and it is impossible to tell many things in a gesture language danger and confusion they saw everywhere for the whole world was filled with happenings they could not understand many seasons had passed since they had found the firebeast eating up the trees in the woods the small blaze they had kept alive in the hollow had died long before when quack quack forgot to feed it in these days the fire flashed only through the heavens during a storm strong arm had been able to call it by striking a sharp stone against the rock before his cave when the darkness came on and he struck the rock swiftly a small spark fell again and again the k people saw these sparks but so quickly were they gone that no man or woman was able to catch them or to feed them the dead leaves they had brought at this time big nose made a great discovery he had chased a fat lizard over the rocks and had seen it disappear into the hollow of a tree that lay prone on the riverbank immediately he poked violently with a long rod of bamboo in order to drive the lizard out to him the fresh flesh of the lizard was sweeter than any other meat on removing the rod big nose found the end of it warm from one side to the other big nose tipped his brown head like a great monkey in an effort to understand this new experience then he trotted off to make known these things to the tribe soon all the cave people gathered around the dead tree chattering curiously big nose thrust the bamboo rod into the hollow trunk and pulled it out again but this time it was not warm the friction of the bamboo rub violently against the dry wood of the tree had caused the heat before but big nose did not know this for a time the cave people chattered and gestulated about the tree while big nose continually made the fire sign waving his fingers upward like smoke arising one by one all the cave people threw themselves upon their bellies and gazed into the hollow trunk but they saw nothing at last big nose again thrust them bamboo into the tree this time angrily jamming it in and out with all the strength of his great arms and the end of the rod came forth warm again then every member of the tribe must have his turn in thrusting each one sought to outdo his fellows in the frenzy of his movements meanwhile the end of the rod had worn away leaving a soft inflammable sawdust in the old tree and when lightfoot sent the rod in and out sharply with her strong brown arms the end of the bamboo came forth smoking a flood of excited chatterings greeted her success and the cave people cried food food which was the word they used for eat also for they thought the fire within the tree had begun to eat the bamboo rod many of them ran about gathering leaves to feed the fire when the rod came forth at last with its end a dull glow lightfoot laid it on the rocks in the dead leaves a soft breeze came from the river and coaxed the embers into a blaze and the cave people jabbered frantically as they gathered brush and wood often they threw themselves on the rocks to gaze in wonder into the hollow tree but many of them believed lightfoot had driven the fire from the tree trunk just as they had often forced out the lizard thus for the first time in the memory of the tribe a fire was kindled and the hand of a maiden lightfoot had worked the miracle the cave people laughed and danced and sat in the hollow long into the darkness for security came with the fire and their force enemies were afraid but a time came when great rains fell and the fire died away with every drop and strong arm gathered a brand and carried it into his cave but the smoke from the burning choke him and forced him out then he carried the fire to the hollow of a tree that towered very high and he fed the fire in this hollow there it lived for many sons eating slowly into the tree trunk on one side the sun saw many strange mysteries on the day when the cave people first came upon the great canyon it was during the period of the year that comes before the season a plenty keen hunger assailed every living thing and sent them forth sharp eyed into the forest the wild hall grew stronger and wary from the struggles of the hard and meager days the green snakes hidden away waited continually for the small forest folk to run into their coils the link black bear grew bold and desperate with the hunger passion and the cave people acquired a new skill in hunting beside the strength of their force enemies they were weak indeed but armed with their long sharp bone weapons and a wonderful cunning they fought in all their numbers and were able to triumph over the animals of the forest with eyes keen and tense hands gripping their weapons they followed the trail of the black bear which led them through strange ways at the breaking of a twig they paused and no falling leaf escaped them sounds they made none as they slipped through the deep woods with one before the other at last they came to an open space where the trees ceased to grow and where the tracks of the bear were lost in a rocky way beyond them lay the canyon which had been once the bed of a river only the waters of the spring rains lay in the hollows of the rocks that lined its bottom here the cave people halted for they knew not which way the black bear had taken nor how to follow her as they separated to seek further for her tracks no word was spoken only strong arm gave a low grunt of approval as his comrades departed then in the silence of the old world it came the strange voice echoing down the great canyon grunting in the tones of strong arm the whole tribe heard it and they paused motionless while their eyes swept the canyon for him who had spoken but they saw no one silently they gathered together with weapons raised but the stillness remained unbroken then strong arm raised his voice in a soft whoa and in his own tone the echo answered him whoa it was very strange the cave people could not understand but they forgot the black bear and sent their voices ringing down the great canyon came again the echo in many tones back to them then a great chattering arose among them and even as they spoke the chattering of many voices arose from the canyon where we said the cave people and they gave a sign in the gesture language for they thought the sounds were the voices of their enemies the hairy folk with great caution they departed to the point whence the sounds had come not boldly but by varied paths they made their way slowly concealing themselves behind the rocks and the trees as they progressed long they hunted one and all but no man they found nor any signs of man and they returned at length to the mouth of the great canyon again their voices rang down the bed of the old river this time defiantly and the echoes replied once more challenging them the cave people grew angry and the search was continued but they found no one and they were compelled to return to their caves in the hollow with hearts heavy with wrath against the hairy folk often they returned to the great canyon burying their bone weapons there they remained long in hiding awaiting the advent of the enemy till at last they learned no one was there then the mystery grew more strange for no man could tell whence came the voices that replied to them but there came a time when the cave people believed that these cries were the voices of the spirits they came to hunt with them in their dream journeys no longer were they afraid only a great awe filled them and much wonder concerning these things end of section number six recording by linda mary nielson vancouver bc section seven of stories of the cave people this is a liverbox recording all liverbox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverbox.org recording by d rando stories of the cave people by mary marcy section seven the flood early in the spring the snows begin to melt on the mountaintops many mouths above the hollow and to run down into little streams that lost themselves in the great river day by day the waters of the river arose along its banks the cave people gave little heed for they had much to do at this time to satisfy their hunger only the old woman bent her eyes on the whirling waters with fear and dread in her heart long before the memory of the other members of the tribe she recalled a time when the waters had clambered over the river banks and spread many a day's journey into the deep forest many of her brothers and her sisters had been swallowed up by the angry waters the members of her tribe had been scattered and joined new tribes since those days she had always feared the river when it rolls in the spring when she warned the cave people one and all they listened to her words but they knew not what to do and always the river rolls higher and higher and its current grew more swift tearing away the young saplings that grew low down and burying them swiftly away but the cave people had need of great skill these days to satisfy the hunger of the tribe a new activity seemed born unto them eyes grew keen for the tracks of the wild boar and their ears were open for a sound of the foot of the forest enemies sharp eyes everywhere pierced the woods and glanced from the branches of trees for man and beast had need to be ever alert and watchful to survive the dreary period of the hard seasons the black bear appeared then and dangerous but the cave people eluded and outwitted her across yarning cracks in the ground or over great hollows they threw branches of trees and upon these branches they threw dead fish and smeared the blood of the wild duck through the woods the smell of fresh blood reached the king nose of the bear and she made her way thither to satisfy the hunger that gnawed her continually but the branches gave way under her great bulk and she fell crashing into the pit below where the cave people killed her with their long bone weapons it was after one of these great bear feasts when the cave people had fed the fire into a roaring blaze to protect them from the animals that grew overboard at this season of the year that the old woman renewed her warnings the waters of the great river continued to climb upward and there remained but a little way before they should overflow the banks then the old woman gathered the members of the tribe together and told them the story of her childhood days the new words of the tribe came stumblingly to her lips therefore she made known her thoughts chiefly in the gesture language first she pointed to the land across the river waving her wrinkled hands northward that way lay the home of her birth many many years before she held up both hands to indicate the time was beyond the power of counting she had lived with her fathers and mothers on a riverbank very small she was in those days her head came only to the thigh of a man came a time when the waters of the river crept up over the lands just as they had begun to steal over the wood north of the hollow the people of her tribe had climbed into the great trees but with the coming of every new son the waters rose higher and higher long the waters continued to climb till they became a great surging flood creeping through the forest and at last joining the waters of the river that flowed beside the homes of the cave people over all the world there remained no dry land and the old woman who was then a child dwelt for many sons with her fathers and mothers in the tall trees but there came one day a storm when the waters foamed and whirled and tore up the trunks of the great trees and hurled them into the flood and the limbs of the tree on which the old woman clung were beaten and bent in the mighty struggle to let last she was whipped from the branches and thrown into the waters as nuts are shaken from the trees and the old woman was born away in the swift current she heard many cries as the waters threw her about and some of her people leaped into the flood to save her but she was beaten about like a leaf in the wind and unable to call to them soon she found herself dashed against the trunk of a tree and she climbed upon it and clung to it for a long time often she grew very weary and slipped back into the waters but always she clung to the branches of the tree till at last she had been washed ashore and she made her way into the new land till she came by and by to the homes of the cave dwellers tubers they fed her in the eggs of the wild fall and she remained with them and became a member of the tribe never again had the old woman beheld the people of her own tribe save at night when she dreamed on her bed of dry leaves in the deep cave sometimes they returned to her then and told her strange things thus the old woman told her story and when she was finished a trembling seized her brown body and she gazed long at the swift waters of the river of the colors of the leaves touched by the frosts of winter were her wrinkled hands with which she pointed toward the river and the cave people were seized with fear also for even as they watched small rivulets crept over the banks and trickled down into the hollow heavy rains fell all through the day that followed and the small streams of water that overflowed the banks found their way into all the little hollows filling them at night when the cave dwellers sought their caves their hearts were filled with dread quack quack crouched close to strong arm with her arms about little laughing boy the rumbling and war of the waters sounded in their ears as the swollen river tore downward in her course but after a time they fell asleep and forgot their tears till the cries of their brothers and sisters aroused them toward the morning now the cave in which strong arm slept was upon a point above the caves of the other members of the tribe but when he arose and rolled the great stone from the entrance of the cave the snarling waters curled about his feet and wet them and when he looked into the hollow a strange sight met his eyes for the river had risen in the darkness covering the face of the world every moment the water surged savagely onward over the land into the deep woods as though they meant to devour the whole earth at those points where the ground rolls higher than the surrounding land clustered the cave people chattering and terror and clinging desperately upon whatsoever their hands found very quickly strong arm called quack quack and laughing boy and he assisted them to mount to the top of the cave where laughing boy whimpered with fear they heard the voice of the old woman calling shrilly to them as she pointed towards the branches of the tall trees in the forest where they might find safety and many members of the tribe cast themselves into the waters that roll steadily every moment and swim toward the woods but the waters tossed them and the current pushed them ever backward often they were struck by great floating logs that rolled over and over when they sought to climb up on them then amid the great tumult was heard the voice of lightfoot and the sounds of big nose her man also and when the cave people looked about they discovered a flood of huge logs and dead trees that had been jammed before the entrance of the cave where and dwelt these two barring the way out and every man in the whole tribe forgot his desire for safety to answer the cry for help that lightfoot sent up for among the cave dwellers there was a great tenderness among the men and women of the tribe the word of a woman bore a great weight for it was the joy of every man to please and aid her so strong arm threw himself into the water with a cry to his brothers while quack quack remained upon the top of the cave holding laughing boy in her arms least he be harmed long the members of the tribe struggled with the current till at last they reached the cave of lightfoot where she struggled with the logs that showed her in with all their strength these strong men tugged and plucked at the trees but with every effort the water bore back on them jamming the logs into a wedge again between the cave and the rocks till the old woman thought they should all be drowned at last however strong arms thrust a great stick between the cave and the jam of trees and big nose and lightfoot were able to add their strength in diverting the danger soon they were free and making their way with those who had saved them toward the woods it is well to note here too that the cavemen thought always of the women lending them every aid and that there was not one forgotten amid grave peril not till it was too late to affect his rescue however did the cave people remember old gray beard who had also become imprisoned in his cave at that time the waters tore about the tops of the rocks and they knew it was too late to help him although many swim for the woods few arrived there strong arm quack quack and laughing boy who had followed their friends soon found themselves regretting the rocks above their cave for all the drift bore down the river by the swift waters seemed hemmed and wedged about the woods over these logs it was impossible to pass for they rolled and dipped under the feet dumping the cave people back into the boiling water sometimes crushing them between the great logs strong arm progressed beneath the debris but he was unable to find an opening to come up and was compelled to return to quack quack and laughing boy who swam about the edge of the great mass of logs awaiting him very dizzy he was and his lungs collapsed with his breath as he appeared for the struggle against the current was almost beyond his strength again and again they sought to reach the woods where they might find shelter in the trees but each time they failed it was impossible to advance and the strong current rendered is still more difficult to go back in every moment the waters rose lots worlds swiftly passed with many of the forest animals clinging to them now and then they saw one of the hairy folk tossed and straining to reach the trees the silent one who clung to one of the king rafts was flung into the whirling jam by the current and crushed like a dry leaf in the hand as far as the eye could reach the foaming waters tore their way through the woods but between the cave dwellers who clung to the skirts of the jam and the safety of the forest trees it seemed they're floated and rocked and churned all the trees of a great world of woods plucked out and cast there by the great river in order to mock them but the cave people clung tenaciously while the great mass of logs strained and tore each other or were flung away in the current at last the great hollow tree in which strong arm had kept the fire alive was bored and down for its trunk was old with fire and with rot as it was tossed onward in the mighty current strong arm with laughing boy and quack quack close at his side made their way toward it with a great effort as it rolled past them they flung their arms over the rough bark and clung to it soon they were able to climb into the burned out hollow of the tree where they lay shivering with fear the trunk of the tree made a kind of boat the cave people had never seen for only the burned out portion at the end lay open and dip into the waters in the hollow they lay for a long time till their strength returned and their fears fail then they set up and looked about the rains had ceased and the sun made his way high in the heavens and they were born swiftly along in the great law often they crashed into the branches of trees that rose just above the water but always strong arm quack quack and laughing boy clung tightly they did not mean to be hurled into the waters again but they were checked in their fearful journey at last when the hollow log was driven amid the interwoven trunks and branches of a tall banging there it lay tossing in the bowels as safe as though it had been anchored securely for the current of the river sucked and drove it always more strongly into the arms of the tree soon a great chattering arose among the branches that dipped now and then into the angry waters and in a moment they beheld the foolish one and a man from the tribe of the hairy folk who called to them and laughing boy forgot his terrace as he seized a bow and made his way into the tree for safety while quack quack and strong arm followed him then arose such a jabbering as was never before heard in the old banging while strong arm and the foolish one made known their adventures also they talked to the man from the tribe of the hairy folk in the gesture language where the limbs of the tree ran far out over the whirling waters laughing boy found the lone deep nests of the wea often the branches bent beneath his feet and threatened to give way under him but his likeness enabled him to secure these treasures and together the foolish one strong arm quack quack laughing boy and the man from the tribe of the hairy folk made a supper upon the eggs of the wea then they sought out fort branches where they curled themselves up and fell asleep the waters warred and thundered beneath dead trees and old logs beat against their new refuge in the great banging but they wound their arms and legs about the limbs of the tree and found rest thus they dwelt in the old banging with the wild fall now and then a fish or a few gold eggs to satisfy their hanger while the river sank lower and lower until its old channel every day the waters receded and slipped back into the river bed till strong arm declared the time was come when they might venture forth toward the land of their fathers end of section seven section eight of stories of the cave people this is a lipovox recording all lipovox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit lipovox.org recording by d rando stories of the cave people by mary marcy section eight bigfoot's new weapon 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 born 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 banging 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 where 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 gold eggs for two nights they had slept in the limbs of trees while strong arm watch really lease 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 woolly hair rhinoceros and the saber tube tiger were seen once more along the riverbank very cautiously the 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 of the wood where dangers lurk 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 king 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 king 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 born 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 a 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 failed 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 in 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 bigfoot 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 bigfoot 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 of 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 paul and bigfoot 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 foul 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 beasts which the strange rock had been able to summon the tribe from whence tall and bigfoot came had long known the use of flint and 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 spring up in the hearts of the cave people for armed with these rude flints they were 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 bigfoot 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 goodwill 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 bigfoot gave heat 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 spit open at the end also they gathered knotted 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 possess 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 saber tooth 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 were 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 powed them high like a great wall for they feared an attack from the rear and the rude wall of stones rolls almost to their waist very rarely 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 to the thick smoke upon him and he choked and paused to reconnoitre 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 in between them and the tiger wore the tall sheet of flames but soon he began to circle the hill seeking an easy way to attack below the root 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 bow 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 cat his eyes glowed with rage and fear and his lips were curled back in a snarl of furry of all things in the old forest the strange red flaming fire alone had caused him to hesitate the fierce unknown sped out of breath of hot smoke that bitten to his muscular throat and choked him and the hot blaze held a menace that thrilled his long length 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 at once more long he continued with his body crouched low in his head thrown up senting at once the rich odor of the roasting bore 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 bands scattered the flames and dragged out the roasted body of the young bore from this they tore eagerly great chunks of the warm and dripping flesh and devoured them and one in 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 anyone was filled as savages were used to fill their stomachs after a long period of fasting strong arm made known his wishes soon everybody understood his desire to reserve a portion of the young bore 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 bigfoot 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 bigfoot 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 saber tooth irresistibly and he made a bold and sudden dash upon the band but strong arm was quick also and a yell of mourning he gave as he threw a blazing bow upon him but the tiger leaped over it and made his way near 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 warrings we 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 end of section eight