Стража! Стража!

           Carrottookthisfairlycalmly,mostlybecausehedidn’tunderstandnearlyallofit.Besides,asfarashewasaware,beingfoundtoddlinginthewoodswasthenormalmethodofchildbirth.Adwarfisnotconsideredoldenoughtohavethetechnicalprocessesexplainedtohimuntilhehasreachedpuberty.

           "Allright,dad,"hesaid,andleaneddownsoastobelevelwiththedwarf’sear."Butyouknow,meand-youknowMintyRocksmacker?She’sreallybeautiful,dad,gotabeardassoftasa,a,averysoftthing-we’vegotanunderstanding,and-"

           "Yes,"saidthedwarf,coldly."Iknow.Herfather’shadawordwithme."Sodidhermotherwithyourmother,headdedsilently,andthenshehadawordwithme.Lotsofwords.

           It’snotthattheydon’tlikeyou,you’reasteadyladandafineworker,you’dmakeagoodson-in-law.Fourgoodsons-in-law.That’sthetrouble.Andshe’sonlysixty,anyway.It’snotproper.It’snotright.

           He’dheardaboutchildrenbeingrearedbywolves.

           Hewonderedwhethertheleaderofthepackeverhadtosortoutsomethingtrickylikethis.Perhapshe’dhavetotakehimintoaquietclearingsomewhereandsay,Look,son,youmighthavewonderedwhyyou’renotashairyaseveryoneelse...

           He’ddiscusseditwithVarneshi.Agoodsolidman,Varneshi.Ofcourse,he’dknowntheman’sfather.Andhisgrandfather,nowhecametothinkaboutit.Humansdidn’tseemtolastlong,itwasprobablyalltheeffortofpumpingbloodupthathigh.