До Адама

           Noboneswerebroken,andinthosedaysthefleshofmanhadfinerhealingqualitiesthanithasto-day.Yetitwasaseverefall,forIlimpedwithmyinjuredhipforfullyaweekafterward.

           Next,asIlayinthebushes,therecameuponmeafeelingofdesolation,aconsciousnessthatIwashomeless.ImadeupmymindnevertoreturntomymotherandtheChatterer.Iwouldgofarawaythroughtheterribleforest,andfindsometreeformyselfinwhichtoroost.Asforfood,Iknewwheretofindit.ForthelastyearatleastIhadnotbeenbeholdentomymotherforfood.Allshehadfurnishedmewasprotectionandguidance.

           Icrawledsoftlyoutthroughthebushes.OnceIlookedbackandsawtheChattererstillchantingandteetering.Itwasnotapleasantsight.Iknewprettywellhowtobecautious,andIwasexceedinglycarefulonthismyfirstjourneyintheworld.

           IgavenothoughtastowhereIwasgoing.Ihadbutonepurpose,andthatwastogoawaybeyondthereachoftheChatterer.Iclimbedintothetreesandwanderedonamongstthemforhours,passingfromtreetotreeandnevertouchingtheground.ButIdidnotgoinanyparticulardirection,nordidItravelsteadily.Itwasmynature,asitwasthenatureofallmyfolk,tobeinconsequential.Besides,Iwasamerechild,andIstoppedagreatdealtoplaybytheway.

           Theeventsthatbefellmeonmyleavinghomeareveryvagueinmymind.Mydreamsdonotcoverthem.Muchhasmyother-selfforgotten,andparticularlyatthisveryperiod