Tales of Space and TimeWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science
Tales of Space and Time
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science fiction, English
Down in the Wey marshes Ugh-lomi and Eudena had never seen the horses
closely, but now they saw them every day as the two of them raided out
from their lair on the ledge in the gorge, raiding together in search of
food. They had returned to the ledge after the killing of Andoo; for of
the she-bear they were not afraid. The she-bear had become afraid of
them, and when she winded them she went aside. The two went together
everywhere; for since they had left the tribe Eudena was not so much
Ugh-lomi's woman as his mate; she learnt to hunt even--as much, that is,
as any woman could. She was indeed a marvellous woman. He would lie for
hours watching a beast, or planning catches in that shock head of his,
and she would stay beside him, with her bright eyes upon him, offering
no irritating suggestions--as still as any man. A wonderful woman!
At the top of the cliff was an open grassy lawn and then beechwoods, and
going through the beechwoods one came to the edge of the rolling grassy
expanse, and in sight of the horses. Here, on the edge of the wood and
bracken, were the rabbit-burrows, and here among the fronds Eudena and
Ugh-lomi would lie with their throwing-stones ready, until the little
people came out to nibble and play in the sunset. And while Eudena would
sit, a silent figure of watchfulness, regarding the burrows, Ugh-lomi's
eyes were ever away across the greensward at those wonderful grazing
strangers.
In a dim way he appreciated their grace and their supple nimbleness. As
the sun declined in the evening-time, and the heat of the day passed,
they would become active, would start chasing one another, neighing,
dodging, shaking their manes, coming round in great curves, sometimes so
close that the pounding of the turf sounded like hurried thunder. It
looked so fine that Ugh-lomi wanted to join in badly. And sometimes one
would roll over on the turf, kicking four hoofs heavenward, which seemed
formidable and was certainly much less alluring.
Dim imaginings ran through Ugh-lomi's mind as he watched--by virtue of
which two rabbits lived the longer. And sleeping, his brains were
clearer and bolder--for that was the way in those days. He came near the
horses, he dreamt, and fought, smiting-stone against hoof, but then the
horses changed to men, or, at least, to men with horses' heads, and he
awoke in a cold sweat of terror.
Yet the next day in the morning, as the horses were grazing, one of the
mares whinnied, and they saw Ugh-lomi coming up the wind. They all
stopped their eating and watched him. Ugh-lomi was not coming towards
them, but strolling obliquely across the open, looking at anything in
the world but horses. He had stuck three fern-fronds into the mat of his
hair, giving him a remarkable appearance, and he walked very slowly.
"What's up now?" said the Master Horse, who was capable, but
inexperienced.
"It looks more like the first half of an animal than anything else in
the world," he said. "Fore-legs and no hind."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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