Thirty thousand years of savagery had not lessened the femininity in
Saya. She became aware that Burl was her slave, that these wonderful
things he wore and had done were as nothing if she did not approve. She
drew away--saw the misery in Burl's face--and abruptly ran into his arms
and clung to him, laughing happily. And quite suddenly Burl saw with
extreme clarity that all these things he had done, even the slaying of a
great spider, were of no importance whatever beside this most wonderful
thing that had just happened, and told Saya so quite humbly, but holding
her very close to him as he did so.
And so Burl came back to his tribe. He had left it nearly naked, with
but a wisp of moth-wing twisted about his middle, a timid, fearful,
trembling creature. He returned in triumph, walking slowly and
fearlessly down a broad lane of golden mushrooms toward the hiding place
of his people.
Upon his shoulders was draped a great and many-colored cloak made from
the whole of a moth's wing. Soft fur was about his middle. A spear was
in his hand and a fierce club at his waist. He and Saya bore between
them the dead body of a huge spider--aforetime the dread of the
pink-skinned, naked men. But to Burl the most important thing of all was
that Saya walked beside him openly, acknowledging him before all the
tribe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account