按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
flint and some bits of bone。 But look at that piece of flint。 It is narrow；
thin； sharp…edged： quite different in shape from any bit of flint which
you or I ever saw among the hundreds of thousands of broken bits of
gravel which we tread on here all day long； and here are some more bits
like it； which came from the same placeall very much the same shape；
like rough knives or razor blades； and here is a core of flint； the remaining
part of a large flint； from which； as you may see； blades like those have
been split off。 Those flakes of flint； my child； were split off by men；
even your young eyes ought to be able to see that。 And here are other
pieces of flintpear…shaped； but flattened； sharp at one end and left
rounded at the other； which look like spear… heads； or arrow…heads； or
pointed axes； or pointed hatchetseven your young eyes can see that these
must have been made by man。 And they are； I may tell you； just like the
tools of flint； or of obsidian； which is volcanic glass； and which savages
use still where they have not iron。 There is a great obsidian knife； you
know； in a house in this very parish； which came from Mexico； and your
eye can tell you how like it is to these flint ones。 But these flint tools are
very old。 If you crack a fresh flint； you will see that its surface is gray；
and somewhat rough； so that it sticks to your tongue。 These tools are
smooth and shiny： and the edges of some of them are a little rubbed
from being washed about in gravel； while the iron in the gravel has stained
them reddish； which it would take hundreds and perhaps thousands of
years to do。 There are little rough markings； too； upon some of them；
which； if you look at through a magnifying glass； are iron； crystallised into
the shape of little seaweeds and treesanother sign that they are very very
old。 And what is more； near the place where these flint flakes come from
66
… Page 67…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
there are no flints in the ground for hundreds of miles； so that men must
have brought them there ages and ages since。 And to tell you plainly；
these are scrapers such as the Esquimaux in North America still use to
scrape the flesh off bones； and to clean the insides of skins。
But did these people （savages perhaps） live when the country was icy
cold？ Look at the bits of bone。 They have been split； you see；
lengthways； that； I suppose； was to suck the marrow out of them； as
savages do still。 But to what animal do the bones belong？ That is the
question； and one which I could not have answered you； if wiser men than
I am could not have told me。
They are the bones of reindeersuch reindeer as are now found only in
Lapland and the half…frozen parts of North America； close to the Arctic
circle； where they have six months day and six months night。 You have
read of Laplanders； and how they drive reindeer in their sledges； and live
upon reindeer milk； and you have read of Esquimaux； who hunt seals and
walrus； and live in houses of ice； lighted by lamps fed with the same
blubber on which they feed themselves。 I need not tell you about them。
Now comes the questionWhence did these flints and bones come？
They came out of a cave in Dordogne； in the heart of sunny France；far
away to the south； where it is hotter every summer than it was here even
this summer； from among woods of box and evergreen oak； and vineyards
of rich red wine。 In that warm land once lived savages； who hunted amid
ice and snow the reindeer； and with the reindeer animals stranger still。
And now I will tell you a fairy tale： to make you understand it at all I
must put it in the shape of a tale。 I call it a fairy tale； because it is so
strange； indeed I think I ought to call it the fairy tale of all fairy tales； for
by the time we get to the end of it I think it will explain to you how our
forefathers got to believe in fairies； and trolls； and elves； and scratlings；
and all strange little people who were said to haunt the mountains and the
caves。
Well； once upon a time； so long ago that no man can tell when； the
land was so much higher； that between England and Ireland； and； what is
more； between England and Norway； was firm dry land。 The country
then must have lookedat least we know it looked so in Norfolkvery like
67
… Page 68…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
what our moors look like here。 There were forests of Scotch fir； and of
spruce too； which is not wild in England now； though you may see plenty
in every plantation。 There were oaks and alders； yews and sloes； just as
there are in our woods now。 There was buck…bean in the bogs； as there is
in Larmer's and Heath pond； and white and yellow water…lilies； horn… wort；
and pond…weeds； just as there are now in our ponds。 There were wild
horses； wild deer； and wild oxen； those last of an enormous size。 There
were little yellow roe…deer； which will not surprise you； for there are
hundreds and thousands in Scotland to this day； and； as you know； they
will thrive well enough in our woods now。 There were beavers too： but
that must not surprise you； for there were beavers in South Wales long
after the Norman Conquest； and there are beavers still in the mountain
glens of the south…east of France。 There were honest little water…rats too；
who I dare say sat up on their hind legs like monkeys； nibbling the water…
lily pods； thousands of years ago； as they do in our ponds now。 Well； so
far we have come to nothing strange： but now begins the fairy tale。
Mixed with all these animals； there wandered about great herds of
elephants and rhinoceroses； not smooth…skinned； mind； but covered with
hair and wool； like those which are still found sticking out of the
everlasting ice cliffs； at the mouth of the Lena and other Siberian rivers；
with the flesh； and skin； and hair so fresh upon them； that the wild wolves
tear it off； and snarl and growl over the carcase of monsters who were
frozen up thousands of years ago。 And with them； stranger still； were
great hippopotamuses； who came； perhaps； northward in summer time
along the sea…shore and down the rivers； having spread hither all the way
from Africa； for in those days； you must understand； Sicily； and Italy； and
Maltalook at your mapwere joined to the coast of Africa： and so it
may be was the rock of Gibraltar itself； and over the sea where the Straits
of Gibraltar now flow was firm dry land； over which hyaenas and leopards；
elephants and rhinoceroses ranged into Spain； for their bones are found at
this day in the Gibraltar caves。 And this is the first chapter of my fairy
tale。
Now while all this was going on； and perhaps before this began； the
climate was getting colder year by yearwe do not know how； and； what
68