ORIGIN OF SPECIES: Part II

(…in which is explained the Descent of Man…)

The Shaman Ugurk stood on the ledge just outside the entrance to The Cave, in the early morning light. He held a large, dried gourd on the end of a stick, and filled it with water from the clear fountain that sprang from the cliff-face a few feet above the ledge.

When the gourd was full, Ugurk drew it back to him and added to the clear water it contained, special herbs, which only he knew how to blend properly, and placed a stopper made from a small tree branch in the open end of the gourd, so that its contents would not spill. He handed the full gourd to the tall young hunter who stood next to him, who bowed his thanks to the powerful and respected Shaman of Our People.

Ugurk repeated this process nine more times, once for each of the other tall, strong, well-muscled young hunters who stood with him on the ledge, and then watched as they headed down the narrow trail across the cliff-face, that wound down to the Valley below. They had been chosen by the chieftain Ozyk for this hunting party, to find food for Our People, and would be gone probably seven suns.

Ugurk watched the strong young hunters, their supple bodies full of grace and power as they moved downward into the Valley below, and was content. It was six Moons since the Wonder of the Double Birth, and Our People had seemed to prosper as never before. The hunts were good, Our People waxed strong and sleek, and the Spirits seemed to smile…

As Ugurk watched the hunters depart, a shadow crossed his mind as fleetingly as the shadow of a hawk before it stooped upon its prey: the shadow of the Evil Dream. The Shaman Ugurk shook his old head, with its burden of more than fifty summers, as if to clear the vision of his ancient eyes, and shivered at the thought of that shadow, of that Evil Dream, of its Power.

It happened five summers before the Wonder of the Double Birth, that the Evil Dream came upon The Shaman Ugurk and possessed him. It came without warning, with no Sign of its approach. The Evil Dream had left The Shaman Ugurk a physical and emotional wreck for several suns – he only pulled himself together because Our People were worried, and had begun to murmur. Ugurk finally came out among Our People, with a smiling visage and words of reassurance. He told Our People that he had been studying and meditating on the Spirits, seeking new ways to implore their protection for Our People. They were reassured by his renewed presence among them, if not by his appearance, which was haggard and worn. In time, though, he recovered his health and strength, and told no one of the Evil Dream. It went like this:

Ugurk was standing at the door of The Cave, during the time of Waning Moon, and gazing out over the Valley below. The bright, clear face of Waning Moon was brilliant before him, dazzling his eyes. Suddenly it seemed to Ugurk that a speck of darkness moved across the face of Waning Moon, and the speck grew larger with each passing moment. Ugurk stood staring, transfixed, as the speck grew so large that it completely swallowed up the face of Waning Moon!

This was like nothing Ugurk had ever seen