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Chapter 3
第三章
Prehistoric man
史前人類
Prehistoric man begins to make things for himself.
史前人類開始為自己制造工具
Early man did not know what time meant.
早期的人類不懂得時間的含義，
He kept no records of birthdays or wedding anniversaries or the hour of death.
他們從不記錄生日、結婚紀念日或者悼亡日，
He had no idea of days or weeks or even years.
也不理解什么叫日、月、年。
But in a general way he kept track of the seasons for he had noticed that the cold winter was invariably followed by the mild spring
可通過一種普遍的方法，他們跟上了季節變遷的軌跡。他們發現，寒冷的冬天過后，溫暖愜意的春天總是翩然而至；
that spring grew into the hot summer when fruits ripened and the wild ears of corn were ready to be eaten
隨著春天慢慢地變成炎夏，樹上的果實飽含漿汁，野麥穗迎風招展，等待收割；
and that summer ended when sudden gusts of wind swept the leaves from the trees and a number of animals were getting ready for the long hibernal sleep.
然后夏天結束，陣陣狂風卷光樹上的葉子，一些動物已準備好漫長的冬眠了。
But now, something unusual and rather frightening had happened.
這時，一件不同尋常的恐怖事情發生了，
Something was the matter with the weather. The warm days of summer had come very late.
它與氣候有關。暖和的夏日姍姍來遲，
The fruits had not ripened.
果實無法長熟。
The tops of the mountains which used to be covered with grass now lay deeply hidden underneath a heavy burden of snow.
那些本來覆蓋著綠草如茵的群山之頂，現在卻為一層厚厚的積雪所籠罩。
Then, one morning, a number of wild people, different from the other creatures who lived in that neighbourhood, came wandering down from the region of the high peaks.
隨后的一天早上，一群野人突然從山上搖搖晃晃地沖下來。他們與住在山腳下的居民很不相同。
They looked lean and appeared to be starving.
他們瘦弱干枯，看起來已經挨餓好久。
They uttered sounds which no one could understand.
本地的居民聽不懂他們卿卿咕咕的語言，
They seemed to say that they were hungry.
可看樣子；他們好像在說自己想吃東西。
There was not food enough for both the old inhabitants and the newcomers.
本地的食物不足以同時養活老居民和新來者，
