"Alan Dean Foster - Humanx 1 - Midworld" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

Muttering to himself Born unpacked his hunter's
pouch-belt, removed his cloak, and set about the busi-
ness of preparing the grazer. He wielded the bone
knife so angrily he almost cut through and ruined
the skin several times. The layer of fat beneath the
skin was next. Turning the carcass was a laborious
job, but Born managed without having to wake
Ruumahum. The fat was slung into a wooden
trough. Later it would be melted down and rendered
into candles. Then he was at the meat, cutting away
huge chunks to dry and preserve. Organs and other
nonedibles went into the pit at the back of the room.
This he covered with the ready mulch mixture, add-



file:///F|/rah/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%...%20Dean%20-%20Humanx%2001%20-%20Midworld.txt (18 of 181) [1/16/03 7:03:42 PM]
 file:///F|/rah/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%20Alan%20Dean%20-%20Humanx%2001%20-%20Midworld.txt

22

ing water from a wood cistern. The Home would be
pleased.

The hollow backbone and the huge flaring circular
ribs he separated, cleaned and scoured, and set out-
side where the sunlight would dry them. The thick
bone would make tools and ornaments. The teeth were
valueless, not worth wearing, unlike those of the
carnivorous breeder Losting had killed. He would
make no necklace of these flat, grinding molars to wear
at ceremonies. But he would eat well.

Once the grazer had been reduced to its useful
components. Born cleaned his hands and arms. Moving
to a comer he pulled aside a curtain of woven fiber.
Rummaging behind it he found his other snumer. He
would have to secure a second one now. He studied
it and thought over the problem. He would get
Jhelum to make one. His hands were far more skillful
at working the green wood than Bom's, and quicker.
He smiled slightly. He would lose most of his grazer
in trade for the new snuffler, but he would still have
good eating for a time. Jhelum, who did not hunt
and who had two youngsters and a wife, would be
appreciative of the meat.

"I am going to see Jhelum, the carver, Ruumahum.
I'll--"