Chapter 3
第三章
Prehistoric man
史前人类
Prehistoric man begins to make things for himself.
史前人类开始为自己制造工具
Early man did not know what time meant.
早期的人类不懂得时间的含义，
He kept no records of birthdays or wedding anniversaries or the hour of death.
他们从不记录生日、结婚纪念日或者悼亡日，
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
可通过一种普遍的方法，他们跟上了季节变迁的轨迹。他们发现，寒冷的冬天过后，温暖惬意的春天总是翩然而至；
that spring grew into the hot summer when fruits ripened and the wild ears of corn were ready to be eaten
随着春天慢慢地变成炎夏，树上的果实饱含浆汁，野麦穗迎风招展，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.
然后夏天结束，阵阵狂风卷光树上的叶子，一些动物已准备好漫长的冬眠了。
But now, something unusual and rather frightening had happened.
这时，一件不同寻常的恐怖事情发生了，
Something was the matter with the weather. The warm days of summer had come very late.
它与气候有关。暖和的夏日姗姗来迟，
The fruits had not ripened.
果实无法长熟。
The tops of the mountains which used to be covered with grass now lay deeply hidden underneath a heavy burden of snow.
那些本来覆盖着绿草如茵的群山之顶，现在却为一层厚厚的积雪所笼罩。
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.
随后的一天早上，一群野人突然从山上摇摇晃晃地冲下来。他们与住在山脚下的居民很不相同。
They looked lean and appeared to be starving.
他们瘦弱干枯，看起来已经挨饿好久。
They uttered sounds which no one could understand.
本地的居民听不懂他们卿卿咕咕的语言，
They seemed to say that they were hungry.
可看样子；他们好像在说自己想吃东西。
There was not food enough for both the old inhabitants and the newcomers.
本地的食物不足以同时养活老居民和新来者，