here were any people on earth, a large pea-vine
was growing on the beach, and in the pod of this pea the first man lay
coiled up for four days. On the fifth day he stretched out his feet
and that bursted the pod. He fell to the ground, where he stood up, a
full-grown man.

He had never seen anything that looked like him, and he did not know
what to make of himself. He looked around, and then at himself; then
he moved his arms and hands and was surprised that he could do it. He
moved his neck and his legs, and examined himself curiously.

Looking back, he saw the pod from which he had fallen still hanging to
the vine, with a hole at the lower end out of which he had dropped. He
went up and looked in through the hole to see if there were any more
like him in the pod. Then he looked about him again, and saw that he
was getting farther away from the place where he started, and that
the ground seemed very soft and moved up and down under his feet.

After a while he had an unpleasant feeling in his stomach, and stooped
down to take water in his mouth from a small pool at his feet. The
water ran down into his stomach and he felt better. When he looked up
again, he saw a big dark object coming through the air with a waving
motion. It came on until it was just in front of him when it stopped
and, standing on the ground, looked at him.

This was a Raven, and as soon as it stopped it raised one of its
wings, pushed up its beak like a mask, to the top of its head, and
changed at once into a man. Before he raised his mask, the Raven had
stared at the Man and now he stared more than ever, moving about from
side to side to obtain a better view. At last he said:

"What are you? Where did you come from? I have never seen anything
like you."

He looked again and said, "You are so much like me in shape that you
surprise me."

Presently he said, "Walk away a few steps so that I may see you more
clearly. I am astonished at you! I have never before seen anything
like you. Where did you come from?"

"I came from the pea-pod," said Man pointing to the plant from which
he came.

"Ah!" exclaimed Raven, "I made that vine, but did not know that
anything like you would ever come out of it. Come with me to the high
ground over there. This ground I made later and it is still soft and
thin, but it is harder and thicker over there." They came to the
higher ground which was firm under their feet.

"Have you eaten anything?" Raven asked Man.