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in the middle； bore the weight as it rested on the inside of the hole。 mary watched one day as a zalif examined the hole in her front wheel； touching here and there； lifting her trunk up in the air and back again； as if sampling the scent。
mary remembered the oil shed found on her fingers when she had examined the first seedpod。 with the zalif’s permission she looked at her claw； and found the surface more smooth and slick than anything shed felt on her world。 her fingers simply would not stay on the surface。 the whole of the claw seemed
impregnated with the faintly fragrant oil； and after she had seen a number of the villagers sampling； testing； checking the state of their wheels and their claws； she began to wonder which had e first： wheel or claw？ rider or tree？
although of course there was a third element as well； and that was geology。 creatures could only use wheels on a world that provided them with natural highways。 there must be some feature of the mineral content of these stone roads that made them run in ribbon…like lines over the vast savanna； and be so resistant to weathering or cracking。 little by little； mary came to see the way everything was linked together； and all of it； seemingly； managed by the mulefa。 they knew the location of every herd of grazers； every stand of wheel trees； every clump of sweet grass； and they knew every individual within the herds； and every separate tree； and they discussed their well…being and their fate。 on one occasion she saw the mulefa cull a herd of grazers； selecting some individuals and herding them away from the rest； to dispatch them by breaking their necks with a wrench of a powerful trunk。 nothing was wasted。 holding flakes of razor…sharp stone in their trunks； the mulefa skinned and gutted the animals within minutes； and then began a skillful butchery； separating out the offal and the tender meat and the tougher joints； trimming the fat； removing the horns and the hooves； and working so efficiently that mary watched with the pleasure she felt at seeing anything done well。
soon strips of meat were hanging to dry in the sun； and others were packed in salt and wrapped in leaves； the skins were scraped clear of fat； which was set by for later use； and then laid to soak in pits of water filled with oak bark to tan； and the oldest child was playing with a set of horns； pretending to be a grazer； making the other children laugh。 that evening there was fresh meat to eat； and mary feasted well。
in a similar way the mulefa knew where the best fish were to be had； and exactly when and where to lay their nets。 looking for something she could do； mary went to the net…makers and offered to help。 when she saw how they worked； not on their own but two by two； working their trunks together to tie a knot； she realized why theyd been so astonished by her hands； because of course she could tie knots on her own。 at first she felt that this gave her an advantage； she needed no one else； and then she realized how it cut her off from others。 perhaps all human beings were like that。 and from that time on； she used one hand to knot the fibers； sharing the task with a female zalif who had bee her particular friend； fingers and trunk moving in and out together。
but of all the living things the wheeled people managed； it was the seedpod trees that they took most care with。
there were half a dozen groves within the area looked after by this group。 there were others farther away； but they were the responsibility of other groups。 each day a party went out to check on the well…being of the mighty trees； and to harvest any fallen seedpods。 it was clear what the mulefa gained； but how did the trees benefit from this interchange？ one day she saw。 as she was riding along with the group； suddenly there was a loud crack； and everyone came to a halt； surrounding one individual whose wheel had split。 every group carried a spare or two with it； so the zalif with the broken wheel was soon remounted； but the broken wheel itself was carefully wrapped in a cloth and taken back to the settlement。
there they prized it open and took out all the seeds； flat pale ovals as big as marys little fingernail； and examined each one carefully。 they explained that the seedpods needed the constant pounding they got on the hard roads if they were to crack at all； and also that the seeds were difficult to germinate。 without the mulefas attention； the trees would all die。
each species depended on the other； and furthermore； it was the oil that made it possible。 it was hard to understand； but they seemed to be saying that the oil was the center of their thinking and feeling； that young ones didnt have the wisdom of their elders because they couldnt use the wheels； and thus could absorb no oil through their claws。
and that was when mary began to see the connection between the mulefa and the question that had occupied the past few years of her life。
but before she could examine it any further （and conversations with the mulefa were long and plex；
because they loved qualifying and explaining and illustrating their arguments with dozens of examples； as if they had forgotten nothing and everything they had ever known was available immediately for reference）； the settlement was attacked。
mary was the first to see the attackers ing； though she didnt know what they were。
it happened in midafternoon； when she was helping repair the roof of a hut。 the mulefa only built one story high； because they were not climbers； but mary was happy to clamber above the ground； and she could lay thatch and knot it in place with her two hands； once they had shown her the technique； much more quickly than they could。
so she was braced against the rafters of a house； catching the bundles of reeds thrown up to her； and enjoying the cool breeze from the water that was tempering the heat of the sun； when her eye was caught by a flash of white。
it came from that distant glitter she thought was the sea。 she shaded her eyes and saw one； two； more； a fleet of tall white sails； emerging out of the heat haze； some way off but making with a silent grace for the river mouth。
mary called the zalif from below。 what are you seeing？
she didnt know the word for sail； or boat； so she said tail； white； many。
at once the zalif gave a call of alarm； and everyone in earshot stopped work and sped to the center of the settlement； calling the young ones。 within a minute all the mulefa were ready to flee。
atal； her friend； called： mary！ mary！ e！ tualapil tualapi！
it had all happened so quickly that mary had hardly moved。 the white sails by this time had already entered the river； easily making headway against the current。 mary was impressed by the discipline of the sailors： they tacked so swiftly； the sails moving together like a flock of starlings； all changing direction simultaneously。 and they were so beautiful； those snow white slender sails； bending and dipping and filling。。。
there were forty of them； at least； and they were ing upriver much more swiftly than shed thought。 but she saw no crew on board； and then she realized that they werent boats at all： they were gigantic birds； and the sails were their wings； one fore