"Aiiia," she said, pointing at the flames, still crackling, still going strong, and cackled a laugh: "aha, aha, a, ha ha!"
She clapped her paws, her hands, together, echoing around the cave.
"Heh!" said her partner. He turned around and bent over, singing his backside at the top of the flames. "Aiii!" he said, setting off another cackle from his partner.
They sat and stared.
She took a stick and thread some large intestines of the recently slain mammoth through it, and plunged it into the fire, watching it cook rapidly, in spits and sighs.
"Mmmm!" she said, rubbing her belly and sniffing the air, "Ho' dug!"
Not to be outdone, her partner dipped a stick into a hole filled with a mass of gooey leftover and real spit.
"Mmmash!" he grunted happily: "mmmashma'lluh," he said. "Mmaan."
For the one and only... at Friday Fictioneers, picture by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Ha.. the process of learning to cook was once hampered by lack of language.. I guess my comment at that time would have been: Grwwweeh :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds a particularly gruesome mealtime. The lack of modern language adds nicely to the melting pot (pardon the pun)
ReplyDeleteWell done
Dee
Sounds like a conversation I once overheard in Forfar :-)
ReplyDeleteCan't believe I read this at lunchtime? Really? This sort of story is so last week. :-)
ReplyDeleteGlaphundi!
janet
Finally I can leave a comment under one of your stories. I really like your style, enjoyed many stories. This one is probably one of my favorites, so imaginative and I bet very accurate.
ReplyDeleteA great step into weird history. I'm so glad I could leave a comment this time. I really do read your stuff every week - can't find a comment section. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThink I will go on a "stick" diet ... Oh, I mean "strict".
ReplyDeleteHamish, My first comment seems to have disappeared. Here's a second one. I also read your stories each week and enjoy them. This one is very creative. They appear to be good hunters. It's very clear they're not vegetarians. Well written. : ) ---Susan
ReplyDeleteProof that fire came before language! A very funny idea.
ReplyDeletehaha! A different take and well done :)
ReplyDeleteewww... and hahaha :) nothing like good conversation over dinner :)
ReplyDeleteA step back in time. Great work1
ReplyDeleteA highly erudite conversation for my dinner table. Well-done, Hamish!
ReplyDeleteVery imaginative and grossly appealing.
ReplyDeleteYuck! :) well done.
ReplyDeleteMeahnk!
ReplyDelete(That means, "mmm ... love those flame-broiled mammoth guts".)
This was so much fun Hamish :)