The Story of the Creation

 In the very beginning there lived a being so large that he can not be compared with any known thing. His name was Melu,17 and when he sat on the clouds, which were his home, he occupied all the space above. His teeth were pure gold, and because he was very cleanly and continually¹ rubbed himself with his hands, his skin became pure white. The dead skin which he rubbed off his body18 was placed on one side in a pile, and by and by this pile became so large that he was annoyed and set himself to consider what he could do with it.

 

Finally Melu decided² to make the earth; so he worked very hard in putting the dead skin into shape, and when it was finished he was so pleased with it that he determined³ to make two beings like himself, though smaller, to live on it.

 

Taking the remnants⁴ of the material left after [140]making the earth he fashioned two men but just as they were all finished except their noses, Tau Tana from below the earth appeared and wanted to help him.

 

Melu did not wish any assistance⁵, and a great argument ensued⁶. Tau Tana finally won his point and made the noses which he placed on the people upside down. When all was finished, Melu and Tau Tana whipped⁷ the forms until they moved. Then Melu went to his home above the clouds, and Tau Tana returned to his place below the earth.

 

All went well until one day a great rain came, and the people on the earth nearly drowned from the water which ran off their heads into their noses. Melu, from his place on the clouds, saw their danger, and he came quickly to earth and saved their lives by turning their noses the other side up.

 

The people were very grateful to him, and promised to do anything he should ask of them. Before he left for the sky, they told him that they were very unhappy living on the great earth all alone, so he told them to save all the hair from their heads and the dry skin from their bodies and the next time he came he would make them some companions. And in this way there came to be a great many people on the earth.

1 continually   

adv.不间断地，不停地；多次重复地

参考例句：

• The other kids continually taunted him about his size.其他孩子不断地耻笑他的个头儿。
• The US is continually building up its armed forces.美军正持续加强它的三军。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 remnants   

剩余部分( remnant的名词复数 )； 残余； 零料； 零头布

参考例句：

• The woods are remnants of a huge forest which once covered the whole area. 这片树林只是剩下的一部分，原来这一带是一大片森林。
• Even today remnants of this practice remain. 甚至在今天这种做法还未绝迹。

5 assistance   

n.援助，帮助

参考例句：

• She called and called but no one came to her assistance.她叫了又叫，但没有人来帮。
• He will get the great possible assistance.他将获得尽可能大的帮助。

6 ensued   

接着发生，因而产生( ensue的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The conspirators took no part in the fighting which ensued. 密谋者没有参加随后发生的战斗。
• Adam raised the issue of multimedia applications and much useful discussion ensued. 亚当提出了多媒体应用的问题，从而引发了许多有益的讨论。

7 whipped   

adj. 受到鞭打的 动词whip的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a dollop of whipped cream 一团搅打的奶油
• a non-dairy whipped topping 打好的非奶制糕点配料