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ed ball。 They rolled it around in the grass for a while； decided to save it for their evening romp and took it into the house。 Then they began playing aimlessly among some junk in the shed outside the workshop。 Once in a while one of them would drift away to look for a prawn； more for sport than food。
Ruth and Gerd and Jack were sitting at the breakfast table on the grass； talking idly and trying to think of excuses for not washing the dishes。 Mamma Fuzzy and Baby were poking about in the tall grass。 Suddenly Mamma gave a shrill cry and started back for the shed； chasing Baby ahead of her and slapping him on the bottom with the flat of her chopper…digger to hurry him along。
Jack started for the house at a run。 Gerd grabbed his camera and jumped up on the table。 It was Ruth who saw the cause of the disturbance。
〃Jack！ Look； over there！〃 She pointed to the edge of the clearing。 〃Two strange Fuzzies！〃
He kept on running； but instead of the rifle he had been going for； he collected his movie camera； two of the spare chopper…diggers and some Extee Three。 When he emerged again； the two Fuzzies had e into the clearing and stood side by side； looking around。 Both were females； and they both carried wooden prawn…killers。
〃You have plenty of film？〃 he asked Gerd。 〃Here； Ruth； take this。〃 He handed her his own camera。 〃Keep far enough away from me to get what I'm doing and what they're doing。 I'm going to try to trade with them。〃
He went forward； the steel weapons in his hip pocket and the Extee Three in his hand； talking softly and soothingly to the newers。 When he was as close to them as he could get without stampeding them； he stopped。
〃Our gang's ing up behind you；〃 Gerd told him。 〃Regular skirmish line； choppers at high port。 Now they've stopped； about thirty feet behind you。〃
He broke off a piece of Extee Three； put it in his mouth and ate it。 Then he broke off two more pieces and held them out。 The two Fuzzies were tempted； but not to the point of rashness。 He threw both pieces within a few feet of them。 One darted forward； threw a piece to her panion and then snatched the other piece and ran back with it。 They stood together； nibbling and making soft delighted noises。
His own family seemed to disapprove strenuously of this lavishing of delicacies upon outsiders。 However； the two strangers decided that it would be safe to e closer； and soon he had them taking bits of field ration from his hand。 Then he took the two steel chopper…diggers out of his pocket； and managed to convey the idea that he wanted to trade。 The two strange Fuzzies were incredulously delighted。 This was too much for his own tribe； they came up yeeking angrily。
The two strange females retreated a few steps； their new weapons ready。 Everybody seemed to expect a fight； and nobody wanted one。 From what he could remember of Old Terran history； this was a situation which could develop into serious trouble。 Then Ko…Ko advanced； dragging his chopper…digger in an obviously pacific manner； and approached the two females； yeeking softly and touching the first one and then the other。 Then he laid his weapon down and put his foot on it。 The two females began stroking and caressing him。
Immediately the crisis evaporated。 The others of the family came forward； stuck their weapons in the ground and began fondling the strangers。 Then they all sat in circle； swaying their bodies rhythmically and making soft noises。 Finally Ko…Ko and the two females rose； picked up their weapons and started for the woods。
〃Jack； stop them；〃 Ruth called out。 〃They're going away。〃
〃If they want to go； I have no right to stop them。〃
When they were almost at the edge of the woods； Ko…Ko stopped； drove the point of his weapon into the ground and came running back to Pappy Jack； throwing his arms around the human knees and yeeking。 Jack stooped and stroked him； but didn't try to pick him up。 One of the two females pulled his chopper…digger out； and they both came back slowly。 At the same time； Little Fuzzy； Mamma Fuzzy； Mike and Mitzi came running back。 For a while； all the Fuzzies embraced one another； yeeking happily。 Then they all trooped across the grass and went into the house。
〃Get that all； Gerd？〃 he asked。
〃On film； yes。 That's the only way I did； though。 What happened？〃
〃You have just made the first film of intertribal social and mating customs； Zarathustran Fuzzy。 This is the family's home； they don't want any strange Fuzzies hanging around。 They were going to run the girls off。 Then Ko…Ko decided he liked their looks； and he decided he'd team up with them。 That made everything different； the family sat down with them to tell them what a fine husband they were getting and to tell Ko…Ko good…bye。 Then Ko…Ko remembered that he hadn't told me good…bye； and he came back。 The family decided that two more Fuzzies wouldn't be in excess of the carrying capacity of this habitat； seeing what a good provider Pappy Jack is； so now I should imagine they're showing the girls the family treasures。 You know； they married into a mighty well…to…do family。〃
The girls were named Goldilocks and Cinderella。 When lunch was ready； they were all in the living room； with the viewscreen on； after lunch； the whole gang went into the bedroom for a nap on Pappy Jack's bed。 He spent the afternoon developing movie film； while Gerd and Ruth wrote up the notes they had made the day before and collaborated on an account of the adoption。 By late afternoon； when they were finished； the Fuzzies came out for a frolic and prawn hunt。
They all heard the aircar before any of the human people did； and they all ran over and climbed up on the bench beside the kitchen door。 It was a constabulary cruise car； it landed； and a couple of troopers got out； saying that they'd stopped to see the Fuzzies。 They wanted to know where the extras had e from； and when Jack told them； they looked at one another。
〃Next gang that es along； call us and keep them entertained till we can get here；〃 one of them said。 〃We want some at the post； for prawns if nothing else。〃
〃What's George's attitude？〃 he asked。 〃The other night； when he was here； he seemed half scared of them。〃
〃Aah； he's got over that；〃 one of the troopers said。 〃He called Ben Rainsford； Ben said they were perfectly safe。 Hey； Ben says they're not animals； they're people。〃
He started to tell them about some of the things the Fuzzies did。 He was talking when the Fuzzies heard another aircar and called attention to it。 This time； it was Ben Rainsford and Juan Jimenez。 They piled out as soon as they were off contragravity； dragging cameras after them。
〃Jack； there were Fuzzies all over the place up there；〃 Rainsford began； while he was getting out。 〃All headed down this way； regular volkerwanderung。 We saw over fifty of them…four families； and individuals and pairs。 I'm sure we missed ten for every one we saw。〃
〃We better get up there with a car tomorrow；〃 one of the troopers said。 〃Ben； just where were you？〃
〃I'll show you on the map。〃 Then he saw Goldilocks and Cinderella。 〃Hey！ Where'd you two girls e from？ I never saw you around here before。〃