The leaf-garments, however, did not long satisfy them. They could not make a fabric of such materials that would stand the rough usage to which it was subjected. In their running, climbing and other violent exercises the wreaths broke or became detached, so that it was difficult to keep them on. One’s whole suit sometimes fell off in an instant, leaving him in his skin and hair.
“Bark, I think, would do better than leaves,” said Koree, who had made himself a suit of the inner rind of a tree. He found this so rough, however, that it soon wore off the hair and skin in places, so that he looked like a horse galled by the harness.
“Pound the bark to make it soft,” said Watch-the-girls, who had made a neat garment for herself from well-selected strips of bark, from which she had removed the rough spots.
“Skins would keep us warm; and they are soft,” said another woman, who had placed about her shoulders the hide of a sheep which had been used as a receptacle for darts.
This was an unfortunate discovery for the animals. For in a little while the Ammi, finding that skins were more desirable than anything else as a protection from cold, sought animals for their skins, and killed more for this purpose than they had before killed for food.
The use of clothing in time became general, and the Ammi learned the important lesson that they were independent of the weather, and could carry their climate about with them, making it to order.
The use of clothing, however, developed into a dangerous luxury. They soon came to have preferences, not only on account of warmth and softness, but on account of appearance. Bright colors were chosen as most desirable, and those were more in esteem who dressed well. Much of their time was accordingly given to making garments, especially among the women, and many bits of decoration were in time added, so that pride and art were soon developed in dress.
Pounder, however, always despised dress, and would not put on anything whatever; and several others, who admired his strength and bravery, were led to follow his example. Gimbo said it was wrong to dress, and that if people would only keep on all fours they would not need clothes; so he, as long as he lived, went naked and on all fours, no matter what the weather or the occasion.
But the men went on in their vanity about dress, until they soon wore more wool than the sheep; and Gimbo complained that something was wrong when each animal did not wear its own skin.
Fire-tamer said they might keep warm by getting a wood-eating animal and keeping it in the camp.