Poul anderson's green hand.

Green Hands

It's not long since the first immigrants came to Nildos. There are only a few farms dotted in this boundless grassland, and Stanlet is the only town on this immigrant planet.

On that day, Peter was crouching on the ground and watching the insects like green ants busy building new nests. Suddenly, he found a shadow covering him. Peter rolled up on the spot and stood in front of him ... an alien!

"hello." Peter got up and said tongue-tied.

"Good morning." The stranger greeted him with a very proficient earth language.

Peter can swear to heaven that he has never seen such a person. But there are countless planets in the Milky Way where intelligent creatures live, and no one dares to boast that they can identify all aliens.

The stranger is about two meters tall, with long legs and thin legs. He has four hands, one on top of the other. His head is huge, his ears catch the wind, his eyes are yellow and bright, and there are two tentacles on the top door. All his clothes are only a waist cloth with pockets sewn, and the rest of his body is covered with green hair.

"who are you?" Peter asked, but he realized it was a bit rude. After all, he was 11 years old, so he added, "Sorry, my name is Peter, and I come from the solar system. The farm belongs to my uncle. His name is Gunnar. Can I help you? "

"Maybe," replied the stranger. "I heard that your uncle needs help with his work?"

that's exactly what you want. Although Uncle Gunnar was busy with the help of robots, he advertised for jobs on TV, but no one applied. The labor force here is very scarce, and the new immigrants would rather stay in the town, where the treatment is higher, so the arrival of this alien is undoubtedly good news.

"You found it right!" Peter shouted, "I'll take you." So he started running, followed by strangers.

They found Uncle Gunnar in the workshop, sweating and covered in oil. Uncle wiped the sweat from his face covered with fiery red beard and greeted him politely. When he learned that the man had come to apply for a job, his eyes shone with surprise.

"Let's go inside and talk it over." Uncle suggested.

Aunt Eddie was at a loss for the arrival of the aliens, but the stranger looked as cool as a cucumber and was not embarrassed.

"I'm from Estella IV," he introduced himself. "Name ... just call me Joe."

"Estella IV?" Uncle Gunnar was puzzled. "I've never heard of this place. It was just discovered not long ago?"

"Almost. In fact, interstellar flight has been opened in our country for a long time. However, most of my compatriots don't appreciate the technological progress very much and rarely participate in the activities of the Milky Way. I'd like to see the world and earn money to support myself along the way. I soon became familiar with everything. " Joe speaks beautifully, and Peter likes the wisdom in his rhubarb eyes.

"why don't you stay in town?" Uncle Gunnar asked, "Isn't it possible to earn more wages there?"

"I have been to many immigrant cities, and I feel that they are all similar. Farms are more attractive to me. I don't want to stay in the small circle of the city. I came on foot as soon as I saw your advertisement."

"walking from Stanley? And through that vast virgin forest? It will take weeks to get here! It is still a recent thing that I advertised on TV. "

"er ... an immigrant took me in a car on the way. I am not afraid of the forest. I feel at home in the Woods. My home planet is full of Woods. "

"Oh ..." Uncle Gunnar scratched his head, and I could see that he was hesitant. Who the hell is this alien? What if the fugitive? But my uncle was eager to get help, and Joe left such a good impression on him.

finally, they agreed that Joe would start work tomorrow morning. Uncle Gunnar immediately took him to inspect the farm, and Peter followed them with his eyes wide open.

they looked at the livestock first. My uncle only brought a pair of cows, some pigs and chickens from the earth. He is particularly interested in raising local animals. He has domesticated several six-legged mammals: a domestic animal named Wolei can provide meat and skin, and Bonny can let people ride in places where cars can't drive. He is also trying to raise a four-legged and two-winged bird.

"Many immigrants plan to breed animals and plants here, mistaking Nildos for the earth," uncle explained. "In fact, this method doesn't work, and there are many special factors that the earth animals can't adapt to. Look at how skinny my cow is. I bought some of its feed specially from the earth. I found that local animals can grow fat and strong. If we can't get used to Nildos, it won't be our ideal home. "

The cow shifted its hooves uneasily and squinted at Joe, as if afraid, while the local Woley and Bonny were poised.

"then don't you eat local food, too? You are not afraid of undernutrition? " Joe asked.

"That's a good question," Uncle Gunnar nodded. "This is one of our main topics. First of all, we have to

determine what foods are toxic, and we have to find out whether their nutritional components are suitable for our body's needs, and then we can supplement their deficiencies with tablets. Over time, the new generation born in Nildos will be different from us, and they will adapt to this planet faster. "

"Are there any indigenous people here?" Joe asked again.

"You mean intelligent creatures? That's not true. Before immigration, the planet was carefully surveyed and no signs of civilization were found. There are no villages, no historical sites or even any stone tools here. If there are intelligent creatures here, we will only be happy, because they can at least prompt many things that are still unclear, but the earth law prohibits immigration to the planet with intelligent creatures. "

Joe nodded slowly, his yellow eyes shining in the dusk.

they soon discovered that Joe knew nothing about technology. Despite his efforts, it is of no help. He can't even do the simplest repair and start the machine. He is at a loss behind the steering wheel of a car or tractor, and the car doesn't listen to him at all.

But he is totally different when dealing with animals or plants. He can train Pony who has not been tamed, and even let Pony drag his car to follow the whistle and quietly let Joe brush his fur. The basket of grass he brought back from the forest was eaten with relish by the dove bird. When his uncle asked him how he knew the taste of the dove bird, Joe just shrugged and said that maybe he was closer to nature than human beings. He is always thinking about gardens, vegetable gardens and lawns, and he also puts forward many strange suggestions.

"Try interplanting this grass with wheat," Joe handed uncle a bunch of small yellow flowers. "The harvest may be much higher."

"then why?" Uncle asked, "isn't it just a weed?"

"Yes, but this kind of grass often grows with wild wheat. I think they may help each other in some way. It's harmless for us to try it."

Uncle Gunnar didn't agree, but he didn't object to Joe planting some of this weed in the wheat field, which soon proved that the wheat in this field grew stronger than other places.

"Joe is a real weirdo," my uncle once said. "He is an idiot about technology, but when it comes to biology, he greatly surpasses us."

"Yes, even I learned a lot from him." Aunt Eddie took over the conversation.

She is full of praise for Joe, boasting that he can make exquisite pots and pans and baskets from grass and clay. My aunt doesn't like the plastic utensils in Stanlet, which are expensive goods shipped from the earth.

While walking in the garden, Peter found Joe busy in a field like strawberries. This berry was moved from the local forest and can bear delicious fruit, but in the past, it failed many times, but Joe succeeded at once.

"He really has a pair of green hands." Aunt Eddie once said with a smile.

"Maybe," my uncle guessed, "our skin will secrete some trace substances, which is not good for plant growth, but Joe is different from us."

Now when Peter approaches, the alien looks up with a smile.

"Hello, Peter."

"Hello," the boy squatted down beside him. "Don't you feel tired?"

"Of course not," Joe said, his hand still moving flexibly in a strawberry-like stalk. "I like doing this kind of work. With the sun, fresh air and fragrant soil, how can it make people tired? " He shook his big round head.

"I really don't understand why you are isolated from nature?"

It's true that Joe only enters the house at lunch. Even when he sleeps, he sleeps under the tree, not even afraid of rain.

"No, we just want to transform nature." Peter retorted.

Joe shivered all over. He looked at the vast horizon and the forest bathed in sunshine: "Do you cut down trees, hollow out the ground, and let buildings cover the sun?"

"No, it's not all that," Peter said hesitantly. "We also know how to protect forests, but there are more and more people visiting Nildos, and people can't do without houses and land."

"Our Star Estea Ⅳ is completely different from your Star Nildos. There are virgin forests and grasslands everywhere, which are quiet and vast. Our people are few, free, healthy and long-lived, and I really can't introduce them to you clearly. "

"have you been to the earth?"

"No, not even those big planets in the Milky Way. I'd rather go to quiet distant planets. I can't tell you many interesting things. "

"oh." There was disappointment in Peter's voice.

There was a rare wonder on the planet Nildos that night: two full moons appeared in the sky at the same time, making it difficult for Peter to sleep.

He lay with his eyes wide open for a long time. The cold moonlight fell on the ground through the pane, and even the moon shadows on the ground were in pairs.

The curtains were quivering in the night wind, and the rustling of leaves, the squeaking of insects and the chirping of exotic birds came from a distance.

why don't I get up? I can't sleep anyway. So he approached the window sill, and the moonlight shone around like day.

Peter suddenly held his breath: a long and narrow figure crept across the grass. It was … it was Joe! What is he doing here?

The alien whistles in a low voice at the edge of the forest. Is he boasting and listening to himself, or does he like walking under the moon?

Peter tried to scare Joe, so he climbed out of the windowsill and tiptoed to the door. He was wide awake, preoccupied with Joe's funny appearance when he was surprised by the accident.

The bush became his ideal cover, and Peter quietly stepped on the wet grass until he slipped behind the big tree only three steps away from Joe.

The alien still stood still. He held out four hands high, and Peter felt a sudden fear: whistling at this strange whistle, flashing eyes in the dark ...

Joe whistled again, and there was a flapping sound in the air.

A huge strange bird descended during the day. Peter heard their strange songs in the forest and saw their shining eyes in the dense leaves. The strange bird swooped into Joe's palm, and Joe fondled it lovingly and comforted it in a low voice with some language. Peter was too scared to breathe for fear of exposing himself.

Joe took a piece of paper from his waist and fixed it on the bird's leg. He smiled and let the bird go. Its wings spread out and it was overwhelming, and it took off quickly.

Peter made a noise at this moment, and Joe jumped to his side like lightning, with yellow light in his eyes, and Peter stood up hurriedly.

"ah, it's you! Peter. " Joe grinned. "You scared me. What are you doing here?"

"I ... I just came out ... for a walk." Peter was so hesitant that he didn't dare to raise his eyes.

"You should have gone to bed a long time ago," Joe shook his head. "Uncle and aunt don't like you like this, Peter."

"I saw you on the grass and wanted to talk to you ..."

"Any time, Peter, but not now, not when everyone is asleep. Go home. "

"What are you doing with that bird?"

"Me and birds? Oh, it's just my pet. It will fly whenever I call. "

"Can this bird be tamed? My uncle said that someone tried this, but it didn't work at all. "

"that means I'm lucky. Peter, let's go. " Joe's hand rested on his shoulder and urged gently.

But Peter is in no hurry to leave.

"You tied a letter on the bird's foot. Who is it for?"

"I didn't tie a letter, but a white note. I want to train Ovisha, the name of this bird, to be a messenger. It is very smart and may be able to deliver messages within a certain distance. "

"then why? Doesn't everyone have a phone? "

"What if the phone breaks down?"

"It has never been broken. Even if it is broken, someone will come to repair it immediately. They often check the wiring."

"I know so little about you humans," Joe said with a smile. "But I may take these birds back to Estea IV, where they are badly needed. My home planet is very backward."

Joe stopped when they were near home.

"Go in, Peter. Wash your feet well and get wet with dew. Don't tell anyone about tonight. You know it's time to go to bed. I won't betray you. "

when he woke up the next day, Peter thought he was dreaming last night, but the green grass mark on his leg showed that it was not a dream.

At breakfast, Joe, as usual, sat down to read biology books after finishing his farm work, which he took from his uncle's library. He has a soft spot for biophysics and biochemistry, but he doesn't know much about it, although his actual understanding of animals and plants is many times better than that of the authors of these books.

"Peter, what's the matter with you?" My aunt asked, "You seem glum today?"

"I'm thinking." The boy corrected her and said.

He is really thinking. Joe's behavior makes him uneasy. He is always remembering his meeting with Joe last night.

Joe does have many suspicious things: he usually avoids talking about which planets he has been to, and even refuses to tell his home planet more. His explanation last night was too perfunctory. Can he continue to travel with such a big bird? Joe may be lying. Maybe he is a spy sent by Estella Ⅳ? Maybe Joe's spaceship is landing in the virgin forest? This explains why Joe can walk to the farm; That strange bird is used by him to communicate with his companions. He is afraid that the radio signal will be eavesdropped or aroused suspicion.

but what if all this is just my own wild guess? Uncle will laugh at him and persuade him to watch less horror TV. But you can't just sit back and don't ask. Peter has drawn up an action plan. He feels like a detective.

the most important thing is not to be impatient, everything has to be done in the dark. Adults don't take his advice seriously, even if he is allowed to call in town, what if Joe knows?

It's a long day. The sun seems to be fixed in the air, and Joe is still working in the farmland.

"What's the matter with you, Peter?" At lunch, my aunt asked him, "You look terrible."

"I'm normal," Peter muttered. "Really."

"He may be exhausted," Joe sat at the table with the children and buttered the bread. "Is something bothering you?"

"No, absolutely not." Peter said.

"You should go for a walk," said the alien. "Why don't you go out for a walk with me? In the afternoon, I went to the forest to get some humus soil. The flowers don't grow well and it's time to fertilize. "

"I ... I don't want to go." Peter's heart is pounding.

"why not?" Uncle said, "this kind of walk will only be good for you."

Peter tried to silence.