Much loose shale had fallen from the
slope, affording her with plenty of raw material.
She began lugging the heaviest stones she could possibly move one at a
time and building them up in successive layers in a protective barrier
around the shrouded body. Finally, she stopped to look around, and
realized that she was running out of the right-sized rocks. Dismayed,
she realized that she was nearing the limit of her strength, and had
not half-covered the body yet. What could she do?
The fact of the matter was, the rocks must not only be large enough to
keep the hyenas and other large animals from digging through, but in
spite of this, they must at the same time be small enough for her to be
able to physically move them. What remained to her now were stones
which were all either too large to lift, or too small to be of proper
use to her. She was left in a quandary, for much work remained if the
burial mound was to be properly constructed. The hyenas had gone, but
they were sure to return after her departure. Then, as she looked up at
the steep, uneven slope, she thought of a way that she might resolve
her dilemma.
First she walked her horse a safe ways off, and stood him there.
She knew he would remain wherever she left him until she returned, and
was extremely unlikely to simply run away.
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