human
A horned toad, isn't it?
gpt
Are you interested in such things?
human
In a way--yes, he affirmed, doubtfully.
gpt
Though I can't see good reason for their existence. His eyes twinkled.
human
Can you?
gpt
Well, no, she admitted, finally.
human
Yet there must be a good reason. Reptiles must live for some good purpose. All things do--don't you think? Then, before he could make a rejoinder, she went on:
gpt
I sometimes feel that these creatures were originally placed here to encourage other and higher forms of life to come and locate in the desert--were placed here, in other words, to prove that life is possible in all this desolation.
human
Certainly it has worked out that way, at any rate, he ventured.
gpt
Good old Genesis!
human
It seems to have, she agreed, thoughtfully.
gpt
Because you and I are here. But it goes a long way back--to Genesis--yes. Following the initial placing, other and higher organisms, finding in their migratory travels this evidence of life, accepted the encouragement to remain, and did remain, feeding upon the life found here in the shape of toads and lizards--to carry the theory forward a step--even as the toads and lizards--to carry it back again--fed upon the insects which they in their turn found here. Then along came other forms of life, higher in the cosmic setting, and these, finding encouragement in the presence of the earlier arrivals, fed upon them and remained. And so on up, to the forerunners of our present-day animals--coyotes and prairie-dogs. And after these, primitive man--to find encouragement in the coyotes and prairie-dogs--and to feed upon them and remain. Then after primitive man, the second type--the brown man; and after the brown man, the red man; and after the red man, the white man--all with an eye to sustenance, and finding it, and remaining.