The animal kingdom upon the planet Miron. The Steamer, Thunderer and Wind Maker

1. Regarding the animal kingdom over here, we have already touched upon how, up to a certain stage it is subject to constant transformation of form and alternates from plant to animal and vice versa. Hence we shall not dwell on this lower stage, subject to such drastic change of form, but turn at once to that higher class of animal, which already occupies a lasting stage.

2. Above all these species belong to a considerable number of diverse, large four-footed, land-based animals together with another animal species not occurring anywhere else, namely that of the two-footed animal species and thereafter some fowl. Only then shall we consider man himself.

3. One animal among the four-footed variety, named "Steamer" is amongst the rarest upon this planet. It measures some sixty metres from the ground to the top of its back and has a body circumference of at least seventy-two metres; its legs are relatively long and sturdy resembling an elephant's legs, except that at the bottom instead of blunt paws it has strong bear-type claws. This animal also has a relatively long and powerful tail, richly covered with a frizzy tail-brush, similar to your lion's. Its head sits upon a short but sturdy neck, with substantial similarity to the Rhino.

4. In place of the nose-horn it has a roomy funnel of several metres circumference. Two trunks above the funnel upon its forehead, extendable up to sixty metres which is used to gather roots and all kinds of fruits, dropping them into the wide and voluminous funnel; when full, very hot steam is emitted into it from its nostrils. The fruits are therewith actually cooked and when sufficiently soft, the animal picks them out with its trunks one by one, pushing them into its broad jaw, which in place of teeth has powerful crusher-muscles with which it crushes the cooked food from the funnel before swallowing it.

5. When cooking its meal, this animal spreads steam, rising in thick clouds, more intense than a house fire upon Earth. The reason for its name "the Great Steamer".

6. Upon no other planet are there so many hostile animistic tendencies and hence adversarial encounters, as upon Miron. Whereupon our Great Steamer has many natural enemies seeking its life. But in combat it leaves all these adversaries badly done by, because notwithstanding its size, it is extremely dexterous and its trunks arrow-fast. When it senses an enemy approach therefore, it acts as if it doesn't notice letting the enemy come close to its body, suddenly shooting its trunk out after its enemies, throwing them into its solid steam funnel, releasing its hot steam over them. On seeing the spectacle, other approaching animals turn back, having no hope of attacking this adversary, retreating with tail between legs, keeping their adversarial rage for a rainy day on which however they fare no better by a hair's breadth. Only for humans, for whom it has special respect, does it desist from this defence; but if antagonized too much, it chases them off with its far-reaching trunk swinging, enveloping people nonetheless with a massively thick steam-cloud from its funnel, to make them lose track of it. Such people stay put, within this not too fragrant cloud, until it disperses, after which they pull back with unfinished business.

7. Therewith we already have a noteworthy animal of this planet. Its usefulness is more of a metaphysical nature, representing a transition from a metamorphosed plant life to a constant animal life. It is of a green-grey colour.

8. A second, no less memorable animal upon this planet, is the Thunderer. It is a third smaller than the previous animal and peculiar only to this planet. It has an exceptionally large belly that furthermore, on account of its own air, can inflate to a circumference of eighty metres around the belly, four times its normal girth of twenty metres. It more or less resembles your kangaroo or marsupial, except for a round head resembling that of your apes, with similar but proportionately sturdier feet.

9. This animal also lives on plants and occasional tree fruits, living in proximity to water. Why is it the Thunderer? This shall transpire shortly.

10. When pursued and cornered it inflates its belly giving it a grotesquely terrifying look, whereupon it enters the water, swimming away from shore with its inflated belly. At some thirty metres from shore it starts beating its drum-tight belly with its front feet, causing enough of a racket for the coast to quake and the frightened adversaries avoiding this area for a lengthy period.

11. People are not too well disposed towards this rather unpleasant noise, which intensifies to the point where it would put cannon-fire to shame.

12. Its usefulness is similar to the preceding ones. Nor do people hunt this animal because otherwise it is of a tame disposition, harming no other creature unless pursued, when it makes the above mentioned noise and keeps it up until its enemies have scattered far and wide; whereupon it returns to shore releasing the air from its belly and resuming its normal life. On its back it is a dark blue colour that becomes a greenish yellow at the front, on its belly.

13. Therewith we have the second noteworthy animal upon this planet. Now we shall proceed to another, no less memorable one.

14. This third amazing animal is called "Windmaker". Before dealing with its name, we shall consider its peculiar shape. What does it look like? For your terminology, truly comical. There is no such laughable animal shape on your Earth. Your donkey could, by comparison, make out a wise man from the East. The reason they fence it in is as a cheering spectacle, towards which they are well disposed, because in the spiritual sense it corresponds to the laughing-gland upon the Great Cosmic Man's belly.

15. This animal is ten times the size of your horse, and is a dirty reddish brick colour. It has relatively long legs, bent a trifle forward, especially below the knee bone and is thickly covered with fuzzy hair from belly to its camel type blunt paws. The hind legs also are bent outwards and hairy, like the front legs. The belly area is hung with two rows of teats frequently a metre long. The male's teats are somewhat shorter with more prominent sex organs, especially the gonads, hanging right down to below the hind knees. The tail from its root is richly covered with fuzzy hair and lively in chasing away insects. Its back also is richly covered with fuzzy hair. Its midriff is the same as well as its prominent rear that quite resembles your baboon on a gigantic scale except for its feet and tail. From a fairly plump and voluminous body there rises a slim swanlike neck upon which sits a head resembling that of your mule but somewhat more blunt and with much bigger and less pointed ears. Its ears are bordered with rich hair like its legs. From below the cheek hangs a pair of long bare teats of grey colour with occasional long hair. Besides that it has a wide-stretching jaw and a tongue several metres in length that reaches in any direction. Therewith is its shape.

16. Why call it Windmaker? If teased and provoked beyond measure for its funny appearance, it bloats itself up, rolling its tongue into a blowpipe, blowing through it with such force that a person of quite notable size, upon this planet, is blown over if they don't take care. It applies its wind with especial gusto when seeing a mass of loose and dirty stuff on the ground, blowing this in its tormentor's direction, serving up plenty of trouble for the daring. This rums into major fun, not because of the substance but the comical stance the animal assumes while doing it.

17. This is the only thing it is usefulness for from their viewpoint, and for which they employ it. Its use otherwise being similar to the aforementioned two species. Therewith we have finished with this animal and shall continue our observations next time.