Baffled and irritated, Ig just stared at him. First, Og had uttered the new sound while gesturing to himself, which Ig took to mean that either he, Og, had just made a new sound, or that he, Og, was actually Ugh.

Even more confusing, Og, or Ugh, had then pointed outside the cave and again uttered the new sound. Did "Ugh" now mean, "It's a nice day outside", or "I was just outside the cave", or "let's go outside and take a walk by the river"?

Finally, Og was now repeating the strange sound and gesturing at her vigorously, as if demanding something. What did he want?

Ig did not know what to think. Angrily, she gulped down the last remnants of the antelope meat. Hurling the now-empty bone at Og, she pushed past him and stomped out of the cave.

Alone in the cave, hungry and bewildered, Og was left to contemplate what men have known ever since, that women are strange and baffling creatures beyond comprehension.

"Ugh! sighed Og sadly.

In the primeval valley below, a large, featureless, rectangular black monolith sniggered softly to itself as it stood, sentinel-like, in the warm morning sun ¹ ....

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