Lop-Ear and I were independent.

We carried water only for ourselves, and we often mocked the young water-carriers when they were called away from play to fill the gourds.
Progress was slow with us.

We played through life, even the adults, much in the same way that children play, and we played as none of the other animals played.

What little we learned, was usually in the course of play, and was due to our curiosity and keenness of appreciation.

For that matter, the one big invention of the horde, during the time I lived with it, was the use of gourds.