Probably no one would argue that the English and the Babusesse of Central Africa were of the same primitive stock simply because in the language of the latter _five atano_ means 5, and _ten kumi_ means 10.[52] But, on the other hand, many will argue that, because the German _zehn_ means 10, and _zehen_ means toes, the ancestors of the Germans counted on their toes; and that with them, 10 was the complete count of the toes.

It may be so.

We certainly have no evidence with which to disprove this; but, before accepting it as a fact, or even as a reasonable hypothesis, we may be pardoned for demanding some evidence aside from the mere resemblance in the form of the words.

If, in the study of numeral words, form is to constitute our chief guide, we must expect now and then to be confronted with facts which are not easily reconciled with any pet theory.
The scope of the present work will admit of no more than a hasty examination of numeral forms, in which only actual and well ascertained meanings will be considered.

But here we are at the outset confronted with a class of words whose original meanings appear to be entirely lost.