At first, there was the drought. The first animals were arrayed over the vast plain, silent and still clay moulded and baking in the relentless sun. One day, before there even were days, Gecko opened its eyes to find itself alone amongst the lifeless masses. Nothing else stirred.

Lonely as only the first or last could be, it went on a great trek beyond the horizon and came back leading the first winds, but still nothing stirred.

It crawled many many miles into a crevice into the earth and came back leading the first fire and in an instant all the clay animals were hard as stone, but still nothing stirred.

Finally, it crawled into the sky and came falling back with the first rains. The other animals began to stir.