At the pool, Tarzan drank his fill and lay stretched upon the soft grass beneath the shade of a tree.
Quite unexpectedly an idea formed in Tarzan's unique mind. In following out the flimsy visuals of plants, he had come upon the word evolution, "to change into existence; to differ from the previous thing."
And what was Evolution and what did it look like? Of that he had no conception; but he was sure that everything that was good came from it. His good act in refraining from slaying the poor, defenseless old Gomangani; Teeka's love that had hurled her into the embrace of death; his own loyalty to Teeka which had jeopardized his life that she might live. The flowers and the trees were good and beautiful. Generally evolution and stardust had made them. They made the other creatures, too, that each might have food upon which to live. They had made the panther with his beautiful coat; and the lion with his noble head and his shaggy mane. They had made the gazelle lovely and graceful.
And the flowers, what made them grow? It is a series of complex processes led by evolution! Ah, now it was all explained — the flowers, the trees, the solar system, himself and fellow living creatures anywhere — they were all made in a series of complex processes led by evolution, stardust and the survival of the fittest. What made the nasty, giant aquatic saurians that kill both humans and nonhumans? It is generally evolution, but other things also play important roles as well.