Free Six Blind Men & an Alien by Mike Resnick

hadn’t suffered any ill effects, he made a mental note to try cooking it as these beings did to see if it made it any tastier.
        One of the men came over and said something to a woman. She replied, he frowned and spoke again, she yelled at him, and he shrugged and walked away. B’narr wished this society had language and educator disks that he could tie into, so that he could learn their speech and their customs in a day or two while he slept. But clearly they didn’t, and he was going to have to do it the hard way. If he was going to share the mountain with them, it was counter-productive not to be able to communicate with them-and if their reaction was hostile, he would at least be able to explain that he, too, was a sentient being.
        It wasn’t easy. He learned only twenty-seven words in the first two weeks. But he hid near the huts every night, and before too many months had passed he was able to understand almost half the exchanges. By the time he’d been observing and listening for a year, he considered himself reasonably fluent, though his elongated foreface could not pronounce the words quite the way the men and women did.
        On the night he decided he was ready to show himself, he elected to do it before the sun had set. He didn’t want anyone mistaking him for a large cat in the dark, especially since he had seen a handful of black leopards over the past few months.
        He waited until most of the village was gathered around their fires, eating their evening meal. Then he raised his voice as much as he could without it turning into a yell.
        "I bid you greetings," he said in Swahili. "I am a stranger, alone and helpless. I mean you no harm."
        "Where are you?" demanded one of the men, looking around.
        "I will show myself in a moment," said B’narr. "But first I must warn you that I do not look like you. Please do not be frightened. I wish only to be your friend."
        "Show yourself," said another man, "and we shall decide."
        B’narr leaned his spear up against the tree behind which he had been hiding, then removed his grass necklace and dagger as well, in the hope that appearing unarmed would convince them he was no threat. Then he walked to the edge of the village.
        Three of the women screamed, and every man, without exception, grabbed a spear or a bow and arrow and faced him. A little girl, totally naked, perhaps two years old, approached him fearlessly, and before anyone could stop her or call to her, she ran right up to him and wrapped her arms around his leg. He reached down and gently stroked her hair.
        "Who are you?" demanded the man who seemed to be their leader. "And what are you?"
        He knew from a year of observing and listening to them that they were unaware of any other planets in this star system, let alone in any other, and they would never be able to comprehend the truth. So instead he said, "I was born of normal parents, just like you. But because I am so different they abandoned me. I have been living up there"-he pointed to the glacier-"ever since. But food has become scarce, and I decided it was time to live with men again-if you will have me."
        "We will consider your request," said the leader.
        "I will wait," said B’narr.
        "Come back tomorrow. We will have an answer then."
        He gently extricated himself from the little girl’s grasp, turned, and began walking back to where he had left his weapons. The girl began crying, ran after him, and once again wrapped her arms around his leg. He bent over and reached down for her. She released her grasp when she felt his hands on her, and he carried her to the nearest woman, who took her from him.
         That may have been beneficial, he thought as he walked away. At least they know children are not afraid of me, and that I have no interest in harming or stealing them.
        He retrieved his weapons, and made his way up the