introduced to Romulus, an anthropoid ape who escapes from a circus train, experiencing the thrill and confusion of newfound freedom for the first time. As Romulus explores the world around him, he encounters a gentle, child-like inmate of an idiot asylum named Moses. Drawn together by their shared desire for freedom and connection, Romulus and Moses embark on a whimsical adventure that eventually leads them to a graveyard, where a poignant scene plays out involving the burial of a young girl named Wang Tai. This encounter deepens their bond, illustrating the complexities of companionship across species and mental capacities, setting a tone for the themes that will unfold throughout the collection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)