The Year of the Flood

Adam One and the Gardeners have to stay in hiding because they are persecuted. Their numbers have shrunk, and they no longer have their Garden to grow food, so their situation is desperate.

In his sermon, Adam One talks about Saint Dian Fossey, a primatologist who “gave her life while defending the Gorillas from ruthless exploitation” (372). Adam One mentions her ruthless murder and the “malicious rumours” (372) that were spread about her and her work. Dian Fossey is considered a saint among the Gardeners because she represents the love and care for all creatures on Earth. Although her premature death was a tragedy, she didn’t live to see gorillas become an extinct species.

Adam One ponders the human tendency for violence and bloodshed. His only comforting words for the Gardeners are reminders that soon the Waterless Flood will wipe humanity off the face of the planet, and nature will revive.

Since the Gardeners are hiding in a cellar, they cannot sing, so they whisper a hymn called “Today We Praise Our Saint Dian,” which praises Dian Fossey and her work as a conservationist.