DEER LAKE. Pennsylvania. June 5 : Once he floated like a butterfly. Now. he has the walk of a caterpillar, reports AP.

Once, he stung like a bee. Now. he limits his Jabs to occasional witty repartee.

Mostly he observes. He prays. Muhammad All has gone silent.... almost.

He does realize the power and popularity he retains, however. On Tuesday. All took a stroll down memory lane at his former training camp, accompanied by two dozen media members and former confidants. His traveling companions were drawn by All's aura. Just as the public still is when he walks down a street in any city, at any time, and is besieged for autographs.

Those companions also were drawn to Deer Lake to share those memories, and the smile that lit up All's face as the bus turned up the road to the training site made the 2 1-2-hour ride Inconsequential.

"It's Just like old times." the 49-year-old Alt said tn the whisper that often passes for his voice. "Like the old days."

Ali retired for good in 1981. his body still relatively unmarked. The beatings he had taken through more than 20 years of floating and sting ing seemed to have done little damage.

How wrong we all were. Soon, the ravages of Parkinson’s Syndrome, probably brought on by all those punches received, became ap parent. His speech was slurred when it was audible at all. His body shook, sometimes trem bled. Those afflictions serve as a constant reminder of how brutal boxing can be.

But on this day everyone wanted to go back, back to the days All ruled the ring, the sporting world, the real world

"I think this helps him a lot, really lifts his spirits.' said Wall Muhammad, one of All's trainers for two decades. Tm glad for him It brings back a tot of good memories for all of

'When we were walking around before, he said to me. We re back home . He s even thinking of moving back up here.'

Ali spends much of his time on his form in Illinois. But this 6-acre collection of fog cabins in the hills of eastern Pennayl

vania has that special hold provided only by a place vine one builds, nurtures and pros pers in. That Ali the Muslim preacher who can afford to live anywhere and do anything, would consider returning, to live a relatively spartan life seems perfectly fitting.

'See how his face lights up when he gets here.’ said Jeremiah Shabazz, whose as sociation with Ali spans a quarter century.

'Peopk- used to come hen

from all over the world I don't know how they found this place. They came from Japan. China. India. Europe .

'He bought this place in 1972 and the only times he didn't train here were the fights we tost. We learned from those mistakes and came back to the woods'

Ali is back in the woods again standing on a boulder painted with Sonny Listons name He is doing hts best tml tation of a bear's growl, mugging for the cameramen.

Next, he is entering the mosque he had built for his five daily prayer sessions. He participates in a 10-minute prayer at Zuhr. the Muslim zenith of the day

Then surrounded by workers for the Muhammad Ah Save Our Children Foundation. he opens up. It la vintage Ali without the decibels.

"Boxing was my field mis ston. the first part of my life.' he said. 'I predict all the preachers in the world, all the churches and religions. I will beat them In working for good 1 wilt spread more religion and get more people than ail of the religions I will be the greatest evangelist ever".