Cave dwellers -- Juvenile literature; Prehistoric peoples -- Juvenile literature
Never again had the Old Woman beheld the people of her own tribe, save
at night when she dreamed on her bed of dry leaves in the deep cave.
Sometimes they returned to her then and told her strange things.
Thus the Old Woman told her story and when she was finished a trembling
seized her brown body and she gazed long at the swift waters of the
river. Of the color of the leaves, touched by the frosts of winter, were
her wrinkled hands, with which she pointed toward the river. And the
Cave People were seized with fear also, for even as they watched, small
rivulets crept over the banks and trickled down into the Hollow.
Heavy rains fell all through the day that followed and the small streams
of water that overflowed the banks found their way into all the little
hollows, filling them. At night when the Cave Dwellers sought their
caves, their hearts were filled with dread.
Quack Quack crouched close to Strong Arm, with her arms about little
Laughing Boy. The rumbling and roar of the waters sounded in their ears,
as the swollen river tore downward in her course. But, after a time,
they fell asleep and forgot their terrors, till the cries of their
brothers and sisters aroused them toward the morning.
Now the cave in which Strong Arm slept was upon a point above the caves
of the other members of the tribe, but when he arose and rolled the
great stone from the entrance of the cave, the snarling waters curled
about his feet and wet them. And, when he looked into the Hollow, a
strange sight met his eyes. For the river had risen in the darkness,
covering the face of the world. Every moment the waters surged savagely
onward over the land, into the deep woods, as though they meant to
devour the whole earth.
At those points where the ground rose higher than the surrounding land,
clustered the Cave People, chattering in terror and clinging desperately
upon whatsoever their hands found. Very quickly Strong Arm called Quack
Quack and Laughing Boy. And he assisted them to mount to the top of the
cave, where Laughing Boy whimpered with fear. They heard the voice of
the Old Woman, calling shrilly to them, as she pointed towards the
branches of the tall trees in the forest, where they might find safety.
And many members of the tribe cast themselves into the waters that rose
steadily every moment, and swam toward the woods. But the waters tossed
them and the current pushed them ever backward. Often they were struck
by great floating logs, that rolled over and over when they sought to
climb up on them.
Then, amid the great tumult, was heard the voice of Light Foot and the
sounds of Big Nose, her man, also. And when the Cave People looked
about, they discovered a flood of huge logs and dead trees that had been
jammed before the entrance of the cave wherein dwelt these two, barring
the way out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account