The Dream Time by Henry Treece

 Crookleg is a boy from Dog Folk. He was afraid that his right leg would never be straight again. He hopes that the Old Man of the Dog Folk had better magic for mending broken legs. His mother, Bluestone lay on a heap of brown fern at the far end of the dark room crying out and something groaning for three days. The priest woman name Ash always pointed her snake stick at him and told him harshly to stay where he was whenever he wanted to crawl to his mother. Ash had sent all the men and boy away from the longhouse when Bluestone started to groan. She wants to send Crookleg also but the young women begged her not to because of his leg. Ash warns Crookleg to not look when the magic started because it will make bad luck to his family and if it happens she will blame Crookleg. She also will give Crookleg to Bone. Bone was the Rainmaker. And lived in a little cave deep in the forest. He was very old and bent. No one had seen his face. When anyone of the Dog Folk broke the law they were tied up and taken to Bone. They will not come back to the tribe again. Even the wolves were afraid of Bone. Crookleg’s father, Thorn was the war leader. Crookleg wished that he will be happy all the time without fighting with other folk.

Then suddenly his mother began to howl out more than ever and he wished he could go to her. The women of the Dog Folk singing a song that only the women know. He lay in the Longhouse with his mother crying. Ash said that Crookleg are useless to the folk because he could not do anything like other men war do. He fell so angry and wanted to hurt Ash. Just then one of the women passed by him crying and ran to Ash and said the Crookleg had give the bad luck.

Thorn stand away from him, thinking. The she said that his mother and her baby are already pass away. He thought that he had sent his mother and Bud, the baby. But Ash will not sent Crookleg to Bone because she wanted all the men to get ready for the next fight. Crookleg do not want to but his father said that id barley does nit spring, they must go to the Fox Folk and take their sheep. If not they will not eat.

Then his leg got better, he can walk and almost run. He go to the men’s longhouse. One of them wore a bracelet made from a ring of bull’s horn, made him look important. His name is Fang and he was the one who would lead the war folk when Thorn went away. Fang saw Crookleg and laughing. Then Thorn caught him by the arm and drew him closer. He give a blue stone that her mother wear. His father dream that his wife ask him to give it to their son. So, people will know who he is. They are going to fighting with the Fox Folk. Thorn asks Crookleg to stay at the back of fighting and hold a spear stick. Then Fang ask him to give the offering as he will be the war men. Crookley offering his finger because his father was there.

At the war, the Old Folk lose and Crookleg run away. He did not when to the Old Folk back. He meets Blackbird from Fox Folk. Blackbird is going to Fish Folk because no one of her family left. By on their way to Fish Folk, they meet Shark. Shark was too tall and scary. He caught Blackbird and ask what Crookleg offering. Then Blackbird ask Crookleg to run away. He left Blackbird and do to River Folk. At there he meets Wander, who the Lady of River Folk. Wander give crookleg new name, Twilight. He made brooch for Wander. So every woman also ask him to make them brooch. Wander tought that twilight has a magic to make people curve and bring luck to their village. Because of that they all agree that twilight to become a leader. One day, Fish Folk came to River Folk because they hear that River Folks has something good. The leader of Fish Folk are Shark. Shark want Twilight to follow he to go to Fish Folk. Twilight did not agree with Shark. So they had a fight. Fish Folk lose because twilight had kill shark.so the people of the River Folk suggest that they want to go to Fish Folk to get revenge. At Fish Folk twilight meet Blackbird again.  Adder call out the twilight to let the war man of fish folk rush out and spear them as they lay. But twilight did not agree. Twilight ask Blackbird where is the Clay owl that he made for her when they lost in the forest. Blackbird say that shark did not allowed her to wear it. Wander jealous that twilight made Blackbird clay owl, so they get fight. Then twilight suggest that she will make both of them new brooch.

comment :

This week we read a book of Henry Treece. The story are impressive. It use language like a poet and the word used are not to difficult for us to understand. The flow of the story are also interesting. This story in very short and simple words, put together in such a way that they can express things which are not simple at all. We should believe in God not to people who can give a luck. Furthermore, do not judge people by its look. People of Dog Folk do not like Crookleg because they do not know the real him. They just believe what other people say about him, that he is such a loser. But at the end, Crookleg has his own folk.

moral story :

1)Do not simply believe what people say

2)Love can not be force

3)Do not judge people easily

4)Do not afraid to show who you are

5)Be yourself

new word :

1. strand: a single thin piece of thread, wire or hair
2. yarn: thick thread made of cotton or wool, which is used to knit something
3. snarl: an animal, it makes a low angry sound and show its teeth.