Part 4
_Draw a picture of the Cave-men helping the old man and Sharpeyes get ready._
XIX
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
How do you think Firekeeper made the skin water bag?
Where did the Cave-men get water? When did they need to carry water?
Name as many things as you can that they could use for carrying water before they learned to make water vessels.
What do we use to carry water? Where does the water that we drink come from?
_How Firekeeper Made the Skin Water Bag_
The Cave-men watched the old man and Sharpeyes until they passed out of sight.
Then the men went out on the hills, while the women and children dug roots near the cave.
After a while they climbed a large oak tree and sat on its strong spreading branches.
Then Brighteyes asked Firekeeper about the bag, and how she happened to make it.
All the children liked to hear Firekeeper talk.
She often told them of the brave deeds of their fathers.
She often showed them how to make useful things that their mothers knew how to make.
They all wanted to hear her now, so they tried to get close beside her.
She told them of Sharptooth and the way she got water by drinking it from the stream.
Then she told how Bodo got fire, and how people began to live around the fireplace.
As soon as people learned to work together, they often went far away from the stream.
When the women went berrying far from the river, they became thirsty before they got home.
One day they found water in a hollow gourd that had been filled by the rain.
They took the gourd with them when they went home and used it for carrying water.
Afterward they learned to hollow out gourds and to use them for water vessels.
Sometimes they left part of the vine on the gourd and used the vine for a carrying strap.
When they pulled the gourd off from the vine, they had to make a strap for the gourd.
Sometimes the gourd broke and spilled the water, so they wove a coarse netting of wild vines and covered it with that.
All the children had seen gourd water vessels and had used them many times.
Brighteyes had learned to make the netting, so Firekeeper did not stop to show how it was made.
All were anxious to hear about the skin bag, so Firekeeper went on with her story.
She told them that she had been thinking of the dry rocky country for several days.
She knew that the men must pass through it, and she feared they would die of thirst.
She was afraid to trust the gourd water vessel at such a time as this.
She wished the gourd were as strong as skin.
Then she wondered if she could make a skin bag.
The next day when she was skinning a hyena she happened to think of a way to do it.
Instead of cutting the skin straight down the breast line, she tried another way.
After cutting off the feet and the head, she loosened the skin and slipped it off almost whole.
She scraped it and softened it with fat, and tied up the legs with straps.
Then she fastened a strap to the bag.
It was finished just in time for the men to take it with them.
The story was now ended, so the women and children got down from the tree and started back to the cave.
THINGS TO DO
_Think of Firekeeper and the children as they sat in the tree. Draw a picture of them._
_Find as many things as you can that the Cave-men might have used to carry water._
_Make a water vessel of a gourd, a melon, or something that you can find._
_Perhaps you can ornament your water vessel._
_Draw a picture of the skin water bag._
XX
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do you think the Cave-men will do while the old man and Sharpeyes are gone?
How will they keep the animals out of the cave?
_Why Firekeeper Made a Door_
The day after the old man and Sharpeyes went away, a cave-bear came up toward the cave.
The women sent the children into the cave and grasped their weapons to help the men.
The bear turned and went away.
But the Cave-men were afraid that he would come back.
They could defend themselves at the mouth of the cave, but they had to go out to get something to eat.
They were afraid to leave the children alone for fear the cave-bear might get them.
At last they thought of shutting them up in the cave.
They had never seen nor heard of a door, but they knew how to heap up piles of stones.
So they rolled up large stones and piled them up until part of the entrance was blocked.
They did not want to wall up the whole mouth, for the stones were too heavy to move every day.
But they wanted to close the mouth of the cave so as to keep the cave-bear out.
Everybody tried to find a way to do it, and at last Firekeeper got an idea for a door.
Perhaps you would not call what she made a door, but it was a good door for that time.
Firekeeper made it of tough branches.
She stuck several large branches into the ground and wove smaller ones among them.
When the door was finished, the women pulled up the large branches and carried the wicker-work door to the cave.
They set it between the stones so as to close the mouth.
After that they shut the children in the cave when they went out to hunt.
But the cave-bear still prowled around.
When the women came home from the woods one day, the cave-bear was at the door.
They rushed upon him with their knives and spears.
They were torn and bruised by the cave-bear, but he never troubled them any more.
THINGS TO DO
_If you have a playhouse, try to make a wicker-work door for it._
_Tell a story of what the children did when they saw the cave-bear through the holes in the door._
_Model a cave-bear in clay._
XXI
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Can you think what kind of a place the fire country is?
Can you tell where we get oil and gas to burn? If a natural oil well should take fire, what would happen?
Have you ever seen a volcano?
_The Stranger That Came Toward the Cave_
Many days passed, and each day the Cave-men missed the fire more and more.
They missed the old man and Sharpeyes.
They hoped they would soon come home.
But as the days went by and they did not come, the Cave-men feared they would never return.
One day about sunset they went into the cave.
As Firekeeper was fastening the door of the cave, she saw a stranger coming.
She called the others to look.
They hoped they would see their friends, but this man seemed a stranger.
He was hardly able to walk.
His garments were torn and tattered.
His limbs were bruised and bleeding.
As the Cave-men looked in silence, he sank exhausted to the ground.
Then the Cave-men gathered around him.
They raised him up and looked into his face.
They could scarcely believe what they saw.
It was Sharpeyes.
No wonder they did not know him.
He had been one of their bravest hunters.
He had left them young and happy, but now he looked old and haggard.
He seemed to be crushed with sorrow.
They carried him into the cave and bathed his tired feet.
They dressed his wounds.
At last he moved, and they spoke to him.
They asked about the old man.
They asked if he had found fire.
But Sharpeyes could not answer.
He fell into a deep sleep, and he was still sleeping long after the morning sun arose.
THINGS TO DO
_Show how the Cave-men acted when they saw the stranger coming toward the cave._
_Show how they helped Sharpeyes to the cave._
_Draw a picture showing the part that you like best._
XXII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do you think the Cave-men will do while Sharpeyes is sleeping?
Why will everybody on the wooded hills want to hear his story?
What do you think his story will be?
_The Journey to the Fire Country_
Before sunrise Strongarm had sent word to all the people on the hills that Sharpeyes had returned.
He told them to meet at the fire clan’s cave.
All were anxious to hear Sharpeyes’ story.
Some of the Cave-men still hoped that the old man would come with fire.
But others feared he would never return.
About noon Sharpeyes awoke.
The women brought him water and meat.
When he had eaten, all the Cave-men were there.
They gathered around Sharpeyes in silence and grew sad as they looked in his face.
At length Sharpeyes roused up as if he were waking from a dream.
He recalled the morning that he and the old man had started out on their journey.
He spoke of the hope that filled their hearts.
He told of the long and difficult way and of the trouble they had in crossing the mountains.
At last they reached the dry, rocky country, where the old man led the way.
He knew where to look for the cool mountain springs, where they drank and filled the water bag.
They journeyed onward many a day, climbing steep and rocky heights.
At last they saw flames of fire in the distance.
They eagerly hastened to their journey’s end.
They were tired and hungry when they reached the fire country, but their hearts were filled with joy.
They were glad to be near the fire god once more.
They watched the fire dart up toward the sky.
It seemed to come from deep, dark chasms.
They stayed in the fire country several days.
After mending their weapons, they hunted a while.
They cooked their meat in the flaming fire.
They slept on the ground beside the fire.
When they were rested they started home.
They lighted some punk and put it in their tool bag.
Then they lighted their torches and set out on their homeward way.
As they traveled they talked of their friends.
Their hearts were glad, for they hoped to bring happiness to all the people on the wooded hills.
THINGS TO DO
_Play that you are the Cave-men, and let some one tell Sharpeyes’ story while the others listen to it._
_See if you can find some punk. Why do you think that the men put punk in their tool bag?_
_Tell all that you know about the fire country. Draw a picture of it._
XXIII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do you think had become of the old man?
How do you think the Cave-men will get fire?
_The Return From the Fire Country_
While Sharpeyes was talking he seemed to be hopeful.
But now his head fell, and he seemed unwilling to speak.
Strongarm urged him to go on.
At length he continued the story, but his voice was filled with sadness.
He told how the first few days of their journey everything went well.
They stopped for nothing but food and sleep, for they were anxious to get home.
No animal disturbed them on their way as long as they had fire.
But one day the sky grew dark.
A heavy rainstorm beat down upon them and put out the fire they carried.
But since they had burning punk in the bag, they thought they could light their torches again.
They waited for the rain to cease.
Then they took the punk from the bag and tried to light their torches.
But the wood was damp, and it was hard work to fan the spark into a flame.
They worked so busily that they thought of nothing except the fire.
They did not see a big-nosed rhinoceros that was watching them from among the trees.
He was almost upon them before they thought of danger.
Then they quickly sprang for the tree, but the old man lost his hold.
He fell and was trampled by the monstrous beast.
The rhinoceros tore up the ground with his horns until he had spent his rage.
Then he tramped off through the woods.
Sharpeyes paused again.
His voice choked, so that he could scarcely speak.
At length he told how he slipped down from the tree and found the old man dying.
He carried him out to a grassy spot, where the old man died.
Sharpeyes covered his body with leaves and raised a mound of stones above it.
Then he went back to the tree and searched for the lighted punk.
But there was no punk to be found.
The rhinoceros had trampled it under his feet.
In vain Sharpeyes tried to find a spark.
When at last he knew that the fire was all gone, he decided to go back to the fire country.
He went as far as the dry, rocky country, where he was chased by a pack of wolves.
He barely escaped to a neighboring tree, where the wolves kept him treed for a day.
When the wolves went away, he was nearly starved; he was tired and discouraged, too.
His clothing was torn, and his weapons were lost; so he dared not cross the dry country again.
He turned his face toward home once more, though he scarcely hoped to make the journey.
He had many narrow escapes, but he did not wish to talk about them.
For a few moments there was a deep silence.
Then the Cave-men wept.
They mourned for the old man.
They mourned for the loss of fire.
They had lost all hope.
They were filled with despair.
THINGS TO DO
_Tell the story that Sharpeyes told to the Cave-men._
_Draw a picture of Sharpeyes as he was telling the story._
_Think of Sharpeyes as he was chased and treed by a pack of wolves._
_Draw a picture of him when the wolves were keeping him in the tree._
_Model the fire country in one end of your sand box and the home of the fire clan in the other._
_Model the places that Sharpeyes and the old man traveled across in going to the fire country._
_Show the places where you think they found trails._
_Tell how you think the trails were made and what they were used for._
XXIV
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do we burn in our fires?
How do we light the different fires that we have?
What do we burn for light?
How do we light our lights?
Find out how your grandfather and grandmother used to light their fires.
Find out what they used for lights and how they took care of them.
Do you know how the Eskimo used to get fire?
_Strongarm Makes a Great Discovery_
When the Cave-men had heard Sharpeyes’ story, they went back to their caves.
The fire clan was left alone again.
Strongarm spoke of going to the fire country himself, but it did not seem best to leave the people just then.
Some of the men had already left the cave, and gone to live as the Tree-dwellers lived.
Strongarm was trying to keep the rest of them together.
He feared that he would not be able to do it unless he could get fire.
For several days after that, the Cave-men thought that Strongarm seemed queer.
Wherever he went he carried the drill that he used in boring holes.
Sometimes he carried a bundle of sticks under his arm.
Sometimes he worked with all these things in a corner of the cave.
None of the Cave-men knew what he was doing, but they heard him mumbling to himself.
Once they saw him start up quickly and go away from the cave.
Nobody knew where he went, and nobody knew what he did.
Strongarm was very sad.
His heart was sore for his people, for they were in great distress.
He believed that the fire god dwelt in the wood, and he was trying to persuade him to come out.
He had noticed that the drill became warm by twirling, when he used it for boring holes.
So now he made a drill of hard wood and twirled it on a piece of softer wood.
As he twirled the stick he prayed to the fire god.
He asked him to come and help the Cave-men.
When he went away from the cave that day, he went to find tinder.
When he came back that night, he was very happy; for he had a burning torch in his hand.
THINGS TO DO
_Show how Strongarm acted when he was twirling sticks. Draw the picture._
_Find some sticks that you can use in making fire. Put them in a place where they will dry._
_Look at the pictures on pages 45, 48, and 49. What is the difference between a drill for boring holes and a fire drill?_
XXV
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What do you think the Cave-men did when they saw Strongarm coming with fire?
Do you think he told them how he got it?
Did you ever have a secret? What kind of things do you wish to keep secret?
Can you think why Strongarm might wish to keep his discovery a secret?
_How the Cave-men Received Strongarm_
How glad all the Cave-men were when they saw Strongarm coming with fire!
They ran out to meet him and shouted for joy.
Firekeeper lighted a fire, and the women brought branches to make it blaze.
The wild animals sniffed it and ran away.
The Cave-men joined hands and danced around the fire.
They danced until they could dance no more, and then sat down on the ground to rest.
They asked where Strongarm found the fire, but he did not tell them then.
Some of the Cave-men were very selfish.
They cared more for themselves than they did for the clan.
Some of the men had already left.
Others were thinking of going away.
Strongarm wanted to teach them to help one another.
So he told them only part of the truth.
He said nothing about the fire drill, but he told them about his prayer.
He said that the fire god came when he called him.
At this the Cave-men were filled with fear.
They looked upon Strongarm in wonder.
After that they treated him with great respect.
When they needed a chief, he led them.
He was the greatest man of the time.
THINGS TO DO
_Show how the Cave-men rejoiced when Strongarm came with his burning torch. Draw the picture._
_Show what you think they did when they were told that the fire god came at Strongarm’s command._
XXVI
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Do you know why we have Thanksgiving Day?
How would the Cave-men show that they were thankful?
_The Thanksgiving Feast_
How thankful the Cave-men were to have fire again!
They wanted the fire god to know it.
They wanted their neighbors to have fire, too.
So they sent a messenger with a firebrand to invite them to a feast.
As the messenger neared the cave where they dwelt, he heard the people wailing.
He hurried on with the glad tidings.
When the people saw him, they ran to meet him and lighted firebrands of their own.
Their sadness was turned to joy.
They told the messenger that their bravest man had been killed that very day.
He had been carried away by a tiger while standing near the cave.
They feared that the tiger would return, and that they all would be killed.
But now that they had fire again, they began to feel more safe.
The messenger told them what Strongarm had done, while they stared with open mouth and eyes.
When the messenger invited them to the feast, they quickly made ready to start.
The feast was ready when they reached the cave.
The Cave-men were filled with joy.
They gathered around the fireplace.
Everybody was silent while Strongarm gave some of the choicest meat as an offering to the fire god.
Then they all began to eat.
They feasted and talked a long time.
They shouted praises to the fire god.
They were thankful to have him with them again.
All the people were happy once more.
THINGS TO DO
_Play some game where you all join hands and dance around in a circle. Draw a picture of it._
_How many ring games do you know how to play?_
_Play that you are having a thanksgiving feast._
XXVII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Did you ever go out in the woods in the spring to find something to eat?
Have you ever tasted the bark of any trees?
If there are any spruce trees near you, find out what they are good for.
_What the Women Got from the Spruce Trees_
All the snow was now gone from the wooded hills.
The people were glad, for they were tired of the long, cold winter.
They were hungry for fresh green leaves and berries.
One day Firekeeper took a torch and started out over the hills to see what she could find to eat.
She found winter-greens with red berries half hidden among the dry oak leaves.
She ate some and gathered a handful; then she passed on over the hills.
The sap of the spruce trees was beginning to flow and had hardened in places upon the trunks.
Firekeeper bit off a lump and chewed it until she made it into gum.
Then she bit off other lumps, and even bit into the inner bark.
She liked the taste of the bark, so she peeled off large pieces and ate them.
Then she gave a shrill call and listened until she heard a call from the cave.
In a moment she called again.
Again the answer came.
But this time the voices were nearer.
Then Firekeeper knew that the women and children were coming.
Soon she heard their calls again, and again she called to them.
This happened several times, each time the voices sounding nearer.
In this way Firekeeper helped the women to find the way to the spot.
She kept watch until they came in sight.
There were women carrying flaming torches, and others with babies strapped to their backs.
Children followed close to their mothers’ heels or ran along beside them.
The cradles were hung on the branches of the trees.
While the women were getting a taste of the bark, Firekeeper was hunting slender twigs for baskets.
All the women soon joined Firekeeper in the work.
They broke off slender branches from the spruce trees and trimmed them and laid them in bundles.
Then they dug spruce roots with sharp digging sticks.
After eating all the bark that they wished, they played with the children among the trees.
The mothers strapped bundles on the little girls’ backs, but took the larger bundles themselves.
They strapped the cradles on top of their loads.
They followed the river path on their way home and stopped when they came to the drinking-place.
After drinking the fresh cool water, they dug shallow holes near the edge of the stream.
They dug little troughs from these holes, so that the water of the river could flow in.
Then they put the spruce branches into these holes and left them there to soak.
When they reached the cave that night they were tired and hungry, too.
But the men soon came with plenty of meat, and soon they were all eating and resting around the open fire.
THINGS TO DO
_Go out to some uncultivated spot and see if you can find twigs or branches that can be made into baskets._
_See if you can peel the bark from the stems._
_Soak some twigs in water and see how much easier they will bend than dry twigs do._
_See if you can find hardened sap on a spruce tree. Make it into gum._
_Show how Firekeeper and the women called back and forth._
XXVIII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What have you seen that is made of splints of wood?
Find branches that can be made into splints.
See if you can do anything to the wood to make it split more easily.
How many splints do you think the women split the stems into at first? How could they make flat splints?
How could they make splints that were the same width?
_How the Women Made Splints for Baskets_
After the spruce branches had soaked a few days, the women brought them to the cave.
While the children played with sticks and stones, their mothers made some splints.
They peeled off the bark with their teeth and nails, and split one end of the stem.
Then they held one piece with their teeth and pulled the other two pieces with their hands.
The splints that they made in this way were neither round nor flat.
They had three sharp corners.
Two of these corners were hard and tough, but one was soft and pithy.
So they bit the pithy corner and pulled off a long strand of pith.
This left a thick splint that was nearly flat.
The women found that it was hard work to split the larger stems.