The Cave Boy of the Age of Stone
It was spring, thousands of years ago. Little boys snatched the April violets, and with them painted purple stripes upon their arms and faces. Then they played that enemies came.
Be afraid! shouted one, frowning; and he stamped his foot and shook his fist at the play enemies.
I am fine! called the other; and he held his head high, and took big steps, and looked this way and that.
The little brothers were named Thorn and Pineknot. Their baby sister had no name. The children looked rough and wild and strong and glad. The sun had made them brown, the wind had tangled their hair. Their clothes were only bits of fox skin. Their home was the safe rock cave in the side of the hill.
Near the children a little goat was eating the sweet new grass. She was tied with a string made of skin. Thorn stroked her and, laughing, said,
Let us put the baby on the goat's back and see her run.
Oh, that would be fun! cried Pineknot, and he ran and untied the goat.
Laughing, Thorn put the baby on the goat's back. The little fingers clung to the goat's hair.
Then Thorn struck the goat and shouted, Run!
The goat ran; the baby laughed; Pineknot danced and clapped his hands. All at once, the goat stood up on her hind legs. The baby fell off, and rolled over and over on the ground. She cried out, though she was not hurt. And the boys laughed and shouted till the woods rang.
Margaret A. McIntyre
---
THE CAVE BOY
OF THE AGE OF STONE
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE CAVE BOY OF THE AGE OF STONE
[Illustration: All at once, the goat stood up on her hind legs]
[Illustration: Strongarm]
[Illustration: A big black bear came along]
[Illustration: Then he sat down by the fire to make his picture of the bear]
[Illustration: Ram horns]
[Illustration: Sewing together skins of wild oxen]
[Illustration: A little bone]
[Illustration: Bone needle]
[Illustration: Broken hunting club]
[Illustration: The bees flew off humming angrily]
[Illustration: The edge of the pond]
[Illustration: And, for fun, set it against the string]
[Illustration: Broken hunting club (2nd version)]
[Illustration: Cattle horns]
[Illustration: So they lay down on the ground and began to call.]
[Illustration: A nest full of young eagles]
[Illustration: She scraped off all the meat and fat]
[Illustration: Tiger's tooth and bear's claw]
[Illustration: Lion]
[Illustration: Lion's tooth]
[Illustration: Stone tools]
[Illustration: Stone axe]
[Illustration: Woven basket]
[Illustration: Little wild pigs were eating the acorns]
[Illustration: The sparks came like a flame and caught the dry leaves]
[Illustration: The boys listened in wonder]
[Illustration: Shelter of branches]
[Illustration: Acorns]
[Illustration: Tiger]
[Illustration: Tiger's tooth]
[Illustration: He struck with his hammer stone]
[Illustration: He held the pebble in his left hand and struck it a sharp blow]
[Illustration: Deer antlers]
[Illustration: Forest scene]
[Illustration: Spear]
[Illustration: The women and children went to pick berries]
[Illustration: The women and children ate and ate the sweet fruit]
[Illustration: Snowy owl in tree]
[Illustration: Women with baskets]
[Illustration: Skin bag with pull string]
[Illustration: Herd of reindeer]
[Illustration: They dived into the river and swam away, pulling the raft]
[Illustration: Flock of white swans]
[Illustration: The sea]
[Illustration: Clam and oyster shells]
[Illustration: Dug-out boat]
[Illustration: They began to cook the fish]
[Illustration: The people took the fish in their hands]
[Illustration: Cutting down a tree]
[Illustration: A flounder]
[Illustration: Seaweed]
[Illustration: Thorn learns to swim]
[Illustration: Clay bowls]
[Illustration: Mammoth trapped in swamp]
[Illustration: Wolves]
[Illustration: Throwing a spear]
[Illustration: A North American Indian]
[Illustration: A stone arrow head]
[Illustration: A stone ax]
[Illustration: Picture of reindeer, scratched on slate; found in a cave in France]
[Illustration: Eskimo by their winter huts; drawn by an Eskimo]
[Illustration: A bone awl; found in a cave in England]
[Illustration: A flint knife; found in Australia]
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS