When everybody had seen it, Fleetfoot placed the harpoon upon his throwing-stick and hurled it again and again. To the people who stood near, the barbs carried the harpoon through the air like the wings of a bird. The deep grooves which held the poison carried sure death with each wound. And the throwing-stick with which it was hurled helped in getting a firm hold and a sure aim.
Harpoons with several barbs.
THINGS TO DO
Find a piece of soft wood and trace the outline of a harpoon upon it. See if you can whittle a harpoon with barbs.
Experiment until you can tell whether you like to have a ridge on the base of the harpoon head.
Draw one of these pictures:—
“Heavy snowstorms came and the wild animals went away.”
Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse find some dried meat in a tree.
Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse arrive at the cave of the Bison clan.
Flaker working at the barbed harpoon.
“The barbs carried the harpoon through the air like the wings of a bird.”
XXXVII
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT