The Cave Twins

by Lucy Fitch Perkins

When the feast began, the people all sat down in a circle, all but Grannie. Grannie stood up and handed out great chunks of meat to the others and kept the fire bright. But she had a bone in her hand all the time, and whenever she had a chance, she gnawed it. There were no knives or forks or plates, of course. They all took their meat in their hands and just gnawed and gobbled as fast as they could! Nobody had any manners, and not a single mother said, “Have you washed your hands?” or “Don’t take such large mouthfuls or you will choke yourself,” or anything like that. There were some things about those days that must have been very pleasant, after all.

For a long time they ate and said nothing. You see, food had been scarce for so many days that they had to make up for lost time. But by and by, when they were all stuffed full, Firetop rolled over on to the skin of a bear which was lying on the cave floor, and said to his father: “Tell us about the hunting. Who killed the meat, and how was it you all came back together? Did you hunt in a pack, like the wolves?”

“Not just like the wolves,” said Hawk-Eye, laughing. “There were five of us after the bison. The women went off to set snares for rabbits, and the boys to hunt eggs along the bluffs up the river. I felt in my bones that we should see the bison to-day. So the men and I took our way toward the lowlands. We knew they would come from that direction. We followed the bluffs for a long way, but found nothing. We were beginning to think we should come home empty-handed, when far away I heard bellowing. Then I saw a little black speck moving along the green

valley. Two black specks moved beside it. They were the leader and his two sentinels, and behind them came the herd.”

“We saw the herd, too,” cried Firetop. “I saw them first,” said Squaretoes. “I saw them just as quick as you,” shouted Blackbird.

“Shut up,” said his mother, and Blackbird did. Fathers and mothers in those days used just such language as that, and if the children didn’t mind at once, they were likely to get something worse than just language. It wasn’t a polite age at all.

“We crept down the bluffs as quietly as snakes,” went on Hawk-Eye, when everybody was still again. “I was in front. When the leader of the herd got to our hiding-place, I sprang from the bushes and threw my spear with all my strength. He gave a mighty roar. He stood on his hind legs and thundered. Then Big Ear sprang forward and threw his spear. The leader fell. The herd broke and ran. The sentinels could not control them. Then we ran toward them. We killed two young cows with our axes. The rest of the herd rushed past. The leader and the two cows were left behind. The leader was old and tough. We pulled out our spears and left him to the jackals and hyenas. The two cows were small. We skinned them and cut them into pieces and started for the cave. At the foot of the path we met the other people. They were weary and had caught nothing. When they saw us they laughed for joy.”

“We heard them,” cried Firefly. “Grannie said you would bring meat. She said so when we heard the laughing. She said so when the herd passed by. She saw that they had been frightened. That is why we had the kettle ready.”

“Grannie is a wise old woman,” said Hawk-Eye. “Now, get to bed, every one of you.”