“Pick them up, you little rats! They are the last of my winter’s store, and it will be four moons yet before they will be ripe again.”
Down went the children on their hands and knees, and began to gather up the scattered nuts. Young as they were, they knew the value of food. They also knew the taste of Grannie’s stick. In those days food could be found only at the risk of life itself and was not to be thrown away while hunger lasted.
Besides, the hunting had not been good for some time. The reindeer had gone farther north, and the great herds of bison had not yet come back from the warmer regions, where they ranged in winter. There were wild beasts of many other kinds in the forest, but the hunters of the clan had not brought home meat for several days. This was one reason why the children had ventured so far into the forest. Most of the time they and the other children of the clan stayed near the cave under the watchful eye of the old woman, while their fathers and mothers went hunting.
“Now, don’t be cross, old Grannie-sit-by-the-fire!” cried the girl. At least, I think it was the girl, but the Twins looked so exactly alike I can’t be quite sure. “We’ll pick up your nuts for you. And if you’ll put your stick down, we’ll give you something we brought for you.”
The old woman’s face softened. You might almost have thought there was the beginning of a smile in the corners of her mouth, but she only said, “I know your tricks, worthless ones! You have brought me nothing but a fright and a tumble in the ashes.”
The girl poured the acorns she had gathered into the piece of birch-bark which served the old woman as a plate, and danced over to the mouth of the cave. She saucily took the stick out of Grannie’s hand and flung it on the fire, and then led her back to the stone seat.
“Go along and get it, Firetop,” she called. I know it was the girl who said this, because it was the boy who was called Firetop, on account of his red hair. The girl’s hair was just as red, but they called her Firefly.
Firetop sprang up the rocks down which he had climbed so carefully only a few moments before, and came down again slowly,
carrying something in each hand. He stood before the old woman with his hands behind him.