THE BASKET MAKER 



steam of the cooking pots goes up against 

 the sun. Then the children lie with their 

 toes in the ashes to hear tales ; then they 

 are merry, and have the joys of repletion 

 and the nearness of their kind. They have 

 their hills, and though jostled are suffi- 

 ciently free to get some fortitude for what 

 will come. For now you shall hear of the 

 end of the basket maker. 



In her best days Seyavi was most like 

 Deborah, deep bosomed, broad in the hips, 

 quick in counsel, slow of speech, esteemed 

 of her people. This was that Seyavi who 

 reared a man by her own hand, her own 

 wit, and none other. When the towns- 

 people began to take note of her and it 

 was some years after the war before there 

 began to be any towns she was then in 

 the quick maturity of primitive women ; but 

 when I knew her she seemed already old. 



