Odyssey From Africa 11b
CHAPTER 11b The Island Kingdom, continued...
In an ocean-going vessel
Now this group of island warriors
Journeyed on an expedition
From the island to the mainland
Han could sense a strength of purpose
And a loyalty between them
As they spoke about their homeland
Spoke with pride and deep affection
For the king that ruled their kingdom
King Ptolemy the Second
They reserved especial reverence
Then at last they spoke their purpose
How the family of travelers
Had long since betrayed their presence
By the smoke of evening campfires
And aroma of their cooking
For the dogs that travelled with them
Were indeed domesticated
They had smelled the roasting seafood
From considerable distance
King Ptolemy their ruler
Had dispatched them with instructions
That they search the land for people
Who had special skill or wisdom
And invite such able folk to
Come and join the island kingdom
Thus they asked of Han's profession
Bid him tell his life's adventure
So Han told the men his story
Of his fisherman's upbringing
How he studied from his childhood
All the craft-lore of the boat-smith
How he followed with his father
In their light but nimble vessels
The elusive shoals of fishes
And the winds and clouds and currents
How the passage of the seasons
How the changes in the moon-face
Gave them warning of the dangers
From the storm clouds and the spring tides
How a generation later
He would pass on all this knowledge
To his son and pupil Matto
Then he further spoke of Kwona
How he first had been enchanted
By her beauty, strength and wisdom
How as mother of his children
She excelled in every craftwork
Making clothes and working fabric
Even helping with boat-building
Han then spoke about the famine
Which had struck their fishing village
How with Matto he had paddled
Far from land to deepest ocean
To extend their search for fishes
Guided by the winds and sea birds
How their rich success was greeted
Not by thanks but accusation
And how, vilified as witches
They were made to flee their homeland
After listening to his story
All the warriors consented
To give Han an invitation
That they join the island kingdom
Kwona now approached the chieftain
Bid his soldiers stop for breakfast
And the octopus remaining
Which, still fresh and undegraded
Was divided into pieces
And distributed among them
By the children and by Kwona
So they breakfasted together
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