by John Grant
The ashwood close on willow lies.
That wasn’t much help. There was plenty of willow. In fact, there was nothing else. Where did the bit about “ash” fit in? Was it perhaps among the driftwood in the trees? Oh dear! What if he’d burnt it in his cooking fire! He jumped down and picked up his spear. And as he did so, he remembered, the Neanderthal Folk used ash for spear and axe handles. It must mean his spear. Another thought struck him, and he climbed back on the willow branch. Yes! He’d wondered about the fresh marks cut in the bark. They were made just where small branches formed forks. He took the spear and rested it in the forks. It fitted perfectly, as if they were made for it . . . which they probably were! And the spear pointed straight back across the river towards a distant hill. That’s where he had to go now.
The hill was farther away than Littlenose first thought and it was late afternoon before he came near its foot. It was really a small mountain. The lower slopes were quite bare – they seemed to consist of red gravel. Higher up was red rock. The rock formed weird peaks and pinnacles.
The peak where pine grows to the sky,
The Grey Bear in his den does lie!
And there, just visible against the sky, was the twisted shape of an ancient pine clinging to the summit of one of the pinnacles. There was the end of the trail. Somewhere up there were three pieces of wood tied together in a strange fashion and covered with grey fur. All he had to do was climb up and get it.
Littlenose strained his eyes to find an easy route to the summit. He paused. He could see people. Two figures seemed to be hiding behind one of the smaller pinnacles lower down. Of course! That would be Dad and his friend who had hidden the Grey Bear. He would pretend he hadn’t seen them.
Littlenose and Two-Eyes circled round the base of the hill. And to their delight, they found that a path led almost to the top. Up they went, arriving panting close under the pine tree. It grew out of a crack above Littlenose’s head, but the rock seemed quite impossible to climb. They stood precariously at the top of the gravel slope and wondered where on earth the Grey Bear could be hidden.
While Littlenose poked about, Two-Eyes had been looking down to the foot. He gave a sudden soft squeak. “What is it?” said Littlenose. “Have you found it?”
He followed Two-eyes’ gaze . . . and his heart almost stopped. Half-way up, a huge black bear stood, rearing up on its hind legs. It had been hidden from below by the rocks. That was why Dad and his friend were hiding! Not from Littlenose. The bear took a couple of steps, but the gravel slipped under its feet. It couldn’t get at the hunters, but it was prepared to wait!
“We must do something, Two-Eyes,” said Littlenose. And he pulled himself up on to part of the rock for a better view. Too late, he realised that the rock was loose. He flung himself to one side as the rock crashed down the hill. He fell against Two-eyes and together they rolled down after the rock in a great cloud of red dust.
The bear leapt back in fright. What was this? A landslide . . . and a cloud of dust that made a noise like an angry mammoth! To crown it all, a large rock bounced out from the dust cloud just missing the bear’s head. Without a backward glance, it turned and fled.
As the dust cleared, Dad and the other man ran to join Littlenose and Two-eyes. “That was one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen,” said Dad. “And, of course, congratulations!”
Littlenose looked down. Brought down with the stones and gravel, and lying at his feet, was the Grey Bear.
That night, Littlenose stood proudly as the Old Man took a piece of charcoal and made the marks on the roll of junior hunters that meant ‘Littlenose’. Dad whispered something in the Old Man’s ear. The Old Man smiled and added: “and Two-Eyes”.
“You two really are a team,” he said.
“I knew Two-Eyes would make a hunter,” thought Littlenose. Then he hurried home, hoping that being a junior hunter meant that he was now allowed to stay up late with the grown-ups.
The Amber Pendant
Next to the Old Man, who was Chief, the most important person in Littlenose’s tribe was the Doctor. And this was not only because he cured people when they were sick, but because he was also a magician! Everyone was a bit afraid of the Doctor. Some said that he wasn’t Neanderthal at all. That was why he never appeared without the ceremonial mask which hid his face. Some even went as far as to say the he was really a Straightnose – which explained why he was so clever.
The Doctor’s wife, Goldie, was even more of a mystery. By Neanderthal standards she was almost unbelievably ugly. Her hair was long and golden and her nose was not much bigger than Littlenose’s. She rarely ventured from her cave, and people said that the Doctor was ashamed of her. Of course, they didn’t say that to his face. You don’t go around talking about someone whose husband could easily turn you into a frog or worse.
One evening, Dad came home and said, “The Doctor’s wife has lost an amber pendant. He’s offering a reward to whoever finds it.”
Littlenose looked up from his supper. “I bet I find it,” he said. “What’s a pendant?”
“She wears it around her neck,” said Dad. “Two pieces of amber on a leather thong.”
“I see,” said Littlenose. “And what’s amber?”
Dad sighed. He thought for a moment. “It’s yellow stuff. With flies in it. And it’s magic.”
Littlenose tried to picture it for himself. Yellow? Flies? All he could think about was egg yolk – with greedy flies getting their legs stuck. And magic? Magic egg yolk? He tried to imagine the Doctor’s wife wearing two runny eggs covered with flies. Grown-ups were even odder people than he thought! But the reward! He didn’t care what he found as long as he got the reward.
First thing after breakfast next day, he set off with Two-Eyes to hunt for the missing amber pendant. And it was a lot more difficult than he had imagined. Littlenose thought that all he had to do was keep his eyes open for something yellow. He said so to Two-Eyes. “Then we check it for the flies,” he said.
Two-Eyes sighed. Life with Littlenose was never dull, but it was sometimes hard for a young mammoth to understand what was going on.
They walked along by the river. People often lost things while they were fishing or just out walking, thought Littlenose. He peered at the ground and at the shallow water near the bank. Then he stopped. “Look, Two-Eyes!” he cried. Something bright and yellow shone among the small waves. He jumped down the bank. And saw that it was only the sunlight shining on the pebbles. Ah, well! Better luck next time!
Then it was Two-Eyes’ turn. He gave a squeak and pointed with his trunk. In the shadow of a tree were two, bright yellow objects. Littlenose rushed to pick them up. But before he had got half-way the two objects rose into the air and fluttered away among the trees. “Butterflies!” cried Littlenose. “You really are stupid, Two- Eyes!”
“He’s a fine one to talk,” muttered Two-Eyes in mammoth language, as they went on their way.
They came out of the trees into a wide clearing on the far side of which was a high outcrop of rock. And in the face of the rock was what looked like the opening of a cave. It looked promising as a place to find lost property. In any case, Littlenose liked exploring, despite the number of times he had been warned about going into strange caves.
Littlenose walked boldly into the dark entrance but Two-Eyes hung back. His mammoth senses told him that all was not well. Reluctantly, with a bit of persuasion, he followed Littlenose. And Littlenose had only taken a few steps when he stopped. At the back of the cave were two brightly- shining yellow objects. Littlenose could hardly believe his luck! It couldn’t be the sun shining this time. And butterflies didn’t live in caves. Then he paused. One of the yellow objects had disappeared for a moment. Almost as if it had blinked. “I must have imagined it,” thought Littlenose. “This is certainly my lucky day!”
“This is certainly my lucky day,” thought the sabre-toothed tiger. It had been having a quiet nap at the back of the cave when Littlenose had come charging in.
Here, before its very eyes, was its favourite mid-morning snack: fresh, tender Neanderthal boy, walking straight up to it! So as not to waste a moment, the sabre-toothed tiger opened its jaws wide, and waited.
Littlenose jumped as underneath the two bright shining objects appeared two rows of bright shining white teeth. And as he grew accustomed to the dim light in the cave, he made out the shape of a sabre-toothed tiger! He was too terrified to move, even when the tiger rose to its feet and began to purr at the thought of fresh boy. Then it jumped back, startled. It hadn’t seen Two-Eyes’ dark fur among the shadows. But now the little mammoth trumpeted as loud as he could. The echoes in the cave made it sound like a whole herd. And when the tiger saw a red eye and a green eye shining out at it, it didn’t know what to think. Before it could make up its mind, Littlenose and Two-Eyes were out of the cave and running like the wind. They didn’t stop until they were close to the caves where the tribe lived.
They knew the tiger would not pursue them there, so they sat down under a willow tree to recover their breath.
Littlenose put his hand on the ground and felt something in the grass. It was a rabbit’s paw . . . but without the rabbit. Someone had taken the trouble to bind it round with strips of leather, and there was a loop as if it were meant to hang on something.
“Strange,” thought Littlenose. “Perhaps Uncle Redhead will know what it’s for.” And he tucked it into the secret pocket in his furs.
But he was no nearer finding the amber pendant. “Come on, Two-Eyes,” he said. “It will soon be lunchtime. Let’s have one more look.”
Littlenose started off, but it was marshy ground and Two-Eyes didn’t like to get his fur wet. He went the long way round. Suddenly, Littlenose heard him squeal. The little mammoth was standing, pointing with his trunk. Littlenose ran to join him. He couldn’t see anything at first, but the breeze stirred a clump of rushes and he caught a quick glimpse of something bright yellow. Again he splashed through the pools of water. . . and found himself looking at a clump of marsh marigolds. The bright yellow blooms nodded in the wind and made reflections in the water.
This was it, decided Littlenose. Reward or no reward, he had had enough of lost amber pendants. It was almost lunchtime. If he could think of nothing better to do, he would start looking again in the afternoon . . . perhaps! Mum liked flowers, though, and it would be nice to take a bunch back to her. Littlenose picked a big bouquet of marsh marigolds and set off home.
He was almost there when he realised that he was close to the cave where the Doctor lived with his ugly wife. There was the cave, and someone was moving about outside. It was Goldie. She was preparing her husband’s lunch, and sat on a rock in the sunshine plucking a pigeon. Littlenose knew that it was rude to stare, but he went closer and stopped to look at Goldie. She wasn’t really all that ugly, even if she did have golden hair instead of the dark Neanderthal variety. And small noses weren’t a total disaster, thought Littlenose, touching his own.
Suddenly, Goldie looked up. She smiled. “You’re Littlenose, aren’t you?” she said.
“Yes,” said Littlenose, “and —– ”
“And you’ve brought me flowers!” cried Goldie.
“Well, really . . .” began Littlenose. Then he stopped and handed the bunch of marsh marigolds to her. “I’ve been out all morning looking for your amber pendant,” he said. “And I haven’t found it.”
“I’m not surprised,” replied Goldie. “It was never lost. The Doctor had no sooner offered the reward than I found it lying where it had fallen in a dark corner of the cave. I don’t suppose he’s got round to telling people yet. I’m sorry you were put to so much trouble. Would you like to see it?”
Littlenose nodded, not quite sure. Goldie went into the cave and came out carrying what looked like two large golden pebbles strung on a leather thong. But they weren’t pebbles. Littlenose could see right inside them.
“Take them,” said Goldie. “Look at the insects trapped inside.” Littlenose drew back. “Don’t be afraid,” said Goldie.
“What about the magic?” asked Littlenose fearfully.
“Oh that,” laughed Goldie. “I’ll show you in a moment.”
Littlenose took the pendant in his hand and held it up. True enough, there were several small flies and midges embedded in the amber.
Goldie took the pendant again and rubbed one of the pieces of amber vigorously against her furs. Then she held it over some of the small feathers plucked from the pigeon and, as Littlenose watched, the feathers floated upwards and clung to the amber.
“That’s it,” said Goldie. “Not very useful magic.” Littlenose nodded in agreement. “Well I must get on,” said Goldie. “A cavewife’s work is never done. Thank you for calling. And for the flowers. Goodbye.”
Littlenose was at his own cave when he remembered the rabbit’s paw he had found. He must remember to ask Uncle Redhead about it next time he visited. He took it out of his pocket and was walking head down examining it when he bumped into someone. It was Nosey, the Chief Tracker of the tribe.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going?” he shouted. “You youngsters have no consideration! In my young day . . . hi! What’s that you’ve got there?”
“I found it,” said Littlenose.
“Clever lad! Clever lad!” shouted Nosey. “My lucky rabbit’s foot! I’ve been lost without it! How can I ever repay you? Here!” And he thrust a handful of coloured pebbles at Littlenose, enough to buy all sorts of good things at the next market.
Littlenose stood deep in thought. What a strange day it had been! He had almost been eaten by a sabre-toothed tiger, looking for a pendant that wasn’t lost. And now he had a reward for finding a piece of dead rabbit.
“Come on, Two-Eyes,” he said. “Let’s see what’s for lunch.”
Rock-a-Bye Littlenose
Night had fallen and, in the caves of the Neanderthal Folk, everyone was asleep. Except Littlenose. He tossed and he turned. He sat up in bed and lay down again. “For goodness’ sake, Littlenose,” shouted Dad, “go to sleep! You’re keeping everyone awake!”
This wasn’t quite true, however, as Mum was only awake because Dad was shouting, and Two-Eyes was fast asleep in a corner.
“I can’t get to sleep,” said Littlenose. “My bed’s full of bumps and wrinkles!”
“If you made your bed properly every morning as Mum tells you,” said Dad, “this sort of thing wouldn’t happen!”
Littlenose lay down and pulled the covers over his head and, surprisingly, was soon fast asleep.
When Littlenose woke next morning, he ached all over. “It’s your own fault,” said Mum. “You can spend this morning airing and shaking your bed and re-making it properly.” A Neanderthal bed was a pile of bear skins and other furs, which served as both mattress and covers and was spread on the floor of the cave.
Littlenose began to drag his bedding out into the middle of the cave. It was quite remarkable what came to light, and even more remarkable that he managed to sleep at all. There was an old flint knife and some lucky coloured pebbles in the fold of one fur. Lifting up another, an apple core and a couple of old bones tumbled out – the remains of a midnight snack. At the very bottom of the heap, a particularly hard lump was revealed as a spare fire-making flint. It was exciting! Like a treasure hunt!
“Now,” said Mum, get those furs outside and beat them until they are clean.” And Littlenose laid out the furs on a rock and beat them vigorously with a long stick. He raised clouds of dust. When Mum was satisfied that the bedding was clean and fresh, Littlenose wearily carried it back into the cave to his own special corner.
Then he called to Two-Eyes and, together, they made their way to Littlenose’s favourite tree where they did their more important thinking.
Littlenose said, “You know, Two-Eyes, people are pretty unreasonable. Sleeping on the floor, I mean. It’s all right for you. With your fur, you could sleep on a bed of thistles without even noticing.” He leaned back and watched a bird disa
ppear into the foliage above his head. “Now, birds have more sense,” he said. “No lying on the hard ground for them; they build nests with wool and feathers and things to line them. And I bet they never lose a single wink of sleep. “Suddenly, he leapt to his feet and shouted: “I’VE GOT IT, TWO-EYES!” Startled, Two-Eyes jumped sideways and gave Littlenose a suspicious look. Littlenose’s ideas usually spelt trouble for someone – more often than not for Two-Eyes. He sneaked away as Littlenose paced up and down waving his arms as he explained his great idea.
“People nests!” he said. “If people had nests like the birds, there would be none of this business of hard floors. At bedtime they would simply snuggle down and be lulled to sleep by the gently swaying of the branches.” There and then, he decided to build a ‘people nest’, or rather, a ‘boy nest’ to prove that it could be done.
From the sun, Littlenose judged that it was almost lunch-time, but there was a lot he could do before then. He had to find a suitable tree, for instance. He set off into the woods.
He was deep in the forest before he found what he was looking for. A tall straight tree with plenty of hand and footholds for climbing and, right at the top, a stout limb growing straight out from the trunk with a large fork at the end. He started to gather twigs and branches for his nest. The time flew past, and Littlenose forgot completely that he should have been home for lunch.
Then came the tricky part, getting the twigs and branches to the top of the tree and building the nest. Littlenose could only carry one branch at a time as he climbed carefully to the fork. Soon his limbs ached and he was scratched and sore. The branches seemed to get heavier and heavier but, in the end, the last one was up and carefully balanced with the others across the forked branch.
