Tuesday 10 June 2014

Encounter on the beach (Dum tales 22)




Dum and Grunt had come to a form of truce about the merits of the bird traps mainly because both satisfied their constructors well. Dum could think of nothing worse than sitting by a trap waiting for a bird to enter then pull the cord and to trap it inside. This however suited Grunt well. Dum on the other hand preferred to set his trap and return later to see if anything was caught because it couldn’t get out. Both men were however disappointed with the results as the few birds that were caught amounted to barely a mouthful each and they needed so many to feed the family.

Yum meanwhile was busy with her new baby, her little girl. It wasn’t long before Wah-Wah was toddling everywhere and so the baby slings were used for the new baby and Yum was back out with Dong roaming through the scrubland gathering what they could not only to eat but to make things with as well.

They had wandered onto the beach and as the tide was out and the fish trap empty they slowly walked with the children. Bonk, Dong’s little boy ran on ahead and Wah-Wah now walking toddling along after him. They had walked a long way south and the boys were running on ahead jumping over the seaweed that had washed up on the sand. Yum then noticed a woman further away gathering the seaweed in her basket. As the boys were nearly up to her she beckoned to Dong to catch up with the boys to make sure they were safe.

Dong ran after the boys and when she got there the woman was showing Bonk and Wah-Wah that they could squeeze the bobble covered seaweed and make it pop. They were laughing each time she did it but were not strong enough to do it themselves. By the time Yum had caught up with them Bonk was wearing some weed on his head pretending he was a sea monster.

The women began to talk of their own people and the strange woman said she collected this seaweed, cleaned it in fresh water and cooked it like a vegetable.
She then went on to say it was good to use to heal wounds and for sore throats. Dong merely shook her head in disbelief.

Yum however nodded and said she would try some. She then said that her name was Yum and pointed to Dong and said “Dong”. The woman nodded, smiled and then said “My name is Song”.

Song then pointed to the children in turn and said “Bonk” and then turned to Wah-Wah and said “Wah-Wah” but when she looked at Yum’s baby she looked quizzically at Yum.

“This is Lah-Lah” Yum said shyly.

5 comments:

  1. Ah, we have a new charcter in the story! I visualize a sweet picture of mothers, baby, and children happy to make a new aquaintance. Lah-lah is a pretty name, i have a friend who goes by that. Thank you for joining us for Two Shoes Tuesday

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  2. I am wondering what the seaweed in the photo is, and if you have ever eaten it yourself...
    We eat various kinds of seaweeds in Japan, but I don't think I have eaten the one shown in the photo.
    I am interested to read more about Song.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the visit Romi. The seaweed is Ascophyllum nodosum or Bladderwrack which has a high iodine content and is medicinal as well as a food source. I think it is found in cooler seas. Luckily we have the Japanese to reintroduce seaweed to us.

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  3. One wonders how the first people to eat seaweed got the idea. It's not like it looks or smells appealing.

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