Yum's necklet

Everything quietened down in the cave after Yum's fight with the woman in the fish trap. The woman's husband would have been cross but he knew his woman was greedy. He couldn't see the problem as they would manage by themselves. 

Yum and Dong went to the beach to collect shellfish when fish were few. Fish tasted good when put on the fire but the shellfish were best eaten raw. Soon there was a big pile of shells outside the cave and Yum had an idea what to do with them. The ones with the best colours of similar size she collected from the pile and found if she was careful she could make a hole in the thick part to thread some twine through that they used to fasten things with. When she had a number fastened on the twine she held them up to look at the pretty shapes. Then she put one round her neck and leaned over a rock pool to see what they looked like. She loved it so much she made another one and when Dong wandered up the beach to join her she gave it to her.

Dong wasn't sure. "Doesn't Dum like how you look now?" she asked. Yum laughed "Dum would like me even if I had a smelly fish hanging round my neck. No, this is to please me. Now let me put yours on you too Dong" 

Dong tried unsuccessfully to look at herself so Yum pointed to the pool to see herself in the water. Dong looked at herself, saw the necklet and how it emphasized her face and even made her tangled hair look good. "It's good Yum; it will show we are friends. You teach me different ways of seeing things and now I am even beautiful like you. I will keep it."

310 words

 Image found at www.pixabay.com

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