Read Online The Long-Shining Waters by Danielle Sosin - Free Book Online
Authors: Danielle Sosin
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songbirds winging back to the trees. Everyone was anxious to see friends and relatives, and to hear how the winter had passed for them.
It was a mild grey morning when the party launched their boats, but the day turned cold and bright and Gichigami was rolling beneath their canoes.
Among them was a girl named Hole-in-the-Rain; she was young, only about this high, and cold. She was always cold. It happened that she was one of two, and her tiny sister, who was much weaker, didn’t survive the long cold winter of their birth.
Ever since, and even in the summer, Hole-in-the-Rain would wear a fur in order to keep the cold away. She especially didn’t like being on the water. Not only were the water spirits frightening, but she wasn’t allowed to move around in the boat, and the cold went straight to her bones.
Hole-in-the-Rain tried to amuse herself as the small party paddled across the bays, their boats moving in a line like ants. She peered down into the water, though she couldn’t see below the surface. “Stay low and sit still,” her mother warned, but the girl kept glancing over the side.
It was at the hollow-rock river, where they had stopped to rest and eat, that Hole-in-the-Rain first heard the voice. It was clear and sweet, and it called her by name. She pulled her fur tight around her, and followed the voice around the rocky point. There she found the very small cove. “Come play with me,” called the voice. “I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
No one was on the beach or back in the trees. Hole-in-the-Rain turned in circles. She looked low to the ground for the little people, but there were none. “Where are you?” she called into the cold clear air.
“Here, here,” the voice came again. “Now we can go exploring together.” Hole-in-the-Rain looked over the water, and there she saw her between the waves. A watergirl.
She had long dark hair that floated out around her and a beautiful face. But her eyes were strange; completely round like those of a fish.
“I saw you,” the girl continued, “looking down at me from your boat. Come on now. We have so much to do.” She reached her hand to Hole-in-the-Rain. “There are lots of places I want to show you.”
Hole-in-the-Rain could not believe that a girl was swimming in the water when the rocks along the shore were still held in a rim of ice. Even in the summer, Gichigami was freezing. “How can you swim in that cold water? You must be like ice through and through.”
“I’m not cold at all. It always feels good here.” The girl in the water observed Hole-in-the-Rain closely, looking her up and down with her strange round eyes. “I can see that you don’t believe me, but it’s true. Come, you’ll be fine. I promise. The water will feel like a warm breeze, and there are so many things to see. There are caves to explore, treasures to find.”
Hole-in-the-Rain considered the invitation. After all, it would be nicer to play with a new friend than to sit still all day in the cold boat.
“Come along.” The beautiful girl held out her hand. “What are you waiting for?”
Hole-in-the-Rain was tempted to go, but she was also afraid. Gichigami was the coldest thing she knew. The last time she’d waded in, the water grabbed her ankles so tight that it hurt. “I’m afraid I’ll be cold. I’m always cold.”
“Do I look cold to you? The girl reached again for Hole-in-the-Rain. “Look at my arm. Do you see any bumps? Now give me your hand. I’m getting impatient.”
It was true, she didn’t look cold at all. Hole-in-the-Rain took a step toward the water and was just reaching out her hand when her mother came around the point and saw what was happening. “Get back,” she yelled, and quickly scooped up a rock and hurled it at the watergirl. The rock struck her hard on the side of the head, and her round eyes bulged.
“Mother, stop!” screamed Hole-in-the-Rain. Her new friend was bleeding at the temple, but her mother bent for
It was a mild grey morning when the party launched their boats, but the day turned cold and bright and Gichigami was rolling beneath their canoes.
Among them was a girl named Hole-in-the-Rain; she was young, only about this high, and cold. She was always cold. It happened that she was one of two, and her tiny sister, who was much weaker, didn’t survive the long cold winter of their birth.
Ever since, and even in the summer, Hole-in-the-Rain would wear a fur in order to keep the cold away. She especially didn’t like being on the water. Not only were the water spirits frightening, but she wasn’t allowed to move around in the boat, and the cold went straight to her bones.
Hole-in-the-Rain tried to amuse herself as the small party paddled across the bays, their boats moving in a line like ants. She peered down into the water, though she couldn’t see below the surface. “Stay low and sit still,” her mother warned, but the girl kept glancing over the side.
It was at the hollow-rock river, where they had stopped to rest and eat, that Hole-in-the-Rain first heard the voice. It was clear and sweet, and it called her by name. She pulled her fur tight around her, and followed the voice around the rocky point. There she found the very small cove. “Come play with me,” called the voice. “I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
No one was on the beach or back in the trees. Hole-in-the-Rain turned in circles. She looked low to the ground for the little people, but there were none. “Where are you?” she called into the cold clear air.
“Here, here,” the voice came again. “Now we can go exploring together.” Hole-in-the-Rain looked over the water, and there she saw her between the waves. A watergirl.
She had long dark hair that floated out around her and a beautiful face. But her eyes were strange; completely round like those of a fish.
“I saw you,” the girl continued, “looking down at me from your boat. Come on now. We have so much to do.” She reached her hand to Hole-in-the-Rain. “There are lots of places I want to show you.”
Hole-in-the-Rain could not believe that a girl was swimming in the water when the rocks along the shore were still held in a rim of ice. Even in the summer, Gichigami was freezing. “How can you swim in that cold water? You must be like ice through and through.”
“I’m not cold at all. It always feels good here.” The girl in the water observed Hole-in-the-Rain closely, looking her up and down with her strange round eyes. “I can see that you don’t believe me, but it’s true. Come, you’ll be fine. I promise. The water will feel like a warm breeze, and there are so many things to see. There are caves to explore, treasures to find.”
Hole-in-the-Rain considered the invitation. After all, it would be nicer to play with a new friend than to sit still all day in the cold boat.
“Come along.” The beautiful girl held out her hand. “What are you waiting for?”
Hole-in-the-Rain was tempted to go, but she was also afraid. Gichigami was the coldest thing she knew. The last time she’d waded in, the water grabbed her ankles so tight that it hurt. “I’m afraid I’ll be cold. I’m always cold.”
“Do I look cold to you? The girl reached again for Hole-in-the-Rain. “Look at my arm. Do you see any bumps? Now give me your hand. I’m getting impatient.”
It was true, she didn’t look cold at all. Hole-in-the-Rain took a step toward the water and was just reaching out her hand when her mother came around the point and saw what was happening. “Get back,” she yelled, and quickly scooped up a rock and hurled it at the watergirl. The rock struck her hard on the side of the head, and her round eyes bulged.
“Mother, stop!” screamed Hole-in-the-Rain. Her new friend was bleeding at the temple, but her mother bent for
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