Two Old Women

The arrival of spring brings an abundance of animal life. The women decide to dedicate themselves to muskrat hunting. They locate and stake out a muskrat tunnel, building a miniature version of their camp nearby. When they kill enough wildlife that is “more than their share” (72), they return to their base camp. They immediately decide that they need to relocate, given the growing chances that another tribe will find them and kill them for their hard-earned food supply. They make an “unpleasant trek” (74) to an insect-ridden thicket in hopes that other humans will not attempt to situate themselves in such burdensome circumstances. They do everything they can to erase their presence from their original base camp, only to realize that because they have pulled so much birch bark from the trees, their existence in the area is unquestionable. Since they can’t replace the bark, they hide and hope for the best. In their new location, the women must cover themselves in “muskrat grease” (75) and heavy clothing to avoid being “eaten alive” (75). They have a bountiful summer, full of freshly caught fish. Before long, fall starts to rear its head again. The women return to the base camp they had deserted at the end of winter, only to realize that they have more fish than they have places to store them.