Chapter 5 Summary

The huts in Kouroussa are so small that not all of Laye's brothers and sisters can sleep in their mother's hut. Some of them must sleep in their father's mother's hut. Laye sleeps in his mother's hut but he doesn't get his own bed. He must share his bed with his father's younger apprentices.

Because his father is so well known, there are always many apprentices staying at his forge. These apprentices are treated like children of the family, eating and sleeping with them. Laye thinks his mother treats the apprentices better than she treats her own children, but he doesn't hold a grudge about this.

Laye remembers one particular apprentice named Sidafa. Laye and Sidafa like to stay up late talking about their days, Sidafa having spent the day in the forge and Laye having been at school. Laye's mother doesn't like...