Part One, Section 8 (to page 59) Summary and Analysis

Before a Jalco boy reaches five or six, his days mostly consist of playtime and running errands. The opening paragraphs of this section discuss the playtime activities of the boys in Jalco. Older boys participate in more adventurous games, while the younger boys watch in awe.

Ernie talks about the pond where he and his cousins play in the reeds and mud. They chase small reptiles through the mud until they jump into the water. The boys also make up stories about poisonous snakes and alligators. Older boys from the village sometimes swim and dive in the pond. Using a rope hanging from a branch of the walnut tree, the boys swing over the water and drop in. Younger boys watch this activity from the swimming hole, where they paddle around under the...