The Elder

The Elder is an old man in the story "The Years, Months and Days" that stays behind to die in the village. He does not believe that he can make the journey to the east so he decides to stay behind and die in his village. While he stays in the village, The Elder takes care of one corn stalk so that the villagers will have some corn seeds that they will be able to plant when they return to the village.

The Elder lives with his companion Blindy and the pair protect the corn stalk. The Elder builds a hut near the corn stalk so he can protect it from the wind and sun. He and Blindy water the plant with their urine and protect it from the rats that still live around the village. The pair eat the corn seeds that the other villagers had...