By the Waters of Babylon - mrgravuer - Homemrgravuer.wikispaces.com/file/view/By the Waters of...the metal must be a priest or the son of a priest. Afterward, both the man and the

82 Collection 3: Narrator and VoicePart 1

The title of this fantasy is taken from Psalm 137 in the Bible. The psalm tells of

the Israelites’ great sorrow over the destruction of their Temple in Jerusalem

(Zion) and their enslavement in Babylon. The psalm opens

By the waters of Babylon,

there we sat down and wept,

when we remembered Zion.

Stephen Vincent Benét wrote this story partly as a cautionary tale, or a story

meant to serve as a warning. As you read, be alert to what Benét is warning

about. You should know that the story was written in 1937, before the inven-

tion of nuclear weapons.

LITERARY FOCUS: FIRST-PERSON POINT OF VIEW AND SETTING• John, a young man, narrates the story from his first-person point of view.

We see the world and experience events as John does.

• Because he is a first-person narrator, John can tell us only what he knows

and experiences. As you read, think about whether John is a credible, or

believable, narrator. Is what he tells you totally accurate?

• Setting—the place and time of the story—is at the heart of “By the

Waters of Babylon.” The first location of the story—the land of the Hill

People—may make you think of a Native American legend. The story’s

second major location—the Place of the Gods—is actually a famous city in

the United States. Look for clues that help you identify the city and that

reveal what has happened there.

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By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benét

Literary SkillsUnderstand the

first-personpoint of view.

Understandsetting.

ReadingSkillsDraw

conclusions.

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By the Waters of Babylon 83

READING SKILLS: DRAWING CONCLUSIONSA conclusion is a judgment that you draw, or come to, after you have

considered all the evidence. The conclusions you draw when you read a

story are based on details you are given about the plot, the characters, and

the setting. As you read this fantasy story, you will have to draw conclusions

about many things. You’ll have to decide, for example, where the narrator

lives and when he lives. You will also have to decide just where this boy

goes on his journey. The evidence is there; you have to read carefully and

draw on your own experience to find the answers.

The narrator describes each of the places and things listed on the chart

below. Based on just what is written there, fill in what you think each place

or thing is. After you have read all the details in the story, you’ll probably

draw different conclusions.

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Detail What It Might Be

Place of the Gods

Great Burning

Ou-dis-sun

Statue of the man

named ASHING

Temple with stars on

the ceiling

Cooking place

with no wood


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The north and the west and the south are good hunting ground,

but it is forbidden to go east. It is forbidden to go to any of the

Dead Places except to search for metal, and then he who touches

the metal must be a priest or the son of a priest. Afterward,

both the man and the metal must be purified. These are the

rules and the laws; they are well made. It is forbidden to cross

the great river and look upon the place that was the Place of

the Gods—this is most strictly forbidden. We do not even say

its name though we know its name. It is there that spirits live,

and demons—it is there that there are the ashes of the Great10


In the first paragraph, circlethe rules and laws that thenarrator describes. Thenunderline the word forbiddeneach time it is used.

Stephen Vincent Benét

“By the Waters of Babylon” from The Selected Works of Stephen Vincent Benét. Copyright © 1937 by Stephen Vincent Benét; copyright renewed © 1964 by Thomas C. Benét, Stephanie P. Mahin, and Rachel Benét Lewis. Reprinted by permission of Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents, Inc.

© CORBIS.


Burning. These things are forbidden—they have been forbidden

since the beginning of time.

My father is a priest; I am the son of a priest. I have been

in the Dead Places near us, with my father—at first, I was afraid.

When my father went into the house to search for the metal, I

stood by the door and my heart felt small and weak. It was a

dead man’s house, a spirit house. It did not have the smell of

man, though there were old bones in a corner. But it is not

fitting that a priest’s son should show fear. I looked at the

bones in the shadow and kept my voice still.

Then my father came out with the metal—a good, strong

piece. He looked at me with both eyes but I had not run away.

He gave me the metal to hold—I took it and did not die. So he

knew that I was truly his son and would be a priest in my time.

That was when I was very young—nevertheless, my brothers

would not have done it, though they are good hunters. After

that, they gave me the good piece of meat and the warm corner

by the fire. My father watched over me—he was glad that I

should be a priest. But when I boasted or wept without a reason,

he punished me more strictly than my brothers. That was right.

After a time, I myself was allowed to go into the dead

houses and search for metal. So I learned the ways of those

houses—and if I saw bones, I was no longer afraid. The bones

are light and old—sometimes they will fall into dust if you

touch them. But that is a great sin.

I was taught the chants and the spells—I was taught how to

stop blood from a wound and many secrets. A priest must know

many secrets—that was what my father said. If the hunters think

we do all things by chants and spells, they may believe so—it

does not hurt them. I was taught how to read in the old books

and how to make the old writings—that was hard and took a

long time. My knowledge made me happy—it was like a fire in

my heart. Most of all, I liked to hear of the Old Days and the

stories of the gods. I asked myself many questions that I could

not answer, but it was good to ask them. At night, I would lie

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Pause at line 12. What do therules and laws suggest aboutthe narrator’s society?

Circle the words in lines 13–20that tell you the story is written from the first-personpoint of view. Who is thenarrator?

In lines 21–24, underlinewhat the boy concludeswhen he holds the metal and does not die.

Re-read lines 36–42, andunderline details describinghow the boy prepared to be a priest. What can youinfer, or guess, about the boy from the way he feelsabout knowledge?


awake and listen to the wind—it seemed to me that it was the

voice of the gods as they flew through the air.

We are not ignorant like the Forest People—our women

spin wool on the wheel, our priests wear a white robe. We do

not eat grubs from the tree, we have not forgotten the old

writings, although they are hard to understand. Nevertheless, my

knowledge and my lack of knowledge burned in me—I wished

to know more. When I was a man at last, I came to my father and

said, “It is time for me to go on my journey. Give me your leave.”

He looked at me for a long time, stroking his beard, then

he said at last, “Yes. It is time.” That night, in the house of the

priesthood, I asked for and received purification. My body hurt

but my spirit was a cool stone. It was my father himself who

questioned me about my dreams.

He bade me look into the smoke of the fire and see—I saw

and told what I saw. It was what I have always seen—a river, and,

beyond it, a great Dead Place and in it the gods walking. I have

always thought about that. His eyes were stern when I told him—

he was no longer my father but a priest. He said, “This is a

strong dream.”

“It is mine,” I said, while the smoke waved and my head felt

light. They were singing the Star song in the outer chamber and

it was like the buzzing of bees in my head.

He asked me how the gods were dressed and I told him

how they were dressed. We know how they were dressed from

the book, but I saw them as if they were before me. When I had

finished, he threw the sticks three times and studied them as

they fell.

“This is a very strong dream,” he said. “It may eat you up.”

“I am not afraid,” I said and looked at him with both eyes.

My voice sounded thin in my ears but that was because of the

smoke.

He touched me on the breast and the forehead. He gave me

the bow and the three arrows.

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Writers use foreshadowingto hint at events that willhappen later in the story. Inlines 61–62, underline whatthe boy sees in the smoke.What places do you think hewill visit later on?

What does the father meanwhen he says the boy’sdream may “eat him up”(line 74)?


“Take them,” he said. “It is forbidden to travel east. It is

forbidden to cross the river. It is forbidden to go to the Place

of the Gods. All these things are forbidden.”

“All these things are forbidden,” I said, but it was my voice

that spoke and not my spirit. He looked at me again.

“My son,” he said. “Once I had young dreams. If your

dreams do not eat you up, you may be a great priest. If they eat

you, you are still my son. Now go on your journey.”

I went fasting, as is the law. My body hurt but not my

heart. When the dawn came, I was out of sight of the village.

I prayed and purified myself, waiting for a sign. The sign was

an eagle. It flew east.

Sometimes signs are sent by bad spirits. I waited again on

the flat rock, fasting, taking no food. I was very still—I could

feel the sky above me and the earth beneath. I waited till the

sun was beginning to sink. Then three deer passed in the valley,

going east—they did not wind1 me or see me. There was a white

fawn with them—a very great sign.

I followed them, at a distance, waiting for what would

happen. My heart was troubled about going east, yet I knew that

I must go. My head hummed with my fasting—I did not even

see the panther spring upon the white fawn. But, before I knew

it, the bow was in my hand. I shouted and the panther lifted his

head from the fawn. It is not easy to kill a panther with one arrow

but the arrow went through his eye and into his brain. He died

as he tried to spring—he rolled over, tearing at the ground. Then

I knew I was meant to go east—I knew that was my journey.

When the night came, I made my fire and roasted meat.

It is eight suns’ journey to the east and a man passes by

many Dead Places. The Forest People are afraid of them but

I am not. Once I made my fire on the edge of a Dead Place at

night and, next morning, in the dead house, I found a good

knife, little rusted. That was small to what came afterward but it

made my heart feel big. Always when I looked for game, it was

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1. wind (wind) v.: detect the scent of.

Circle the forbidden things inlines 80–82. Do you think theboy will obey the rules? Whyor why not?

An internal conflict takesplace in a character’s mindbetween opposing ideas or feelings. What is thenarrator’s internal conflict(lines 80–106)? Underline the signs that convince himto journey east.


in front of my arrow, and twice I passed hunting parties of the

Forest People without their knowing. So I knew my magic was

strong and my journey clean, in spite of the law.

Toward the setting of the eighth sun, I came to the banks

of the great river. It was half a day’s journey after I had left the

god-road—we do not use the god-roads now, for they are falling

apart into great blocks of stone, and the forest is safer going.

A long way off, I had seen the water through trees but the trees

were thick. At last, I came out upon an open place at the top of

a cliff. There was the great river below, like a giant in the sun.

It is very long, very wide. It could eat all the streams we know

and still be thirsty. Its name is Ou-dis-sun, the Sacred, the Long.

No man of my tribe had seen it, not even my father, the priest.

It was magic and I prayed.

Then I raised my eyes and looked south. It was there, the

Place of the Gods.

How can I tell what it was like—you do not know. It was

there, in the red light, and they were too big to be houses. It was

there with the red light upon it, mighty and ruined. I knew that

in another moment the gods would see me. I covered my eyes

with my hands and crept back into the forest.

Surely, that was enough to do, and live. Surely it was enough

to spend the night upon the cliff. The Forest People themselves

do not come near. Yet, all through the night, I knew that I

should have to cross the river and walk in the places of the gods,

although the gods ate me up. My magic did not help me at all

and yet there was a fire in my bowels, a fire in my mind. When

the sun rose, I thought, “My journey has been clean. Now I will

go home from my journey.” But, even as I thought so, I knew I

could not. If I went to the Place of the Gods, I would surely die,

but, if I did not go, I could never be at peace with my spirit

again. It is better to lose one’s life than one’s spirit, if one is a

priest and the son of a priest.

Nevertheless, as I made the raft, the tears ran out of my

eyes. The Forest People could have killed me without fight, if

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The narrator usespersonification when hespeaks of the river as if itwere a person. Underline thewords he uses to personifythe river in line 123.

In lines 143–145, underlinethe narrator’s reason forgoing on. What three words would you use todescribe him?

Ou-dis-sun (line 125) is yourfirst clue to where the Placeof the Gods is. Can you tell bysounding it out? Don’t worryif you don’t yet recognize it.There will be more cluesthroughout the story.


they had come upon me then, but they did not come. When the

raft was made, I said the sayings for the dead and painted myself

for death. My heart was cold as a frog and my knees like water,

but the burning in my mind would not let me have peace. As I

pushed the raft from the shore, I began my death song—I had

the right. It was a fine song.

“I am John, son of John,” I sang. “My people

are the Hill People. They are the men.

I go into the Dead Places but I am not slain.

I take the metal from the Dead Places but

I am not blasted.

I travel upon the god-roads and am not

afraid. E-yah! I have killed the panther,

I have killed the fawn!

E-yah! I have come to the great river. No

man has come there before.

It is forbidden to go east, but I have gone,

forbidden to go on the great river, but

I am there.

Open your hearts, you spirits, and hear my

song. Now I go to the Place of the Gods,

I shall not return.

My body is painted for death and my limbs

weak, but my heart is big as I go to the

Place of the Gods!”

All the same, when I came to the Place of the Gods, I was afraid,

afraid. The current of the great river is very strong—it gripped

my raft with its hands. That was magic, for the river itself is

wide and calm. I could feel evil spirits about me, in the bright

morning; I could feel their breath on my neck as I was swept

down the stream. Never have I been so much alone—I tried to

think of my knowledge, but it was a squirrel’s heap of winter nuts.

There was no strength in my knowledge anymore and I felt

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Underline the similes—comparisons using like or as—that describe the narrator’sfear (line 151).

Practice reading the songaloud at least twice. Use a tone of voice that thenarrator might have used,and remember that hedescribed this song as his“death song.”

What important fact do youlearn in the first line of thenarrator’s song (line 155)?


small and naked as a new-hatched bird—alone upon the great

river, the servant of the gods.

Yet, after a while, my eyes were opened and I saw. I saw both

banks of the river—I saw that once there had been god-roads

across it, though now they were broken and fallen like broken

vines. Very great they were, and wonderful and broken—broken

in the time of the Great Burning when the fire fell out of the sky.

And always the current took me nearer to the Place of the Gods,

and the huge ruins rose before my eyes.

I do not know the customs of rivers—we are the People

of the Hills. I tried to guide my raft with the pole but it spun

around. I thought the river meant to take me past the Place of

the Gods and out into the Bitter Water of the legends. I grew

angry then—my heart felt strong. I said aloud, “I am a priest

and the son of a priest!” The gods heard me—they showed me

how to paddle with the pole on one side of the raft. The current

changed itself—I drew near to the Place of the Gods.

When I was very near, my raft struck and turned over. I can

swim in our lakes—I swam to the shore. There was a great spike

of rusted metal sticking out into the river—I hauled myself up

upon it and sat there, panting. I had saved my bow and two

arrows and the knife I found in the Dead Place but that was all.

My raft went whirling downstream toward the Bitter Water.

I looked after it, and thought if it had trod me under, at least

I would be safely dead. Nevertheless, when I had dried my bow-

string and restrung it, I walked forward to the Place of the Gods.

It felt like ground underfoot; it did not burn me. It is not

true what some of the tales say, that the ground there burns

forever, for I have been there. Here and there were the marks

and stains of the Great Burning, on the ruins, that is true. But

they were old marks and old stains. It is not true either, what

some of our priests say, that it is an island covered with fogs

and enchantments. It is not. It is a great Dead Place—greater

than any Dead Place we know. Everywhere in it there are

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Re-read lines 208–217. Whydo you think the old talesdescribed burnings, fogs, and enchantments that thenarrator does not find?

In lines 193–194, John talksabout being swept past thePlace of the Gods and outinto the Bitter Water. Whatdo you think the BitterWater really is? This is another clue to where thePlace of the Gods is.

What do you think reallyhappened during the GreatBurning, when the “fire fellout of the sky” (line 188)?


god-roads, though most are cracked and broken. Everywhere

there are the ruins of the high towers of the gods.

How shall I tell what I saw? I went carefully, my strung

bow in my hand, my skin ready for danger. There should have

been the wailings of spirits and the shrieks of demons, but there

were not. It was very silent and sunny where I had landed—the

wind and the rain and the birds that drop seeds had done their

work—the grass grew in the cracks of the broken stone. It is a

fair island—no wonder the gods built there. If I had come there,

a god, I also would have built.

How shall I tell what I saw? The towers are not all broken—

here and there one still stands, like a great tree in a forest, and

the birds nest high. But the towers themselves look blind, for the

gods are gone. I saw a fish-hawk, catching fish in the river. I saw

a little dance of white butterflies over a great heap of broken

stones and columns. I went there and looked about me—there

was a carved stone with cut-letters, broken in half. I can read

letters but I could not understand these. They said UBTREAS.

There was also the shattered image of a man or a god. It had

been made of white stone and he wore his hair tied back like a

woman’s. His name was ASHING, as I read on the cracked half

of a stone. I thought it wise to pray to ASHING, though I do not

know that god.

How shall I tell what I saw? There was no smell of man left,

on stone or metal. Nor were there many trees in that wilderness

of stone. There are many pigeons, nesting and dropping in the

towers—the gods must have loved them, or, perhaps, they used

them for sacrifices. There are wild cats that roam the god-roads,

green-eyed, unafraid of man. At night they wail like demons

but they are not demons. The wild dogs are more dangerous,

for they hunt in a pack, but them I did not meet till later.

Everywhere there are the carved stones, carved with magical

numbers or words.

I went north—I did not try to hide myself. When a god

or a demon saw me, then I would die, but meanwhile I was no

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What do you think UBTREASand ASHING once meant(lines 233 and 236)?

Underline details in lines221–238 that help you visualize the setting of thePlace of the Gods.


longer afraid. My hunger for knowledge burned in me—there

was so much that I could not understand. After a while, I knew

that my belly was hungry. I could have hunted for my meat,

but I did not hunt. It is known that the gods did not hunt as

we do—they got their food from enchanted boxes and jars.

Sometimes these are still found in the Dead Places—once, when

I was a child and foolish, I opened such a jar and tasted it and

found the food sweet. But my father found out and punished

me for it strictly, for, often, that food is death. Now, though,

I had long gone past what was forbidden, and I entered the

likeliest towers, looking for the food of the gods.

I found it at last in the ruins of a great temple in the

midcity. A mighty temple it must have been, for the roof was

painted like the sky at night with its stars—that much I could

see, though the colors were faint and dim. It went down into

great caves and tunnels—perhaps they kept their slaves there.

But when I started to climb down, I heard the squeaking of rats,

so I did not go—rats are unclean, and there must have been many

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Underline the details you aregiven about the great templein midcity (lines 262–266).What could this be?

Why do you think the foodin the boxes and jars wasoften “death” (line 259)?

ElektraVision/Index Stock.


tribes of them, from the squeaking. But near there, I found food,

in the heart of a ruin, behind a door that still opened. I ate only

the fruits from the jars—they had a very sweet taste. There was

drink, too, in bottles of glass—the drink of the gods was strong

and made my head swim. After I had eaten and drunk, I slept on

the top of a stone, my bow at my side.

When I woke, the sun was low. Looking down from where

I lay, I saw a dog sitting on his haunches. His tongue was hanging

out of his mouth; he looked as if he were laughing. He was a big

dog, with a gray-brown coat, as big as a wolf. I sprang up and

shouted at him but he did not move—he just sat there as if he

were laughing. I did not like that. When I reached for a stone

to throw, he moved swiftly out of the way of the stone. He was

not afraid of me; he looked at me as if I were meat. No doubt

I could have killed him with an arrow, but I did not know if

there were others. Moreover, night was falling.

I looked about me—not far away there was a great, broken

god-road, leading north. The towers were high enough, but not

so high, and while many of the dead houses were wrecked, there

were some that stood. I went toward this god-road, keeping to

the heights of the ruins, while the dog followed. When I had

reached the god-road, I saw that there were others behind him.

If I had slept later, they would have come upon me asleep and

torn out my throat. As it was, they were sure enough of me; they

did not hurry. When I went into the dead house, they kept watch

at the entrance—doubtless they thought they would have a fine

hunt. But a dog cannot open a door and I knew, from the books,

that the gods did not like to live on the ground but on high.

I had just found a door I could open when the dogs

decided to rush. Ha! They were surprised when I shut the door

in their faces—it was a good door, of strong metal. I could hear

their foolish baying beyond it but I did not stop to answer them.

I was in darkness—I found stairs and climbed. There were many

stairs, turning around till my head was dizzy. At the top was

another door—I found the knob and opened it. I was in a long

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What external conflict doesJohn face in lines 285–299?

What prevents the dogs fromkilling John? Underline thedetails in lines 291–299 thatsupport your answer.


small chamber—on one side of it was a bronze door that could

not be opened, for it had no handle. Perhaps there was a magic

word to open it but I did not have the word. I turned to the

door in the opposite side of the wall. The lock of it was broken

and I opened it and went in.

Within, there was a place of great riches. The god who lived

there must have been a powerful god. The first room was a small

anteroom—I waited there for some time, telling the spirits of the

place that I came in peace and not as a robber. When it seemed

to me that they had had time to hear me, I went on. Ah, what

riches! Few, even, of the windows had been broken—it was all

as it had been. The great windows that looked over the city had

not been broken at all though they were dusty and streaked

with many years. There were coverings on the floors, the colors

not greatly faded, and the chairs were soft and deep. There

were pictures upon the walls, very strange, very wonderful—

I remember one of a bunch of flowers in a jar—if you came close

to it, you could see nothing but bits of color, but if you stood

away from it, the flowers might have been picked yesterday. It

made my heart feel strange to look at this picture—and to look

at the figure of a bird, in some hard clay, on a table and see it so

like our birds. Everywhere there were books and writings, many

in tongues that I could not read. The god who lived there must

have been a wise god and full of knowledge. I felt I had right

there, as I sought knowledge also.

Nevertheless, it was strange. There was a washing-place but

no water—perhaps the gods washed in air. There was a cooking-

place but no wood, and though there was a machine to cook

food, there was no place to put fire in it. Nor were there candles

or lamps—there were things that looked like lamps but they had

neither oil nor wick. All these things were magic, but I touched

them and lived—the magic had gone out of them. Let me tell

one thing to show. In the washing-place, a thing said “Hot” but

it was not hot to the touch—another thing said “Cold” but it was

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In lines 317–328, John findshimself in a place of “greatriches.” Underline the thingshe sees.

Circle the everyday itemsJohn finds in lines 329–334.Why do they seem like“magic” to him?

John is in a tall building witha lot of stairs. What do youthink the door with no handle(lines 303–305) leads to?


not cold. This must have been a strong magic but the magic was

gone. I do not understand—they had ways—I wish that I knew.

It was close and dry and dusty in their house of the gods.

I have said the magic was gone but that is not true—it had gone

from the magic things but it had not gone from the place. I felt

the spirits about me, weighing upon me. Nor had I ever slept in

a Dead Place before—and yet, tonight, I must sleep there. When

I thought of it, my tongue felt dry in my throat, in spite of my

wish for knowledge. Almost I would have gone down again and

faced the dogs, but I did not.

I had not gone through all the rooms when the darkness

fell. When it fell, I went back to the big room looking over

the city and made fire. There was a place to make fire and a

box with wood in it, though I do not think they cooked there.

I wrapped myself in a floor-covering and slept in front of the

fire—I was very tired.

Now I tell what is very strong magic. I woke in the midst

of the night. When I woke, the fire had gone out and I was cold.

It seemed to me that all around me there were whisperings and

voices. I closed my eyes to shut them out. Some will say that

I slept again, but I do not think that I slept. I could feel the spirits

drawing my spirit out of my body as a fish is drawn on a line.

Why should I lie about it? I am a priest and the son of a

priest. If there are spirits, as they say, in the small Dead Places

near us, what spirits must there not be in that great Place of the

Gods? And would not they wish to speak? After such long years?

I know that I felt myself drawn as a fish is drawn on a line. I had

stepped out of my body—I could see my body asleep in front of

the cold fire, but it was not I. I was drawn to look out upon the

city of the gods.

It should have been dark, for it was night, but it was not

dark. Everywhere there were lights—lines of light—circles and

blurs of light—ten thousand torches would not have been the

same. The sky itself was alight—you could barely see the stars

340

350

360

370


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During the night, John has avision. What simile does heuse in line 359 to describe hisspirit?

NotesNotes


for the glow in the sky. I thought to myself, “This is strong

magic,” and trembled. There was a roaring in my ears like the

rushing of rivers. Then my eyes grew used to the light and my

ears to the sound. I knew that I was seeing the city as it had

been when the gods were alive.

That was a sight indeed—yes, that was a sight: I could not

have seen it in the body—my body would have died. Everywhere

went the gods, on foot and in chariots—there were gods beyond

number and counting and their chariots blocked the streets.

They had turned night to day for their pleasure—they did not

sleep with the sun. The noise of their coming and going was the

noise of many waters. It was magic what they could do—it was

magic what they did.

I looked out of another window—the great vines of their

bridges were mended and the god-roads went east and west.

Restless, restless were the gods, and always in motion! They

burrowed tunnels under rivers—they flew in the air. With

unbelievable tools they did giant works—no part of the earth

was safe from them, for, if they wished for a thing, they sum-

moned it from the other side of the world. And always, as they

labored and rested, as they feasted and made love, there was a

drum in their ears—the pulse of the giant city, beating and

beating like a man’s heart.

Were they happy? What is happiness to the gods? They

were great, they were mighty, they were wonderful and terrible.

As I looked upon them and their magic, I felt like a child—but

a little more, it seemed to me, and they would pull down the

moon from the sky. I saw them with wisdom beyond wisdom

and knowledge beyond knowledge. And yet not all they did was

well done—even I could see that—and yet their wisdom could

not but grow until all was peace.

Then I saw their fate come upon them and that was terrible

past speech. It came upon them as they walked the streets of

their city. I have been in the fights with the Forest People—

I have seen men die. But this was not like that. When gods war

380

390

400


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In lines 377–394, underline at least six things that Johnnotices about the way thegods lived in the past. Howdo you think he was able to“see” these things?


with gods, they use weapons we do not know. It was fire falling

out of the sky and a mist that poisoned. It was the time of the

Great Burning and the Destruction. They ran about like ants in

the streets of their city—poor gods, poor gods! Then the towers

began to fall. A few escaped—yes, a few. The legends tell it. But,

even after the city had become a Dead Place, for many years the

poison was still in the ground. I saw it happen, I saw the last of

them die. It was darkness over the broken city and I wept.

All this, I saw. I saw it as I have told it, though not in the

body. When I woke in the morning, I was hungry, but I did

not think first of my hunger, for my heart was perplexed and

confused. I knew the reason for the Dead Places but I did not

see why it had happened. It seemed to me it should not have

happened, with all the magic they had. I went through the

house looking for an answer. There was so much in the house

I could not understand—and yet I am a priest and the son of

a priest. It was like being on one side of the great river, at night,

with no light to show the way.

Then I saw the dead god. He was sitting in his chair, by

the window, in a room I had not entered before and, for the first

moment, I thought that he was alive. Then I saw the skin on the

back of his hand—it was like dry leather. The room was shut,

hot and dry—no doubt that had kept him as he was. At first

I was afraid to approach him—then the fear left me. He was

sitting looking out over the city—he was dressed in the clothes

of the gods. His age was neither young nor old—I could not

tell his age. But there was wisdom in his face and great sadness.

You could see that he would have not run away. He had sat at

his window, watching his city die—then he himself had died.

But it is better to lose one’s life than one’s spirit—and you could

see from the face that his spirit had not been lost. I knew that,

if I touched him, he would fall into dust—and yet, there was

something unconquered in the face.

410

420

430


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What do you think the firethat fell from the sky and the poison mist (lines407–408) might be?

Pause at line 424. What can’tJohn understand about thegods, who seemed to have so much wisdom and power?

Why does John think heshould be able to understandthese mysteries (lines421–423)?


That is all of my story, for then I knew he was a man—

I knew then that they had been men, neither gods nor demons.

It is a great knowledge, hard to tell and believe. They were men—

they went a dark road, but they were men. I had no fear after

that—I had no fear going home, though twice I fought off the

dogs and I was hunted for two days by the Forest People. When

I saw my father again, I prayed and was purified. He touched

my lips and my breast, he said, “You went away a boy. You come

back a man and a priest.” I said, “Father, they were men! I have

been in the Place of the Gods and seen it! Now slay me, if it is

the law—but still I know they were men.”

He looked at me out of both eyes. He said, “The law is not

always the same shape—you have done what you have done. I

could not have done it in my time, but you come after me. Tell!”

I told and he listened. After that, I wished to tell all the

people but he showed me otherwise. He said, “Truth is a hard

deer to hunt. If you eat too much truth at once, you may die

of the truth. It was not idly that our fathers forbade the Dead

Places.” He was right—it is better the truth should come little by

little. I have learned that, being a priest. Perhaps, in the old days,

they ate knowledge too fast.

Nevertheless, we make a beginning. It is not for the metal

alone we go to the Dead Places now—there are the books and

the writings. They are hard to learn. And the magic tools are

broken—but we can look at them and wonder. At least, we

make a beginning. And, when I am chief priest we shall go

beyond the great river. We shall go to the Place of the Gods—

the place newyork—not one man but a company. We shall look

for the images of the gods and find the god ASHING and the

others—the gods Lincoln and Biltmore2 and Moses.3 But they

were men who built the city, not gods or demons. They were

men. I remember the dead man’s face. They were men who

were here before us. We must build again.

440

450

460

470


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2. Biltmore: a New York City hotel.3. Moses: Robert Moses (1888–1981): New York City public official

who oversaw many large construction projects, such as bridges and public buildings.

What “great knowledge”does John discover in themorning (lines 440–443)?

In lines 465–469, underlinewhat John plans to do whenhe is chief priest. Circle thename of the Place of theGods.

What does John mean whenhe says that in the old days“they ate knowledge toofast” (line 460)?


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What the Narrator Names

Dead Places

Place of the Gods

Great Burning

Old Days

My Conclusions About What the Narrator Is Describing

By the Waters of BabylonConclusions Chart “By the Waters of Babylon” is told from the point of viewof a narrator, John, who goes on a journey of discovery. Until John completes

his journey of discovery, his descriptions of places and events are incomplete

or unreliable.

Draw conclusions about what the narrator sees in “By the Waters of Babylon.”

Fill in the chart by writing what you think he is describing.

Ou-dis-sun

ASHING

Temple with stars on

the ceiling


Sharpen your test-taking skills by completing the sample test item. Then, check your

answer against the explanation in the right-hand column.

By the Waters of Babylon

Skills ReviewSkills Review


Explanation of the Correct Answer

The correct answer is B.

A is incorrect because the writer never

portrays John as feeling sorry for him-

self. Nothing that John does or says

supports answer C. Although some

of John’s actions at the beginning of

the story support the answer D, B is the

best answer.

Sample Test Item

Which statement best describes the

narrator’s voice?

A It is self-pitying.

B It is courageous and intelligent.

C It is shallow and lazy.

D It is considerate and loving.

4. John learns that the inhabitants of

the Place of the Gods—

F knew little more than the Hill

People

G reestablished their community a

few miles from their ruined city

H were killed by packs of wild dogs

J were actually people

5. The Place of the Gods was once

called—

A New York

B Boston

C San Francisco

D Los Angeles

1. From what point of view is the story

told?

A first person

B second person

C third-person limited

D omniscient

2. The narrator of the story is—

F a god

G a young man

H an old priest

J a dead man

3. Which word best describes what the

narrator wants?

A love

B friends

C knowledge

D power

DIRECTIONS: Circle the letter of each correct response.

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Literary SkillsAnalyze thefirst-person

point of view.Analyze setting.


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Skills ReviewSkills Review

Suffixes: Clues to Word MeaningsSometimes you can figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word if you

analyze the meaning of its parts. The more suffixes you know, the more

words you’ll be able to figure out. A suffix is a word part added to the end

of a word or root. Increase your knowledge of suffixes by adding at least

two more words to each of the example boxes in the chart below.

By the Waters of Babylon

Suffixes Meanings Examples

–able, –ible “able; likely” capable, flexible

–ance, –ence “act; condition; fact” attendance, evidence

–er, –or “one who does” baker, director

–ic “dealing with; classic, choleric, workaholic

caused by; showing”

–ion, –tion “action; result; union, fusion, selection

state”

–ous “marked by; religious, furious

given to”

–y “quality; action” jealousy, inquiry

VocabularySkillsUnderstand anduse suffixes.

HRW SE_10-03_1stP_Round 1 9/4/03 11:50 AM Page 101 impos06 108:hrhrs10r1:hrs10ch03:layouts:

42 The Holt Reader: Teacher’s Manual

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

83

READ

ING

SKIL

LS:

DRAW

ING

CONC

LUSI

ONS

A c

on

clu

sio

nis

a ju

dg

men

t th

at y

ou

dra

w, o

r co

me

to, a

fter

yo

u h

ave

con

sid

ered

all

the

evid

ence

. Th

e co

ncl

usi

on

s yo

u d

raw

wh

en y

ou

rea

d a

sto

ry a

re b

ased

on

det

ails

yo

u a

re g

iven

ab

ou

t th

e p

lot,

th

e ch

arac

ters

, an

d

the

sett

ing

. As

you

rea

d t

his

fan

tasy

sto

ry, y

ou

will

hav

e to

dra

w c

on

clu

sio

ns

abo

ut

man

y th

ing

s. Y

ou

’ll h

ave

to d

ecid

e, f

or

exam

ple

, wh

ere

the

nar

rato

r

lives

an

d w

hen

he

lives

. Yo

u w

ill a

lso

hav

e to

dec

ide

just

wh

ere

this

bo

y

go

es o

n h

is jo

urn

ey. T

he

evid

ence

is t

her

e; y

ou

hav

e to

rea

d c

aref

ully

an

d

dra

w o

n y

ou

r o

wn

exp

erie

nce

to

fin

d t

he

answ

ers.

The

nar

rato

r d

escr

ibes

eac

h o

f th

e p

lace

s an

d t

hin

gs

liste

d o

n t

he

char

t

bel

ow

. Bas

ed o

n ju

st w

hat

is w

ritt

en t

her

e, f

ill in

wh

at y

ou

th

ink

each

pla

ce

or

thin

g is

. Aft

er y

ou

hav

e re

ad a

ll th

e d

etai

ls in

th

e st

ory

, yo

u’ll

pro

bab

ly

dra

w d

iffe

ren

t co

ncl

usi

on

s.

Poss

ible

res

po

nse

s ar

e g

iven

.

Copyright © by Holt,Rinehart and Winston.All rights reserved.

De

tail

Wh

at

It M

igh

t B

e

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

sa

bea

uti

ful t

emp

le o

r ci

ty

Gre

at B

urn

ing

a fo

rest

fir

e

Ou

-dis

-su

na

Nat

ive

Am

eric

an p

erso

n o

rp

lace

, a g

od

Stat

ue

of

the

man

G

eorg

e W

ash

ing

ton

nam

ed A

SHIN

G

Tem

ple

wit

h s

tars

on

a

chu

rch

, syn

ago

gu

e, o

r m

osq

ue

the

ceili

ng

Co

oki

ng

pla

ce

sto

vew

ith

no

wo

od

82

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1

The

titl

e o

f th

is f

anta

sy is

tak

en f

rom

Psa

lm 1

37 in

th

e B

ible

. Th

e p

salm

tel

ls o

f

the

Isra

elit

es’ g

reat

so

rro

w o

ver

the

des

tru

ctio

n o

f th

eir

Tem

ple

in J

eru

sale

m

(Zio

n)

and

th

eir

ensl

avem

ent

in B

abyl

on

. Th

e p

salm

op

ens

By

the

wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n,

ther

e w

e sa

t d

ow

n a

nd

wep

t,

wh

en w

e re

mem

ber

ed Z

ion

.

Step

hen

Vin

cen

t B

enét

wro

te t

his

sto

ry p

artl

y as

a c

auti

on

ary

tale

,or

ast

ory

mea

nt

to s

erve

as

a w

arn

ing

. As

you

rea

d, b

e al

ert

to w

hat

Ben

ét is

war

nin

g

abo

ut.

Yo

u s

ho

uld

kn

ow

th

at t

he

sto

ry w

as w

ritt

en in

193

7, b

efo

re t

he

inve

n-

tio

n o

f n

ucl

ear

wea

po

ns.

LITE

RARY

FO

CUS:

FIR

ST-P

ERSO

N PO

INT

OF

VIEW

AND

SET

TING

•Jo

hn

, a y

ou

ng

man

, nar

rate

s th

e st

ory

fro

m h

is f

irst

-per

son

po

int

of

view

.

We

see

the

wo

rld

an

d e

xper

ien

ce e

ven

ts a

s Jo

hn

do

es.

•B

ecau

se h

e is

a f

irst

-per

son

nar

rato

r, Jo

hn

can

tel

l us

on

ly w

hat

he

kno

ws

and

exp

erie

nce

s. A

s yo

u r

ead

, th

ink

abo

ut

wh

eth

er J

oh

n is

a c

red

ible

,or

bel

ieva

ble

, nar

rato

r. Is

wh

at h

e te

lls y

ou

to

tally

acc

ura

te?

•Se

ttin

g—

the

pla

ce a

nd

tim

e o

f th

e st

ory

—is

at

the

hea

rt o

f “B

y th

e

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n.”

Th

e fi

rst

loca

tio

n o

f th

e st

ory

—th

e la

nd

of

the

Hill

Peo

ple

—m

ay m

ake

you

th

ink

of

a N

ativ

e A

mer

ican

leg

end

. Th

e st

ory

’s

seco

nd

maj

or

loca

tio

n—

the

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s—is

act

ual

ly a

fam

ou

s ci

ty in

the

Un

ited

Sta

tes.

Lo

ok

for

clu

es t

hat

hel

p y

ou

iden

tify

th

e ci

ty a

nd

th

at

reve

al w

hat

has

hap

pen

ed t

her

e.Copyright © by Holt,Rinehart and Winston.All rights reserved.

By t

he W

ater

s of

Bab

ylon

by

Ste

phen

Vin

cent

Ben

ét

Lit

era

ry S

kills

Und

erst

and

the

firs

t-pe

rson

poin

t of

vie

w.

Und

erst

and

sett

ing.

Readin

gSkills

Dra

wco

nclu

sion

s.

Collection 3Student Pages 82–83

Student Pages with Answers 43

Bu

rnin

g.T

hes

e th

ings

are

for

bidd

en—

they

hav

e be

en f

orbi

dden

sin

ce t

he

begi

nn

ing

ofti

me.

My

fath

er is

a p

ries

t;I

am t

he

son

of

a pr

iest

.I h

ave

been

in t

he

Dea

d P

lace

s n

ear

us,

wit

h m

y fa

ther

—at

fir

st,I

was

afr

aid.

Wh

en m

y fa

ther

wen

t in

to t

he

hou

se t

o se

arch

for

th

e m

etal

,I

stoo

d by

th

e do

or a

nd

my

hea

rt f

elt

smal

l an

d w

eak.

It w

as a

dead

man

’s h

ouse

,a s

piri

t h

ouse

.It

did

not

hav

e th

e sm

ell o

f

man

,th

ough

th

ere

wer

e ol

d bo

nes

in a

cor

ner

.Bu

t it

is n

ot

fitt

ing

that

a p

ries

t’s s

on s

hou

ld s

how

fea

r.I

look

ed a

t th

e

bon

es in

th

e sh

adow

an

d ke

pt m

y vo

ice

still

.

Th

en m

y fa

ther

cam

e ou

t w

ith

th

e m

etal

—a

good

,str

ong

piec

e.H

e lo

oked

at

me

wit

h b

oth

eye

s bu

t I

had

not

ru

n a

way

.

He

gave

me

the

met

al t

o h

old—

I to

ok it

an

d di

d n

ot d

ie.S

o h

e

knew

th

at I

was

tru

ly h

is s

on a

nd

wou

ld b

e a

prie

st in

my

tim

e.

Th

at w

as w

hen

I w

as v

ery

you

ng—

nev

erth

eles

s,m

y br

oth

ers

wou

ld n

ot h

ave

don

e it

,th

ough

th

ey a

re g

ood

hun

ters

.Aft

er

that

,th

ey g

ave

me

the

good

pie

ce o

fm

eat

and

the

war

m c

orn

er

by t

he

fire

.My

fath

er w

atch

ed o

ver

me—

he

was

gla

d th

at I

shou

ld b

e a

prie

st.B

ut

wh

en I

boa

sted

or

wep

t w

ith

out

a re

ason

,

he

pun

ish

ed m

e m

ore

stri

ctly

th

an m

y br

oth

ers.

Th

at w

as r

igh

t.

Aft

er a

tim

e,I

mys

elf

was

allo

wed

to

go in

to t

he

dead

hou

ses

and

sear

ch f

or m

etal

.So

I le

arn

ed t

he

way

s of

thos

e

hou

ses—

and

ifI

saw

bon

es,I

was

no

lon

ger

afra

id.T

he

bon

es

are

ligh

t an

d ol

d—so

met

imes

th

ey w

ill f

all i

nto

du

st if

you

tou

ch t

hem

.Bu

t th

at is

a g

reat

sin

.

I w

as t

augh

t th

e ch

ants

an

d th

e sp

ells

—I

was

tau

ght

how

to

stop

blo

od f

rom

a w

oun

d an

d m

any

secr

ets.

A p

ries

t m

ust

kn

ow

man

y se

cret

s—th

at w

as w

hat

my

fath

er s

aid.

Ifth

e hu

nte

rs t

hin

k

we

do a

ll th

ings

by

chan

ts a

nd

spel

ls,t

hey

may

bel

ieve

so—

it

does

not

hu

rt t

hem

.I w

as t

augh

t h

ow t

o re

ad in

th

e ol

d bo

oks

and

how

to

mak

e th

e ol

d w

riti

ngs

—th

at w

as h

ard

and

took

a

lon

g ti

me.

My

know

ledg

e m

ade

me

hap

py—

it w

as li

ke a

fir

e in

my

hea

rt.M

ost

ofal

l,I

liked

to

hea

r of

the

Old

Day

s an

d th

e

stor

ies

ofth

e go

ds.I

ask

ed m

ysel

fm

any

ques

tion

s th

at I

cou

ld

not

an

swer

,bu

t it

was

goo

d to

ask

th

em.A

t n

igh

t,I

wou

ld li

e

20 30 40

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

85


Pau

se a

t lin

e 12

. Wh

at d

o t

he

rule

s an

d la

ws

sug

ges

t ab

ou

tth

e n

arra

tor’

s so

ciet

y?

The

soci

ety

is b

ased

on

fear

an

d s

up

erst

itio

n.

The

peo

ple

mu

st o

bey

stri

ct la

ws.

Cir

cle

the

wo

rds

in li

nes

13–

20th

at t

ell y

ou

th

e st

ory

is

wri

tten

fro

m t

he

firs

t-p

erso

np

oin

t o

f vi

ew. W

ho

is t

he

nar

rato

r?

The

nar

rato

r is

a

you

ng

man

, th

e so

n

of

a p

ries

t.

In li

nes

21–

24, u

nd

erlin

ew

hat

th

e b

oy

con

clu

des

wh

en h

e h

old

s th

e m

etal

an

d d

oes

no

t d

ie.

Re-

read

lin

es 3

6–42

, an

du

nd

erlin

e d

etai

ls d

escr

ibin

gh

ow

th

e b

oy

pre

par

ed t

o

be

a p

ries

t. W

hat

can

yo

uin

fer,

or

gu

ess,

ab

ou

t th

e b

oy

fro

m t

he

way

he

feel

sab

ou

t kn

ow

led

ge?

He

is c

uri

ou

s an

d

enjo

ys le

arn

ing

.


Th

e n

orth

an

d th

e w

est

and

the

sou

th a

re g

ood

hun

tin

g gr

oun

d,

but

it is

for

bidd

en t

o go

eas

t.It

is f

orbi

dden

to

go t

o an

y of

the

Dea

d P

lace

s ex

cept

to

sear

ch f

or m

etal

,an

d th

en h

e w

ho

tou

ches

the

met

al m

ust

be

a pr

iest

or

the

son

of

a pr

iest

.Aft

erw

ard,

both

th

e m

an a

nd

the

met

al m

ust

be

puri

fied

.Th

ese

are

the

rule

s an

d th

e la

ws;

they

are

wel

l mad

e.It

is f

orbi

dden

to

cros

s

the

grea

t ri

ver

and

look

upo

n t

he

plac

e th

at w

as t

he

Pla

ce o

f

the

God

s—th

is is

mos

t st

rict

ly f

orbi

dden

.We

do n

ot e

ven

say

its

nam

e th

ough

we

know

its

nam

e.It

is t

her

e th

at s

piri

ts li

ve,

and

dem

ons—

it is

th

ere

that

th

ere

are

the

ash

es o

fth

e G

reat

10

84

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1

In t

he

firs

t p

arag

rap

h, c

ircl

eth

e ru

les

and

law

s th

at t

he

nar

rato

r d

escr

ibes

. Th

enu

nd

erlin

e th

e w

ord

fo

rbid

den

each

tim

e it

is u

sed

.

Step

hen

Vin

cen

t B

enét

“By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n”

fro

m T

he

Sele

cted

Wo

rks

of

Step

hen

Vin

cen

t B

enét

.Co

pyr

igh

t ©

193

7 b

y St

eph

en V

ince

nt

Ben

ét; c

op

yrig

ht

ren

ewed

© 1

964

by

Tho

mas

C. B

enét

, Ste

ph

anie

P. M

ahin

, an

d

Rac

hel

Ben

ét L

ewis

. Rep

rin

ted

by

per

mis

sio

n o

f B

ran

dt

& H

och

man

Lit

erar

y A

gen

ts, I

nc.

© C

OR

BIS

.



“Tak

e th

em,”

he

said

.“It

is f

orbi

dden

to

trav

el e

ast.

It is

forb

idde

n t

o cr

oss

the

rive

r.It

is f

orbi

dden

to

go t

o th

e P

lace

ofth

e G

ods.

All

thes

e th

ings

are

for

bidd

en.”

“All

thes

e th

ings

are

for

bidd

en,”

I sa

id,b

ut

it w

as m

y vo

ice

that

spo

ke a

nd

not

my

spir

it.H

e lo

oked

at

me

agai

n.

“My

son

,”h

e sa

id.“

On

ce I

had

you

ng

drea

ms.

Ifyo

ur

drea

ms

do n

ot e

at y

ou u

p,yo

u m

ay b

e a

grea

t pr

iest

.If

they

eat

you

,you

are

sti

ll m

y so

n.N

ow g

o on

you

r jo

urn

ey.”

I w

ent

fast

ing,

as is

th

e la

w.M

y bo

dy h

urt

bu

t n

ot m

y

hea

rt.W

hen

th

e da

wn

cam

e,I

was

ou

t of

sigh

t of

the

villa

ge.

I pr

ayed

an

d pu

rifi

ed m

ysel

f,w

aiti

ng

for

a si

gn.T

he

sign

was

an e

agle

.It

flew

eas

t.

Som

etim

es s

ign

s ar

e se

nt

by b

ad s

piri

ts.I

wai

ted

agai

n o

n

the

flat

roc

k,fa

stin

g,ta

kin

g n

o fo

od.I

was

ver

y st

ill—

I co

uld

feel

th

e sk

y ab

ove

me

and

the

eart

h b

enea

th.I

wai

ted

till

the

sun

was

beg

inn

ing

to s

ink.

Th

en t

hre

e de

er p

asse

d in

th

e va

lley,

goin

g ea

st—

they

did

not

win

d1m

e or

see

me.

Th

ere

was

a w

hit

e

faw

n w

ith

th

em—

a ve

ry g

reat

sig

n.

I fo

llow

ed t

hem

,at

a di

stan

ce,w

aiti

ng

for

wh

at w

ould

hap

pen

.My

hea

rt w

as t

rou

bled

abo

ut

goin

g ea

st,y

et I

kn

ew t

hat

I m

ust

go.

My

hea

d hu

mm

ed w

ith

my

fast

ing—

I di

d n

ot e

ven

see

the

pan

ther

spr

ing

upo

n t

he

wh

ite

faw

n.B

ut,

befo

re I

kn

ew

it,t

he

bow

was

in m

y h

and.

I sh

oute

d an

d th

e pa

nth

er li

fted

his

head

from

the

faw

n.I

t is

not

eas

y to

kill

a p

anth

er w

ith

one

arro

w

but

the

arro

w w

ent

thro

ugh

his

eye

an

d in

to h

is b

rain

.He

died

as h

e tr

ied

to s

prin

g—he

rol

led

over

,tea

rin

g at

the

gro

un

d.T

hen

I kn

ew I

was

mea

nt

to g

o ea

st—

I kn

ew t

hat

was

my

jou

rney

.

Wh

en t

he

nig

ht

cam

e,I

mad

e m

y fi

re a

nd

roas

ted

mea

t.

It is

eig

ht

sun

s’jo

urn

ey t

o th

e ea

st a

nd

a m

an p

asse

s by

man

y D

ead

Pla

ces.

Th

e Fo

rest

Peo

ple

are

afra

id o

fth

em b

ut

I am

not

.On

ce I

mad

e m

y fi

re o

n t

he

edge

of

a D

ead

Pla

ce a

t

nig

ht

and,

nex

t m

orn

ing,

in t

he

dead

hou

se,I

fou

nd

a go

od

knif

e,lit

tle

rust

ed.T

hat

was

sm

all t

o w

hat

cam

e af

terw

ard

but

it

mad

e m

y h

eart

fee

l big

.Alw

ays

wh

en I

look

ed f

or g

ame,

it w

as

80 90 100

110

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

87


1.w

ind

(win

d)

v.:d

etec

t th

e sc

ent

of.

Cir

cle

the

forb

idd

en t

hin

gs

inlin

es 8

0–82

. Do

yo

u t

hin

k th

eb

oy

will

ob

ey t

he

rule

s? W

hy

or

wh

y n

ot?

Poss

ible

an

swer

: He

wo

n’t

ob

ey b

ecau

se

he’

s d

rive

n b

y h

is s

pir

it

to f

ollo

w h

is d

ream

and

fin

d k

no

wle

dg

e.

An

inte

rnal

co

nfl

ict

take

sp

lace

in a

ch

arac

ter’

s m

ind

bet

wee

n o

pp

osi

ng

idea

s o

r fe

elin

gs.

Wh

at is

th

en

arra

tor’

s in

tern

al c

on

flic

t(l

ines

80–

106)

? U

nd

erlin

e th

e si

gn

s th

at c

on

vin

ce h

imto

jou

rney

eas

t.

He

wan

ts t

o f

ollo

w

the

sig

ns,

bu

t th

ere

are

rule

s ag

ain

st d

oin

g s

o.

awak

e an

d lis

ten

to

the

win

d—it

see

med

to

me

that

it w

as t

he

voic

e of

the

gods

as

they

fle

w t

hro

ugh

th

e ai

r.

We

are

not

ign

oran

t lik

e th

e Fo

rest

Peo

ple—

our

wom

en

spin

woo

l on

the

wh

eel,

our

prie

sts

wea

r a

wh

ite

robe

.We

do

not

eat

gru

bs f

rom

th

e tr

ee,w

e h

ave

not

for

gott

en t

he

old

wri

tin

gs,a

lth

ough

th

ey a

re h

ard

to u

nde

rsta

nd.

Nev

erth

eles

s,m

y

know

ledg

e an

d m

y la

ck o

fkn

owle

dge

burn

ed in

me—

I w

ish

ed

to k

now

mor

e.W

hen

I w

as a

man

at

last

,I c

ame

to m

y fa

ther

an

d

said

,“It

is t

ime

for

me

to g

o on

my

jou

rney

.Giv

e m

e yo

ur

leav

e.”

He

look

ed a

t m

e fo

r a

lon

g ti

me,

stro

kin

g h

is b

eard

,th

en

he

said

at

last

,“Ye

s.It

is t

ime.

”T

hat

nig

ht,

in t

he

hou

se o

fth

e

prie

sth

ood,

I as

ked

for

and

rece

ived

pu

rifi

cati

on.M

y bo

dy h

urt

but

my

spir

it w

as a

coo

l sto

ne.

It w

as m

y fa

ther

him

self

wh

o

ques

tion

ed m

e ab

out

my

drea

ms.

He

bade

me

look

into

th

e sm

oke

ofth

e fi

re a

nd

see—

I sa

w

and

told

wha

t I

saw

.It

was

wha

t I

have

alw

ays

seen

—a

rive

r,an

d,

beyo

nd

it,a

gre

at D

ead

Pla

ce a

nd

in it

th

e go

ds w

alki

ng.

I h

ave

alw

ays

thou

ght

abou

t th

at.H

is e

yes

wer

e st

ern

whe

n I

tol

d hi

m—

he

was

no

lon

ger

my

fath

er b

ut

a pr

iest

.He

said

,“T

his

is a

stro

ng

drea

m.”

“It

is m

ine,

”I

said

,wh

ile t

he

smok

e w

aved

an

d m

y h

ead

felt

ligh

t.T

hey

wer

e si

ngi

ng

the

Star

son

g in

th

e ou

ter

cham

ber

and

it w

as li

ke t

he

buzz

ing

ofbe

es in

my

hea

d.

He

aske

d m

e h

ow t

he

gods

wer

e dr

esse

d an

d I

told

him

how

th

ey w

ere

dres

sed.

We

know

how

th

ey w

ere

dres

sed

from

the

book

,bu

t I

saw

th

em a

s if

they

wer

e be

fore

me.

Wh

en I

had

fin

ish

ed,h

e th

rew

th

e st

icks

th

ree

tim

es a

nd

stu

died

th

em a

s

they

fel

l.

“Th

is is

a v

ery

stro

ng

drea

m,”

he

said

.“It

may

eat

you

up.

”

“I a

m n

ot a

frai

d,”

I sa

id a

nd

look

ed a

t h

im w

ith

bot

h e

yes.

My

voic

e so

un

ded

thin

in m

y ea

rs b

ut

that

was

bec

ause

of

the

smok

e. He

tou

ched

me

on t

he

brea

st a

nd

the

fore

hea

d.H

e ga

ve m

e

the

bow

an

d th

e th

ree

arro

ws.

50 60 70

86

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


Wri

ters

use

fo

resh

ado

win

gto

hin

t at

eve

nts

th

at w

illh

app

en la

ter

in t

he

sto

ry. I

nlin

es 6

1–62

, un

der

line

wh

atth

e b

oy

sees

in t

he

smo

ke.

Wh

at p

lace

s d

o y

ou

th

ink

he

will

vis

it la

ter

on

?

He

will

go

to

a r

iver

and

th

e g

reat

Dea

d

Plac

e.

Wh

at d

oes

th

e fa

ther

mea

nw

hen

he

says

th

e b

oy’

sd

ream

may

“ea

t h

im u

p”

(lin

e 74

)?

He

thin

ks t

hat

pu

rsu

ing

the

dre

am m

ay h

arm

the

bo

y.



they

had

com

e u

pon

me

then

,bu

t th

ey d

id n

ot c

ome.

Wh

en t

he

raft

was

mad

e,I

said

th

e sa

yin

gs f

or t

he

dead

an

d pa

inte

d m

ysel

f

for

deat

h.M

y h

eart

was

col

d as

a f

rog

and

my

knee

s lik

e w

ater

,

but

the

burn

ing

in m

y m

ind

wou

ld n

ot le

t m

e h

ave

peac

e.A

s I

push

ed t

he

raft

fro

m t

he

shor

e,I

bega

n m

y de

ath

son

g—I

had

the

righ

t.It

was

a f

ine

son

g.

“I a

m J

ohn,

son

ofJo

hn,”

I sa

ng.

“My

peop

le

are

the

Hill

Peo

ple.

The

y ar

e th

e m

en.

I go

into

the

Dea

d P

lace

s bu

t I

am n

ot s

lain

.

I ta

ke t

he m

etal

from

the

Dea

d P

lace

s bu

t

I am

not

bla

sted

.

I tr

avel

upo

n th

e go

d-ro

ads

and

am n

ot

afra

id.E

-yah

! I h

ave

kille

d th

e pa

nthe

r,

I ha

ve k

illed

the

faw

n!

E-y

ah! I

hav

e co

me

to t

he g

reat

riv

er.N

o

man

has

com

e th

ere

befo

re.

It is

forb

idde

n to

go

east

,but

I h

ave

gone

,

forb

idde

n to

go

on t

he g

reat

riv

er,b

ut

I am

the

re.

Ope

n yo

ur h

eart

s,yo

u sp

irit

s,an

d he

ar m

y

song

.Now

I g

o to

the

Pla

ce o

fthe

God

s,

I sh

all n

ot r

etur

n.

My

body

is p

aint

ed fo

r de

ath

and

my

limbs

wea

k,bu

t m

y he

art

is b

ig a

s I

go t

o th

e

Pla

ce o

fthe

God

s!”

All

the

sam

e,w

hen

I c

ame

to t

he

Pla

ce o

fth

e G

ods,

I w

as a

frai

d,

afra

id.T

he

curr

ent

ofth

e gr

eat

rive

r is

ver

y st

ron

g—it

gri

pped

my

raft

wit

h it

s h

ands

.Th

at w

as m

agic

,for

th

e ri

ver

itse

lfis

wid

e an

d ca

lm.I

cou

ld f

eel e

vil s

piri

ts a

bou

t m

e,in

th

e br

igh

t

mor

nin

g;I

cou

ld f

eel t

hei

r br

eath

on

my

nec

k as

I w

as s

wep

t

dow

n t

he

stre

am.N

ever

hav

e I

been

so

mu

ch a

lon

e—I

trie

d to

thin

k of

my

know

ledg

e,bu

t it

was

a s

quir

rel’s

hea

p of

win

ter

nuts

.

Th

ere

was

no

stre

ngt

h in

my

know

ledg

e an

ymor

e an

d I

felt

150

160

170

180

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

89


Un

der

line

the

sim

iles—

com

par

iso

ns

usi

ng

like

or

as—

that

des

crib

e th

e n

arra

tor’s

fear

(lin

e 15

1).

Prac

tice

rea

din

g t

he

son

gal

ou

d a

t le

ast

twic

e. U

se

a to

ne

of

voic

e th

at t

he

nar

rato

r m

igh

t h

ave

use

d,

and

rem

emb

er t

hat

he

des

crib

ed t

his

so

ng

as

his

“dea

th s

on

g.”

Wh

at im

po

rtan

t fa

ct d

o y

ou

lear

n in

th

e fi

rst

line

of

the

nar

rato

r’s

son

g (

line

155)

?

His

nam

e is

Jo

hn

.

in f

ron

t of

my

arro

w,a

nd

twic

e I

pass

ed h

un

tin

g pa

rtie

s of

the

Fore

st P

eopl

e w

ith

out

thei

r kn

owin

g.So

I k

new

my

mag

ic w

as

stro

ng

and

my

jou

rney

cle

an,i

n s

pite

of

the

law

.

Tow

ard

the

sett

ing

ofth

e ei

ghth

su

n,I

cam

e to

th

e ba

nks

ofth

e gr

eat

rive

r.It

was

hal

fa

day’

s jo

urn

ey a

fter

I h

ad le

ft t

he

god-

road

—w

e do

not

use

th

e go

d-ro

ads

now

,for

th

ey a

re f

allin

g

apar

t in

to g

reat

blo

cks

ofst

one,

and

the

fore

st is

saf

er g

oin

g.

A lo

ng

way

off

,I h

ad s

een

th

e w

ater

th

rou

gh t

rees

bu

t th

e tr

ees

wer

e th

ick.

At

last

,I c

ame

out

upo

n a

n o

pen

pla

ce a

t th

e to

p of

a cl

iff.

Th

ere

was

th

e gr

eat

rive

r be

low

,lik

e a

gian

t in

th

e su

n.

It is

ver

y lo

ng,

very

wid

e.It

cou

ld e

at a

ll th

e st

ream

s w

e kn

ow

and

still

be

thir

sty.

Its

nam

e is

Ou

-dis

-su

n,t

he

Sacr

ed,t

he

Lon

g.

No

man

of

my

trib

e h

ad s

een

it,n

ot e

ven

my

fath

er,t

he

prie

st.

It w

as m

agic

an

d I

pray

ed.

Th

en I

rai

sed

my

eyes

an

d lo

oked

sou

th.I

t w

as t

her

e,th

e

Pla

ce o

fth

e G

ods.

How

can

I t

ell w

hat

it w

as li

ke—

you

do

not

kn

ow.I

t w

as

ther

e,in

th

e re

d lig

ht,

and

they

wer

e to

o bi

g to

be

hou

ses.

It w

as

ther

e w

ith

th

e re

d lig

ht

upo

n it

,mig

hty

an

d ru

ined

.I k

new

th

at

in a

not

her

mom

ent

the

gods

wou

ld s

ee m

e.I

cove

red

my

eyes

wit

h m

y h

ands

an

d cr

ept

back

into

th

e fo

rest

.

Sure

ly,t

hat

was

en

ough

to

do,a

nd

live.

Sure

ly it

was

en

ough

to s

pen

d th

e n

igh

t u

pon

th

e cl

iff.

Th

e Fo

rest

Peo

ple

them

selv

es

do n

ot c

ome

nea

r.Ye

t,al

l th

rou

gh t

he

nig

ht,

I kn

ew t

hat

I

shou

ld h

ave

to c

ross

th

e ri

ver

and

wal

k in

th

e pl

aces

of

the

gods

,

alth

ough

th

e go

ds a

te m

e u

p.M

y m

agic

did

not

hel

p m

e at

all

and

yet

ther

e w

as a

fir

e in

my

bow

els,

a fi

re in

my

min

d.W

hen

the

sun

ros

e,I

thou

ght,

“My

jou

rney

has

bee

n c

lean

.Now

I w

ill

go h

ome

from

my

jou

rney

.”B

ut,

even

as

I th

ough

t so

,I k

new

I

cou

ld n

ot.I

fI

wen

t to

th

e P

lace

of

the

God

s,I

wou

ld s

ure

ly d

ie,

but,

ifI

did

not

go,

I co

uld

nev

er b

e at

pea

ce w

ith

my

spir

it

agai

n.I

t is

bet

ter

to lo

se o

ne’

s lif

e th

an o

ne’

s sp

irit

,if

one

is a

prie

st a

nd

the

son

of

a pr

iest

.

Nev

erth

eles

s,as

I m

ade

the

raft

,th

e te

ars

ran

ou

t of

my

eyes

.Th

e Fo

rest

Peo

ple

cou

ld h

ave

kille

d m

e w

ith

out

figh

t,if

120

130

140

88

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


The

nar

rato

r u

ses

per

son

ific

atio

nw

hen

he

spea

ks o

f th

e ri

ver

as if

itw

ere

a p

erso

n. U

nd

erlin

e th

ew

ord

s h

e u

ses

to p

erso

nif

yth

e ri

ver

in li

ne

123.

In li

nes

143

–145

, un

der

line

the

nar

rato

r’s

reas

on

fo

rg

oin

g o

n. W

hat

th

ree

wo

rds

wo

uld

yo

u u

se t

od

escr

ibe

him

?

He

cou

ld b

e d

escr

ibed

as c

ou

rag

eou

s, d

arin

g,

sin

gle

-min

ded

, or

per

hap

s re

ckle

ss.

Ou

-dis

-su

n(li

ne

125)

is y

ou

rfi

rst

clu

e to

wh

ere

the

Plac

eo

f th

e G

od

s is

. Can

yo

u t

ell b

yso

un

din

g it

ou

t? D

on

’t w

orr

yif

yo

u d

on

’t y

et r

eco

gn

ize

it.

Ther

e w

ill b

e m

ore

clu

esth

rou

gh

ou

t th

e st

ory

.

Few

stu

den

ts a

re li

kely

to r

eco

gn

ize

the

nam

e

as a

ref

eren

ce t

o t

he

Hu

dso

n R

iver

.



god-

road

s,th

ough

mos

t ar

e cr

acke

d an

d br

oken

.Eve

ryw

her

e

ther

e ar

e th

e ru

ins

ofth

e h

igh

tow

ers

ofth

e go

ds.

How

sh

all I

tel

l wh

at I

saw

? I

wen

t ca

refu

lly,m

y st

run

g

bow

in m

y h

and,

my

skin

rea

dy f

or d

ange

r.T

her

e sh

ould

hav

e

been

th

e w

ailin

gs o

fsp

irit

s an

d th

e sh

riek

s of

dem

ons,

but

ther

e

wer

e n

ot.I

t w

as v

ery

sile

nt

and

sun

ny w

her

e I

had

lan

ded—

the

win

d an

d th

e ra

in a

nd

the

bird

s th

at d

rop

seed

s h

ad d

one

thei

r

wor

k—th

e gr

ass

grew

in t

he

crac

ks o

fth

e br

oken

sto

ne.

It is

a

fair

isla

nd—

no

won

der

the

gods

bu

ilt t

her

e.If

I h

ad c

ome

ther

e,

a go

d,I

also

wou

ld h

ave

built

.

How

sh

all I

tel

l wh

at I

saw

? T

he

tow

ers

are

not

all

brok

en—

her

e an

d th

ere

one

still

sta

nds

,lik

e a

grea

t tr

ee in

a f

ores

t,an

d

the

bird

s n

est

hig

h.B

ut

the

tow

ers

them

selv

es lo

ok b

lind,

for

the

gods

are

gon

e.I

saw

a f

ish

-haw

k,ca

tch

ing

fish

in t

he

rive

r.I

saw

a lit

tle

dan

ce o

fw

hit

e bu

tter

flie

s ov

er a

gre

at h

eap

ofbr

oken

ston

es a

nd

colu

mn

s.I

wen

t th

ere

and

look

ed a

bou

t m

e—th

ere

was

a c

arve

d st

one

wit

h c

ut-

lett

ers,

brok

en in

hal

f.I

can

rea

d

lett

ers

but

I co

uld

not

un

ders

tan

d th

ese.

Th

ey s

aid

UB

TR

EA

S.

Th

ere

was

als

o th

e sh

atte

red

imag

e of

a m

an o

r a

god.

It h

ad

been

mad

e of

wh

ite

ston

e an

d h

e w

ore

his

hai

r ti

ed b

ack

like

a

wom

an’s

.His

nam

e w

as A

SHIN

G,a

s I

read

on

th

e cr

acke

d h

alf

ofa

ston

e.I

thou

ght

it w

ise

to p

ray

to A

SHIN

G,t

hou

gh I

do

not

know

th

at g

od.

How

sh

all I

tel

l wh

at I

saw

? T

her

e w

as n

o sm

ell o

fm

an le

ft,

on s

ton

e or

met

al.N

or w

ere

ther

e m

any

tree

s in

th

at w

ilder

nes

s

ofst

one.

Th

ere

are

man

y pi

geon

s,n

esti

ng

and

drop

pin

g in

th

e

tow

ers—

the

gods

mu

st h

ave

love

d th

em,o

r,p

erh

aps,

they

use

d

them

for

sac

rifi

ces.

Th

ere

are

wild

cat

s th

at r

oam

th

e go

d-ro

ads,

gree

n-e

yed,

un

afra

id o

fm

an.A

t n

igh

t th

ey w

ail l

ike

dem

ons

but

they

are

not

dem

ons.

Th

e w

ild d

ogs

are

mor

e da

nge

rou

s,

for

they

hu

nt

in a

pac

k,bu

t th

em I

did

not

mee

t ti

ll la

ter.

Ever

ywh

ere

ther

e ar

e th

e ca

rved

sto

nes

,car

ved

wit

h m

agic

al

nu

mbe

rs o

r w

ords

.

I w

ent

nor

th—

I di

d n

ot t

ry t

o h

ide

mys

elf.

Wh

en a

god

or a

dem

on s

aw m

e,th

en I

wou

ld d

ie,b

ut

mea

nwh

ile I

was

no

220

230

240

250

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

91


Wh

at d

o y

ou

th

ink

UB

TREA

San

d A

SHIN

G o

nce

mea

nt

(lin

es 2

33 a

nd

236

)?

UB

TREA

S w

as

Sub

trea

sury

and

ASH

ING

was

Geo

rge

Was

hin

gto

n.

Un

der

line

det

ails

in li

nes

221–

238

that

hel

p y

ou

vi

sual

ize

the

sett

ing

of

the

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s.

smal

l an

d n

aked

as

a n

ew-h

atch

ed b

ird—

alon

e u

pon

th

e gr

eat

rive

r,th

e se

rvan

t of

the

gods

.

Yet,

afte

r a

whi

le,m

y ey

es w

ere

open

ed a

nd

I sa

w.I

saw

bot

h

ban

ks o

fth

e ri

ver—

I sa

w t

hat

on

ce t

her

e h

ad b

een

god

-roa

ds

acro

ss it

,th

ough

now

th

ey w

ere

brok

en a

nd

falle

n li

ke b

roke

n

vin

es.V

ery

grea

t th

ey w

ere,

and

won

derf

ul a

nd

brok

en—

brok

en

in t

he

tim

e of

the

Gre

at B

urn

ing

wh

en t

he

fire

fel

l ou

t of

the

sky.

An

d al

way

s th

e cu

rren

t to

ok m

e n

eare

r to

th

e P

lace

of

the

God

s,

and

the

huge

ru

ins

rose

bef

ore

my

eyes

.

I do

not

kn

ow t

he

cust

oms

ofri

vers

—w

e ar

e th

e Pe

ople

ofth

e H

ills.

I tr

ied

to g

uid

e m

y ra

ft w

ith

th

e po

le b

ut

it s

pun

arou

nd.

I th

ough

t th

e ri

ver

mea

nt

to t

ake

me

past

th

e P

lace

of

the

God

s an

d ou

t in

to t

he

Bit

ter

Wat

er o

fth

e le

gen

ds.I

gre

w

angr

y th

en—

my

hea

rt f

elt

stro

ng.

I sa

id a

lou

d,“I

am

a p

ries

t

and

the

son

of

a pr

iest

!”T

he

gods

hea

rd m

e—th

ey s

how

ed m

e

how

to

padd

le w

ith

th

e po

le o

n o

ne

side

of

the

raft

.Th

e cu

rren

t

chan

ged

itse

lf—

I dr

ew n

ear

to t

he

Pla

ce o

fth

e G

ods.

Wh

en I

was

ver

y n

ear,

my

raft

str

uck

an

d tu

rned

ove

r.I

can

swim

in o

ur

lake

s—I

swam

to

the

shor

e.T

her

e w

as a

gre

at s

pike

ofru

sted

met

al s

tick

ing

out

into

th

e ri

ver—

I h

aule

d m

ysel

fu

p

upo

n it

an

d sa

t th

ere,

pan

tin

g.I

had

sav

ed m

y bo

w a

nd

two

arro

ws

and

the

knif

e I

fou

nd

in t

he

Dea

d P

lace

bu

t th

at w

as a

ll.

My

raft

wen

t w

hir

ling

dow

nst

ream

tow

ard

the

Bit

ter

Wat

er.

I lo

oked

aft

er it

,an

d th

ough

t if

it h

ad t

rod

me

un

der,

at le

ast

I w

ould

be

safe

ly d

ead.

Nev

erth

eles

s,w

hen

I h

ad d

ried

my

bow

-

stri

ng

and

rest

run

g it

,I w

alke

d fo

rwar

d to

th

e P

lace

of

the

God

s.

It f

elt

like

grou

nd

un

derf

oot;

it d

id n

ot b

urn

me.

It is

not

tru

e w

hat

som

e of

the

tale

s sa

y,th

at t

he

grou

nd

ther

e bu

rns

fore

ver,

for

I h

ave

been

th

ere.

Her

e an

d th

ere

wer

e th

e m

arks

and

stai

ns

ofth

e G

reat

Bu

rnin

g,on

th

e ru

ins,

that

is t

rue.

Bu

t

they

wer

e ol

d m

arks

an

d ol

d st

ain

s.It

is n

ot t

rue

eith

er,w

hat

som

e of

our

prie

sts

say,

that

it is

an

isla

nd

cove

red

wit

h f

ogs

and

ench

antm

ents

.It

is n

ot.I

t is

a g

reat

Dea

d P

lace

—gr

eate

r

than

any

Dea

d P

lace

we

know

.Eve

ryw

her

e in

it t

her

e ar

e

190

200

210

90

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


Re-

read

lin

es 2

08–2

17. W

hy

do

yo

u t

hin

k th

e o

ld t

ales

des

crib

ed b

urn

ing

s, f

og

s,

and

en

chan

tmen

ts t

hat

th

en

arra

tor

do

es n

ot

fin

d?

Poss

ible

an

swer

s: T

her

e

may

hav

e b

een

fir

e

and

fo

g r

igh

t af

ter

the

war

. Th

e ta

les

may

exag

ger

ate.

In li

nes

193

–194

, Jo

hn

tal

ksab

ou

t b

ein

g s

wep

t p

ast

the

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s an

d o

ut

into

th

e B

itte

r W

ater

. Wh

atd

o y

ou

th

ink

the

Bit

ter

Wat

er r

eally

is?

This

is

ano

ther

clu

e to

wh

ere

the

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s is

.

The

Bit

ter

Wat

er is

the

Atl

anti

c O

cean

; th

e

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s w

as

on

ce N

ew Y

ork

Cit

y.

Wh

at d

o y

ou

th

ink

real

lyh

app

ened

du

rin

g t

he

Gre

atB

urn

ing

, wh

en t

he

“fir

e fe

llo

ut

of

the

sky”

(lin

e 18

8)?

Bo

mb

s fr

om

air

pla

nes

cau

sed

th

e ci

ty t

o b

urn

.



trib

es o

fth

em,f

rom

th

e sq

uea

kin

g.B

ut

nea

r th

ere,

I fo

un

d fo

od,

in t

he

hea

rt o

fa

ruin

,beh

ind

a do

or t

hat

sti

ll op

ened

.I a

te o

nly

the

fru

its

from

th

e ja

rs—

they

had

a v

ery

swee

t ta

ste.

Th

ere

was

drin

k,to

o,in

bot

tles

of

glas

s—th

e dr

ink

ofth

e go

ds w

as s

tron

g

and

mad

e m

y h

ead

swim

.Aft

er I

had

eat

en a

nd

dru

nk,

I sl

ept

on

the

top

ofa

ston

e,m

y bo

w a

t m

y si

de.

Wh

en I

wok

e,th

e su

n w

as lo

w.L

ooki

ng

dow

n f

rom

wh

ere

I la

y,I

saw

a d

og s

itti

ng

on h

is h

aun

ches

.His

ton

gue

was

han

gin

g

out

ofhi

s m

outh

;he

look

ed a

s if

he w

ere

lau

ghin

g.H

e w

as a

big

dog,

wit

h a

gray

-bro

wn

coa

t,as

big

as

a w

olf.

I sp

ran

g u

p an

d

shou

ted

at h

im b

ut

he d

id n

ot m

ove—

he ju

st s

at t

here

as

ifhe

wer

e la

ugh

ing.

I di

d n

ot li

ke t

hat.

Whe

n I

rea

ched

for

a s

ton

e

to t

hrow

,he

mov

ed s

wif

tly

out

ofth

e w

ay o

fth

e st

one.

He

was

not

afr

aid

ofm

e;h

e lo

oked

at

me

as if

I w

ere

mea

t.N

o do

ubt

I co

uld

hav

e ki

lled

him

wit

h a

n a

rrow

,bu

t I

did

not

kn

ow if

ther

e w

ere

oth

ers.

Mor

eove

r,n

igh

t w

as f

allin

g.

I lo

oked

abo

ut

me—

not

far

aw

ay t

her

e w

as a

gre

at,b

roke

n

god-

road

,lea

din

g n

orth

.Th

e to

wer

s w

ere

hig

h e

nou

gh,b

ut

not

so h

igh

,an

d w

hile

man

y of

the

dead

hou

ses

wer

e w

reck

ed,t

her

e

wer

e so

me

that

sto

od.I

wen

t to

war

d th

is g

od-r

oad,

keep

ing

to

the

hei

ghts

of

the

ruin

s,w

hile

th

e do

g fo

llow

ed.W

hen

I h

ad

reac

hed

th

e go

d-ro

ad,I

saw

th

at t

her

e w

ere

oth

ers

beh

ind

him

.

IfI

had

sle

pt la

ter,

they

wou

ld h

ave

com

e u

pon

me

asle

ep a

nd

torn

ou

t m

y th

roat

.As

it w

as,t

hey

wer

e su

re e

nou

gh o

fm

e;th

ey

did

not

hu

rry.

Whe

n I

wen

t in

to t

he d

ead

hou

se,t

hey

kept

wat

ch

at t

he

entr

ance

—do

ubt

less

th

ey t

hou

ght

they

wou

ld h

ave

a fi

ne

hun

t.B

ut

a do

g ca

nn

ot o

pen

a d

oor

and

I kn

ew,f

rom

th

e bo

oks,

that

th

e go

ds d

id n

ot li

ke t

o liv

e on

th

e gr

oun

d bu

t on

hig

h.

I h

ad ju

st f

oun

d a

door

I c

ould

ope

n w

hen

th

e do

gs

deci

ded

to r

ush

.Ha!

Th

ey w

ere

surp

rise

d w

hen

I s

hut

the

door

in t

hei

r fa

ces—

it w

as a

goo

d do

or,o

fst

ron

g m

etal

.I c

ould

hea

r

thei

r fo

olis

h b

ayin

g be

yon

d it

bu

t I

did

not

sto

p to

an

swer

th

em.

I w

as in

dar

knes

s—I

fou

nd

stai

rs a

nd

clim

bed.

Th

ere

wer

e m

any

stai

rs,t

urn

ing

arou

nd

till

my

hea

d w

as d

izzy

.At

the

top

was

anot

her

doo

r—I

fou

nd

the

knob

an

d op

ened

it.I

was

in a

lon

g

270

280

290

300

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

93


Wh

at e

xter

nal

co

nfl

ict

do

esJo

hn

fac

e in

lin

es 2

85–2

99?

He

face

s a

pac

k o

f

do

gs

wh

o a

re r

ead

y to

atta

ck a

nd

eat

him

.

Wh

at p

reve

nts

th

e d

og

s fr

om

killi

ng

Jo

hn

? U

nd

erlin

e th

ed

etai

ls in

lin

es 2

91–2

99 t

hat

sup

po

rt y

ou

r an

swer

.

Joh

n is

no

t as

leep

wh

en t

he

do

gs

fin

d

him

. Th

e d

og

s ar

e

con

fid

ent

they

can

kill

him

an

d d

o n

ot

hu

rry.

Joh

n c

lose

s a

do

or

on

them

.

lon

ger

afra

id.M

y hu

nge

r fo

r kn

owle

dge

burn

ed in

me—

ther

e

was

so

mu

ch t

hat

I c

ould

not

un

ders

tan

d.A

fter

a w

hile

,I k

new

that

my

belly

was

hu

ngr

y.I

cou

ld h

ave

hun

ted

for

my

mea

t,

but

I di

d n

ot h

un

t.It

is k

now

n t

hat

th

e go

ds d

id n

ot h

un

t as

we

do—

they

got

th

eir

food

fro

m e

nch

ante

d bo

xes

and

jars

.

Som

etim

es t

hes

e ar

e st

ill f

oun

d in

th

e D

ead

Pla

ces—

once

,wh

en

I w

as a

ch

ild a

nd

fool

ish

,I o

pen

ed s

uch

a ja

r an

d ta

sted

it a

nd

fou

nd

the

food

sw

eet.

Bu

t m

y fa

ther

fou

nd

out

and

pun

ish

ed

me

for

it s

tric

tly,

for,

ofte

n,t

hat

foo

d is

dea

th.N

ow,t

hou

gh,

I h

ad lo

ng

gon

e pa

st w

hat

was

for

bidd

en,a

nd

I en

tere

d th

e

likel

iest

tow

ers,

look

ing

for

the

food

of

the

gods

.

I fo

un

d it

at

last

in t

he

ruin

s of

a gr

eat

tem

ple

in t

he

mid

city

.A m

igh

ty t

empl

e it

mu

st h

ave

been

,for

th

e ro

ofw

as

pain

ted

like

the

sky

at n

igh

t w

ith

its

star

s—th

at m

uch

I c

ould

see,

thou

gh t

he

colo

rs w

ere

fain

t an

d di

m.I

t w

ent

dow

n in

to

grea

t ca

ves

and

tun

nel

s—p

erh

aps

they

kep

t th

eir

slav

es t

her

e.

Bu

t w

hen

I s

tart

ed t

o cl

imb

dow

n,I

hea

rd t

he

squ

eaki

ng

ofra

ts,

so I

did

not

go—

rats

are

un

clea

n,a

nd

ther

e m

ust

have

bee

n m

any

260

92

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


Un

der

line

the

det

ails

yo

u a

reg

iven

ab

ou

t th

e g

reat

tem

ple

in m

idci

ty (

lines

262

–266

).W

hat

co

uld

th

is b

e?

It’s

Gra

nd

Cen

tral

Term

inal

in N

ew Y

ork

Cit

y.

Wh

y d

o y

ou

th

ink

the

foo

din

th

e b

oxe

s an

d ja

rs w

aso

ften

“d

eath

” (l

ine

259)

?

It h

ad b

eco

me

spo

iled

and

po

iso

no

us

ove

r

tim

e.

Elek

traV

isio

n/In

dex

Sto

ck.



not

col

d.T

his

mu

st h

ave

been

a s

tron

g m

agic

bu

t th

e m

agic

was

gon

e.I

do n

ot u

nde

rsta

nd—

they

had

way

s—I

wis

h t

hat

I k

new

.

It w

as c

lose

an

d dr

y an

d du

sty

in t

hei

r h

ouse

of

the

gods

.

I h

ave

said

th

e m

agic

was

gon

e bu

t th

at is

not

tru

e—it

had

gon

e

from

th

e m

agic

th

ings

bu

t it

had

not

gon

e fr

om t

he

plac

e.I

felt

the

spir

its

abou

t m

e,w

eigh

ing

upo

n m

e.N

or h

ad I

eve

r sl

ept

in

a D

ead

Pla

ce b

efor

e—an

d ye

t,to

nig

ht,

I m

ust

sle

ep t

her

e.W

hen

I th

ough

t of

it,m

y to

ngu

e fe

lt d

ry in

my

thro

at,i

n s

pite

of

my

wis

h f

or k

now

ledg

e.A

lmos

t I

wou

ld h

ave

gon

e do

wn

aga

in a

nd

face

d th

e do

gs,b

ut

I di

d n

ot.

I h

ad n

ot g

one

thro

ugh

all

the

room

s w

hen

th

e da

rkn

ess

fell.

Wh

en it

fel

l,I

wen

t ba

ck t

o th

e bi

g ro

om lo

okin

g ov

er

the

city

an

d m

ade

fire

.Th

ere

was

a p

lace

to

mak

e fi

re a

nd

a

box

wit

h w

ood

in it

,th

ough

I d

o n

ot t

hin

k th

ey c

ooke

d th

ere.

I w

rapp

ed m

ysel

fin

a f

loor

-cov

erin

g an

d sl

ept

in f

ron

t of

the

fire

—I

was

ver

y ti

red.

Now

I t

ell w

hat

is v

ery

stro

ng

mag

ic.I

wok

e in

th

e m

idst

ofth

e n

igh

t.W

hen

I w

oke,

the

fire

had

gon

e ou

t an

d I

was

col

d.

It s

eem

ed t

o m

e th

at a

ll ar

oun

d m

e th

ere

wer

e w

his

peri

ngs

an

d

voic

es.I

clo

sed

my

eyes

to

shu

t th

em o

ut.

Som

e w

ill s

ay t

hat

I sl

ept

agai

n,b

ut

I do

not

thi

nk

that

I s

lept

.I c

ould

fee

l the

spi

rits

draw

ing

my

spir

it o

ut

ofm

y bo

dy a

s a

fish

is d

raw

n o

n a

lin

e.

Why

sh

ould

I li

e ab

out

it?

I am

a p

ries

t an

d th

e so

n o

fa

prie

st.I

fth

ere

are

spir

its,

as t

hey

say

,in

th

e sm

all D

ead

Pla

ces

nea

r u

s,w

hat

spi

rits

mu

st t

her

e n

ot b

e in

th

at g

reat

Pla

ce o

fth

e

God

s? A

nd

wou

ld n

ot t

hey

wis

h t

o sp

eak?

Aft

er s

uch

lon

g ye

ars?

I kn

ow t

hat

I f

elt

mys

elf

draw

n a

s a

fish

is d

raw

n o

n a

lin

e.I

had

step

ped

out

ofm

y bo

dy—

I co

uld

see

my

body

asl

eep

in f

ron

t of

the

cold

fir

e,bu

t it

was

not

I.I

was

dra

wn

to

look

ou

t u

pon

th

e

city

of

the

gods

.

It s

hou

ld h

ave

been

dar

k,fo

r it

was

nig

ht,

but

it w

as n

ot

dark

.Eve

ryw

her

e th

ere

wer

e lig

hts

—lin

es o

flig

ht—

circ

les

and

blu

rs o

flig

ht—

ten

th

ousa

nd

torc

hes

wou

ld n

ot h

ave

been

th

e

sam

e.T

he

sky

itse

lfw

as a

ligh

t—yo

u c

ould

bar

ely

see

the

star

s

340

350

360

370

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

95


Du

rin

g t

he

nig

ht,

Jo

hn

has

avi

sio

n. W

hat

sim

iled

oes

he

use

in li

ne

359

to d

escr

ibe

his

spir

it?

He

says

his

sp

irit

is

dra

wn

ou

t o

f h

im li

ke

a fi

sh o

n a

lin

e.

Notes

Notes

smal

l ch

ambe

r—on

on

e si

de o

fit

was

a b

ron

ze d

oor

that

cou

ld

not

be

open

ed,f

or it

had

no

han

dle.

Perh

aps

ther

e w

as a

mag

ic

wor

d to

ope

n it

bu

t I

did

not

hav

e th

e w

ord.

I tu

rned

to

the

door

in t

he

oppo

site

sid

e of

the

wal

l.T

he

lock

of

it w

as b

roke

n

and

I op

ened

it a

nd

wen

t in

.

Wit

hin

,th

ere

was

a p

lace

of

grea

t ri

ches

.Th

e go

d w

ho

lived

ther

e m

ust

hav

e be

en a

pow

erfu

l god

.Th

e fi

rst

room

was

a s

mal

l

ante

room

—I

wai

ted

ther

e fo

r so

me

tim

e,te

llin

g th

e sp

irit

s of

the

plac

e th

at I

cam

e in

pea

ce a

nd

not

as

a ro

bber

.Wh

en it

see

med

to m

e th

at t

hey

had

had

tim

e to

hea

r m

e,I

wen

t on

.Ah

,wh

at

rich

es! F

ew,e

ven

,of

the

win

dow

s h

ad b

een

bro

ken

—it

was

all

as it

had

bee

n.T

he

grea

t w

indo

ws

that

look

ed o

ver

the

city

had

not

bee

n b

roke

n a

t al

l th

ough

th

ey w

ere

dust

y an

d st

reak

ed

wit

h m

any

year

s.T

her

e w

ere

cove

rin

gs o

n t

he

floo

rs,t

he

colo

rs

not

gre

atly

fad

ed,a

nd

the

chai

rs w

ere

soft

an

d de

ep.T

her

e

wer

e pi

ctu

res

upo

n t

he

wal

ls,v

ery

stra

nge

,ver

y w

onde

rfu

l—

I re

mem

ber

one

ofa

bun

ch o

ffl

ower

s in

a ja

r—if

you

cam

e cl

ose

to it

,you

cou

ld s

ee n

othi

ng

but

bits

of

colo

r,bu

t if

you

sto

od

away

fro

m it

,th

e fl

ower

s m

igh

t h

ave

been

pic

ked

yest

erda

y.It

mad

e m

y h

eart

fee

l str

ange

to

look

at

this

pic

ture

—an

d to

look

at t

he

figu

re o

fa

bird

,in

som

e h

ard

clay

,on

a t

able

an

d se

e it

so

like

our

bird

s.Ev

eryw

her

e th

ere

wer

e bo

oks

and

wri

tin

gs,m

any

in t

ongu

es t

hat

I c

ould

not

rea

d.T

he

god

wh

o liv

ed t

her

e m

ust

hav

e be

en a

wis

e go

d an

d fu

ll of

know

ledg

e.I

felt

I h

ad r

igh

t

ther

e,as

I s

ough

t kn

owle

dge

also

.

Nev

erth

eles

s,it

was

str

ange

.Th

ere

was

a w

ash

ing-

plac

e bu

t

no

wat

er—

perh

aps

the

gods

was

hed

in a

ir.T

her

e w

as a

coo

kin

g-

plac

e bu

t n

o w

ood,

and

thou

gh t

her

e w

as a

mac

hin

e to

coo

k

food

,th

ere

was

no

plac

e to

pu

t fi

re in

it.N

or w

ere

ther

e ca

ndl

es

or la

mps

—th

ere

wer

e th

ings

th

at lo

oked

like

lam

ps b

ut

they

had

nei

ther

oil

nor

wic

k.A

ll th

ese

thin

gs w

ere

mag

ic,b

ut

I to

uch

ed

them

an

d liv

ed—

the

mag

ic h

ad g

one

out

ofth

em.L

et m

e te

ll

one

thin

g to

sh

ow.I

n t

he

was

hin

g-pl

ace,

a th

ing

said

“H

ot”

but

it w

as n

ot h

ot t

o th

e to

uch

—an

othe

r th

ing

said

“C

old”

but

it w

as

310

320

330

94

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


In li

nes

317

–328

, Jo

hn

fin

ds

him

self

in a

pla

ce o

f “g

reat

rich

es.”

Un

der

line

the

thin

gs

he

sees

.

Cir

cle

the

ever

yday

item

sJo

hn

fin

ds

in li

nes

329

–334

.W

hy

do

th

ey s

eem

like

“mag

ic”

to h

im?

They

’re

mag

ic t

o h

im

bec

ause

th

ey b

elo

ng

to g

od

s an

d b

ecau

se

he

do

esn

’t u

nd

erst

and

ho

w t

hey

wo

rk.

Joh

n is

in a

tal

l bu

ildin

g w

ith

a lo

t o

f st

airs

. Wh

at d

o y

ou

thin

k th

e d

oo

r w

ith

no

han

dle

(lin

es 3

03–3

05)

lead

s to

?

It le

ads

to a

n e

leva

tor.



wit

h g

ods,

they

use

wea

pon

s w

e do

not

kn

ow.I

t w

as f

ire

falli

ng

out

ofth

e sk

y an

d a

mis

t th

at p

oiso

ned

.It

was

th

e ti

me

ofth

e

Gre

at B

urn

ing

and

the

Des

tru

ctio

n.T

hey

ran

abo

ut

like

ants

in

the

stre

ets

ofth

eir

city

—po

or g

ods,

poor

god

s! T

hen

th

e to

wer

s

bega

n t

o fa

ll.A

few

esc

aped

—ye

s,a

few

.Th

e le

gen

ds t

ell i

t.B

ut,

even

aft

er t

he

city

had

bec

ome

a D

ead

Pla

ce,f

or m

any

year

s th

e

pois

on w

as s

till

in t

he

grou

nd.

I sa

w it

hap

pen

,I s

aw t

he

last

of

them

die

.It

was

dar

knes

s ov

er t

he

brok

en c

ity

and

I w

ept.

All

this

,I s

aw.I

saw

it a

s I

hav

e to

ld it

,th

ough

not

in t

he

body

.Wh

en I

wok

e in

th

e m

orn

ing,

I w

as h

un

gry,

but

I di

d

not

th

ink

firs

t of

my

hun

ger,

for

my

hea

rt w

as p

erpl

exed

an

d

con

fuse

d.I

knew

th

e re

ason

for

th

e D

ead

Pla

ces

but

I di

d n

ot

see

why

it h

ad h

appe

ned

.It

seem

ed t

o m

e it

sh

ould

not

hav

e

hap

pen

ed,w

ith

all

the

mag

ic t

hey

had

.I w

ent

thro

ugh

th

e

hou

se lo

okin

g fo

r an

an

swer

.Th

ere

was

so

mu

ch in

th

e h

ouse

I co

uld

not

un

ders

tan

d—an

d ye

t I

am a

pri

est

and

the

son

of

a pr

iest

.It

was

like

bei

ng

on o

ne

side

of

the

grea

t ri

ver,

at n

igh

t,

wit

h n

o lig

ht

to s

how

th

e w

ay.

Th

en I

saw

th

e de

ad g

od.H

e w

as s

itti

ng

in h

is c

hai

r,by

the

win

dow

,in

a r

oom

I h

ad n

ot e

nte

red

befo

re a

nd,

for

the

firs

t

mom

ent,

I th

ough

t th

at h

e w

as a

live.

Th

en I

saw

th

e sk

in o

n t

he

back

of

his

han

d—it

was

like

dry

leat

her

.Th

e ro

om w

as s

hut,

hot

an

d dr

y—n

o do

ubt

th

at h

ad k

ept

him

as

he

was

.At

firs

t

I w

as a

frai

d to

app

roac

h h

im—

then

th

e fe

ar le

ft m

e.H

e w

as

sitt

ing

look

ing

out

over

th

e ci

ty—

he

was

dre

ssed

in t

he

clot

hes

ofth

e go

ds.H

is a

ge w

as n

eith

er y

oun

g n

or o

ld—

I co

uld

not

tell

his

age

.Bu

t th

ere

was

wis

dom

in h

is f

ace

and

grea

t sa

dnes

s.

You

cou

ld s

ee t

hat

he

wou

ld h

ave

not

ru

n a

way

.He

had

sat

at

his

win

dow

,wat

chin

g h

is c

ity

die—

then

he

him

self

had

die

d.

Bu

t it

is b

ette

r to

lose

on

e’s

life

than

on

e’s

spir

it—

and

you

cou

ld

see

from

th

e fa

ce t

hat

his

spi

rit

had

not

bee

n lo

st.I

kn

ew t

hat

,

ifI

tou

ched

him

,he

wou

ld f

all i

nto

du

st—

and

yet,

ther

e w

as

som

eth

ing

un

con

quer

ed in

th

e fa

ce.

410

420

430

By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

97


Wh

at d

o y

ou

th

ink

the

fire

that

fel

l fro

m t

he

sky

and

th

e p

ois

on

mis

t (l

ines

407–

408)

mig

ht

be?

The

“fir

e” w

as p

rob

a-

bly

bo

mb

s, a

nd

th

e

“po

iso

n m

ist”

may

hav

e b

een

po

iso

n g

as.

Pau

se a

t lin

e 42

4. W

hat

can

’tJo

hn

un

der

stan

d a

bo

ut

the

go

ds,

wh

o s

eem

ed t

o h

ave

so m

uch

wis

do

m a

nd

po

wer

?

He

can

’t u

nd

erst

and

wh

y th

ey d

idn

’t

pre

ven

t th

eir

ow

n

des

tru

ctio

n.

Wh

y d

oes

Jo

hn

th

ink

he

sho

uld

be

able

to

un

der

stan

dth

ese

mys

teri

es (

lines

421–

423)

?

He

is a

pri

est,

an

d

pri

ests

are

su

pp

ose

d

to e

xpla

in m

yste

ries

.

for

the

glow

in t

he

sky.

I th

ough

t to

mys

elf,

“Th

is is

str

ong

mag

ic,”

and

trem

bled

.Th

ere

was

a r

oari

ng

in m

y ea

rs li

ke t

he

rush

ing

ofri

vers

.Th

en m

y ey

es g

rew

use

d to

th

e lig

ht

and

my

ears

to

the

sou

nd.

I kn

ew t

hat

I w

as s

eein

g th

e ci

ty a

s it

had

been

wh

en t

he

gods

wer

e al

ive.

Th

at w

as a

sig

ht

inde

ed—

yes,

that

was

a s

igh

t:I

cou

ld n

ot

hav

e se

en it

in t

he

body

—m

y bo

dy w

ould

hav

e di

ed.E

very

wh

ere

wen

t th

e go

ds,o

n f

oot

and

in c

har

iots

—th

ere

wer

e go

ds b

eyon

d

nu

mbe

r an

d co

un

tin

g an

d th

eir

char

iots

blo

cked

th

e st

reet

s.

Th

ey h

ad t

urn

ed n

igh

t to

day

for

th

eir

plea

sure

—th

ey d

id n

ot

slee

p w

ith

th

e su

n.T

he

noi

se o

fth

eir

com

ing

and

goin

g w

as t

he

noi

se o

fm

any

wat

ers.

It w

as m

agic

wh

at t

hey

cou

ld d

o—it

was

mag

ic w

hat

th

ey d

id.

I lo

oked

ou

t of

anot

her

win

dow

—th

e gr

eat

vin

es o

fth

eir

brid

ges

wer

e m

ende

d an

d th

e go

d-ro

ads

wen

t ea

st a

nd

wes

t.

Res

tles

s,re

stle

ss w

ere

the

gods

,an

d al

way

s in

mot

ion

! Th

ey

burr

owed

tu

nn

els

un

der

rive

rs—

they

fle

w in

th

e ai

r.W

ith

un

belie

vabl

e to

ols

they

did

gia

nt

wor

ks—

no

part

of

the

eart

h

was

saf

e fr

om t

hem

,for

,if

they

wis

hed

for

a t

hin

g,th

ey s

um

-

mon

ed it

fro

m t

he

oth

er s

ide

ofth

e w

orld

.An

d al

way

s,as

th

ey

labo

red

and

rest

ed,a

s th

ey f

east

ed a

nd

mad

e lo

ve,t

her

e w

as a

dru

m in

th

eir

ears

—th

e pu

lse

ofth

e gi

ant

city

,bea

tin

g an

d

beat

ing

like

a m

an’s

hea

rt.

Wer

e th

ey h

appy

? W

hat

is h

appi

nes

s to

th

e go

ds?

Th

ey

wer

e gr

eat,

they

wer

e m

igh

ty,t

hey

wer

e w

onde

rfu

l an

d te

rrib

le.

As

I lo

oked

upo

n t

hem

an

d th

eir

mag

ic,I

fel

t lik

e a

child

—bu

t

a lit

tle

mor

e,it

see

med

to

me,

and

they

wou

ld p

ull

dow

n t

he

moo

n f

rom

th

e sk

y.I

saw

th

em w

ith

wis

dom

bey

ond

wis

dom

and

know

ledg

e be

yon

d kn

owle

dge.

An

d ye

t n

ot a

ll th

ey d

id w

as

wel

l don

e—ev

en I

cou

ld s

ee t

hat

—an

d ye

t th

eir

wis

dom

cou

ld

not

bu

t gr

ow u

nti

l all

was

pea

ce.

Th

en I

saw

th

eir

fate

com

e u

pon

th

em a

nd

that

was

ter

ribl

e

past

spe

ech

.It

cam

e u

pon

th

em a

s th

ey w

alke

d th

e st

reet

s of

thei

r ci

ty.I

hav

e be

en in

th

e fi

ghts

wit

h t

he

Fore

st P

eopl

e—

I h

ave

seen

men

die

.Bu

t th

is w

as n

ot li

ke t

hat

.Wh

en g

ods

war

380

390

400

96

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


In li

nes

377

–394

, un

der

line

at le

ast

six

thin

gs

that

Jo

hn

no

tice

s ab

ou

t th

e w

ay t

he

go

ds

lived

in t

he

pas

t. H

ow

do

yo

u t

hin

k h

e w

as a

ble

to

“see

” th

ese

thin

gs?

Sin

ce h

e is

fro

m a

pri

est’

s fa

mily

, he

may

hav

e p

sych

ic p

ow

ers

that

let

him

see

th

e

pas

t.




By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

99

Wh

at t

he

Nar

rato

r N

ames

Dea

d P

lace

s

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s

Gre

at B

urn

ing

Old

Day

s

bu

ildin

gs

in w

hic

h p

eop

le h

ad d

ied

New

Yo

rk C

ity

the

fire

th

at r

esu

lted

fro

m t

he

bo

mb

ing

of

New

Yo

rk

the

tim

e b

efo

re t

he

gre

at d

estr

uct

ion

My

Co

ncl

usi

on

s A

bo

ut

Wh

at t

he

Nar

rato

r Is

Des

crib

ing

By t

he W

ater

s of

Bab

ylon

Conc

lusi

ons

Char

t“B

y th

e W

ater

s of

Bab

ylon

”is

tol

d fr

om t

he

poi

nt

ofvi

ewof

a n

arra

tor,

Joh

n,w

ho

goes

on

a jo

urn

ey o

fdi

scov

ery.

Un

til J

ohn

com

plet

es

his

jou

rney

of

disc

over

y,h

is d

escr

ipti

ons

ofpl

aces

an

d ev

ents

are

inco

mpl

ete

or u

nre

liab

le.

Dra

w c

oncl

usi

ons

abou

t w

hat

th

e n

arra

tor

sees

in “

By

the

Wat

ers

ofB

abyl

on.”

Fill

in t

he

char

t by

wri

tin

g w

hat

you

th

ink

he

is d

escr

ibin

g.

Ou

-dis

-su

n

ASH

ING

the

Hu

dso

n R

iver

Geo

rge

Was

hin

gto

n

Tem

ple

wit

h s

tars

on

the

ceili

ng

Gra

nd

Cen

tral

Ter

min

al

Th

at is

all

ofm

y st

ory,

for

then

I k

new

he

was

a m

an—

I kn

ew t

hen

th

at t

hey

had

bee

n m

en,n

eith

er g

ods

nor

dem

ons.

It is

a g

reat

kn

owle

dge,

hard

to

tell

and

belie

ve.T

hey

wer

e m

en—

they

wen

t a

dark

roa

d,bu

t th

ey w

ere

men

.I h

ad n

o fe

ar a

fter

that

—I

had

no

fear

goi

ng

hom

e,th

ough

tw

ice

I fo

ugh

t of

fth

e

dogs

an

d I

was

hu

nte

d fo

r tw

o da

ys b

y th

e Fo

rest

Peo

ple.

Wh

en

I sa

w m

y fa

ther

aga

in,I

pra

yed

and

was

pu

rifi

ed.H

e to

uch

ed

my

lips

and

my

brea

st,h

e sa

id,“

You

wen

t aw

ay a

boy

.You

com

e

back

a m

an a

nd

a pr

iest

.”I

said

,“Fa

ther

,th

ey w

ere

men

! I h

ave

been

in t

he

Pla

ce o

fth

e G

ods

and

seen

it! N

ow s

lay

me,

ifit

is

the

law

—bu

t st

ill I

kn

ow t

hey

wer

e m

en.”

He

look

ed a

t m

e ou

t of

both

eye

s.H

e sa

id,“

Th

e la

w is

not

alw

ays

the

sam

e sh

ape—

you

hav

e do

ne

wh

at y

ou h

ave

don

e.I

cou

ld n

ot h

ave

don

e it

in m

y ti

me,

but

you

com

e af

ter

me.

Tell!

”

I to

ld a

nd

he

liste

ned

.Aft

er t

hat

,I w

ish

ed t

o te

ll al

l th

e

peop

le b

ut

he

show

ed m

e ot

her

wis

e.H

e sa

id,“

Tru

th is

a h

ard

deer

to

hun

t.If

you

eat

too

mu

ch t

ruth

at

once

,you

may

die

ofth

e tr

uth

.It

was

not

idly

th

at o

ur

fath

ers

forb

ade

the

Dea

d

Pla

ces.”

He

was

rig

ht—

it is

bet

ter

the

tru

th s

hou

ld c

ome

littl

e by

littl

e.I

hav

e le

arn

ed t

hat

,bei

ng

a pr

iest

.Per

hap

s,in

th

e ol

d da

ys,

they

ate

kn

owle

dge

too

fast

.

Nev

erth

eles

s,w

e m

ake

a be

gin

nin

g.It

is n

ot f

or t

he

met

al

alon

e w

e go

to

the

Dea

d P

lace

s n

ow—

ther

e ar

e th

e bo

oks

and

the

wri

tin

gs.T

hey

are

har

d to

lear

n.A

nd

the

mag

ic t

ools

are

brok

en—

but

we

can

look

at

them

an

d w

onde

r.A

t le

ast,

we

mak

e a

begi

nn

ing.

An

d,w

hen

I a

m c

hie

fpr

iest

we

shal

l go

beyo

nd

the

grea

t ri

ver.

We

shal

l go

to t

he

Pla

ce o

fth

e G

ods—

the

plac

e n

ewyo

rk—

not

on

e m

an b

ut

a co

mpa

ny.W

e sh

all l

ook

for

the

imag

es o

fth

e go

ds a

nd

fin

d th

e go

d A

SHIN

G a

nd

the

oth

ers—

the

gods

Lin

coln

an

d B

iltm

ore2

and

Mos

es.3

Bu

t th

ey

wer

e m

en w

ho

built

th

e ci

ty,n

ot g

ods

or d

emon

s.T

hey

wer

e

men

.I r

emem

ber

the

dead

man

’s f

ace.

Th

ey w

ere

men

wh

o

wer

e h

ere

befo

re u

s.W

e m

ust

bu

ild a

gain

.

440

450

460

470

98

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1


2.B

iltm

ore

:a N

ew Y

ork

Cit

y h

ote

l.3.

Mo

ses:

Ro

ber

t M

ose

s (1

888–

1981

): N

ew Y

ork

Cit

y p

ub

lic o

ffic

ial

wh

o o

vers

aw m

any

larg

e co

nst

ruct

ion

pro

ject

s, s

uch

as

bri

dg

es

and

pu

blic

bu

ildin

gs.

Wh

at “

gre

at k

no

wle

dg

e”d

oes

Jo

hn

dis

cove

r in

th

em

orn

ing

(lin

es 4

40–4

43)?

Aft

er h

e d

isco

vers

th

e

dea

d g

od

, he

real

izes

that

th

e g

od

s w

ere

real

ly m

en a

nd

th

at

they

cau

sed

th

eir

ow

n

des

tru

ctio

n.

In li

nes

465

–469

, un

der

line

wh

at J

oh

n p

lan

s to

do

wh

enh

e is

ch

ief

pri

est.

Cir

cle

the

nam

e o

f th

e Pl

ace

of

the

Go

ds.

Wh

at d

oes

Jo

hn

mea

n w

hen

he

says

th

at in

th

e o

ld d

ays

“th

ey a

te k

no

wle

dg

e to

ofa

st”

(lin

e 46

0)?

He

thin

ks t

hey

may

hav

e le

arn

ed t

hin

gs

too

qu

ickl

y w

ith

ou

t

sto

pp

ing

to

co

nsi

der

po

ten

tial

dan

ger

s o

r

con

seq

uen

ces.




By

the

Wat

ers

of

Bab

ylo

n

101

Skill

s Re

view

Skill

s Re

view

Suff

ixes

:Cl

ues

to W

ord

Mea

ning

sSo

met

imes

yo

u c

an f

igu

re o

ut

the

mea

nin

g o

f an

un

fam

iliar

wo

rd if

yo

u

anal

yze

the

mea

nin

g o

f it

s p

arts

. Th

e m

ore

su

ffix

es y

ou

kn

ow

, th

e m

ore

wo

rds

you

’ll b

e ab

le t

o f

igu

re o

ut.

A s

uff

ixis

a w

ord

par

t ad

ded

to

th

e en

d

of

a w

ord

or

roo

t. In

crea

se y

ou

r kn

ow

led

ge

of

suff

ixes

by

add

ing

at

leas

t

two

mo

re w

ord

s to

eac

h o

f th

e ex

amp

le b

oxe

s in

th

e ch

art

bel

ow

.

Sam

ple

an

swer

s ap

pea

r b

elo

w.

By t

he W

ater

s of

Bab

ylon

Su

ffix

es

Me

an

ing

sE

xa

mp

les

–ab

le, –

ible

“ab

le; l

ikel

y”ca

pab

le, f

lexi

ble

dep

end

able

, su

itab

le

–an

ce, –

ence

“act

; co

nd

itio

n; f

act”

atte

nd

ance

, evi

den

ce

per

man

ence

, ele

gan

ce

–er,

–or

“on

e w

ho

do

es”

bak

er, d

irec

tor

acto

r, le

ader

–ic

“dea

ling

wit

h;

clas

sic,

ch

ole

ric,

wo

rkah

olic

cau

sed

by;

sh

ow

ing

”p

ho

bic

, exo

tic

–io

n, –

tio

n“a

ctio

n; r

esu

lt;

un

ion

, fu

sio

n, s

elec

tio

n

stat

e”ed

uca

tio

n, v

alid

atio

n

–ou

s“m

arke

d b

y;

relig

iou

s, f

uri

ou

s

giv

en t

o”

dan

ger

ou

s, g

lori

ou

s

–y“q

ual

ity;

act

ion

”je

alo

usy

, in

qu

iry

acti

vity

, ab

ility

Voca

bula

rySkills

Und

erst

and

and

use

suff

ixes

.

Shar

pen

yo

ur

test

-tak

ing

ski

lls b

y co

mp

leti

ng

th

e sa

mp

le t

est

item

. Th

en, c

hec

k yo

ur

answ

er a

gai

nst

th

e ex

pla

nat

ion

in t

he

rig

ht-

han

d c

olu

mn

.

By t

he W

ater

s of

Bab

ylon

Skill

s Re

view

Skill

s Re

view

100

Co

llect

ion

3:

Nar

rato

r an

d V

oic

ePa

rt 1

Ex

pla

na

tio

n o

f th

e C

orr

ect

An

swe

r

The

corr

ect

answ

er is

B.

Ais

inco

rrec

t b

ecau

se t

he

wri

ter

nev

er

po

rtra

ys J

oh

n a

s fe

elin

g s

orr

y fo

r h

im-

self

. No

thin

g t

hat

Jo

hn

do

es o

r sa

ys

sup

po

rts

answ

er C

.Alt

ho

ug

h s

om

e

of

Joh

n’s

act

ion

s at

th

e b

egin

nin

g o

f

the

sto

ry s

up

po

rt t

he

answ

er D

, Bis

th

e

bes

t an

swer

.

Sa

mp

le T

est

Ite

m

Wh

ich

sta

tem

ent

bes

t d

escr

ibes

th

e

nar

rato

r’s

voic

e?

AIt

is s

elf-

pit

yin

g.

BIt

is c

ou

rag

eou

s an

d in

telli

gen

t.

CIt

is s

hal

low

an

d la

zy.

DIt

is c

on

sid

erat

e an

d lo

vin

g.

4.Jo

hn

lear

ns

that

th

e in

hab

itan

ts o

f

the

Plac

e o

f th

e G

od

s—

Fkn

ew li

ttle

mo

re t

han

th

e H

ill

Peo

ple

Gre

esta

blis

hed

th

eir

com

mu

nit

y a

few

mile

s fr

om

th

eir

ruin

ed c

ity

Hw

ere

kille

d b

y p

acks

of

wild

do

gs

Jw

ere

actu

ally

peo

ple

5.Th

e Pl

ace

of

the

Go

ds

was

on

ce

calle

d—

AN

ew Y

ork

BB

ost

on

CSa

n F

ran

cisc

o

DLo

s A

ng

eles

1.Fr

om

wh

at p

oin

t o

f vi

ewis

th

e st

ory

told

?

Afi

rst

per

son

Bse

con

d p

erso

n

Cth

ird

-per

son

lim

ited

Do

mn

isci

ent

2.Th

e n

arra

tor

of

the

sto

ry is

—

Fa

go

d

Ga

you

ng

man

Han

old

pri

est

Ja

dea

d m

an

3.W

hic

h w

ord

bes

t d

escr

ibes

wh

at t

he

nar

rato

rw

ants

?

Alo

ve

Bfr

ien

ds

Ckn

ow

led

ge

Dp

ow

er

DIR

ECTI

ON

S:C

ircl

e th

e le

tter

of

each

co

rrec

t re

spo

nse

.


Lit

era

ry S

kills

Ana

lyze

the

firs

t-pe

rson

poin

t of

vie

w.

Ana

lyze

set

ting

.


HRW TE Grade 10_S1 10/3/03 10:29 AM Page 51 impos03 108:hrhrt10r1:hrt10ch:layouts:

Graphic Organizers 201

Name Date

Selection TitleC

op

yrig

ht

© b

y H

olt

, Rin

ehar

t an

d W

inst

on

. All

rig

hts

res

erve

d.

Narrator Chart

The point of view of the narrator determines what you learn as you read a story. A third-

person-omniscient narrator knows and tells all. A third-person-limited or first-person

narrator tells only what one character knows. If the narrator is biased or unreliable, you

may not be able to believe what you read. In the chart below, fill in the point of view of

the narrator who tells the story you have just read. Then, tell what you have learned about

the narrator. (You may not learn anything about an omniscient narrator.) Finally, decide

if what you learned is reliable.

Point of View

The Narrator:

Other Characters:

Events:

What I Learned About

Is the information reliable? Explain.

Documents

By the Waters of Babylon - mrgravuer - Homemrgravuer.wikispaces.com/file/view/By the Waters of...the metal must be a priest or the son of a priest. Afterward, both the man and the