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Old 03-12-2018, 09:55 PM   #4
KenM
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Default "The boy who told stories"

I think I read the sequel to that book. It was called "The Boy Who Told Stories" (subtitle: The long walk home).

It was about a boy named Bo'ob-ka from the Ma-Hon-Enga tribe...the tribe that had mastered the Cen neew. The boy was forever telling wild stories about the river turning fluorescent green or having turned into bear grease. Bo'ob-ka also had the smallest Cen neew. It was too small to haul much manure so gave him the excuse to not do much work. The tribe called his boat the k-Yaka, a not so nice name meaning "No room for any more do-do".

So many of the tribe complained about Bo'ob-ka that the chief Big M'Dan-ko (also known as "The One That Likes to be Wet") called in his council including Jay'Pee (son of Tol) master of the Cen neew, and Rich-a-pinky the tribe's main scout along with many of the Elders (which was most of the tribe). A plan was crafted to rid themselves of Bo'ob-ka.

At the next Celebration of the RiverFest, Bo'ob-ka was told he was the chosen one to deliver a message to a fierce tribe downsteam called the LowHeads. His k-Yaka was loaded with "sacred" stones and the outside was deeply carved (thinned) with messages warning about Bo'ob-ka and down-river he was sent.

Nearing the LowHeads, Bo'ob-ka got caught in a strainer-trap the tribe had set. The LowHeads pulled Bo'ob-ka and his k-Yaka out of the river. The sacred stones were lost and the LowHeads could not read the warnings on the boat. It didn't take them long to figure out that this boy wasn't right and so filled his boat back up with rocks and sent him on his way to the O' Hi'O river where the Barge Spirits dwelt.

The Barge Spirits had fun with Bo'ob-ka. They smashed his boat and held him in Locks for many years. Eventually he escaped and started walking back home but by then he was getting to be an old man.

By the time he made it back to the Ma-Hon-Enga's he had mellowed quite a bit. He realized how much he had missed the sweet smell of fresh manure. He also realized that he had gotten too old and stiff to get into and out of a k-Yaka. He made himself a Cen neew and to his surprise he found that he felt right at home with a load of manure.

I would imagine that this book, too, is also out of print. -KenM
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