Set a Purpose
A boy and his people have an encounter with visitors from a faraway place. Find out what the visitors are like.
The moon was well overhead, and our great fire had burned low. A loud clap of thunder woke me from my dream.
All dreams are not true dreams, my mother says. But in my dream that night, three great-winged birds with voices like thunder rode wild waves in our bay. They were not like any birds I had ever seen, for sharp, white teeth filled their mouths.
I left my hammock and walked to the beach. There were my dream birds again. Only now they were real—three great-sailed canoes floating in the bay. I stared at them all through the night.
When the sun rose, each great canoe gave birth to many little ones that swam awkwardly to our shore.
I ran then and found our chief still sleeping in his hammock.
“Do not welcome them,” I begged him. “My dream is a warning.”
great-sailed canoes boats with very large sails
gave birth to many little ones that swam awkwardly released little boats that moved in an odd way
