Drovers Wife

nullThe Drover’s WifeThe Drover’s WifeBy Henry Lawsonnullborn June 17, 1867, near Grenfell, N.S.W., Australia died Sept. 22, 1922, Abbotsford, N.S.W.nullHenry Lawson is perhaps, alongside Banjo Paterson, Australia's best known poet and storyteller. --The National Library of Australia’s Federation GatewaynullA translated collection of Lawson’s short stories was published in 2004.nullnull“The drover, an ex-squatter, is away with sheep.”nullnullDrover’s Wife (Russell Drysdale, 1945)nullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullHe was a drover, and started squatting here when they were married. The drought of 18-- ruined him. He had to sacrifice the remnant of his flock and go droving again. He intends to move his family into the nearest town when he comes back, … (122)nullnull“Bush all around—bush with no horizon, …”nullnullThe rain will make the grass grow, and this reminds her how she fought a bush-fire once while her husband was away. (123)nullShe thinks how she fought a flood during her husband's absence. She stood for hours in the drenching downpour, and dug an overflow gutter to save the dam across the creek. But she could not save it. There are things that a bushwoman cannot do. Next morning the dam was broken, and her heart was nearly broken too, for she thought how her husband would feel when he came home and saw the result of years of labour swept away. She cried then. (124)null"Mummy! Tommy's skinnin' me alive wif his club. Make him take it out." （121） Tommy's skinning me alive with his club.null“Shet up you little ---! D'yer want to be bit with the snake?” (121) Shut up you little ---! Do you want to be …null“Mother! Listen to them (adjective) little possums. I'd like to screw their blanky necks.” (121) "But they don't hurt us, the little blanks!"nullAlmost at the same moment the boy's club comes down and skins the aforesaid nose. Alligator takes small notice of this, and proceeds to undermine the building; … (120)nullGod sent Black Mary – the "whitest" gin in all the land. (123) gin: (derogatory) an Aboriginal womannullnullnullHe put his black face round the door post, took in the situation at a glance, and said cheerfully: "All right, missus – I bring my old woman, she down along a creek." (123)nullAlligator's yellow eyes glared unpleasantly – besides, the dog's chawing-up apparatus greatly resembled that of the reptile he was named after. (125)null"Mother, I won't never go drovin' blarst me if I do!" blarst: blast (curse)nullHe shakes the snake as though he felt the original curse in common with mankind. (127-8)nullnull14耶和华 神对蛇说：“你既作了这事，就必受诅咒，比一切的牲畜野兽更甚。你必用肚子行走，终身吃土。15我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇；你的后裔和女人的后裔也彼此为仇。女人的后裔要伤害你的头，你要伤害他的脚跟。”nullA few questions to consider:What descriptions of the woman impress you the most? Why? How does the woman compare with the mothers in the other short stories we have read? How does the family compare with the families in the other stories? How does the woman compare with “the man” in “To Build a Fire”?For next week:For next week: Please read “How Santa Claus Came to Simpson’s Bar” before coming to class