I was a bird-fancier when I was six or seven. I would hunt birds in
two ways. In the summer I would use a sling. In the winter, I would dig a
hole in the ground and put a little basket in it. I would cover the
basket with a thread and put some bread crusts in it.
Like the other children in the village, I did not have any toys. I
would put the bird I caught in a little cage that I had made myself. The
bird was not happy but I was. I had a toy to play with. After some
time, I would free the bird and catch a new one to put it in the cage. I
wanted a new toy.
Summer was different. Summer was a time of competition. We had
slings and we knew how to use them. I wanted to be respected as I was
the youngest, the shortest, and I was a girl. I became the best slinger.
I would always win. All my shots hit their mark. I was very proud of
myself.
I did not understand the difference between life and death then.
