The thorn birds

THE THORN BIRDS

1915 – 1917

MEGGIE

On 8^th, December, 1915, Meggie Cleary  was 4 year olds. Tidying up the breakfast, did not any word and suddenly. Meggie’s mother put a chesnut paper box, then she told her go out the yard. Listening from her mother, Meggie went to sitting before the house, even behind the chickling bush, then premature to open the box. Her fingers’s awkward, more, the wrapping-paper is very thick. But instantly, a subtle perfume make Meggie thinking of Wahine’s deparment store. Now, she guessed that, although inside what any content, that gift was sure bought from that shop too, not bescause of making at home or bescause of somebody gave. Open to all the layer outside paper, Meggie recognized a what was very smooth and shinning at the box corner, she teared it:

-         Anges! Oh Anges! She whispered fondly , her brighteyes when she see a doll lie melodious in waste-paper pile.

-         That’s a miracle. A truth miracle. From before till now, Meggie has just come Wahine’s shop once. The May last, she was awarded form her parents because of proving so obedient.

That time on top of bullock cart, she have to try herself best to sit quiet next her mother. So greeting, Meggie was not in see time anything , except to Anges, the doll ‘s very nice,wear a widen unfolding dress by pink satin to have plait the wrist around that dress, it was put on the stall of the deparment shop.Right that time, Meggie gave to name for the nice doll secretly,  a polite name that she knew. So many the next months, Meggie’s covetable soul only is a wish. Meggie has not had a doll yet and she imagined that a young girl as her someday will have a doll. Long since, she often happy with the toys that her brothers threw away, such as the hooters, elastic shooting, the lumpy soldier pictures. How does she dare to wish that she was played with Anges.

Her hands fondle light up the doll’s dress, that’s one of the best beautiful dress that she saw the women often wore it. Meggie hold light on Anges.The doll’s hands and legs could move, and it’s body too. The doll’s shinning yellow hair colour was adorned the pearls, the face was made by porcelain, it was painted very clever and beautiful. The doll’s eyes is blue, lively to suppried. That eyes is bright by two bent eyelid. When she put to lie Anges down , Meggie discoveried that the doll still know to close it’s eyes. Above tall pink cheekbone was a mole. Two lips open slightly to see the small white teeth. Meggie put the doll on her knees, look for a melodious sitting then she gazed away it passionately.

While Meggie still sat so , behind the chickling bush, Jach and Hughie were playing next to high growing glass bush to close with fence. Both two brothers saw Meggie’s special brownish hair, that’s hair colour of Cleary’s family, apart from Frank was another hair colour.

Jack dun the elbow on his brother while glibbing Meggie’s place. Both two boys were playing the soldiers were hunted down a unfaithful Maori’s aboriginal game.Meggie did not notice to her two brothes and she still look dear Anges, her mouth whistled small the familiar sounds.

-         What are you doing, Meggie ?  Jack shout aloud while comming to . Give me to see.

-         Uhm, Give  to see.

Hughie talked in more, he smiled giggling while looking for how to block Meggie, he did not allow Meggie run away.

She hugged the doll in my chest and shook her head.

-         No, that’s my doll. My birhday’s gift.

-         Give  us to see. We only want to see it.

In her joy and pride has been awarded from her mother , she took to brag the doll:

-         The brothers see this,it’s so nice, it’s Anges.

-         Anges ? Anges ? Jack’s voice ridicuted. The name was so bad. Why did not she call it Magaret or Betty ?

-         Can not call it anothet more because of that’s Anges!

-         Hughie look the doll’s hand moved, he whistled to talked:

-         Jack, look ! It’s hand moved.

-         How did it move? Now give me to see it .

No! She shouted and hugged the doll in her chest again. Her tears was going to overflow. No, the brothers made fasle my doll. A, Jack, you don’t touch it , you will break my doll please.

Jack’s sunburnt dirty hands put on Meggie’s wrist and tighten it.

-         Don’t importunate anymore, I sneak with Bob now .

-         Jack tighten strong the Meggie ‘s two wrist, while Hughie’s  snatching the doll’s dress pull out.

Give it, Jack ‘s voice was slight again. If not, I will make strong  you pain so  much.

-         No, no , Jack, I entreat you. You make fasle my doll now. I implore you, Let it quiet. Don’t take my doll.

-         Although her two hands were tightened more stronger everytime , she still do not let off it. Meggie cried aloud, her legs kicked Jack.

-         Took it ! Hughie acclaimed to be victorious when the doll was come out from her Meggie’s hands. The dress, underdress and the underwear were tattered. The doll was nude completely. We took the doll’s two legs pull upside down, we turned the doll’ head all wayand did not notice to Meggie was standing to cry alone. In the Cleary family was so, who was not ability to against, that person have to accept resignedly, nobody help and pity too. That principle was used for the female. Every yellow hair of doll was broken and spread full ground, the pearls threw in the glass , a dirty shoes treaded indeliberate on the dress in the ground. Meggie kneel down, the two tremple hands pick up every piece of small clothes of the doll, then she grope the glass bush’s way to look for the pearls again. The tears made her not see anything, her heart was pain strangely. Because from long since, she have never felt a thing that was called painful.

Frank steep a red iron bar flat in cold water to make a cracking sound,then stand up. He was not backache anymore. Maybe because he get used to with the work in the blacksmith’s. “Only need a month”, his father told. But Frank understand : “how many months-years elapsed from he make the acquaintance with the place, he counted the time in his bitterness and feud. Throwing the axe on the cask, his hands quiver, Frank fondle contrary the hair that it covered his full brow, then he take off the old apron was made from the hide. The shirt lie to wait Frank on the hipe of thraw. He step hardly, stop a
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