The Dark Child

afraid already apprentices Argenteuil asked Aunt Awa beat began big boys bombax tree boubous brothers Camara Camara Laye ceremony certainly Check circumcision clothes Conakry concession couscous Dabola Dakar dance dream elders everything eyes Fanta fear feel felt finally fire FRENCH GUINEA friends girls gold guava guiding spirit hand head headmaster hear heart Himourana keep Kindia knew kola nuts Kondén Diara Kouroussa Kouyaté Kouyaté's father leave lions listen longer looked main square Malinke Mamou marabouts Marie meal mother motor bicycle never night Number older boys once perhaps praise-singer pupils Ramadan realised replied rice roaring round school yard seemed shouting sickles silent singing sister sleep snake soon stop suddenly talk tell thing thought Tindican told tom-tom town trinket twins Uncle Mamadou voice waiting walk watch WILLIAM PLOMER woman women word workshop young younger