〃Seventh son；〃 whispered Eleanor。
〃What does that mean？〃 asked Mama。
〃If this baby's a boy；〃 said Eleanor； 〃and he's born while Vigor's still alive； then he's the seventh son of a seventh son； and all of them alive。〃
Mama gasped。 〃No wonder the river〃 she said。 No need to finish the thought。 Instead she took little Peggy's hands and led her to the woman on the bed。 〃Look at this baby； and see what you see。〃
Little Peggy had done this before； of course。 It was the chief use they had for torches； to have them look at an unborn baby just at the birthing time。 Partly to see how it lay in the womb； but also because sometimes a torch could see who the baby was； what it would be； could tell stories of times to e。 Even before she touched the woman's belly； she could see the baby's heartfire。 It was the one that she had seen before； that burned so hot and bright that it was like the sun and the moon； to pare it to the mother's fire。 〃It's a boy；〃 she said。
〃Then let me bear this baby；〃 said the mother。 〃Let him breathe while Vigor still breathes！〃
〃How's the baby set？〃 asked Mama。
〃Just right；〃 said little Peggy。
〃Head first？ Face down？〃
Little Peggy nodded。
〃Then why won't it e？〃 demanded Mama。
〃She's been telling him not to；〃 said little Peggy； looking at the mother。
〃In the wagon；〃 the mother said。 〃He was ing； and I did a beseeching。〃
〃Well you should have told me right off；〃 said Mama sharply。 〃Speck me to help you and you don't even tell me he's got a beseeching on him。 You； girl！〃
Several young ones were standing near the wall； wide…eyed； and they didn't know which one she meant。
〃Any of you； I need that iron key from the ring on the wall。〃
The biggest of them took it clumsily from the hook and brought it； ring and all。
Mama dangled the large ring and the key over the mother's belly； chanting softly：
〃Here's the circle； open wide； Here's the key to get outside； Earth be iron； flame be fair； Fall from water into air。 〃
The mother cried out in sudden agony。 Mama tossed away the key； cast back the sheet； lifted the woman's knees； and ordered little Peggy fiercely to see。
Little Peggy touched the woman's womb。 The boy's mind was empty； except for a feeling of pressure and gathering cold as he emerged into the air。 But the very emptiness of his mind let her see things that would never be plainly visible again。 The billion billion paths of his life lay open before him； waiting for his first choices； for the first changes in the world around him to eliminate a million futures every second。 The future was there in everyone； a flickering shadow that she could only sometimes see； and never clearly； looking through the thoughts of the present moment； but here； for a few precious moments； little Peggy could see them sharp。
And what she saw was death down every path。 Drowning； drowning； every path of his future led this child to a watery death。
〃Why do you hate him so！〃 cried little Peggy。
〃What？〃 demanded Eleanor。
〃Hush；〃 said Mama。 〃Let her see what she sees。〃
Inside the unborn child； the dark blot of water that surrounded his heartfire seemed so terribly strong that little Peggy was afraid he would be swallowed up。
〃Get him out to breathe！〃 shouted little Peggy。
Mama reached in； even though it tore the mother something dreadful； and hooked the baby by the neck with strong fingers； drawing him out。
In that moment； as the dark water retreated inside the child's mind； and just before the first breath came； little Peggy saw ten million deaths by water disappear。 Now； for the first time； there were some paths open； some paths leading to a dazzling future。 And all the paths that did not end in early death had one thing in mon。 On all those paths； little Peggy saw herself doing one simple thing。
So she did that thing。 She took her hands from the slackening belly and ducked under her mother's arm。 The baby's head had just emerged； and it was still covered with a bloody caul； a scrap of the sac of soft skin in which he had floated in his mother's womb。 His mouth was open； sucking inward on the caul； but it didn't break； and he couldn't breathe。
Little Peggy did what she had seen herself do in the baby's future。 She reached out； took the caul from under the baby's chin； and pulled it away from his face。 It came whole； in one moist piece； and in the moment it came away； the baby's mouth cleared； he sucked in a great breath； and then gave that mewling cry that birthing mothers hear as the song of life。
Little Peggy folded the caul； her mind still full of the visions she had seen down the pathways of this baby's life。 She did not know yet what the visions meant； but they made such clear pictures in her mind that she knew she would never forget them。 They made her afraid； because so much would depend on her； and how she used the birth caul that was still warm in her hands。
〃A boy；〃 said Mama。
〃Is he；〃 whispered the mother。 〃Seventh son？〃
Mama was tying the cord； so she couldn't spare a glance at little Peggy。 〃Look；〃 she whispered。
Little Peggy looked for the single heartfire on the distant river。 〃Yes；〃 she said； for the heartfire was still burning。
Even as she watched； it flickered； died。
〃Now he's gone；〃 said little Peggy。
The woman on the bed wept bitterly； her birthwracked body shuddering。
〃Grieving at the baby's birth；〃 said Mama。 〃It's a dreadful thing。〃
〃Hush；〃 whispered Eleanor to her mother。 〃Be joyous； or it'll darken the baby all his life！〃
〃Vigor；〃 murmured the woman。
〃Better nothing at all than tears；〃 said Mama。 She held out the crying baby； and Eleanor took it in petent arms she had cradled many a babe before； it was plain。
Mama went to the table in the er and took the scarf that had been blacked in the wool； so it was night…colored clear through。 She dragged it slowly across the weeping woman's face； saying； 〃Sleep； Mother； sleep。〃
When the cloth came away； the weeping was done； and the woman slept； her strength spent。
〃Take the baby from the room；〃 said Mama。
〃Don't he need to start his sucking？〃 asked Eleanor。
〃She'll never nurse this babe；〃 said Mama。 〃Not unless you want him to suck hate。〃
〃She can't hate him；〃 said Eleanor。 〃It ain't his fault。〃
〃I reckon her milk don't know that；〃 said Mama。 〃That right； little Peggy？ What teat does the baby suck？〃
〃His mama's；〃 said little Peggy。
Mama looked sharp at her。 〃You sure of that？〃
She nodded。
〃Well； then； we'll bring the baby in when she wakes up。 He doesn't need to eat anything for the first night； anyway。〃 So Eleanor carried the baby out into the great room； where the fire burned to dry the men； who stopped trading stories about rains and floods worse than this one long enough to look at the baby and admire。
Inside the room； though； Mama took little Peggy by the chin and stared hard into her eyes。 〃You tell me the truth； Margaret。 It's a serious thing； for a baby to suck on its mama and drink up hate。〃
〃She won't hate him； Mama；〃 said little Peggy。
〃What did you see？〃
Little Peggy would have answered； but she didn't know words to tell most of the things she saw。 So she looked at the floor。 She could tell from Mama's quick draw of breath that she was ripe for a tongue…lashing。 But Mama waited； and then her hand came soft； stroking across little Peggy's cheek。 〃Ah； child； what a day you've had。 The baby might have died； except you told me to pull it out。 You even reached in and opened up its mouth that's what you did； isn't it？〃
Little Peggy nodded。
〃Enough for a little girl； enough for one day。〃 Mama turned to the other girls； the ones in wet dresses； leaning against the wall。 〃And you； too； you've had enough of a day。 e out of here； let your mama sleep； e out and get dry by the fire。 I'll start a supper for you； I will。〃
But Oldpappy was already in the kitchen； fussing around； and refused to hear of Mama doing a thing。 Soon enough she was out with the baby； shooing the men away so she could rock it to sleep； letting it suck her finger。
Little Peggy figured after a while that she wouldn't be missed； so she snuck up the stairs to the attic ladder and up the ladder into the lightless； musty space。 The spiders didn't bother her much； and the cats mostly kept the mice away； so she wasn't afraid。 She crawled right to her secret hiding place and took out the carven box that Oldpappy gave her； the one he said his own papa brought from Ulster when he came to the colonies。 It was full of the precious scraps of childhood stones； strings； buttons but now she knew that these were nothing pared to the work before her all the rest of her life。 She dumped them right out； and blew into the box to clear away the dust。 Then she laid the folded caul inside and closed the lid。
She knew that in the future she would open that box a dozen dozen times。 That it would call to her； wake her from her sleep； tear her from her friends； and steal from her all her dreams。 All because a baby boy downstairs had no future at all but death from the dark water； excepting if she used that caul to keep him safe； the way i