Chapter 1 Analysis

The story opens with a description of the lore describing the area of two ridges, Kameno and Makuyu, and the river, Honia, that runs between them. The river is strong, even in the dry seasons, and the name means "cure." The legends of a magician, a seer and a warrior are ingrained in the children of the tribes that live there and those who live there are largely untouched by the outside.

The legends of the ridges and of the people who live on those ridges is complex, as are the legends and lore of most cultures. In this case, the people also believe that a specific place is sacred, there having been a tree that grew from the spot where this character stood. Another predicts the coming of the white people as being an invasion of "butterflies," apparently because of the clothing worn. There are some who believe Chege to be a descendant of a seer, and Chege himself doesn't address the rumor until he tells his son, Waiyaki that the story is true and that Waiyaki is to be an important leader for their people.