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quickly decided to crack some of the nuts； and thus perhaps give a little lesson in biology。 It would be taking advantage of the children's own curiosity； and would be following up something that they themselves had initiated。
He sent Walt outside for two stones to use in cracking the hard shells。 Walt returned with two half bricks…bricks and stones not being distinguished in his vocabulary。
Ish ignored that detail； but he found that trying to break the hard shells with a brick was more likely to result in a smashed finger than a smashed nut。 He cast around for something better to use； and his eyes fell upon his hammer。 It was standing； as usual； on the mantelpiece。
〃Go get the hammer for me； Chris！〃 he said； pointing； to the little boy who was nearest it。
Usually Chris was only too glad to spring up from his seat； and do something active。 But now a strange thing occurred。 Chris glanced this way and that； at Walt and at Weston； who were next to him。 He looked embarrassed； or alarmed。
〃Go get the hammer； Chris！〃 Ish repeated； thinking that possibly Chris had been day…dreaming； and had merely heard his name without noting the words that went before。
〃I…I don't want to！〃 said Chris； hesitantly。 Chris was eight years old； and not given to being a cry…baby； and yet Ish could see that Chris was； for some reason； close to tears。 He dropped the matter with Chris。 〃Bring me the hammer； one of you others；〃 he said。 Weston looked at Walt； and Barbara and Betty； the sisters； looked at each other too。 Those four were the oldest。 All four of them looked back and forth； and did not make a move to rise。 Naturally； the little ones did nothing。 But Ish could see all the children glancing furtively at each other。
Although Ish was wholly puzzled； he saw no reason to make an issue of the matter； and he was just about to get the hammer himself when something else strange began to happen。
Joey rose。 He walked over toward the mantelpiece。 All the children's eyes followed him。 The room； Ish realized； was deathly quiet。 Joey stood at the mantelpiece。 He reached out his hand； and took the hammer。 There was a strange little cry from one of the smaller girls。 In the hush that followed； Joey walked back from the mantelpiece； and gave the hammer to Ish。 Joey went back to where he had been sitting。
The room was still； and the children were looking at Joey。 Joey sat down； and Ish broke the silence by pounding on a nut with the hammer。 At that noise the tension； whatever it was； seemed to break。
Only after it had e to noon and he had dismissed school did Ish have time to think the matter over and e； with a start； to the conclusion that it had been a case of pure superstition。 The hammer…all the children associated it vaguely with something strange and mystical in the far past！ It was used on state occasions； it stood on the mantelpiece by itself。 Generally speaking； no one touched it except Ish。 Even Bob； Ish now remembered； had handled it with reluctance on that occasion when they had started out with the dog…teams。 The children had e to think it an implement of power； dangerous for any of them to touch。 He could see how such an idea might have begun half seriously as a game and in a few years have e to be taken seriously。 And as for Joey； again he realized that Joey was the one who stood out from the crowd。 Perhaps Joey had not rationally figured out that Ish's harnmer was only like any other hammer。 Perhaps； he had merely let his superstition work at a higher level； and assumed that he had something in mon with his father； such as was shown by his reading； so that he； as the High Priest's child； the Son of the Blessing； might touch the relics which would blast the others。 Possibly even； he might be capable of it； Joey had helped build up the superstition in the others in order to build up his own importance。 It could not be much work； Ish decided； to overe this superstition。
Yet that same afternoon he began to have doubts。 On the sidewalk in front of the house some children were playing。 As they played； they were jumping from one block of the sidewalk to another and crying out that old rhyme：
Step on a crack；Break your mother's back！
Ish had heard children singing it often in the Old Times。 It meant nothing then； just a little childish rhyme。 Children； as they got older； had always learned that such things were merely childish。 But now； he thought； what would there be to teach the children that such things were mere superstition？ Here was a society with almost no stored…up tradition； and apparently a society that was not going to develop its traditions greatly by reading。
He sat in his easy…chair in the living…room； and heard the children； outside； playing and shouting their rhyme。 As the smoke of his cigarette curled up； he remembered more and more disturbing evidences of superstition。 Ezra carried his pocket…piece； the old Victorian penny； and doubtless the children looked on that much as they looked on the hammer。 Molly was a confirmed rapper on wood； Ish was disturbed when； now that he considered； he remembered the children also rapping on wood。 Would they ever learn that that was just the thing that someone did to make himself feel more fortable； although it had no real meaning？
Yes； he reluctantly concluded； this matter of the children's beliefs was extremely serious。 In the Old Times the beliefs held by the children of any family or small group of families might be momentous enough； but still those children on growing up would e into contact with other beliefs and make adjustments。 Besides； there had been a great； even overwhelming； mass of tradition…the tradition of Christianity； or of Western civilization； or of Indo…European folkways； or of Anglo…American culture。 Call it what you wished； it was still so tremendous that you might say it was omnipotent； for good or bad absorbing the individual。
But now their little munity had lost much of the tradition。 Part of it had been lost because no seven survivors （Evie did not count） could preserve and transmit all of it。 Part had been lost because for so long a time there had been no big children to pass on the tradition to the small ones。 The oldest of the younger generation had been taught games by their parents； not by older rades。 The munity should therefore be plastic to an unprecedented degree。 This was an opportunity； but also a responsibility…and a danger。
It would be a danger…and he shuddered at the thought…if any evil force； such as a demagogue； should begin to work。
To be sure； he recollected wryly； he had not found the children particularly plastic as regards learning to read！ Yet that might be only that a stronger forcethe whole environment…was already working against his efforts。
But take now again this matter of superstition。 Perhaps this all had grown up because； as it happened； there was no one in The Tribe who was creatively religious。 Perhaps there was some kind of vacuum in the childish mind； and it had to be filled up with supernatural beliefs。 Perhaps all this represented some kind of subconscious straining toward an explanation of the basis of life itself。
Years ago they