Summary

Before the Prologue is a note explaining that some slaves escaped by going south and hiding out in the swap and forests. The Prologue talks about Sanzi who is a girl living in the swamps. She looks toward the plantations that the adults living with her ran away from. There is folklore among the children about the types of beings at the plantations saying that they could have two heads or be turtles without shells. In Chapter 1, Homer and his sister Ada hear Stokes, the plantation owner’s, dogs. Homer does not know where his mother and Anna are. Homer’s ankle is bitten by a dog sent to chase him as he and Ada attempt to escape slavery, but Homer kicks the dog away, and he and Ada run. He knows they are heading north and there is a river to follow. Ada...