Summary

A less than perfect crop is blamed on the efforts of the workers and food is reduced still further. In the two years that Arn has known them, many of the children not only have swollen bellies from lack of food, but also swollen knees and elbows. Some have hair that is falling out or has turned yellow, and have gone without food for so long that they no longer want it. Arn steals the skin of the rice once the threshing is done, but it only serves to give their bowels something to process.

The kitchen girl continues to come for Arn, and he gives the sugar or rice she gives him to whoever needs it the most in secret, hiding so that they are never sure who left it for them. Only Mek knows that it is Arn. When Arn gets sugar...