Summary

Shirley Jackson takes every care to describe a beautiful morning in a small village. It is clear and sunny. Flowers are everywhere. The lawns throughout the village are brilliant green. The town square is the site of the annual Lottery, which was a two-hour affair for this very small village of three hundred souls. It is a bright and happy scene. Of course, the children are off from school, too. They are, at first, staggered by their freedom but then warm up to their freedom and begin to play vigorously. Even so, there is some tradition to be followed in their movements.

The boys know what to do. They already gathering stones. One boy, Bobby Martin, has pro-actively stuffed his pockets with stones while others searched for them. Eventually, a few of them put the stones, the premium smooth, polished stones...