The Yearling Chapter 10 Summary

  • Jody's sick in bed. His Ma thinks he's got the measles, and has been giving him different teas and medicines, but he thinks he just ate too many berries.
  • Finally, she figures out that he's okay, and sends him outside. Whew! Measles is no joke, Shmoopers.
  • Penny decides to take him fishing.
  • As they walk through the woods, they see six people walking by—they're Minorcans hunting gophers.
  • Okay, wait. What?
  • Penny explains that Minorcans are a people that was exploited in the past—they're sort of like Gypsies, but sort of…not.
  • He doesn't know why they're hunting gophers, though. Maybe they make a medicine out of them?
  • They find a pond, and pretty soon Jody lands a 10-pound bass. Holy moly! That'll feed them for a while.
  • Penny just catches a little fish for Ma, and has Jody throw back another, smaller one he caught.
  • Suddenly, Penny whistles like a quail. It's their signal, sort of like this one
  • He gestures for Jody to come over, and then shows him what he saw—a huge flock of cranes, dancing.
  • They watch, entranced, and when the birds fly away, they head home in silence.