The Forest Is Our Home—The Sequel To Jan’s Mysterious Adventure— by A Valentine JosephWhen Terrance was thirteen, Jim took him miles through the forest very early one morning. Before they left home, Jim instructed him to put on his clothes inside out and to pay close attention to what he did. If they came upon anyone, do not look at them or say anything. Terrance walked behind Jim in the pitch dark forest. They walked for miles, when Jim suddenly stopped and he bumped into him. Jim put out his hand blocking him from moving any further. “Bonjour, Père de la forêt,” Jim said. In a loud thunderous voice, Papa Bois said, “What is the reason for you being in my forest.” Terrance closed his eyes and he kept his head down … the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he was terrified. While Jim was answering his question, Papa Bois came and stood near to Terrance. His breathing was like that of an irritated animal, and he smelled like the forest. The green smell of the bushes was pungent, and Terrance felt faint… 1290. GLOSSARY ~ page vii ~ The Forest Is Our Home – A Valentine Joseph (1) BATIMAMSELLE… A Dragonfly. BOIS CANON… (Bwah-kah-no) The stem is used to make bird cages… BREADFRUIT… A large round seedless tropical fruit that is usually eaten boiled, fried, baked, steamed or roasted. COCOYEA (cok-ey-yea)… The shaft of the coconut tree leaf. FEVER GRASS or LEMON GRASS…. Tea is used to treat, flu, colds fever, etc. FLAMBEAU (flam bo)… A torch that is made by stuffing cloth into a bottle containing kerosene. FO-DAY MORNIN’… Just before dawn. When the cock crows. GOD HORSE … Praying Mantis. KISKADEE (Kis-ka-dee)… A member of the Flycatcher family. It is famous for its loud call… LA DIABLESSE (Lah-ja-bless) The devil’s bride. LA GLEE (lag-lee)… The sticky milk bled from the breadfruit or châtaigne trees. It is used to coat the cocoyea stem to catch birds. MACAJUEL (mah-cah-well) Boa-constrictor. MA PEPERE- (Ma-pa-pee) MAPEPIRE ZANANA or MA PEPERE ZANANA… venomous snake: the bushmaster, pit viper, the fer-de-lance. PAPA BOIS… Also know as MAITRE BOIS (Master of the woods)… DADDY BOUCHON (hairy Man)…. He is the old man of the forest. SILK-COTTON TREE, KAPOK or CEIBA… Found in the Caribbean and many other countries in the world. It grows to a height of more than 200 feet. SOUCOUYANT (Soo-koo-yaan)… SUCOUYA (Soo-coo-yah)… An old frightful woman, who sheds her skin and transforms herself into a ball of fire at night; She sucks the blood of her victims. SUCRIER (See-key-ay) One of the many birds found in Trinidad & Tobago. Feeds on sugar, nectar and sucrier fig… (See-key-ay fig –a small banana). WOOD SLAVE… Gecko lizard or house lizard.
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