Cultural
Background
Storyteller's Cabin
"Is Anna all right?" whispered Elizabeth hoarsely to her husband.
Howard looked over at the child, lying still in a laundry basket that served as her makeshift crib. "She's fine - don't worry," he replied, trying not to betray his concern. "You just get some rest."
"I know somethin's wrong. She ain't moved in her crib for hours. She won't even let me nurse her."
Howard tenderly wiped her brow. "Shhh. It's all right. She's just sleepin'. Granny Echols'll be up here in a little while. I'm sure she'll tell you the same thing I did - you ain't got nothin' to worry about. The baby's fine."
Granny Echols was the local midwife. Mountain families without access to doctors once used midwives - also known as "neighbor ladies" or "granny women" - to help deliver babies and take care of the motherslove. Granny Echols was one of the best around, but Howard feared that Elizabeth's sickness went beyond her level of expertise. What's worse, he feared that the sickness had spread to the child, who had been alarmingly quiet lately. He wasn't going to take any chances. When Granny Echols arrived, he was going to fetch the doctor.
