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In event 1 we get to see the setting for the story. The setting is filled with rotten native apple trees, waterless creek. The land is flat and barley has any ranges. It is a deserted place and the nearest sign of civilization is nineteen miles away. We are told of a two roomed house with is built of round timber, slabs and stringy bark and floors with split slabs.
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The drover is gone. His children and wife are at home. The children play outside while the drovers wife is in the kitchen suddenly the drovers wife is alerted that their is a snake outside. She runs outside snatching her baby off the ground and tells her children to get away from the snake. Her eldest's who wants to protect his family doesn't at fist but then obliges. The snake slithers under their house which alerts their dog "Alligator" but the pull him back they can't afford to lose him.
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The drovers wife makes her kids stay near the dog house while she watches for the snake. She tries to lure the snake out with milk setting them near the wall but an hour goes by. A thunderstorm comes and she takes her children inside on top of a table. She gives them supper. Then she searches for pillows and bedclothes and makes a bed for them on the table. she keeps an eye on the corner bringing her "Young Ladies' Journal", sewing basket and the dogs.
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At midnight the kids fell alseep while the mother is sewingand reading. Drovers wife is a bit anxious after hearing how the son of her brother in law died recently because of a snake. Next we are told of the events she had to go through without a husband at her side. For example having to look and raise the kids by herself, Going through child birth and mourning for her child by herself
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At 2 o'clock The bushwomen thinks about more of the things she had to experience like the bushfires, floods and also having to survive pleuro-pneumonia. Thinking about the past she shows us an event of a swagman who knew there wasn't any men on the property sat and demanded for food and after getting it he gets kicked out.
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Near the morning the fire needs more wood so she runs out to the wood heap as she pulls out a stick the whole heap falls. Then she remembers the worker who she rewarded after he brought her wood and due to thinking he did a good job she gives him extra tobacco and fig. She then burst into tears with her realization that he built the heap hollow tricking her
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Near daylight alligator suddenly gets up staring at the wall. The drovers wife know that means the snake is near as the snake comes out of the crack. As alligator and the wife of the drover try catching the snake they are finally victorious as alligator pulls the snake with his jaw shaking it around. Then the drovers wife picks up the snake with her stick throwing it in the fire. While watching the fire the eldest come up to his mother saying
"Mother, I wont never go droving blast me if I do"