He (stare) at the dark but he (see) nothing.

And there (be) not a sound.

Yet he (be) awake he (know) because he (have) a terrible toothache.

"Grandma," he (say), “grandma.” And he (begin) to cry.

Even though he (know) his grandma had come, he (keep) on crying.

And then he (shut) his eyes because his grandma was standing there with a candle,

and he (tell) her that he (have) toothache.

So his grandma (pick) him up and (carry) him and (put) him in her bed.

He (stop) crying and (watch) her get out a tin of powder and (put) it on a chair

beside her bed.

She (be) an old woman and her few strands of hair (hang) down her back.

She (be) big and fat in her white night-gown.

Then he (feel) the toothache again and (cry).

His grandma (blow) out the candle and the bed (go) up and down as she (get) in.

A moment later her finger (slide) into his mouth and (rub) some of the powder into his hollow tooth.

First he (have) a nasty taste in his mouth and then he (not feel) the toothache.

His grandma (be) big and fat and warm.

She (hold) him in her arms and he (push) his face into her fat.

She (have) a certain smell but he (like) it.

He (fall) asleep almost immediately. But his grandma (not go) to sleep.

She (lie) there, quite still, with the boy in her arms.

And all night she (stare) hard at the dark.