Listen, children ... listen!

The narrative follows a rural family whose nights are shaped by an anxious ritual of listening for a returning wagon as the mother waits for her husband despite danger and rumor of nearby murders. The grandmother is portrayed as fey, the children recall her songs and mimicry, and a mute aunt sits transfixed by a large, ornate mirror that dominates the cabin. Daily routines—Paw's late returns, small gifts, talk around the fire—contrast with fears fed by local violence and superstition, creating an atmosphere of mounting tension and uncanny suggestion centered on memory, longing, and the mysterious mirror.