L’enfant marche dans le champ boueux et se fraie un passage entre les hautes tiges de maïs. Il arrive à un fossé que les récentes pluies ont fait déborder. Une mare s’est formée et des canards y barbottent. L’enfant saisit une pierre grosse comme sa main, vise un canard et lance la pierre avec l’intention de l’abattre. Il veut le ramener à la maison; il demandera à sa mère de l’apprêter. Son lancer, faible et imprécis, rate la cible. Les canards, dérangés dans leur quiétude, s’envolent en faisant entendre des nasillements ricaneurs.

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Featured | Image en vedette: La chasse aux canards, Huile sur toile, 7 1/2 x 16 1/2 po (19 x 42 cm), 2024

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The child walks across the muddy field and picks his way through the tall stalks of maize. He comes to a ditch that the recent rains have caused to overflow. A pond had formed and ducks were splashing about in it. The child grabs a stone as big as his hand, aims at a duck and throws the stone with the intention of killing it. He wants to take it home; he will ask his mother to prepare it. His weak, inaccurate throw misses the target. The ducks, disturbed in their peace and quiet, fly away, making their giggling noises.

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