The Bone Sparrow: Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis

The story begins by introducing Anka, who was “born from an egg.” Subhi stops—Queeny would hate this story for being “stupid” and fantastical. But Jimmie just explains that Anka was her great-great-great-grandmother and tells Subhi to keep going. Back in the story, Anka appears one day, halfway down a well in a nest. Guntis, the oldest man (but not the wisest man) in town, spits that they should leave “it” there. But his sister, Mirka—who’s old and wise—tells the townsfolk to get the baby out. Oto, a six-year-old boy, rescues the baby. He loves her immediately and vows to protect her. He’s the one who names her. Guntis and Mirka immediately know that these two children are destined to experience hardship. But Guntis just spits tobacco and observes that Anka is blind. Mirta says that despite her blindness, Anka will “see more than most.”

The story abruptly ends here; the next page is just a list of the top 10 places to visit before you die. Jimmie is crying as she looks at the Bone Sparrow. Subhi asks if he should keep going, but Jimmie says it’ll be better to save the stories so they last longer. She thanks him, takes the book, and disappears.