It was…hard. I didna call out, or let them see I was scairt, but I couldna keep my feet. Halfway through it, I fell into the post, just-just hangin' from the ropes, ken, wi' the blood…runnin' down my legs. They thought for a bit that I'd died-and Da must ha' thought so, too. They told me he put his hand to his head just then and made a wee noise, and then…he fell down.
The narrator describes a harrowing experience during a challenging event where he tries to maintain his composure despite the pain and fear he feels. He struggles to keep his footing and ultimately succumbs to the exhaustion, injuring himself in the process. His condition is so severe that those around him momentarily believe he has died, reflecting the intensity of the situation.
In that moment of distress, his father's reaction adds to the emotional weight of the scene. The father's visible concern and subsequent collapse underscore the impact of the narrator's ordeal on his family, emphasizing the deep bonds and emotional ties that are tested in times of crisis.
