In Chapter 3, how does the woman from Jur-chol tribe help Salva? What is the history between the Nuers and the Dinka tribe? Why is Salva insulted to be called an orphan? *

In Chapter Three, Salva sees a small pond near the barn. A woman with Dinka scars is there. He is relieved she is not one of the Nuer, a rival tribe. For hundreds of years, the tribes had warred over the land with the most water.

The woman, who is quite old, stares at him and finally says he must be hungry. She gives him a few handfuls of peanuts and he thanks her. She asks where his people are and he cannot speak for the tears. She asks if he is an orphan, and Salva gets angry, "He was not an orphan! He had a father and a mother—he had a family." Salva then explains what happened, and the old woman asks how he will find them. Salva admits he does not know.

Salva wonders if he ought to stay here until the fighting stops, so for the next three days, he works very hard for the old woman. He can hear the distant booming of artillery.

Unfortunately, the old woman says that the pond is drying up and the fighting is not stopping, so she is going to a local village and he must leave her. Salva is confused as she explains that as an old woman she will be left alone but if he is with her it will be more dangerous. She is sympathetic, but will not budge.