The Crane (New York Review Children's Collection)

In an ever-expanding city one young man claims the job of his dreams operator of the tallest crane around. Since others envy his position he never leaves his crane always eager for the dayand workto begin. As the seasons pass man and machine almost become one. "The crane was a giant with iron sinews and the craneman was its heart." Then people begin to hoard their goods grinning ravens multiply throughout the land and war is at hand. But the craneman never falters remaining at his post even when the land is flooded ready for reconstruction to begin.