Book 3 — THE GIFT OF CORN

Long, long ago, a tribe of Indians lived on a beautiful island in the Great Lakes.

An enemy attacked the Indians, and they were driven from home. They wandered far away and settled on the shore of a small lake.

Brave Heart, a strong and powerful Indian, remained to guard the beautiful island.

One morning Brave Heart stepped into his canoe. He was planning to paddle around the island. The canoe glided swiftly along by the tall trees that grew near the water.

At last Brave Heart had gone beyond the trees. He saw a vast plain. He paddled to the shore and drew his canoe up the beach.

Then Brave Heart started to walk across the plain. Suddenly a little man stood in front of him. The stranger was dressed in green, and he wore a green cap with red feathers in it.

"Ho, ho, Brave Heart!" cried he. "You are very strong, are you not?"

"Yes," said Brave Heart, "I am as strong as any man. But who are you?"

"I am Red Plume," replied the little man. "Stay and smoke the peace pipe with me."

Presently Red Plume said, "I am small, but I am strong. Let us wrestle together, to see which of us is the stronger. If I fall, you must say, 'I have conquered Red Plume.'"

Then Brave Heart wrestled with the little man. He found that Red Plume was indeed very strong. He felt himself growing weaker each moment. But at last he succeeded in tripping the man.

Then Brave Heart cried, "I have conquered Red Plume!"

Instantly, to Brave Heart's surprise, the little man vanished. On the spot where he had stood lay an ear of corn.

The corn was covered with greenish husks, and the red silk at the top was like a plume. It looked like the little man.

Brave Heart looked down at the corn in amazement.

Suddenly the ear of corn spoke.

"Take me and pull off my green garments," said the ear of corn. "Plant my kernels in the ground and cover them with soft soil. Break my cob into small pieces and throw them near the trees at the edge of the forest. Then depart, and return when the next moon is high in the heavens."

Brave Heart did as he was told. Then he went to his canoe and paddled back to his home.

He returned when the next moon was high in the heavens. He found the plain covered with tender green plants. Near the edge of the forest green vines were growing.

Brave Heart heard some one speaking from the ground.

"Come again, before the Moon of Falling Leaves," were the words he heard.

One day, when the summer was nearly over, Brave Heart paddled his canoe along the island as far as the plain.

It was almost time for the Moon of Falling Leaves.

There, near the spot where he had wrestled with the little man, stood a field of ripe corn.

The red tassels nodded in the breezes, and the leaves rustled in the wind.

Near the forest were great yellow pumpkins ripening on the vines.

Brave Heart pulled some ears of ripe corn and gathered some of the pumpkins.

Then he built a hot fire and roasted the ears of corn. How delicious the roasted corn tasted!

Once more Red Plume spoke, again from the cornfield.

"You have conquered me, Brave Heart. If you had not done so, you would have been destroyed. By your strength, you have won the Gift of Corn."

Then Brave Heart was glad.

He hastened to his people and brought them back once more to live, ever after, on their beautiful island.

And always the people blessed him for the gift of the precious corn.

Brave Heart had conquered Red Plume.