Читать книгу Mewanee, the Little Indian Boy - Belle Wiley - Страница 4

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Mewanee was interested in watching these two Indian women build a wigwam. They had already set the poles in a circle in the earth and tied them together at the top with strong deer sinews.

When Mewanee came up they were wrapping the skins about the poles.

There were twelve buffalo skins which had been dried in the sun and sewed together very firmly.

How quickly they stretched the skins about the poles and fastened them to the earth with strong pegs!

One woman drove the pegs into the earth with her stone axe while the other woman held the skin.

Mewanee watched them lace up the front of the wigwam.

Of course they left an opening for the doorway.

They must have an opening at the top also.

Mewanee knew that they must put a flap over the opening in the top, for the hole must be covered in case of rain and wind.

Smoke was coming from the opening in the chief’s wigwam.

MEWANEE’S WIGWAM

Mewanee’s mother had built a fire in the hole, which was in the center of the earth floor of their wigwam.

Mewanee saw the smoke and knew that his mother was cooking supper.

He rushed toward his own wigwam and quickly entered the doorway.

The chief’s wigwam had queer looking pictures painted all over the outside. Every picture meant something to these Indian people.

They used the juice of wild berries and roots for paint.

When Mewanee entered the wigwam it was filled with smoke.

A STONE JAR

Mewanee’s mother was cooking some deer meat in a large stone jar, which she had placed on the fire.

Mewanee watched his mother stir the meat with a carved bone spoon.

MEWANEE WATCHED HIS MOTHER

Then he wandered about the room looking at the axes, knives, spears, warclubs, and bows and arrows which hung about the walls.

He picked up a tomahawk and showed it to baby brother who was hanging in his cradle from a peg in one of the poles of the wigwam.

Baby brother smiled as Mewanee brandished the tomahawk about, just as he had seen his father do.

A BASKET

Mewanee loved to handle these weapons and he longed for the day to come when he would be big and strong enough to use them. He had his own bow and arrows now, but they were not so large as his father’s.

Mewanee peeped into the stone jars and rush baskets standing about.

Some of the jars were filled with corn, others with powdered deer and buffalo meat. Mewanee was happy to see so much food.

Mewanee soon threw himself on one of the mats and stretched himself before the fire.

He listened for his father’s footsteps which he could hear when a long distance off.

Now Mewanee quickly jumped up and ran out of the wigwam.

He stood quite still and listened.

The beautiful blue river which ran along in front of the wigwam seemed to call Mewanee to its banks.

Mewanee loved that great, blue, peaceful river and listened to its silvery tones.

Often he would say, “O river, river, when shall I be big and strong and brave like my father?”

And the river would answer, “Have patience, Mewanee. The day will come when you will be chief of this whole tribe.”

Then Mewanee would raise up his arms and ask the Great Spirit for help, that he might be strong and brave enough some day to take his father’s place as chief of his tribe.