Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

Rudyard Kipling
hand just clear of the dust and an inbend of the left knee at ‘“Surely,” says he. “You taught me to look behind trees when
the same time, and those proud eagle feathers almost touched we were both young.” And with that he cantered off.
his boot-top.’
‘Neither of my chiefs spoke till we were back on our ponies
‘What did it mean?’ said Dan.
again and a half-hour along the home-trail. Then Cornplanter
‘Mean!’ Pharaoh cried. ‘Why it’s what you—what we—it’s says to Red Jacket, “We will have the Corn-dance this year.
the Sachems’ way of sprinkling the sacred corn-meal in front There will be no war.” And that was all there was to it.’
of—oh! it’s a piece of Indian compliment really, and it signi- Pharaoh stood up as though he had finished.
fies that you are a very big chief.
‘Yes,’ said Puck, rising too. ‘And what came out of it in the
‘Big Hand looked down on ‘em. First he says quite softly, long run?’
“My brothers know it is not easy to be a chief.” Then his ‘Let me get at my story my own way,’was the answer. ‘Look!
voice grew. “My children,” says he, “what is in your minds?” it’s later than I thought. That Shoreham smack’s thinking of
‘Says Cornplanter, “We came to ask whether there will be her supper.’ The children looked across the darkening Chan-
war with King George’s men, but we have heard what our nel. A smack had hoisted a lantern and slowly moved west
Father has said to his chiefs. We will carry away that talk in where Brighton pier lights ran out in a twinkling line. When
our hearts to tell to our people.”
they turned round The Gap was empty behind them.
‘“No,” says Big Hand. “Leave all that talk behind—it was ‘I expect they’ve packed our trunks by now,’ said Dan. ‘This
between white men only—but take this message from me to
your people— ‘There will be no war.’”
‘His gentlemen were waiting, so they didn’t delay him—,
only Cornplanter says, using his old side-name, “Big Hand,
did you see us among the timber just now?”
time tomorrow we’ll be home.’
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