A little girl caught by Indians

The war between Britain and France took place in North America from 1754 to 1763, and many Indian tribes also participated in it and supported the British and French sides. Many innocent civilians on both sides of the war have become prisoners. Molly is one of the little girls.

Molly Jemison, nicknamed Moore, has a Scottish father and an Irish mother. Molly was born 1743 on a ship whose parents immigrated to North America. She has two brothers, an elder sister and two younger brothers. The family settled on a fertile farm in Pennsylvania, worked hard and lived a self-sufficient life.

A quiet life will never last long.

One night in the spring when 12 years old, his neighbor Uncle Che came home and mentioned that the Indians had recently burned several white people. "I heard," Uncle Che said anxiously, "that they are coming in our direction"? The anxiety in Molly's mother's eyes became more obvious. She put her little brother in her arms and discussed with Molly's father, "Let's hide somewhere else!" " "Ha ha ha!" Dad smiled, "I'm not afraid of Indians! Our team will fight back soon! Indians will soon agree to sign a peace treaty! Let me give up such a good farm? Ha, it's time to sow corn tomorrow. "

"Moore," father ordered Molly, "go to Uncle Fred's house and borrow their horses for one day. We will plant corn tomorrow?

"But, Dad," Moore looked at his mother's uneasy look, "aren't you afraid of Indians?"

"Moore. "Dad touched her hair." Indians won't hurt you. Seeing your beautiful yellow hair shining in the sun, they thought it was an ear of corn! Go and borrow a horse. "

"yes! Dad! "

"It's getting dark. Stay at Uncle De's house for one night and come back early tomorrow morning! "

"All right!"

At dawn the next day, Moore rode home on a borrowed horse. Walking on the path in the dense forest, she couldn't help singing the song that her mother often sang: "Tell her to make a cotton dress without a stitch;" Tell her to wash clothes by that well. There is no spring or rain in the well ~ ~? Suddenly, the horse stopped, as if frightened and motionless. Mel looked around, and the faint morning light passed through the dark forest and quietly sprinkled on the branches. In addition to the looming peristalsis of insects, Mo Er seems to feel the danger of approaching slowly. " Dad! Mom! "Hard flattery, Moore flew home.

In the yard, two brothers are sharpening their knives, and dad is sharpening the handle of a new axe. Thin fog rises from the ground covered with green, and the quiet spring morning is full of vitality. Uncle Che's hearty laughter broke the silence: "Good morning, Mo Er! Give me the horse and I'll go home and feed the animals? Moore pushed the door and entered the room. Mom and sister are making breakfast, Aunt Che is dressing the children, and two younger brothers are playing. The morning light shone into the room from the paper that was broken enough. Oh! Warm home! Moore stood in the corner of the room, lost in thought. Mother came to her with a bundle of firewood. As usual, her mother would scold her as she walked: "Moore! In a daze again! " But this time my mother suddenly stopped. Moore is waiting for her mother to say to her, "Moore! Come and help! " ? But my mother stood with firewood in her arms. She just stared out of the window and didn't say a word. Mel looked at her mother stupefied. In a trance, she must not have heard the abnormal sound in the yard.

Go! The firewood in mother's hand fell to the ground. Bang bang bang! The door was kicked open and several tall black figures appeared at the door. Ah ah ah! Moore covered his face with his hand.

When she put down her hand and looked up, she was already standing in the yard. Ah! It's not Uncle Che and the borrowed horse that fell in a pool of blood, is it? Why are the two brothers missing? Dad's hands were tied behind his back. They all became prisoners of six Indians and four French.

Two days after a group of people were caught in the jungle, an Indian handed Moore a pair of soft moccasins. Attracted by bright colors and beautiful patterns, Moore lowered her head and took off her worn shoes. "Molly, my child!" Mom hasn't called her that name for a long time. "Indians will take you away, separate you from your family, let you leave the white society, and leave everything you have known since childhood. I don't know where they are taking you. Try your best to do everything well and make yourself happy! "

"Mom!" Mo Er burst into tears.

"No matter where you go, no matter what happens, be brave, strong and brave! Never try to escape! That will only lead to death! Don't forget your own and your parents' names, and pray every day as I taught you. Don't forget English. God bless you! My son! "

One Indian took Moore first, and the other Indians and the French caught up the next day. A group of people continued on the road, and a few days later they arrived at Sedikens controlled by the French. There, Moore was bought by seneca Indians. After several weeks of climbing mountains and wading, she was taken back to a small village in seneca by her two sisters-Sister Squirrel and Sister Star.

The brothers of the two sisters died in the battle with the British. According to family rules, they must adopt an enemy's child as compensation. Just entering the village, a group of women chanted, sang and danced around Moore. They comforted the souls of the dead and welcomed new sisters to join them. After the ceremony, Moore was bathed and put on soft deerskin clothes, skirts and shoes, and was given a new name: ear of corn. Sui Er was taken into the long room of her new home. There is a jar hanging on the stove in the center of the room. Hong Niao's mother scooped a bowl of soup from the jar and handed it to her with a big smile on her face. Ah! It tastes terrible! Spike took a sip and put down the bowl. Sister squirrel poured the remaining soup into the ground, and several puppies came and wolfed it down. Hong Niao's mother smiled and handed a bowl to Sui Er, but she didn't reach for it. Sister Xing carried her to the bed covered with deerskin. She is so tired that she hasn't slept in bed for months. Spike fell asleep.

The next morning, Sui Er was awakened by a strange noise. She put on her shoes and went to the yard. She saw two sisters grinding corn flour. "oh! Are you going to make tortillas? Do you know I like tortillas? " Sister squirrel pointed to a pile of firewood and pointed to a small forest in the distance. "Can I collect firewood after breakfast?" ? As soon as the voice fell, Sui Er's ass was kicked by Sister Squirrel. Reluctant and hungry, Sui Er saw a bunch of flaming poppies. How beautiful these flowers are! At home, my brothers collect firewood. Sui Er sits underground and looks at flowers, but doesn't collect firewood. Until Sister Xing came, she tied two bundles of branches and put a bundle on her back. After going home with Sister Xing, she put down the firewood. Sui Er proudly said to Sister Squirrel, Are you satisfied now? Poof! I got another kick on my ass: I want to tell you to speak this incomprehensible English again!

Spike didn't get kicked, so she ran into the house looking for tortillas. However, the fire in the middle of the room is still the jar of last night. Where are the tortillas? The family sat around the fire, and Hong Niao's mother scooped out a wet tortilla from the jar and handed it to Sui Er. Have a taste. Where is the salt? Where is the butter? No taste! I don't have my favorite baked crust! Who wants to eat this stuff! Spike angrily threw the tortillas into the stove. This time, even Hong Niao's mother, who had been smiling, stopped smiling. It is a big mistake to waste food and disrespect corn. In the face of all kinds of accusations, Sui Er grabbed a puppy and put it on her lap, willfully burying her face in the dog's hair. After a heavy footsteps, the family suddenly quieted down. Spike looked up. Oh, it's parents.-Dad's here. It's the first time to see such a majestic Indian! Four eyes relative, dad took a deep look at Sui Er. Although dad didn't say a word, he didn't mean to blame, but his eyes expressed disapproval, which made Sui Er feel ashamed. She picked up the bowl and reached out to her mother. She swallowed the tortillas her mother gave her, and everyone laughed.

Sui Er is arranged to fetch water from the stream after breakfast every day. But every time she came to the stream and looked at the depths of the jungle, Sui Er began to miss her parents, brothers and sisters, the white society, and began to fantasize about escaping from this village and going home over the layers of jungle! She sat on the stone by the stream, tears streaming down her face. Sui Er's secret of sitting by the stream and crying all morning every day was discovered by a boy turtle of the same age in the village. He carries a bow and arrow to the Woods every day to practice shooting and hunting. He always walks around Sui Er and teaches her to speak Hindi. Soon they became friends. He is worried about Sui Er: If Sister Squirrel finds out your secret, she will kick you again, and I will accompany you to protect you!

Fortunately, Sister Squirrel never discovered Spike's secret.

A few weeks later, Sister Squirrel came to the field with Sui Er, handed her a stick, and asked Sui Er to learn from her, digging holes in the field and scattering corn seeds. Ah! It's corn sowing season again, but who will sow with a stick? Where is the plow? Where is the horse? How can a white girl grow food for Indians! The more she thinks about it, the angrier she gets. Spike threw down the stick and ran. She surpassed Indian women. She ran through the fields and villages to the dense forest. But no one looked up at her. She ran and ran, and footsteps sounded behind her. The little turtle grabbed her arm and said, "Stop it! If you run again, you will get lost! " ? Following the little turtle back to the village, he said, "Did you hear that all the people who went hunting with the leader went back to the village?" I'll take you to the chief. " ? Into the leader's house, the leader let a large group of men around him back out. The leader sat majestically and ignored the two children. A maid handed me a pipe, and the leader motioned the little turtle to light it. The little turtle respectfully returned his pipe to the leader. The leader still smoked silently, without looking at them. After a long time, the leader asked:

What's the matter, my child?

When hunters hunt, they use the method of making their prey die quickly. Is this wrong? Chief.

That's right, son

This method of quick death is better than letting the prey struggle for a long time. Hunters shouldn't be cruel, should they, chief?

Son, you will be a clever hunter in the future.

Captured prey should not be released, should it, chief?

Son, you're right!

So, a captured white girl, like a captured animal, suffers great pain, doesn't she, chief?

The leader did not answer.

Can we let her go home? If she's in Lacrimosa all day, it's wrong to leave her here, isn't it, boss?

The leader finally turned to look at the little turtle and said patiently, son, you are too young to understand. This is a war, we can't be friendly to the enemy. White people come to our rivers, forests and grasslands. They cut down our trees, they hunted our animals, and their cattle and horses destroyed our grasslands. They are not afraid of nature. They killed our people, and we want their prisoners to pay for it. This is for justice! We have no sympathy for white prisoners!

When he came out of the leader's house, the little turtle was a little disappointed, but he didn't give up. He thinks it is his duty to make Sui Er happy. So they came to grandpa's house. What a coincidence, grandpa. The house is full of all kinds of utensils and tools he made. Spike asked questions curiously, and the little turtle pestered grandpa to make him a new bow and arrow. "So I call you little turtle because your little bow and arrow can only shoot turtles!" Sui Er laughed: This is the first time in a year that she has laughed so happily. Grandpa cut the spoon in his hand while talking to them, and saw a lifelike bird standing on the handle of the spoon. "This is for you," said Grandpa. "This singing bird will make Spike happy forever!" ? "This singing bird will make Spike happy forever!" ? Spike took the spoon and repeated it in Indian. Ah! This is the first time she has spoken Hindi! The little turtle clapped his hands happily and jumped up.

Going home at night, the husbands of the two sisters also came back, and everyone sat around the fire to eat. Sui Er ran to her mother and raised the spoon in her hand: "This is Sui Er's spoon. This-singing-bird-will make Sui Er happy forever! " ? Everyone put down their bowls, no one looked at the spoon, no one noticed that Sui Er spoke in their language for the first time, and everyone just looked at her quietly. Mother said slowly, "dinner can only be eaten by people who feel hungry after a hard day's work? Spike took her spoon and climbed into her bed obediently. Although her stomach is growling, she has felt heartfelt happiness for the first time since she came to this village.

"What? Weave a small basket for Spike? " ? Sister Xing nodded and took Sui Er to the river. Sister quickly made up a beautiful bamboo basket, and Sui Er sat by and looked at the six-month-old child. "Why is the baby wrapped so tightly that his hands are not exposed? How can he learn to use them? "

"Because," said Sister Xing, "we Indians are traditional, so that we can grow into a strong and straight figure. Tie his hands and he will learn to be patient. Before he can walk independently, he can only talk to birds in the sky, so that he can learn to make friends with animals in the forest and learn a lot from his animal friends. Those wounded wolves and dying deer don't talk about their pain, but these animals just bear it silently? Spike turned to avoid elder sister xing's deep eyes. She wanted to close her ears. But the tears of disappointment fell again. " Ah! How can I like this Indian girl? However, how can a child live without love! ? " ? Sister, continue: "We Indian children never cry. Crying can only attract wolves and enemies. A child must learn to endure pain and never show it! Can you be as brave as a deer? "

In this way, Sui Er gradually integrated into the new living environment. Although she experienced many blows and setbacks, she chose to stay in a small Indian village when faced with the opportunity to return to white society a few years later. Sui Er did a lot of work to promote the peaceful coexistence of the two peoples when she grew up. Later generations built cemeteries and statues for her in memory.