Mewanee, the Little Indian Boy

Mewanee was a brave little Indian boy.

He lived in a forest of North America with his father and mother and his baby brother.

There were many other Indian people who lived in the same forest, and Mewanee’s father was chief of them all.

Mewanee was very proud to be the chief’s son, for the chief was always the bravest of all the Indians of his tribe.

One day mother left Mewanee and baby brother in the forest at play, while she went to work in the cornfield.

Baby brother was swinging in his cradle from the branches of the tall cedar tree.

Mother had made this cradle from the bark of the linden tree. It was lined with soft rushes so that baby might be quite comfortable as he lay in it.

The little boy could not fall out of his queer cradle because he was tied in by means of strong deer sinews.

At first baby brother seemed quite contented as the gentle wind rocked the cradle to and fro.

He was interested in watching Mewanee as he ran about near by.

How tall and slender and straight Mewanee’s body was!

Mewanee had only a small piece of deer skin thrown about his copper-colored body.

The wind tossed his coarse black hair about his face and shoulders as he played.

Suddenly Mewanee stopped running and stood very still.

He looked intently at a little hare as it scampered about the trees.

Now the hare saw Mewanee. Playfully it approached him, then slyly turned around and ran away as fast as its little legs could carry it.

Mewanee dashed after it, forgetting all about baby brother, who was swinging in his linden cradle.

How lightly he ran and how swiftly!

His legs went as fast as the wind.

On and on scampered the hare, in and out among the trees, seeming to enjoy the race.

Now it stopped, and Mewanee almost caught up to it.

Away it ran again, faster and faster.

Mewanee called to it by making sounds that hares understand, but the little hare did not stop.

Again and again he called, but the hare ran on and on.

Mewanee sat down on the ground for a moment to rest.

The little hare ran deep into the forest and was soon lost from sight.

Suddenly Mewanee put his ear to the ground and listened.

Then he jumped up and ran toward his little brother.

Baby brother was crying because he had been left alone. He wished Mewanee to play with him.

Mewanee shouted to his brother as he ran along.

He shouted again and again, for he wished baby brother to know that he was coming.

Baby brother heard Mewanee’s call and stopped crying. He could not answer Mewanee because he was only a baby and could not talk.

Mewanee soon reached the tree where baby brother’s cradle hung.

How nimbly he climbed the tall tree so that he might be very near his brother!

Mewanee peeped into the cradle and spoke to the little boy. Baby brother smiled at Mewanee. His tiny face wrinkled all up and Mewanee could hardly see his little black eyes.

Baby brother looked very much like Mewanee, but of course he was only a baby, and Mewanee was a big boy nearly twelve years old.

What fun the two brothers had as they watched the little grey squirrels frisk in and out among the branches of the very tree from which baby brother’s cradle hung!

Mewanee gathered some nuts, and the little squirrels hopped about him saying, “Chip, chip, chip! Please give us the nuts!”

How eagerly they took the nuts from Mewanee’s hand!

Then they sat up on their hind legs and nibbled the nuts with great glee.