Thanksgiving on Thursday - Mary Pope Osborne [6]
Squanto sat smoking a pipe with Chief Massasoit, Governor Bradford, and Captain Standish.
Jack hoped Mary wouldn’t ask him about the clams and eels. He hoped Squanto wouldn’t ask him about Captain John Smith. He hoped the governor and the captain wouldn’t ask him about home. Jack hid his face behind the fat pumpkin.
Priscilla opened the door to a small house. Then she led Jack and Annie into a dark, smoky room. The only light came from one window and a fire.
“Sit by the hearth,” said Priscilla, “so your clothes can dry.”
“Where’s the hearth?” Annie asked, looking around.
Priscilla laughed again, shaking her head. “There, where the fire lies,” she said.
Jack put down the pumpkin and his bag. Annie put down her basket. The hearth was so large, Jack could have stood in it. He and Annie got as close as they could to the warm, crackling fire.
Several pots hung over the fire. Near the pots, a turkey was roasting on an iron rod.
“The Thanksgiving turkey,” whispered Annie.
“Cool,” said Jack. The very first Thanksgiving turkey, he thought.
“Would thou please stir the corn pudding whilst thou art drying?” asked Priscilla. She pointed to one of the pots.
“Indeed,” said Jack.
Priscilla took a wooden spoon out of a jug of water near the hearth. She gave it to Jack. He put it into the thick, bubbly pudding and stirred.
“I must gather nuts,” said Priscilla. “Whilst I am gone, move the roots close to the ashes and stir herbs into the seafood chowder.”
“Indeed,” said Annie.
After Priscilla left, Annie looked at Jack.
“What are ‘roots’ and ‘herbs’?” she asked.
“Look in the book,” said Jack.
Annie took the research book from Jack’s bag. She looked up roots and read aloud:
The Pilgrims called certain vegetables roots. These vegetables, such as carrots and turnips, grow under the ground.
“Ah!” said Jack. He picked up some carrots and turnips near the hearth and moved them close to the hot ashes.
Next, Annie looked up herbs. She read aloud:
The Pilgrims called leafy vegetables that grow above the ground herbs. They made salads with herbs. They used dried herbs to flavor soups and seafood chowders.
Jack saw some dried plants hanging from the rafters.
“Those must be the herbs,” he said.
Annie broke off a leaf and sniffed it.
“Mmm, that smells good,” she said. She leaned close to one of the pots. “And that must be the seafood chowder. It smells like the ocean.”
She crumbled the leaf into the chowder. She took another spoon from the jug of water. She and Jack both stirred pots.
“Good work!” Priscilla said as she stepped back into the room.
Jack smiled. The fire had made him hot and sweaty. The smoke burned his eyes. But he didn’t mind. Finally he felt useful.
Priscilla put some walnuts close to the fire.
“Squanto taught us which nuts are good to eat,” she said.
“Squanto taught thee a lot,” said Annie.
“He saved our lives,” Priscilla said quietly. “Last winter we were cold and hungry. Half our people died.”
Annie gasped. “How?” she said.
“Sickness,” said Priscilla. “Fever took my mother, my father, and my brother.” Her eyes were bright with tears.
No one spoke. The sound of the crackling fire filled the room. Then Annie put her arm around Priscilla.
“We’re so sorry,” said Annie.
“Yes, we are,” said Jack.
“Thank you,” Priscilla said with a sad smile. “ ’Twas a terrible winter. But we never gave up hope. And now, God be praised, we have had a good harvest, and we have peace with our neighbors.”
In the glow of the firelight, Priscilla was beautiful, Jack thought. Not only was she kind, but she was incredibly brave as well.
“Come,” she said. She wiped her eyes and stood up. “Something special is about to take place. Would thou like to watch?”
“Sure! I mean, indeed!” said Annie.
She and Jack jumped up and followed Priscilla outside.
Priscilla led Jack and Annie away from the village toward a large field. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag men had already gathered there.
Jack could hear the beat of a drum. But he couldn’t see what was going