8 The Feast

8 The Feast Jack buried his face in his hands. “ I don't believe it, " he said. “ I just burned up the Pilgrims' turkey! " “ Stay calm, " said Annie. “ I'll get Priscilla. ” “ No, don't tell Priscilla, " moaned Jack. “ We have to tell Priscilla, " said Annie. She hurried out of the house. Jack lifted his head and stared at the burned turkey.

“ Oh, man, " he whispered unhappily. The Pilgrims had worked so hard to get their food. They had had such a terrible winter- especially Priscilla. And now he had ruined their first Thanksgiving! The door opened. Annie pulled Priscilla over to the hearth. “ See! ” said Annie. “ The turkey fell into the fire! It burned up! ” “ I did it, " Jack confessed. Priscilla just stared at the burned turkey in the wet, messy hearth. Then she looked at Jack. He looked away from her. “ Ah, Jack, ” Priscilla said softly. “ Thou looks sad. " He nodded. “ I ruined everything, " he mumbled. “ No, thou did not, ” said Priscilla. She reached out her hand. “ Come. ”

Priscilla led Jack and Annie out into the bright autumn light. " Look, " she said. Jack saw Pilgrim women and kids walking to the tables. They all carried wooden platters piled with food. " In the other houses, there was cooking also, " said Priscilla. Jack saw roasted ducks, turkeys, and deer meat. He saw baked fish, lobsters, eels, clams, and oysters. He saw pumpkins, beans and corn, dried plums, berries and roasted nuts, steamy pots of soups and puddings, and loaves of baked breads. “ We had a very good harvest this fall, " said Priscilla. “ We stored many vegetables. We salted our fish and cured our meat. And today, our Wampanoag neighbors brought back five deer from the forest for our feast. ”

Jack was relieved to see all the food. Priscilla knelt down and looked him in the eye. “ See, thou did not ruin anything, Jack, " she said. “ Thou and Annie have helped me a lot this day. You have both made me laugh. And you have both acted with kind hearts. " Jack was amazed. He thought he'd been no help at all. “ Come, ” said Priscilla. “ Let us join the others. Art thou hungry?" Jack nodded. Seeing all the platters of food had made him really hungry. He and Annie followed Priscilla. In the golden glow of autumn light, Jack and Annie joined the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at the long tables.

Priscilla gave Jack and Annie wooden plates. She gave them big white cloth napkins. Then she served them plenty of food.