9 Good Day

9 Good Day Slowly the feast came to an end. The guests wiped their plates with their last bits of bread. Then they wiped their hands and faces with their napkins. Jack and Annie stood up. “ We have to go home, " Annie said to Priscilla. “ Ah, thou must go back to thine own community now, " said Priscilla. Annie nodded. Then she kissed Priscilla on the cheek.

“ Thanks for everything, " Annie said. Jack wanted to kiss Priscilla, too, but he was too shy. “ Thanks, Priscilla, " he said. " I thank thee, Jack, " she said. Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Jack felt his face grow red. “ Excuse me, sir, " Annie said to Governor Bradford. “ But we must leave now. " “ Oh, but we have not yet taught thee how to grow corn! ” said the little girl Mary. Squanto stood up. “ Come, " he said. “ I will walk Jack and Annie back to the forest. I will teach them. ” “ Oh, thou does not have to do that, " Jack said quickly. He feared that once they were alone, Squanto would figure out they'd never met before.

But Squanto only smiled and waited for them to follow. “ Bye, everyone! " said Annie, waving. Jack waved, too. All the Pilgrims and Wampanoag waved back at them. The skinny dog barked. Squanto led Jack and Annie away from the village toward the autumn woods. As they passed the cornfield, the dried stalks swayed in the breeze. They made shushing sounds. Squanto stopped walking. He pointed to the field. “ You must plant corn in the spring, " he said. “ Put the seed in the ground when the oak-tree bud is as small as a mouse's ear. " “ Oh, wait, please, ” said Jack. He slipped his notebook and pencil out of his bag. It was the first time he'd had a chance to take notes all day. He wrote:

How to plant Corn: oak-tree bud = mouse's ear Then he looked up at Squanto and nodded. “ Dig holes and put two rotting fish in each hole, " said Squanto. “ Rotting fish?" said Annie, making a face. " Yes, rotting fish is good food for the soil, " said Squanto. “ On top of the fish, place four corn seeds. Then cover them with dirt. ” Jack quickly wrote: 2 rotting fish, 4 corn seeds Cover with dirt. “ Got it, ” he said, looking up.

" I give you these corn seeds to take home, " said Squanto. He held up a small pouch. “ Thanks, ” said Annie, taking the pouch. “ Thanks a lot, " said Jack. “ Well, good- bye. " Jack was eager to get going-before Squanto could ask them questions about the past. “ Wait, I have a question, " said Annie. “ Squanto, why did you say you remembered us?” Squanto's dark eyes twinkled. “ I did not say I remembered you, " he said. “ I only said I remember. " “ What did you remember?” asked Annie. “ I remembered what it was like to be from a different world, ” said Squanto. “ Long ago, I lived with my people on this shore. But one day, men came in ships. They took me to Europe as a slave. In that new land, I was a stranger. I felt different and afraid. I saw the same fear in your eyes today. So I tried to help you. "

Annie smiled. “ We thank thee, " she said. " And now you must always be kind to those who feel different and afraid, " said Squanto. “ Remember what you felt today. ”