Instantly, to Brave Heart's surprise, the little man vanished. On the
spot where he had stood lay an ear of corn.
The corn was covered with greenish husks, and the red silk at the top
was like a plume. It looked like the little man.
Brave Heart looked down at the corn in amazement.
Suddenly the ear of corn spoke.
"Take me and pull off my green garments," said the ear of corn. "Plant
my kernels in the ground and cover them with soft soil. Break my cob
into small pieces and throw them near the trees at the edge of the
forest. Then depart, and return when the next moon is high in the
heavens."
Brave Heart did as he was told. Then he went to his canoe and paddled
back to his home.
He returned when the next moon was high in the heavens. He found the
plain covered with tender green plants. Near the edge of the forest
green vines were growing.
Brave Heart heard some one speaking from the ground.
"Come again, before the Moon of Falling Leaves," were the words he
heard.
One day, when the summer was nearly over, Brave Heart paddled his canoe
along the island as far as the plain.
It was almost time for the Moon of Falling Leaves.
There, near the spot where he had wrestled with the little man, stood a
field of ripe corn.
The red tassels nodded in the breezes, and the leaves rustled in the
wind.
Near the forest were great yellow pumpkins ripening on the vines.
Brave Heart pulled some ears of ripe corn and gathered some of the
pumpkins.
Then he built a hot fire and roasted the ears of corn. How delicious the
roasted corn tasted!
Once more Red Plume spoke, again from the cornfield.
"You have conquered me, Brave Heart. If you had not done so, you would
have been destroyed. By your strength, you have won the Gift of Corn."
Then Brave Heart was glad.
He hastened to his people and brought them back once more to live, ever
after, on their beautiful island.
And always the people blessed him for the gift of the precious corn.
Brave Heart had conquered Red Plume.