Colonel Dudley, governor of Massachusetts, in the beginning of the last
century, had a number of workmen employed in building him a house on
his plantation; and one day as he was looking at them, he observed a
stout Indian, who, though the weather was very cold, was a naked as
well as an idle spectator. ‘Hark ye, friend,’ said the governor, ‘why
don’t you work like these men, and get clothes to cover you?’ ‘And
why you no work, governor?’ replied the Indian. ‘I work,’ answered
the governor, putting his finger on his forehead, ‘with my head, and
therefore need not work with my hands.’ ‘Well,’ replied the Indian,
‘and if I would work, what have you for me to do?’ ‘Go kill me a calf,’
said the governor, ‘and I will give you a shilling.’ The Indian did
so. The governor asked him why he did not skin and dress it. ‘Calf
dead, governor—give me my shilling; give me another,’ said the Indian,
‘and I will skin and dress it.’ This was complied with. The Indian
then went to a tavern with his two shillings, and soon spending one
for rum, returned to the governor, saying, ‘Your shilling bad, the man
no take it.’ The governor believing him, gave him another; but soon
returning in the same manner, with the second, the governor discerned
his roguery; however, he exchanged that also, reserving his resentment
for a proper opportunity. To be prepared for it, the governor wrote a
letter directed to the keeper of Bridewell, in Boston, requesting him
to take the bearer and give him a sound whipping. This he kept in his
pocket, and in the course of a few days the Indian came again to stare
at the workmen; the governor took no notice of him for some time, but
at length taking the letter out of his pocket, and calling the Indian
to him, said, ‘I will give you half a crown if you will carry this
letter to Boston.’ The Indian closed with his proposal, and set out on
his journey. He had not gone far, before he met with another Indian in
the employ of the governor, to whom he gave the letter, and told him
that the governor had sent him to meet him, and to bid him return with
that letter to Boston, as soon as he possibly could.
The poor fellow carried it with great diligence, and received a severe
flogging for his pains; at the news of which, the governor was not a
little astonished on his return. The other Indian came no more; but,
after the lapse of some months, at a meeting with some of his nation,
the governor saw him there among the rest, and asked him how he durst
serve him such a trick? The Indian looking him full in the face, and
putting his forefinger to his forehead, replied, ‘_Head work! governor,
head work!_’