as of Black Friars pacing the cloisters

with the shreds of fog here and there raggedly furring her, appeared like a white-washed monastery after a thunder-storm, seen perched upon some dun cliff among the Pyrenees

vapors partly mantling the hull

The appearance of Rip, with his long, grizzled beard, his rusty fowling piece, his uncouth dress, and an army of women and children at his heels, soon attracted the attention of the tavern politicians.

Nicholas Vedder, with his broad face, double chin, and long pipe

lordly Hudson

Rip had unconsciously scrambled to one of the highest parts of the Catskill Mountains.

all-besetting terrors of a woman’s tongue

Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going, and everything he said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household eloquence.

Rip Van Winkle, however, was one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, whichever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound

for he would sit on a wet rock, with a rod as long and heavy as a lance, and fish all day without a murmur, even though he should not be encouraged by a single nibble

and not a dog would bark at him throughout the neighborhood.

obedient, henpecked husband

He inherited, however, but little of the martial character

siege of Fort Christina

Dutch colonists in the early times of the province, just about the beginning of the government of the good Peter Stuyvesant

days of Peter Stuyvesant

Peter Stuyvesant

fairy mountains

magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the goodwives, far and near, as perfect vbarometers

Hudson

Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready sometimes to wish for it. When I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of the world about me, my relations by me, my heart cheerful, and taking little care for anything, and yet seeing many, whom I preferred before myself, under many trials and afflictions, in sickness, weakness, poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the world, I should be sometimes jealous least I should have my portion in this life, and that Scripture would come to my mind,

The thoughts of these things in the particulars of them, and of the love and goodness of God towards us, make it true of me, what David said of himself, “I watered my Couch with my tears” (Psalm 6.6). Oh! the wonderful power of God that mine eyes have seen,

my thoughts are upon things past, upon the awful dispensation of the Lord towards us, upon His wonderful power and might, in carrying of us through so many difficulties, in returning us in safety, and suffering none to hurt us.

That which was dead lay heavier upon my spirit, than those which were alive and amongst the heathen: thinking how it suffered with its wounds, and I was no way able to relieve it; and how it was buried by the heathen in the wilderness from among all Christians.

The Lord reward them sevenfold into their bosoms of His spirituals, for their temporals.

I was not before so much hemmed in with the merciless and cruel heathen, but now as much with pitiful, tender-hearted and compassionate Christians.

my own children amongst the rest, to enjoy that deliverance that I had now received

There had I lived many comfortable years amongst my relations and neighbors, and now not one Christian to be seen, nor one house left standing. We went on to a farmhouse that was yet standing, where we lay all night, and a comfortable lodging we had, though nothing but straw to lie on. The Lord preserved us in safety that night, and raised us up again in the morning, and carried us along, that before noon, we came to Concord.

God’s power is as great now, and as sufficient to save, as when He preserved Daniel in the lion’s den; or the three children in the fiery furnace.

I have been in the midst of those roaring lions, and savage bears, that feared neither God, nor man, nor the devil, by night and day, alone and in company, sleeping all sorts together, and yet not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity to me, in word or action.

the Lord feeds and nourishes them up to be a scourge to the whole land.

It is said, “Oh, that my People had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their Enemies, and turned my hand against their Adversaries” (Psalm 81.13-14).

I can but stand in admiration to see the wonderful power of God in providing for such a vast number of our enemies in the wilderness, where there was nothing to be seen, but from hand to mouth.

if their corn were cut down, they would starve and die with hunger, and all their corn that could be found, was destroyed, and they driven from that little they had in store, into the woods in the midst of winter; and yet how to admiration did the Lord preserve them for His holy ends, and the destruction of many still amongst the English! strangely did the Lord provide for them; that I did not see (all the time I was among them) one man, woman, or child, die with hunger.

I can but admire to see the wonderful providence of God in preserving the heathen for further affliction to our poor country.

impassable to the English

Indians derided the slowness, and dullness of the English army, in its setting out.

It is the Lord’s doing, and it should be marvelous in our eyes.

God seemed to leave his People to themselves, and order all things for His own holy ends. Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it?

I say, that then our army should want provision, and be forced to leave their pursuit and return homeward; and the very next week the enemy came upon our town, like bears bereft of their whelps, or so many ravenous wolves, rending us and our lambs to death.

English army was so numerous, and in pursuit of the enemy, and so near as to take several and destroy them, and the enemy in such distress for food that our men might track them by their rooting in the earth for ground nuts, whilst they were flying for their lives.

Then I may say as Job 6.7, “The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.” Thus the Lord made that pleasant refreshing, which another time would have been an abomination.

Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste

sinewy

she cut me off a little piece, and gave one of the English children a piece also.

they were boiling corn and beans, which was a lovely sight to see, but I could not get a taste thereof.

In this town there were four English children, captives; and one of them my own sister’s

I saw an Englishman stripped naked, and lying dead upon the ground, but knew not who it was.

Isaiah 55.8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” And also that [in] Psalm 37.5: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

I asked them to let me go out and pick up some sticks, that I might get alone, and pour out my heart unto the Lord. Then also I took my Bible to read, but I found no comfort here neither, which many times I was wont to find. So easy a thing it is with God to dry up the streams of Scripture comfort from us. Yet I can say, that in all my sorrows and afflictions, God did not leave me to have my impatience work towards Himself, as if His ways were unrighteous. But I knew that He laid upon me less than I deserved.

saw nothing but wilderness, and woods, and a company of barbarous heathens

“Have pity upon me, O ye my Friends, for the Hand of the Lord has touched me.”

But the Lord upheld my Spirit, under this discouragement; and I considered their horrible addictedness to lying, and that there is not one of them that makes the least conscience of speaking of truth

Instead of going toward the Bay, which was that I desired,

In the morning, another Indian bade me come at night, and he would give me six ground nuts, which I did.

I went to one wigwam, and they told me they had no room. Then I went to another, and they said the same; at last an old Indian bade me to come to him, and his squaw gave me some ground nuts; she gave me also something to lay under my head, and a good fire we had; and through the good providence of God

Then was I fain to stoop to this rude fellow, and to go out in the night, I knew not whither.

I thought I could as well have died as went back; I cannot declare the trouble that I was in about it; but yet back again I must go. As soon as I had the opportunity, I took my Bible

But the thoughts of my going homeward (for so we bent our course) much cheered my spirit, and made my burden seem light, and almost nothing at all

I lifted up my heart to God, hoping the redemption was not far off

ran out and catched it up, and put it into my pocket, and never let her see it afterward

papoose

that they prepared for their travel

Here was the squaw that gave me one spoonful of meal. I put it in my pocket to keep it safe. Yet notwithstanding, somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the room of it; which corns were the greatest provisions I had in my travel for one day

God he may remember these things now he is returned in safety.

It seems to be a bait the devil lays to make men lose their precious time. I remember with shame how formerly, when I had taken two or three pipes, I was presently ready for another, such a bewitching thing it is

He bade me come in and sit down, and asked me whether I would smoke it (a usual compliment nowadays amongst saints and sinners) but this no way suited me

“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return: the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” I asked him whether he would read. He told me he earnestly desired it, I gave him my Bible, and he lighted upon that comfortable Scripture “I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord: the Lord hath chastened me sore yet he hath not given me over to death” (

get down their filthy trash

I did not wet my foot (which many of themselves at the other end were mid-leg deep

When all the company was come up, and were gathered together, I thought to count the number of them, but they were so many, and being somewhat in motion, it was beyond my skill

roaring and hooping

Then I took oaken leaves and laid to my side, and with the blessing of God it cured me also

I then remembered how careless I had been of God’s holy time; how many Sabbaths I had lost and misspent, and how evilly I had walked in God’s sight; which lay so close unto my spirit, that it was easy for me to see how righteous it was with God to cut off the thread of my life and cast me out of His presence forever. Yet the Lord still showed mercy to me, and upheld me

as He wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other.

my child’s

After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on, they stopped, and now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap; and calling much for water, being now (through the wound) fallen into a violent fever. My own wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise up; yet so it must be, that I must sit all this cold winter night upon the cold snowy ground, with my sick child in my arms, looking that every hour would be the last of its life; and having no Christian friend near me, either to comfort or help me.

But the Lord renewed my strength still, and carried me along, that I might see more of His power; yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I not experienced it.

carried it in my arms till my strength failed, and I fell down with it.

but God was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail.

It is not my tongue, or pen, can express the sorrows of my heart, and bitterness of my spirit that I had at this departure

savageness and brutishness of this barbarous enemy

poor wounded babe, and it seemed at present worse than death that it was in such a pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion

my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad bereaved condition. All was gone, my husband gone (at least separated from me, he being in the Bay; and to add to my grief, the Indians told me they would kill him as he came homeward), my children gone, my relations and friends gone, our house and home and all our comforts—within door and without—all was gone (except my life), and I knew not but the next moment that might go too.

which they had plundered in the town

Oh the roaring, and singing and dancing, and yelling of those black creatures in the night, which made the place a lively resemblance of hell.

them

(deserted by the English before, for fear of the Indians)

with our bodies

barbarous creatures

Mary Rowlandson

American literature is ever-changing.

collectively shared identity rather than a set of arbitrary geographical constraints

All too late, the sturdy breeze returned, and, passing by, pulled apart the broken edges of the tree. Iktomi was released. But alas! he had no duck feast.

Iktomi cried out like a pouting child, "At least you have left my baking under the ashes!"

"Ah! hear the foolish fellow! He says he has a duck feast to be eaten! Let us hurry there for our share!" Away bounded the wolves toward Iktomi's lodge.

While sitting a prisoner on the tree he spied, through his tears, a pack of gray wolves roaming over the level lands.

He rose and looked around. The squeaking came from the tree. Then he began climbing the tree to find the disagreeable sound.

Placing one under each roasting duck, he muttered, "The sweet fat oozing out will taste well with the hard-cooked breasts."

ktomi shrugged his great shoulders, but did not once take his eyes from the ducks. The dripping of amber oil into pearly dishes, drop by drop, pleased his hungry eyes

But as they soared high into the blue sky they cried to one another: "Oh! your eyes are red-red!" "And yours are red-red!" For the warning words of the magic minor strain had proven true.

Hereupon the ducks opened their eyes. There beside Iktomi's bundle of songs lay half of their crowd -- flat on their backs

No duck dared blink a wink. Each one shut his eyes very tight and danced even harder.

Up rose the circle of seated ducks and holding their wings close against their sides began to dance to the rhythm of Iktomi's song and drum. With eyes closed they did dance!

In a strange low voice Iktomi began his queer old tunes. All the ducks sat round-eyed in a circle about the mysterious singer.

"I will build first a round straw house, for I never sing my songs in the open air,"

"My friends, I must not spoil your dance. Oh, you would not care to see if you only knew what is in my blanket. Sing on! dance on! I must not show you what I carry on my back,

as he staggered along beneath his burden.

A group of wild ducks were dancing and feasting in the marshes. With wings out- spread, tip to tip, they moved up and down in a large circle. Within the ring, around a small drum, sat the chosen singers, nodding their heads and blinking their eyes.

Snatching up a slender willow stick with his free left hand, he started off with a hop and a leap. From side to side bounced the bundle on his back, as he ran light- footed over the uneven ground

Poor Iktomi cannot help being a little imp. And so long as he is a naughty fairy, he cannot find a single friend.

Often his own conceit leads him hard against the common sense of simpler people

Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.

He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings around his eyes

is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggins with long soft fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his feet. His long black hair is parted in the middle and wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small brown ear and falls forward over his shoulders.

IKTOMI