Story told by Joseph Bruchac
Illustrated by Mrs. Sipes' 3rd grade students in Baker Elementary
with the guidance of Mr.Webber.
       This story is a great accompaniment to a science unit
about plant life cycles.
       Study corn's life cycle in your classroom and investigate
to find answers to:
       - What does a corn seed look like?
       - How can we grow a corn plant?
       - How do plants keep coming back
         even after they appear to die?

This book was created and published on StoryJumper™

Publish your own children's book:

www.storyjumper.com

Long ago, when the world was new,
an old woman lived with her grandson in
the shadow of a big mountain.
They lived happily together until the boy
was seven years old. Then his Grandmother
gave him his first bow and arrow.

He went out to hunt for game and brought
back a small bird. "Ah," said the Grandmother,
"You are going to be a great hunter. We must
have a feast." She went out to the small
storehouse behind their cabin. She came back
with dried corn in her basket and made a fine
tasting soup with the small bird and the corn.

From that point on the boy hunted. Each day
he brought back something and each day the
Grandmother took some corn from the storehouse
to make soup. One day, though, the boy peeked
into the storehouse. It was empty! But that evening,
when he returned with game to cook, she went out
again and brought back a basket filled with dry
corn. "This is strange," said the boy to himself.
"I must find out what is happening."

The next day, when he brought back his
game, he waited until his grandmother had
gone out for her basket of corn and followed her.
He looked through a crack between the logs
and saw a very strange thing. The storehouse
was empty, but his grandmother was leaning
over the basket. She rubbed her hand along the
side of her body, and dried corn poured out to
fill the basket. Now the boy grew afraid.
Perhaps she was a witch!
He crept back to the house to wait.

When his Grandmother returned, though, she saw
the look on his face. "Grandson," she said, "You followed
me to the shed and saw what I did there."
"Yes, Grandmother," the boy answered. The old woman
shook her head sadly. "Grandson," she said, "then I must
get ready to leave you. Now that you know my secret
I can no longer live with you as I did before. Before the
sun rises tomorrow I shall be dead. You must do as I tell
you, and you will be able to feed yourself and the people
when I have gone."

The old woman looked very weary
and the boy started to move towards her, but
she motioned him away. "You cannot help now
grandson. Simply do as I tell you."

You've previewed 12 of 19 pages.

To read more:

Benefits: