characters in American literature

NAME
CLATS
DATE
of
]ames Fenimore Coopeq, author of such well-known stories as The Last
the Mohicans and The Deerslayer, is considered to be America's first successful
novelist. In 1823 he publishedThe Pioneers, the first of five books known as
The Leatherstocking Tales, imwhich he introduced one of the most popular
characters in American literature-Natty Bumppo.
As you read this except frorn The Pioneets, think about how Natty Bumppo, here
in his early sanenties, uians the deaelopment of frontier lands.
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o prodigious was the number of the birds,
tfrat thelcattering fire of the guns, with the
hurling of missiles, and the cries of the boys, had
no other effect than to break off small flocks from
the immense rnasses that continued to dart along
the valley , ds if the whole creation of the feathered tribe were pouring through that one Pass.
None pretended to collect the garne, which luy
scattered over the fields in such profusion, as to
cover the very ground with the fluttering victims.
Leather-stocking lNatty BumppoJ was a silent,
but unea$y spectator of all these Proceedings, but
wa$ able to keep his sentiments to himself until
he saw the introduction of the swivel [a srnall
canonl into the sports.
"This cornes of settlit g a country," he said*
"here have I known the pigeons to fly for forty
long years, and, till you made your clearings,
there was nobody to scare or to hurt them. I loved
to see them come into the woods, for they were
cornpany to a body; hurting nothing; being, as it
was, as harmLes$ a$ a garter-snake" But now it
gives me sore thoughts when I hear the frighty
things wluzzing through the air, for I know it's
only a rnotion to bring out al1 the brats in the
=6 village at them. Well! the Lord won't see the waste
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of his creaters for nothing, and right will be done
co
to the pigeons, as well as others, by-and*by.*
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There's Mr. Oliver, d$ bad as the rest of them,
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firing into the flocks as if he was shooting down
E
.a nothing but the [Iroquois] warriors."
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Among the sportsmen was Billy Kirby, who,
o() armed with an old musket, was loading, and,
g
; without even looking into the air, was firing, and
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shouting as his victims fell even on his own
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E person. He heard the speech of Natty, and took
[1I
upon himself to replyo
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"lrVhat's that, old Leather-stocking!" he cried;
"grumblitg at the loss of a few pigeons! If you
had to sow your wheat twice, and tfuee times,
as I have done, you wouldn't be so [mercifully]
feeling'd to'ards the divils.-Hurrah, boys! scatter
thefeathets..,."
"It's better for you, maybe, Billy Kirby,"
returned the indignant old hunter, "and all them
as don't know how to put a ball down a riflebaruel, of how to bring it up ag'in with a true airn;
but it's wicked to be shooting into flocks in this
wastey manner; and none do it, who know how
to knock over a singe bird. If a body has a craving
for pigeon's flesh, why! it's made the same as all
other creaters, for filan's eating, but not to kill
twenty and eat olte. When I want such a thing, I
go into the woods till I find one tc my liking, and
ihett tr shoot hirn off the branches without touching
a feather of another, though there might be a
hundred on the safite tree, But you couldn't do
such a thing, Billy Kirby*you couldn't do it if
youtried."...
The fire from the distant part of the field
had driven a single pigeon below the flock to
which it had belong€d, and, frightened with
the constant reports of the muskets, it was
approaching the spot where the disputants
stood, darting first from one side, and then to
the cther, cutting the air with the swiftness of
lightning, and making a noise with its wings,
not unlike the rushing of a bullet. Unfortunately
for the wood-chopper, notwithstanding his vaunt,
he did not see his bird until it was too late for
him to fire as it approached, and he pulled his
trigger at the unlucky moment when it was
darting imrnediately over his head, The bird
continued its course with incredible velocity.
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Chapter 7 Survey Edition
Chapter 3 Modern American History Edition
Literature Activity
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47
DATE
CLASS
NAME
LITERATURE ACTIVITY
(continued)
Natty had dropped his piece from his arfit/
when the challenge was rnade [to shoot the
pigeonJ, and, waiting a mornent, until the terrified
victim had got in a line with his eye$, and had
dropped near the bank of the lake, he raised his
rifle with uncommon rapidity, and fired. It might
have been chance, or it rnight have been skill, that
produced the result; it was probably a union of
both; but the pigeon whirled over in the air, and
fell into the lake, with a broken wing. At the
sound of his rifle, both his dogs started from his
feet, and in a few minutes [a dogl brought out the
bird, still alive.
The wonderful exploit of Leather-stocking
was noised through the field with great rapidity,
and the sportsfiren gathered in to learn the truth
of the report.
"$f,hat," satd young Edwards, "have you
really kilted a pigeon on the wing, Natty, with a
single ball?"
"Haven't I killed loons before now, lad, that
dive at the flash?" returned the hunter. "It's rnuch
better to kill only such as you want, without
wasting your powder and lead, than to be firing
into God's creaters in such a wicked mallner. But
I come out for a bird, and you know the reason
why I like sntall game, Mr. Oliver, and now I
have got one I will go horne, for I don't like to
see these wasty ways that you are all practysing,
as if the least thing wa$ not made for use, and not
to destroy."
"Thou sayest well, Leather*stocking," cried
Marmaduke , " and I begin to think it time to put
an end to this work of destruction."
"Wfrsn't the woods made fo, the heasts
nnd birds ta hsrbour inT "
"Put an ind, Iudge, to your clearings. An't the
woods his work as well as the pigeons? Use, but
don't waste. Wasn't the woods made fcr the
beasts and birds to harbour in? and when man
wanted their flesh, their skins, or their feathersr
there's the place to seek thern, tsut I'11 gc to the
hut with rny own gamer for I wouldn't touch one
of the harmless things that kiver the ground here,
looking up with their eyes at me, as if they only
wanted tongues to say their thoughts."
With this sentiment in his mouth, Leather*
stocking threw his rifle over his arm, and,
followed by his dogs, stepped across the clearing
with great caution, taking care not to tread on
one, of the hundreds of the wounded birds that
lay in his path. He soon entered the bushes on
the rnargin of the lake, and was hid from view.
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1. What did Leather+tockirfg
meanbyhi" statement,'This iomes of settling
a country"?
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tude toward Native Americans? Give reasorls to suppoit your response.
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48 o Literature
Activity
Chapter
Chapter 7 Survey Edition
3 Modern American History Edition
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