Neither do I. But I don't mind having a small part.
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Really?
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To tell the truth I'm not very good at acting.
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Me neither!
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Listen 5 times
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Two heroes
Two heroes
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How peace came to the people of the Great Lakes
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Long ago, five tribes lived in the east of the Great Lakes of North America.
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For years they had been at war.
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Within the tribes, villages fought against villages.
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Families argued and there were fights in their homes.
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There was no peace and no one was safe.
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On the other side of the lakes an old woman slept.
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As she slept she dreamed that her daughter had a son. His name was Deganawida.
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She dreamed that one day he would take a message of peace to the tribes across the water.
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Everything happened as she had dreamed.
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Her daughter had a son. They named him Deganawida.
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He grew up to be a brave, wise and gentle boy.
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When he became a man, he talked to his grandmother and his mother.
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He told them that he wanted to bring peace to the five nations.
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They agreed to let him go.
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Deganawida set off across the lake.
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He paddled a white stone canoe to the opposite shore.
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When the people saw him floating in a boat made of stone they were amazed.
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They listened to his words and at once they agreed to put down their weapons and live peacefully.
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Deganawida travelled on to the next village then the next and the next.
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Everywhere he went he brought words of peace and the people put down their weapons.
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At last he came to the Mohawk tribe.The chief was Hiawatha.
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He was a fierce warrior but he was not angry at the stranger's arrival.
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"I have been dreaming bad dreams for many months," he said. "I cannot sleep at night but I do not know why."
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Hiawatha called his people together and Deganawida spoke to them
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"You must lay down your weapons,"he told them. "people should not kill each other."
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"If we do not keep our bows and arrows and our axes," said one warrior, "our neighbours will kill us."
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"They have already put their weapones aside," said Deganawida."They are at peace."
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"Then we will do the same,"said Hiawatha.
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Before Deganawida left, he gave Hiawatha a warning. "The chief of the Onondagas lives above the lake. He will not listen to me. He is powerful and he can harm anyone who listens to me."
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In the months after Deganawide left, Hiawatha's three daughters died and no one knew why.
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Hiawatha was filled with sadness.
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He believed that the evil chief was the cause and he went to look for Deganawida.
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During a long and dangerous journey Hiawatha fought wild bears and wolves.
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At last found Deganawida and he spoke to Hiawatha wisely and kindly.
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Hiawatha's sadness grew less.
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He dscided that he too would spread the message of peace.
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He left Deganawida and travelled to village after village spreading peace across the land.
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At last, only one man had not listened changed his ways: the evil chief of the Onondaga tribe.
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Deganawida and Hiawatha travelled together to the mountains.
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In a cave high above the lake they found the chief.
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To Hiawatha's horror he was more of monster than a man.
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His face was hideous and there were snakes in his hair.
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They talked to him for many hours.
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At last, Hiawatha said,"I was like you. My heart was full of fear and hate but I have changed. I believe the message of peace."
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The chief smiled,"Now so do I," he said.
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As he spoke, his ugliness disappeared and Hiawatha gently pulled the snakes from his hair.
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They returned together down the mountain to a place where all the tribes were waiting.
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Deganawida spoke of his plan to make one great nation.
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He told them of the laws they should keep.
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The tribes agreed and at the end of the meeting they buried all their weapons.
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Deganawida planted a tree there and it was known as the Great Tree of Peace.
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Then Deganawida went away, leaving Hiawatha in his place.
