But
looking back he could see that the Nut-Shell Sailors
had the best of the battle, being superior in
numbers, having five crews against two of the
Pumpkin Pirates, and also because their ships
were stronger. As for their ships, they were the
shells of nuts which had been split in half, each
measuring fifteen fathoms, or thereabouts.
As soon as the Pumpkin Pirates and the Nut-
Shell Sailors were out of sight, Lucian set himself
to dressing the wounds of his injured companions.
And from that time on both Lucian and his crew
wore their armor continually, not knowing when
another strange enemy might come upon them.
THE SPIRIT OF THE CORN
AN IROQUOIS LEGEND
BY HARRIET MAXWELL CONVERSE (ADAPTED)
There was a time, says the Iroquois grandmother,
when it was not needful to plant the corn-
seed nor to hoe the fields, for the corn sprang up of
itself, and filled the broad meadows. Its stalks
grew strong and tall, and were covered with leaves
like waving banners, and filled with ears of pearly
grain wrapped in silken green husks.
In those days Onatah, the Spirit of the Corn,
walked upon the earth. The sun lovingly touched
her dusky face with the blush of the morning, and
her eyes grew soft as the gleam of the stars on
dark streams. Her night-black hair was spread
before the breeze like a wind-driven cloud.
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