Sign of the Beaver
Chapter 1
The year was 1768 and a young 13-year-old
boy named Matt was in the state of Maine
with his father.
Matt and his father had traveled to Maine
that summer from their home in
Massachusetts. Matt and his father came to
build a new log cabin home in Maine.
As the summer began Matt’s father returned
back to Massachusetts to get the rest of the
family.
Matt’s father left him his watch and rifle and
then headed back to Massachusetts. Matt
would be alone until his family returned.
Chapter 2
After a few days Matt started to like
being alone. Everyday Matt would
work on the crops, keep the fire
going, and hunt for food.
He had some flour and molasses left
over from when his father was
there.
Sometimes when he was walking
through the woods he would think
of the Indians. His father had told
him most of the Indians were on a
moose hunt in Canada.
Chapter 3
One night while he was cooking his
rabbit soup dinner Matt heard a man
coming through the woods. It was not an
Indian but a large man wearing a blue
army jacket.
The man had left the town nearby to live
in the woods and become a trapper. His
name was Ben.
The man asked if he could stay the night
in the cabin. After Matt made dinner the
man fell asleep by the fire. In the
morning the man was gone and he had
stolen Matt’s gun.
Chapter 4
Matt was very upset the man had stolen
his gun. Now he would just be able to go
fishing for food.
The days went by faster and Matt could
see the pumpkins getting bigger and the
corn getting taller.
After returning from fishing one
afternoon Matt noticed something had
gone into his log cabin and made a large
mess. A bear had gone into his cabin and
eaten all the flour and molasses.
Chapter 5
Matt was sad that the bear had eaten all
his flour and molasses. He started to
think about a bee hive he had seen a few
weeks ago. He thought about trying to
take some honey from the hive.
The next day Matt went to the tree with
the hive and climbed it. At first the bee’s
didn’t notice him but as he reached into
the hive they attacked. Matt ran from the
tree as the bees swarmed. He jumped
into the lake to hide.
Soon he felt a man pick him up. Matt was
covered in bee stings. Matt could see 2
Indians helping remove the stingers.
Chapter 6
The following morning when Matt woke up
he was in his own bed. He was in a lot of
pain from the bee stings.
Soon the same Indian arrived and brought
him some food and medicine.
The next day the old man Indian asked
Matt if he could teach his grandson to
read. The Indian told matt he would pay
him in food if he taught his grandson
Attean how to read.
The Indians needed to be able to read so
they could read the write man’s treaties.
Chapter 7
The next morning Matt woke up
worrying if he would be able to
teach Attean how to read. He
remembered back to how his
mother taught him his A,B,C’s.
Attean arrived later that day and
brought Matt a rabbit to eat.
Matt started to teach Attean his
letters. Attean got frustrated
during the lesson and left the
cabin.
Chapter 8
The following day Attean
returned. Matt decided he would
try a different approach to
teaching Attean to read.
Instead of teaching him letter’s
Matt took out his book Robinson
Crusoe. He started reading the
story to Attean.
Chapter 9
Attean got better each day. He could now
identify the letters and was starting to write
short words.
One day Matt noticed the rabbits Attean
brought him didn’t have an arrow or bullet
hole. He asked Attean how he caught them.
That afternoon Attean brought Matt into the
woods and showed him how to make a rabbit
snare. Over the next week Matt practiced
using roots and sticks to make his own snares.
At the end of the week Matt caught a
partridge in one of his snares. Matt was very
happy and looked forward to reading more
stories of Robinson Crusoe to Attean.
Chapter 10
The next day Matt and Attean went fishing.
Attean brought Matt to a part of the creek he
had never been before. The water was
shallow.
Instead of using a fishing pole Attean made a
spear and walked into the water. He threw
the spear and caught a fish.
Matt then showed Attean how he fishes with
a pole and hook. Matt quickly caught a big
fish, but the fish ate his hook.
Attean realized what happened and showed
Matt how to make a hook from a sapling
branch. Before going back to the cabin they
started a fire and cooked the fish by the fire
Chapter 11
The next day Matt counted the notches in his
sticks. He figured his parents had been gone for
50 days and should be back soon.
Later that day Attean showed up with an old
ragged dog. He told Matt his name was just
“dog” and that he was useless since he could not
smell anymore. A porcupine had pricked his
nose with his quills.
Mat, Attean, and his dog went for a walk deep
into the woods. On the walk they came across a
beaver dam. Attean showed Matt a sign on a
tree which marked his tribes area it was “the
sign of the beaver”.
On the way home Attean showed Matt how to
mark the path they traveled with rocks and
sticks so not to get lost.
Chapter 12
The following morning Matt decided he
needed a bow and arrow. He was jealous of
Attean’s bow. Matt worked all day trying to
make one and some arrows but it didn’t
shoot very good
Attean arrived and laughed at Matt’s bow.
Attean showed him how to get a good piece
of birch wood and then to cover in bears fat
to give it a good shine.
Attean also helped Matt make some
stronger arrows. Within a few days Matt
was shooting his bow very well.
Bear fat
Chapter 13
Now when Matt walked through the woods he would
look for Indian signs. Sometimes he would find the Sign
of the Beaver.
One morning while Matt and Attean were walking
through the woods they came across a fox sitting on the
ground. He didn’t move as they approached him.
Attean looked upset as he came closer to the fox. The
fox was stuck in one of the white man’s metal traps. He
also told Matt they were not on beaver land but a local
tribe known as the turtle clan.
Attean decided to leave the fox but told Matt the fox
would bite his leg free and escape.
That night Matt was still upset about the fox but he was
also glad he was learning so many survival skills from
Attean. Matt now knew more about which plants he
could eat, how to make tools, and which animals to
avoid.
Chapter 14
That afternoon Matt finished the entire story of
Robinson Crusoe. Attean was just as disappointed
as Matt that the story was over.
Each night Attean would return home and tell his
tribe the stories he had heard from Matt.
The only other book Matt had was his bible. He
took the bible out and began reading Attean the
story of Noah’s Ark. When he was done Attean told
Matt they had a similar story in their culture.
The Indian story was about a man who let three
ducks go after a large flood. When one of the
ducks returned with mud on his feet the man knew
the waters were going away. Attean told Matt this
man was a super warrior known as Penobscot and
he had created all Indians and animals.
Chapter 15
The next day Matt and Attean had one of their greatest
adventures. After a quick reading lesson Matt shot a
rabbit with his bow and arrow and then they headed
out for a walk.
On the walk they heard some rustling of leaves around
them. Then a baby bear walked in front of them.
Attean told Matt to be quiet because the mother
would be close by. Then a large bear stood in front of
them on her hind feet growling at Matt and Attean.
Without thinking Matt threw the rabbit at the bear to
distract it. As the bear was distracted Attean shot
multiple arrows at the bear and then jumped up and
stabbed the bear.
Attean spoke to the bear as it lay still on the ground.
He told Matt he apologized to the the bear for killing it.
It was not their intention on that day to kill a mother
bear. They were both happy they had survived but felt
bad about killing the bear.
Chapter 16
The next day Matt was startled when he heard
someone coming through the woods. He
looked and saw an Indian dressed in paint and
wearing an Indian dress. As they got closer he
noticed it was Attean.
Attean told him he was invited to come to a
celebration in honor of them killing the bear.
Matt was excited to have some of the bear
meat.
After a long walk through the woods and a
short canoe ride Matt and Attean arrived at
the village. The Indians were all dressed up
and began dancing. Matt joined in on the
dancing and then it was time to eat.
Matt started with a bear stew. It was delicious
and soon Matt was full and wanted to fall
asleep. Attean took Matt to a nearby wigwam
and Matt quickly fell asleep inside.
Chapter 17
The next morning Matt awoke to a lively Indian
village. He noticed most of the men were
gone. Attean told Matt the men had gone on a
deer hunt but he didn’t go because he does
not have a gun yet. The Indians had started to
use the white man’s gun to hunt.
On the walk back Attean told Matt that his
grandfather was happy Matt came but his
grandmother did not like any white people.
She did not like white people because they had
killed Attean’s parents for no reason. Attean’s
grandfather felt Indians and white people
needed to learn how to live together.
Matt felt horrible. He had never thought about
where Attean’s parents were. He also hoped
Attean’s grandfather and his father would have
an opportunity to meet.
Chapter 18
Matt knew the summer had passed and the
autumn season had started. He wondered
about his family and hoped nothing bad had
happened to them.
Attean didn’t come by as much anymore. Most
days Matt would walk deep into the woods by
himself looking for food. This afternoon Matt
heard a dog howling in the distance. He ran
closer to the sound and found Attean’s dog
caught in a steel trap.
Matt couldn’t get the trap open and ran to
Attean’s village to get help. When he arrived
he noticed Attean was not there. Matt told
Attean’s grandmother what had happened and
Attean’s sister left with Matt to go help. When
they got there they were able to get the steel
trap off the dog’s leg. When they got back to
the village Attean was very happy Matt had
helped the dog.
Chapter 19
A few days later Attean’s grandmother invited
Matt to the village. She was happy Matt had
done so much to help Attean’s dog.
When Matt arrived they served him hot stew
and cornbread. Then Matt went and played a
game with the children. For the game the
children flipped over painted discs and
whoever got the most right side up would win.
Matt lost and the Indian boy insisted he give
him his shirt for losing.
After that game Matt joined in with some
older boys who were playing a game with
sticks and a small ball. The boys were on teams
and had to get the ball into the goal by only
using their sticks. Matt scored a goal and was
very happy.
When they were leaving Attean gave Matt his
shirt back and told him it was just a joke. Matt
hoped they would invite him back again soon.
Chapter 20
Over the next few days Matt waited for
Attean but he did not come. He didn’t come
again for another week.
When Attean arrived he told Matt that his
tribe would be leaving soon to go on the
long hunt for caribou and moose. Attean
would also need to go away for a few days to
try and find his spirit.
If Attean found his spirit he would become
an Indian hunter and go on all of the hunts
with the rest of the men in his tribe.
Chapter 21
A few mornings later Attean arrived with his
grandfather. Attean looked older. He had a
shaved head, and was carrying a new gun.
Matt could tell Attean had found his spirit.
Attean told Matt he would not be returning
for anymore reading lesson’s because the
whole Indian tribe would be going on the big
moose hunt.
Attean’s grandfather Saknis asked Matt to
come with them on the hunt but Matt told
him he had to stay and wait for his family.
Chapter 22
The next day Attean returned back to see
Matt. He asked Matt if he had changed his
mind about coming on the hunt, but Matt
told him he had not. Attean and his
grandfather understood, and told Matt he
was a good son.
Attean also brought Matt some presents for
the winter. He brought Matt deer moccasins,
maple syrup, and sugar. In return Matt gave
Attean his pocket watch and showed him
how to wind it up and tell time. Attean also
told Matt he would be leaving his dog with
him since he would not be strong enough to
make the trip.
The boys shook hands before Attean headed
off into the woods for the last time.
Chapter 23
Everyday Matt filled his days with work
preparing for the long winter and his
families arrival. Matt had plenty of corn,
pumpkins, berries, and white flour.
Most of the meat Matt got was from the
fish he caught in the creek. The water was
starting to freeze and Matt would soon
need to cut a hole in the ice.
One afternoon Matt caught an otter by
using a technique Attean had showed him.
He cleaned the otter skin and made a fur
hat. He had also made gloves out of rabbit
skins.
At night Matt would whittle things for the
house. He made things such as bowls,
spoons, forks, and dolls for his sister.
Chapter 24
The next day the first big snow storm
came. Matt was stuck in his house
and it took him all day to shovel out
of the snow.
After shoveling out of the snow he
tried his new snow shoes on. The
shoes worked great and he easily
traveled over the snow. He still
checked his snares and went fishing.
Chapter 25
The next day it appeared as if another snow storm
was moving in. As Matt prepared to bring firewood
into the cabin he heard the dog barking.
Matt looked into the woods and saw a man pulling
a sled. It was his father. He ran out to him and then
he saw his young sister and mother. They were
happy to see each other and went into the cabin.
Matt’s father told him they had all gotten sick with
typhus and the young baby had died.
After unpacking the blankets, food, and new rifle
the family settled in by the fire. As they sat there
Matt’s parents told him how proud they were of
him and that 3 more families would be coming in
the spring to start a new town.
The End
KLS Reading 2014