THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
Around four hundred years ago, many people in England were unhappy because their King would not let them pray to their God as they like. The King said they must use the same prayers as he did and if they refused, they would be prosecuted into prison or even killed. These English man left their home and went far off to the country called Holland. In Holland they were happy but they were very poor and when children began to grow, they became less Godlike and did not want to pray any more. After much talking and thinking, these English people decided to embark on the two vessels to the new world-America.
They set out on a small ship called May Flower to take them across the sea. There were about 100 people on board to take the ship. It was crowded, cold and uncomfortable.
The sea was rough. They were two months sailing over the Atlantic Ocean. At last, the May Flower came inside a land. The month was November and it was cold. There was nothing to be seen but snow, rocks and hard bare ground. They were tired and cold from their long journey and hungry, too. No one had enough food to eat, many of them became sick and by spring time, almost half of people died.
In spring, the sun shone brightly, the snow melted and the leaves and flowers began to emerge. Some friendly Indian had visited the Pilgrims in the winter.One of the kinds of the Indians was named Swanto. He stayed with the Pilgrim and taught them how to plant their corn, peas, wheat and barley. The summer came and the days were long and bright. The Pilgrim children were very happy in the new home . When it was autumn, the fathers gathered the barley and wheat and corn that they had planted, and found that it had grown so well that they would have quite enough for the long winter that was coming. “ Let us thank God for it all” they said. Then they decided to have a great thanksgiving party and invited the friendly Indians. They prepared well ducks and geese and great wild turkeys. There was deer meat, bread and cakes. They had fish and clams from the sea nearby. The friendly Indians all came with their chief. They were dressed in deer skins, and some of them had the furry coat of a wild cat hanging on their arms. Their long black hair fell loose on their shoulders, and was trimmed with feathers or fox-tails. Before they ate, the Pilgrims and the Indians thanked God together for all his goodness. And so this story goes that the first Thanksgiving celebrated include colony nearly four hundred years ago. As you sat down with your friends and family, remember this original tale and give thanks for all of God’s abundant things.

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