Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume 2 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own WritingsBruce, Wiliam Cabell
History
Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume 2 (of 2): A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings
Bruce, Wiliam Cabell
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
[17] Another good Indian story is told by Franklin in his _Remarks
Concerning the Savages of North America_: "A Swedish Minister, having
assembled the chiefs of the Susquehanah Indians, made a Sermon to them,
acquainting them with the principal historical Facts on which our Religion
is founded; such as the Fall of our First Parents by eating an Apple, the
coming of Christ to repair the Mischief, his Miracles and Suffering, &c.
When he had finished, an Indian Orator stood up to thank him. 'What you
have told us,' says he, 'is all very good. It is indeed bad to eat Apples.
It is better to make them all into Cyder. We are much oblig'd by your
kindness in coming so far, to tell us these Things which you have heard
from your Mothers. In return, I will tell you some of those we have heard
from ours. In the Beginning, our Fathers had only the Flesh of Animals, to
subsist on; and if their Hunting was unsuccessful, they were starving. Two
of our young Hunters, having kill'd a Deer, made a Fire in the Woods to
broil some Part of it. When they were about to satisfy their Hunger, they
beheld a beautiful young Woman descend from the Clouds, and seat herself on
that Hill, which you see yonder among the blue Mountains. They said to each
other, it is a Spirit that has smelt our broiling Venison, and wishes to
eat of it; let us offer some to her. They presented her with the Tongue;
she was pleas'd with the Taste of it, and said, "Your kindness shall be
rewarded; come to this Place after thirteen Moons, and you shall find
something that will be of great Benefit in nourishing you and your children
to the latest Generations." They did so, and, to their surprise, found
Plants they had never seen before; but which, from that ancient time, have
been constantly cultivated among us, to our great Advantage. Where her
right Hand had touched the Ground, they found Maize; where her left hand
had touch'd it, they found Kidney-Beans, and where her Back side had sat on
it they found Tobacco.' The good Missionary, disgusted with this idle Tale,
said: 'What I delivered to you were sacred Truths; but what you tell me is
mere Fable, Fiction, and Falsehood.' The Indian, offended, reply'd, 'My
brother, it seems your Friends have not done you Justice in your Education;
they have not well instructed you in the Rules of common Civility. You saw
that we, who understand and practise those Rules, believ'd all your
stories; why do you refuse to believe ours?'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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