By Lucia Cox
Woof! Woof! Hello! I鈥檓 Merryboy. I鈥檓 an English Mastiff dog and I鈥檓 going on a big adventure with my owner, Dotty. Dotty is 12 years old and she works for a very important man.
It鈥檚 1620, a long time ago, and we鈥檙e on a ship just about to leave England. There are lots of men, women and children on our ship. It鈥檚 called 'The Mayflower' - and it鈥檚 made of wood and has big, white sails which stretch out above us. They鈥檙e so huge they look like they鈥檙e touching the sky.
We鈥檙e on our way to a new life in America. It鈥檚 very exciting but the ship's crowded - there are over a hundred people on board鈥nd two dogs, including me鈥nd some pigs and chickens. Dotty and I are squeezed on the deck along with everyone else.
As we sail away, Dotty and I say goodbye to England and watch the people and the boats and the buildings get smaller and smaller in the distance. Dotty looks a bit sad - I should try to cheer her up!
We鈥檝e been on the ship for five weeks now and we鈥檙e far out at sea. There are storms and the sea is very rough - some people have been seasick, and lots of our things got broken when the ship was tossed about on the waves. Sometimes the wind is so strong we have to take the sails down and just drift.
Most of the time we have to stay below deck to keep safe. It鈥檚 smelly and cramped down here. I can only go up on deck for a short time when it鈥檚 calm. To pass the time some people sing hymns and the children play board games - but it鈥檚 no fun for a dog!
Dotty鈥檚 been seasick and I must say I feel a bit queasy myself sometimes! But because she鈥檚 scared and it gets cold down here, I get to sleep on her bed!
The person in charge says we are going to build a new home in America where everyone will be free and happy. I don鈥檛 really know what that means but as long as I get a lovely juicy bone to chew on, I鈥檒l be very happy too.
This morning the Captain called us up on deck. He pointed at some seagulls that were following 'The Mayflower' - and told us they鈥檙e a sign that we鈥檙e getting near land! Dotty and I ran to the front of the ship. We could see the outline of land on the horizon and eventually rocks and trees! As we got nearer to the shore everyone began to sing hymns, thanking God for bringing us safely across the sea!
When we eventually stepped ashore, my four legs were feeling a bit wobbly. I could see Dotty staggering about too, but we just laughed because we were happy to be on dry land.
We鈥檝e been in America for almost a whole year now and luckily things are starting to get better. When we first arrived there was nothing here: no houses, or churches, nothing but trees, rocks, rivers and sky.
The winter was much colder and harsher than in England and we couldn鈥檛 build houses to live in or grow any food as the ground was frozen. We were all hungry and I never did get the big juicy bone I imagined.
When the ground finally began to thaw in spring, we were able to start building our wooden houses - and to grow food. Dotty tried to grow vegetables, but not a single bean or cabbage would grow. She was sad but it wasn鈥檛 her fault.
Then one day, when we were gathered in prayer, a stranger walked into our village. His clothes were unlike anything I鈥檇 seen before and he had birds鈥 feathers in his long, dark hair. I started to growl but Dotty kept hold of me.
鈥楳y name is Squanto,鈥 said the stranger and he said he wanted to help us grow food.
Squanto showed Dotty how to grow crops. He showed her how to plant seeds in the ground, how to water them and how to feed them. He even told her all about a new crop - corn. It鈥檚 bright yellow, and it鈥檚 sweet - we never had that in England! I kept an eye on him the whole time because it鈥檚 my job to look after Dotty, but he turned out to be a friend.
He also showed the men how to catch fish and eels from the river, and to hunt birds and deer in the forest. Now we have plenty to eat! And so today, we鈥檙e having a celebration. Everyone is grateful to Squanto for showing us how to live off this land so he and his family will be invited. But, of course, it鈥檒l also be a celebration of thanks-giving to God for bringing us safely to this new land.
I鈥檓 really hoping that juicy bone will finally be mine!
By Lucia Cox
Woof! Woof! Hello! I鈥檓 Merryboy. I鈥檓 an English Mastiff dog and I鈥檓 going on a big adventure with my owner, Dotty. Dotty is 12 years old and she works for a very important man.
It鈥檚 1620, a long time ago, and we鈥檙e on a ship just about to leave England. There are lots of men, women and children on our ship. It鈥檚 called 'The Mayflower' - and it鈥檚 made of wood and has big, white sails which stretch out above us. They鈥檙e so huge they look like they鈥檙e touching the sky.
We鈥檙e on our way to a new life in America. It鈥檚 very exciting but the ship's crowded - there are over a hundred people on board鈥nd two dogs, including me鈥nd some pigs and chickens. Dotty and I are squeezed on the deck along with everyone else.
As we sail away, Dotty and I say goodbye to England and watch the people and the boats and the buildings get smaller and smaller in the distance. Dotty looks a bit sad - I should try to cheer her up!
We鈥檝e been on the ship for five weeks now and we鈥檙e far out at sea. There are storms and the sea is very rough - some people have been seasick, and lots of our things got broken when the ship was tossed about on the waves. Sometimes the wind is so strong we have to take the sails down and just drift.
Most of the time we have to stay below deck to keep safe. It鈥檚 smelly and cramped down here. I can only go up on deck for a short time when it鈥檚 calm. To pass the time some people sing hymns and the children play board games - but it鈥檚 no fun for a dog!
Dotty鈥檚 been seasick and I must say I feel a bit queasy myself sometimes! But because she鈥檚 scared and it gets cold down here, I get to sleep on her bed!
The person in charge says we are going to build a new home in America where everyone will be free and happy. I don鈥檛 really know what that means but as long as I get a lovely juicy bone to chew on, I鈥檒l be very happy too.
This morning the Captain called us up on deck. He pointed at some seagulls that were following 'The Mayflower' - and told us they鈥檙e a sign that we鈥檙e getting near land! Dotty and I ran to the front of the ship. We could see the outline of land on the horizon and eventually rocks and trees! As we got nearer to the shore everyone began to sing hymns, thanking God for bringing us safely across the sea!
When we eventually stepped ashore, my four legs were feeling a bit wobbly. I could see Dotty staggering about too, but we just laughed because we were happy to be on dry land.
We鈥檝e been in America for almost a whole year now and luckily things are starting to get better. When we first arrived there was nothing here: no houses, or churches, nothing but trees, rocks, rivers and sky.
The winter was much colder and harsher than in England and we couldn鈥檛 build houses to live in or grow any food as the ground was frozen. We were all hungry and I never did get the big juicy bone I imagined.
When the ground finally began to thaw in spring, we were able to start building our wooden houses - and to grow food. Dotty tried to grow vegetables, but not a single bean or cabbage would grow. She was sad but it wasn鈥檛 her fault.
Then one day, when we were gathered in prayer, a stranger walked into our village. His clothes were unlike anything I鈥檇 seen before and he had birds鈥 feathers in his long, dark hair. I started to growl but Dotty kept hold of me.
鈥楳y name is Squanto,鈥 said the stranger and he said he wanted to help us grow food.
Squanto showed Dotty how to grow crops. He showed her how to plant seeds in the ground, how to water them and how to feed them. He even told her all about a new crop - corn. It鈥檚 bright yellow, and it鈥檚 sweet - we never had that in England! I kept an eye on him the whole time because it鈥檚 my job to look after Dotty, but he turned out to be a friend.
He also showed the men how to catch fish and eels from the river, and to hunt birds and deer in the forest. Now we have plenty to eat! And so today, we鈥檙e having a celebration. Everyone is grateful to Squanto for showing us how to live off this land so he and his family will be invited. But, of course, it鈥檒l also be a celebration of thanks-giving to God for bringing us safely to this new land.
I鈥檓 really hoping that juicy bone will finally be mine!
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