Comments on: Literary youngin’s https://habitablezone.com/2013/11/17/literary-youngins/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/11/17/literary-youngins/#comment-28567 DanS Wed, 20 Nov 2013 14:49:11 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=40698#comment-28567 This one a true character, and a bit of a favorite of mine, more because of the slew of errors and myths surrounding the actual event. A young Indian maid? Hardly. A child-priestess and princess, described by Cpt. John Smith as being between the ages of 10 and 13 summers on the day she saved his life. Smith spoke with Chief Powhatan often and considered himself to be on good terms with the elder. Wishing more from the friendship, he asked about this "blood-brother"-thing he had heard of. The chief explained that to become a brother is to become one of the family, and to accomplish this, he had to become human. Of course, and as was to be expected, being a very well received white man from mighty Europe, Smith had always considered himself to be human. No. The human does not battle the Spirit of the land, and accepts, with reverence, the many gifts this Spirit of nature bestows upon the worthy. More-so, to become truly human, the demon that was him must first die. Smith accepted all this, asking Powhatan countless questions of the required ceremony. Traditionally, he was to be clubbed to death, and pray that the Spirit would find him truly worthy, that he may be reborn as a human, and a member of the chief's family. There was a level of drama involved, for timing was essential. A missed step, a missed word would be the end of the good Cpt. John Smith. Properly bound, he was brought before the chief for execution. Uttering the words that would determine the fate of this offering’s day, the chief raised his club high in the air, a signal to the Spirit, as well as to his young daughter. Pocahontas broke her way through the throng of onlookers and quickly placed her head over that of Smith's, thus saving his life, and professing to her father the many fine attributes the man had shown since his arrival to the New World, showing that the Spirit had found him to be a worthy human. From that day forward, he was a member in good standing with the Algonquian community of the Tsenacommacah. Sadly, Pocahontas was only 21 or 22 when she passed away of unknown cause, most likely pneumonia or smallpox, in the small village of Gravesend on the River Themes, England, where her tomb can still be found at St. George’s Church. This one a true character, and a bit of a favorite of mine, more because of the slew of errors and myths surrounding the actual event.

A young Indian maid? Hardly. A child-priestess and princess, described by Cpt. John Smith as being between the ages of 10 and 13 summers on the day she saved his life. Smith spoke with Chief Powhatan often and considered himself to be on good terms with the elder. Wishing more from the friendship, he asked about this “blood-brother”-thing he had heard of. The chief explained that to become a brother is to become one of the family, and to accomplish this, he had to become human.

Of course, and as was to be expected, being a very well received white man from mighty Europe, Smith had always considered himself to be human. No. The human does not battle the Spirit of the land, and accepts, with reverence, the many gifts this Spirit of nature bestows upon the worthy. More-so, to become truly human, the demon that was him must first die.

Smith accepted all this, asking Powhatan countless questions of the required ceremony. Traditionally, he was to be clubbed to death, and pray that the Spirit would find him truly worthy, that he may be reborn as a human, and a member of the chief’s family.

There was a level of drama involved, for timing was essential. A missed step, a missed word would be the end of the good Cpt. John Smith. Properly bound, he was brought before the chief for execution. Uttering the words that would determine the fate of this offering’s day, the chief raised his club high in the air, a signal to the Spirit, as well as to his young daughter.

Pocahontas broke her way through the throng of onlookers and quickly placed her head over that of Smith’s, thus saving his life, and professing to her father the many fine attributes the man had shown since his arrival to the New World, showing that the Spirit had found him to be a worthy human. From that day forward, he was a member in good standing with the Algonquian community of the Tsenacommacah.

Sadly, Pocahontas was only 21 or 22 when she passed away of unknown cause, most likely pneumonia or smallpox, in the small village of Gravesend on the River Themes, England, where her tomb can still be found at St. George’s Church.

]]> By: FrankC https://habitablezone.com/2013/11/17/literary-youngins/#comment-28526 FrankC Sun, 17 Nov 2013 22:55:00 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=40698#comment-28526 Sherlock, had no idea he started that young. Holly, never thought of her as a teen. The others, I thought Gatsby was younger but his true age is not a shock. He was a bootlegger, so age and wealth are not relevant. Who is tintin? :) Wow, I had forgotten how young Scout was. Sherlock, had no idea he started that young.
Holly, never thought of her as a teen.

The others,

I thought Gatsby was younger but his true age is not a shock. He was a bootlegger, so age and wealth are not relevant.

Who is tintin? :)

Wow, I had forgotten how young Scout was.

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