Cover

The whispers about my father grew stronger.

It was said that one group of men was planning to waylay Sequoyah with rifles and shoot him to death.

Finally, those who cared about Sequoyah decided that there was only one way to turn my father from his dangerous path. They made a plan to hide themselves in the woods near his cabin while Sally drew my father away.

“My husband,” Sally told him, “come with me. There is something you must see.”

When Sequoyah was far enough away, his concerned neighbors came out of the woods and went into the little building. They were shocked at what they saw. Those symbols that might be witchcraft were not just drawn on pieces of paper and chips of wood. They were scrawled on the walls, carved into the table and the chairs. Those brave enough to go into that cabin only stayed long enough in that frightening place to set it ablaze. Because it was filled with all those papers and dry chips of wood, it took almost no time at all before the roof collapsed as the flames roared up.

Other Books By Joseph Bruchac

OTHER BOOKS BY JOSEPH BRUCHAC

The Arrow over the Door

Children of the Longhouse

Code Talker

Eagle Song

The Heart of a Chief

Jim Thorpe, Original All-American

March Toward the Thunder

Wabi

The Winter People

Dedication

To those, past and present, who have worked to preserve our native tongues

CHARACTERS

Main Characters:

Uwohali (Big Eagle): Main character who tells the story, son of Sequoyah by Sequoyah’s first marriage

U-ti-yu: Uwohali’s mother who married Sequoyah in 1801, then divorced him

Sequoyah: Creator of the Cherokee syllabary, Uwohali’s father. Also known as George Guess.

Ahyokah (She Brought Happiness): Sequoyah’s six- or seven-year-old daughter who is Uwohali’s half sister

Sally Guess: Sequoyah’s second wife, who married him in 1815, mother of Ahyokah

Secondary Characters:

Uwohali’s Friends:

Yugi (Nail): his best, most loyal friend

Ugama (Soup)

Udagehi (Baby)

Gayusoli (Nose)

Galuloi (Sky)

Equgugu (Big Owl)

Uwohali’s Three Uncles:

Red Bird

Blackbird (John)

White Raven (Samuel)

Agili (He Is Rising): Village Chief of Willstown, where the story takes place. Also known as George Lowrey

Charles Hicks: friend of Sequoyah, son of a Cherokee woman and a Scots trader

Turtle Fields: friend of Sequoyah

Big Rattling Gourd: friend of Sequoyah

Old Turkey: a stickball maker

Wuh-teh: Sequoyah’s deceased mother

Black Fox: father of Equgugu

Gu-nun-da-le-gi: One Who Follow the Ridge, Cherokee name of the man who became known as “Major Ridge”

Oo-loo-deh-gah (John Jolly): Chief of the Western Cherokees (Old Settlers) who emigrated to Arkansas in 1807.

Tsunu’lahun’ski (or Junaluska): famous past Cherokee chief

Golanu (the Raven): the Cherokee name for Sam Houston, who they also affectionately called “Big Drunk.” Houston fought under General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and later was one of the founders of the Republic of Texas

Sharp Knife: Cherokee name for General Andrew Jackson