Summary “Pioneers, or At the Origins of Susquehanna” by Cooper
This story began in the early December evening in 1793. The draft horses slowly pulled a massive sledge up the mountain. In them sat father and daughter. The father was a respected judge, who was called like Marmaduke Temple, and his beautiful daughter is Miss Elizabeth. This small family were simple settlers. They were among the first people who transformed this area, where many schools, roads and churches appeared. The prosperous villages were surrounded by cultivated fields.
The loud barking of the dog accidentally broke the evening silence. A deer came running out of the woods. Father, taking advantage of the moments, snatched up the gun and shot twice at the forest inhabitant. The deer kept running. Around the shots are heard, the deer jumped, another – the animal fell dead. On the road came an old man Natty Bampo nicknamed Leather stocking. In his years he managed to preserve his former male fortress. Between Natti and Temple a friendly greeting took place. The old
One of them is Richard Jones. He was known as a rather limited person, but with a lot of baggage of ambition and bragging. Richard has to be a cousin to Temple. In his power are road horses, but it was through his fault that the sledge hung over a deep abyss. The wounded young man jumped out of his wagon, grabbed the horses by the bridle and returned them back to the usual path.
In the house of a hospitable judge, a local doctor takes out pieces of grains from the shoulder of a brave young man. But from this further help, this man refused completely. His trust turned to the “Indian John,” who was his old friend and drunk Indian Chingachgook. Marmadyuk makes an offer to Oliver Edwards –
Spring was marked by slush, mud and mud. But this is not an excuse to stay at home. Elizabeth and her friend were very fond of walking, riding. One day, the girls rode in the company of Richard, Oliver and Marmaduke on a mountain slope, which was slightly overgrown with trees. The judge recalled how difficult it was for him to move to this place. Suddenly, everyone heard Oliver shouting: “Wood! Shoot the horses!”. After a moment a large and massive tree collapsed. All managed to slip, and Oliver, risking his life, saves her friend Elizabeth. Warm days have come. On the lake, the last freezing is melting. Fields and forests are dressed in greenery, and the townspeople indulge in mass and mad extermination of quail eggs and fish, which is at the stage of spawning. Volumes are much more than necessary for normal nutrition. The wrathful speech of the Leather Stocking is heard almost everywhere, wherever it is. Such a lamentable result can appear only when a free civilization comes to the free land. About forty years in a row, he constantly observed the arrival of pigeons in the valley. But now, when mass deforestation and the destruction of glades are going on, no one has touched these unfortunate birds. The summer knocked on the valley. Elizabeth and her friend go out to the mountains, refusing the offer that Edwards made, accompany them. The summer knocked on the valley. Elizabeth and her friend go out to the mountains, refusing the offer that Edwards made, accompany them. The summer knocked on the valley. Elizabeth and her friend go out to the mountains, refusing the offer that Edwards made, accompany them.
Oliver condescends to the lake and hurries to talk to Leather Chulk. After he did not find anyone in his hut, he went fishing for perch. It turned out that Chungachgook and Natty Bampo are also engaged in fishing. Edwards joined them with joy. The Leather Stocking very much alerted the barking of dogs in the distance. It seems to him as if his dogs accidentally broke about now chasing a wild deer. And it happened. On the shore appeared that very deer. Trying to hide from the dogs, he throws himself into the water and begins to swim in the direction of the three fishermen. Chingachgook and Nathaniel are also starting his persecution, but Oliver shouts to them that the hunting season has not yet opened. Later he himself succumbed to excitement and joined them. Three hunters managed to drive a poor animal. Leather Stocking killed him with his knife. At this time, the girls, who are accompanied only by an old mastiff, go further into the depths of the forest. They accidentally stumbled upon a puma with her cub. He decides to play with the mastiff, but the dog quickly breaks down with a small kitten.
Mother decides to avenge her offspring. In an unequal battle, the mastiff dies. Elizabeth watches in horror as the puma prepares for the next jump. Behind her, a gunshot is heard. The cat falls, Chungachgook appears and with the second shot finishes the wounded animal. The judge is completely bewildered. The main savior of her daughter, because of Richard’s ardent efforts, in illegal hunting, but also resistance to local authorities. He was not very well behaved towards the justice of the peace, Doolittle, when he searched his hut. The court was held. For the offense connected with the illegal hunting of the defendant was ordered to pay a fine for the hunted deer, but the premium for the killed pum covers him.
Much more serious was the matter of resistance to the authorities. The jury rejected the fact of insulting Doolittle, but for threatening the Leather Stocking gun was sentenced to an hour of stay at the pillar of shame, a hundred dollars in fine and monthly imprisonment. The Indian recognizes his guilt. Elizabeth is very upset. The father assures her that he could not do otherwise. Persuades her to visit Nathaniel in prison and give him a sum of money in the amount of two hundred dollars. Hunter was very happy about the appearance of the girl, but he did not take the money. His only request was to get a can of gunpowder for him. Prepared to escape.
Elizabeth agrees and Nathaniel manages to escape. On the day when Elizabeth brings the can of gunpowder to the designated place, it finds only Chingachgook, who fell into a strange trance. He mumbles something about the fact that he will soon have to go to the ancestors and the miserable fate of his people. Too dry air becomes slightly bitter. Clearly the smell of fire and smoke. A forest fire broke out! The girl started to call Leather Stocking in complete confusion. Edwards appeared. He tries to save poor Elizabeth, but the flame is steadily approaching. It seems that there is no more salvation. In the last minute he explains that he loves the girl very much. But again appears the Leather Stocking, which he took on his back Chingachgook, he takes the whole company to a safe place. A strong thunderstorm begins and Chingachgook dies. Oliver Edwards reveals his secret.
It turns out he is the son of a companion and friend of the Temple, who emigrated to England, and later died. His name was Mr. Edwards Effingham. He was the grandson of the legendary man who disappeared, Oliver Effingham. It turns out that the famous patriarch still lives. The most Oliver Edwards try to hide from human prejudices Nathaniel and Chingachgook. It is for this reason that they lead a reclusive life. The grandfather is presented to the assembled people, who clearly fell into childhood. There is a general reconciliation. Temple, as it now turns out, not only greatly increased the capital entrusted to him, but also managed to equally divide it as an inheritance between the daughter and the Effingham family. Now Oliver and Elizabeth have something to talk about.
In the fall, the wedding of Elizabeth and Oliver Edwards took place. A few days later, that same legendary Oliver Effingham dies. He was buried in the place of Nathaniel’s burnt hut next to the grave of Chingachgook – a great warrior and devoted friend. In the morning, the newlyweds visit the cemetery. There they meet the Leather Stocking. No matter how his friends persuaded him, he goes to the West, as one of the first pioneers who master new lands.
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