SOFT RAIN by Cornelia Cornelissen

About The Book

In Soft Rain, a 9-year-old Cherokee girl finds herself in the same situation as Sweet Leaf as soldiers arrive one day to take her and her mother to walk the Trail of Tears, leaving the rest of her family behind. It all begins when Soft Rain's teacher reads a letter stating that as of May 23, 1838, all Cherokee people are to leave their land and move to what many Cherokees called "the land of darkness". . .the west. Soft Rain is confident that her family will not have to move, because they have just planted corn for the next harvest. Because Soft Rain knows some of the white man's language, she soon learns that they must travel across rivers, valleys, and mountains. On the journey, she is forced to eat the white man's food and sees many of her people die. Her courage and hope are restored when she is reunited with her father, a leader on the Trail, chosen to bring her people safely to their new land.

A Sad Letter

I am a nine year old Cherokee Indian.  I live in North Carolina with my little brother, Hawk Boy, my father and mother, and my grandmother.  I have a dog named, Pet.  I go to school with other Cherokee Indian children.  We learn how to read and write Cherokee and white man's words. Today my teacher read us a sad letter from the white man.  The letter said that Cherokee Indians had to move west.  I don't want to move west I want to stay right here.  I don't think I will be moving because my dad is planting selu (corn) and he wouldn't be planting crops if we were moving out west. 

The Little People

I arrived home early today because my teacher is moving west and her house is going to be sold to the white men.  My mom told me not to worry about the letter, but I am.  I hate that I can't go to school anymore and I know that my brother will hate it too.  I will try to teach him how to read and write both ways.  My grandmother told me a story today about the Little People who help people especially little children.  I love to listen to my grandmother's stories.  I met my cousin, Green Fern, by the riverbank and I secretly teach her to read and write, because my aunt and uncle do not allow her to go to school.  They do not believe that she should learn the white man's words. I am not allowed to tell her about the letter because my mom doesn't want her to worry.   

Green Fern

I wish that I didn't have to lie to Green Fern since we've never kept any secrects. I want to tell her, but I don't want her to worry. We couldn't tell stories today because Green Fern had to help her dad.

Planting Selu

Late last night I heard my father talking about moving west.  He told me it was nothing to worry about and now I hear him yelling about it.  Today we all had to help plant the selu.  I didn't mind helping if it meant that we didn't have to move west.

The Doll

My Grandmother made me a doll and I am very fond of it.  Suddenly, we all heard a huge crash and our door flung open.  Guess who it was?  It was one of the white soldiers.  He had a gun and told us to come with him now.  We were only able to take what we could carry.  The soldier hit my doll out of my hand and it flew under the bed.  He took me and my mother while leaving my grandmother behind.  This was a very sad time.  I did not know where my father and brother were either.  Would they be joining us? 

To the Stockade

The soldiers made us walk for a long while before they let us stop for a drink.  They told us that we better get a drink now because it would be a long time before we get another drink. My mother bravely asked a soldier where they were taking us and he answered to a stockade.  I do not know that word means, but I don't like the sound of it.  We continued to walk until dark and then we were allowed to stop and eat. They gave us salty, fatty meat that made me sick.  I only ate a small piece of bread.  We rested until sunrise when we began to walk some more. I noticed that Old Roving Man was no where to be seen. 

In the Pen

We arrived at the pen or stockade and I still couldn't find father and Hawk Boy.  We were all shoved into the pen and the doors were locked shut.  Mother and I found a spot in between two strangers.  Old Roving Man was still no where to be seen.  The soldiers gave us more salty meat and dough.  I was not looking forward to eating this again. After sleeping through the night, I awoke to flies and a sour smell.  We were unable to take a bath and the soldiers just laughed when I asked.  The doors to the pen were opened and we thought that we were going to get out, but more Indians were shoved in.  The doors were locked again. 

The Coughing Disease

The soldiers started to move all the women and children to another pen today.  Not long after we got there, Green Fern came down with the coughing disease.  Green Fern felt awful and looked horrible.  I was very worried about Green Fern.  Green Fern died the next morning.  I soon became sick also.  My mother helped me as much as possible.  I finally started to feel better.  Before long, my mother became sick.  This sickness was terrible and tragic for all of us. 

Rain Comes

My Aunt Kee wanted me to walk around and talk with others, but I did not want to leave my mother until she was well.  It was also too hot to do anything.  I started to remember my grandmother and her stories.  I wanted to share her stories in order to remember her.  We knew that rain was coming because Aunt Kee was very good at predicting the weather.  A huge rain cloud came overhead and the rain poured down on us.  We were all very glad to finally have rain.  We danced and had a great time.  We were able to cool off and drink.  When the rain stopped, the soldiers told us that we had two days before we left to go west.  We were all scared and worried about going to the land of darkness. 

The Young Chief

The young and the old had to ride in the wagons while the rest of us walk.  My mother kept stumbling because her past illness left her weak.  When we finally stopped the white men let us travel the rest of the way by ourselves. We were so glad to finally free from the white men's way.  We could finally take charge.