This the first published book by the author. He wrote
the words and illustrated the story. It portrays his
understanding of the native peoples of North America and
how they lived in their environment. He begins with the
"rain clouds" so important to growing crops and
supporting life. His next picture is "Man," presumably a
brave or hunter. The third element is the "Tepee" where
the people lived. Next comes the "Road" or path which
people traveled on their hunts and commerce. Following
that is the "Woman" who plays an important role in daily
life. The sixth element are the "Mountains" where the
men hunt. Next comes the "Sun" which lights the day and
the paths to and from the mountains. Following comes the
"Deer" which supply the meat that sustains life. And
last, the "Buffalo tracks" which help the hunters find
the most valuable and sacred animal resource to the
native peoples. William bound his book with yarn and
beads to give it character. The pages shown here
were scanned and reproduced as William designed them |