The Corn that Grows Ripe

Today I am going to write a few summaries about the book that we read in grade 6, semester 2. The name of the book is “The Corn Grows Ripe”. This book goes perfectly into our unit because we are studying about Mayas. Now I will start my summaries.

Summary Chapters (1-3)

The kindhearted boy from Central America called Tigre wanted to help his father in the forest. His father and mother wanted Tigre to be safe but his Great-Grandmother wanted him to be a real man at a young age. It was said that there are god’s of the bushes and that they could be easily offended. If they are offended, that person will get sick or have a bad fortune. Tigre’s father had offended the bush god’s and the god’s made a tree fall on his leg so Tigre’s father had a broken leg. Tigre had to go through the thick and huge bush all alone to find a medicine man for his father.

Summary Chapters (4-6)

Tigre went into the forest to look for the medicine man. Later he returned to the village. For some days the medicine man stayed with father. Tigre took on the job of father. He could not go to school because of his intense work. After he finished dinner at night he went to Don Alfonso, his teacher now so he could make up the schoolwork. In the mean time Tigre’s mother had a baby. The name of the baby was Chan Tata (little father). Father’s wound was healing together and then splitting apart. Then, Tigre finally cut down the last tree in the Milpa. He said Tzoki (it is finally finished).

Summary Chapter (7-9)

The Milpa was ready for burning. Tigre’s father did not let Tigre burn the Milpa alone. They called uncle and uncle said he would come the next day. Tigre waited and waited but there was no uncle. Tigre decided to burn the Milpa alone. It was hard; he got burns, a little bit of his hair was gone, he ripped his shirt, but he succeeded. Tigre was making a rope so he would go to the bull cage. It was very risky to go to the bull cage. At first he was eager to go to the bull cage and make the rope that was very hard to make. Later he lost his confidence and was a child for a while; he played outside with his friends.

Summary Chapters (10-12)

Tigre went into the bull cage. He survived but he wasn’t the best. His rope was also not the worst. It was time for people to plant the corn. Of course Tigre’s father could not plant so Tigre got the honor to plant the corn himself. They celebrated Chan Tata’s first birthday and Tigre finally got a gun. The next few days it was raining so hard that there was a drought in the village. Everyone was scared about what would happen to themselves and their families.

Summary Chapters (13-15)

People were injured and they called the medicine man. The medicine man finally came. He said that the only way to heal people is that they kill a deer and bring it. The men went to take the deer but they didn’t find it. The next time they returned with a small deer. The rain came but it was all good. Finally corn was ready to harvest. In the end Tigre’s whole family ate corn and they were very happy.