How the First Letter was Written

To show his heart was white and he meant no harm

The story explains that he gave the birch-bark 'to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark and that he meant no harm'.

A shark's tooth from the Stranger-man's necklace

Taffy asks for and receives 'the shark's tooth off your necklace' to use as a drawing tool on the birch-bark.

He thought it showed Tegumai in danger needing help in battle

The Stranger-man misunderstood the drawing completely, thinking 'There must be a big battle going to be fought somewhere' and that Tegumai needed his tribe's help against enemies.

That the Stranger-man had hurt Tegumai and Taffy

Teshumai misinterpreted the drawing, thinking 'He has stuck my Tegumai all full of spears, and frightened poor Taffy so that her hair stands all on end'.