The Corn Grows Ripe

The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoades

I wish I would have had the time and foresight to review this book on December 20^th. This Newbery Honor book from 1957 is about a Mayan boy living on the Yucatan Peninsula. In 83 pages, this novel dispenses knowledge of agriculture, weather forecasting, Mayan folklore, religion and superstitions. It provides a foreword with a brief yet concise history of how the discovery of corn enabled the rise of the Mayan Civilization. And there is a glossary of Spanish, Mayan and Mexican words that are used throughout.

This slight book is all of that and more. It is a story of the coming of age of a twelve-year-old boy nicknamed Tigre – Tiger obviously, but jaguar locally. His mother believes the nickname is well-suited because the boy is spirited, mischievous and curious, not to mention he has skin the honey color of the great cat. Great-Grandmother agrees, but for a very different reason. She believes her great-grandson to be as lazy as the cat as well. She endlessly taunts the boy for not working for his keep… for living a “privileged” life of leisure – sleeping in.

Tigre means well. He has a good heart, but his internal clock doesn’t keep time with the harvest. In truth, he is better suited to school. He enjoys learning and he has a tendency to question everything. For instance, the common people believe that it is their gods who prevent the burning of the bush from spreading to the village. Tigre realizes quickly that the fresh wood of the trees surrounding the bush will not catch fire because of their sap, hence protecting the people.

The Mayans in Central America have two seasons. There is the dry season when the farmers choose their plots of land. They choose large enough to support their family, but no more. They cut the trees and bush and vines down – by hand. The felled vegetation spends the season drying out for the burn. After the plot is burned, the farmers wait for the beginning of the rainy season. Once the rains fall, the farmers plant. Right before the dry season returns, they harvest. It is the beginning of the dry season when Tigre finally eschews school to join his father in preparing their plot.

Not soon after they begin, Tigre’s father is injured and can no longer work the land and prepare it for planting. Not only does Tigre step up and take over to support his family like a man, but he arranges to continue his school work after hours. It is astonishing what a boy can do when he is challenged and he accepts. I believe we have not challenged our own privileged children enough.

This is a book that should not be forgotten. There is so much to learn in so many areas in so few pages. A useful piece of historical fiction. I am duly impressed!