There was a time when the people of
A hundred people – men, women, children – set sail (= salparono) in a little ship called the Mayflowers for the New World which a great explorer called Columbus had discovered away in the west, and which we now call America. They had long a stormy (= tempestoso) voyage, but at last, in mid –winter (= a metà inverno), they landed (= atterrarono) on the shores ( coast = costa) of North America , and set up ( = stabilirono) their huts (= capanne).
At first they had much trouble, for the ground was frozen (ice covered= ghiacciato) and sterile. They suffered from hunger (= fame) and sickness (disease, illness = malattie) , and the wild Indians who lived in that land came down upon them and tried to drive them away. But the Pilgrim Fathers did not lose (= perdere) courage. They were free, and they worked hard, and waited in patience for brighter (better = migliori) days. By and by (= a poco a poco) other ships from England brought (= portarono) food to keep them alive (make them survive = per tenerli in vita), and more people to help them. Then they made friends (= fecero amicizia) with the Indians, and when spring came, they planted (= piantarono) seeds (=semi) and grew crops (= fecero raccolti) for themselves.
After a time many other Englishmen, who wished (desired = desideravano) to be free, followed the Pilgrim Fathers and settled ( = si stabilirono) in America . They founded (=fondarono) the colonies of New England, which are now a part of the United States .