# How the First Letter Was Written explained — Just So Stories

> Chapter companion for Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

## What happens

Taffy, the daughter of Tegumai Bopsulai, attempts to send a message to her mother via a Stranger-man by drawing a picture on birch-bark. The picture is misinterpreted by Teshumai Tewindrow, who believes it depicts an attack on Tegumai, leading to the Stranger-man being captured and the entire Tribe of Tegumai being summoned. The misunderstanding is resolved when they find Taffy and Tegumai safe, and the event is recognized as the invention of picture-writing, which later evolves into the alphabet.

## Themes in this chapter

### Communication and Misunderstanding

Taffy's picture letter is misinterpreted by Teshumai, leading to a tribal uproar, illustrating the pitfalls of early communication.

### Curiosity and Learning

Taffy's inventive drawing and Tegumai's recognition of it as a great invention highlight the theme of learning and discovery.

### Cunning and Resourcefulness

Taffy uses her drawing skills to convey a message, showing resourcefulness in solving a problem.

## Character check-ins

### Taffy

Taffy draws the first picture letter to request her father's spear, inadvertently inventing writing.

### Tegumai Bopsulai

Tegumai is fishing while Taffy creates the picture letter; he later praises the invention of writing.

### The Stranger-man

The Stranger-man delivers Taffy's picture letter to Teshumai, leading to a misunderstanding and his capture.

### Teshumai Tewindrow

Teshumai misinterprets the picture letter as an attack on her husband and rallies the tribe.

### Best Beloved

The narrator addresses Best Beloved throughout the story.

## Key lines

> a great invention! ... some day men will call it writing.

Tegumai declares that Taffy's picture drawing is a significant invention that will eventually be known as writing.

_Tegumai foresees the future of written language._

> Taffy dear, the next time you write a picture-letter, you'd better send a man who can talk our language with it, to explain what it means.

The Head Chief advises Taffy to include a translator with her picture letters to avoid misunderstandings.

_The chief highlights the need for clear communication._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/just_so_stories_se/chapters/how-the-first-letter-was-written
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/just_so_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/just_so_stories_se/chapters