This French play, intended for use in a bilingual education setting, deals with the history, culture, plight, and language of Franco-Americans in New England. The plot revolves around a conversation between Jacques Cartier, who returns to New France (now New England), and several Franco-Americans gathered in a tavern on a hot afternoon. The conversation turns to the struggles these people have had in order to make their way in the predominantly English-speaking milieu. Central to the discussion is the question of the value of learning and maintaining the French language. The introductory note to the teacher suggests that the author uses the device of language to demonstrate the widening gulf between France and "her lost colony in the New World." The dialogue is in what might be called the "Franco-American language"; the difference between this dialect and standard French is noticeable, yet it is comprehensible to Jacques Cartier who speaks seventeenth century French. The book concludes with a list of Franco-American words and expressions and their equivalents in standard French, a short biography of Jacques Cartier, a plan for stage arrangements, and three photographs of scenes from the play. (AMH)