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قراءة كتاب Indian Legends of Minnesota
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 2
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., for permission to make extracts from Hiawatha.
INDIAN LEGENDS.
The Lone War-Path.
A STORY OF SIOUX AND BLACKFOOT.
O'er a vast prairie stoops the sultry night;
The moon in her broad kingdom wanders white;
High hung in space, she swims the murky blue.
Low lies yon village of the roaming Sioux—
Its smoke-stained lodges, moving toward the west,
By conquering Sleep invaded and possessed.
The moon in her broad kingdom wanders white;
High hung in space, she swims the murky blue.
Low lies yon village of the roaming Sioux—
Its smoke-stained lodges, moving toward the west,
By conquering Sleep invaded and possessed.
All there, save one, own his benign command;
Their chief has lately left this little band,
And up the glittering path of spirits fled;
Thus his young widow, not a twelvemonth wed,
In yonder solitary tent conceals
The aching hope, the trembling pangs she feels.
Their chief has lately left this little band,
And up the glittering path of spirits fled;
Thus his young widow, not a twelvemonth wed,
In yonder solitary tent conceals
The aching hope, the trembling pangs she feels.
How breathless is the night! None saw it rise—
That black cloud stealing up the glassy skies—
Till threatening murmurs, loud and louder grown,
Burst from its swelling bosom, and the moon
Slips into brief oblivion, while a glare
As of far, flickering torches, seems to bear
The challenge of the gods. Awake, awake!
Make ready for the tempest, ere it break!
Drive tent-pins deeper, stretch the covering tight—
Hobble the ponies, scattering in affright
Before the thunder-peals. When all is fast,
Keep vigil, then, till the gods' wrath be past!
That black cloud stealing up the glassy skies—
Till threatening murmurs, loud and louder grown,
Burst from its swelling bosom, and the moon
Slips into brief oblivion, while a glare
As of far, flickering torches, seems to bear
The challenge of the gods. Awake, awake!
Make ready for the tempest, ere it break!
Drive tent-pins deeper, stretch the covering tight—
Hobble the ponies, scattering in affright
Before the thunder-peals. When all is fast,
Keep vigil, then, till the gods' wrath be past!
A sudden fury sweeps the somber plain,
In dizzy slant descends the sheeted rain;
Sharp lightnings rend in twain the sable gloom,
While, cannon-like, the unchained thunders boom!
On this wild tumult of the angry skies
No ear discerns a woman's thrilling cries;
Yet, ere its sullen echoes die away
In caverns where the mocking spirits play,
Faint, but rejoicing, on a couch of skins,
A new-made mother lays her lusty twins!
In dizzy slant descends the sheeted rain;
Sharp lightnings rend in twain the sable gloom,
While, cannon-like, the unchained thunders boom!
On this wild tumult of the angry skies
No ear discerns a woman's thrilling cries;
Yet, ere its sullen echoes die away
In caverns where the mocking spirits play,
Faint, but rejoicing, on a couch of skins,
A new-made mother lays her lusty twins!
The wise men of the tribe strange signs relate—
This stormy birth portends a stormy fate—
And since the warring heavens, that should affright,
Called forth these daring boys on such a night,
Their names must own the event that marked their birth—
The elder, "As-he-walks-he-shakes-the-earth,"
The younger twin, "Coming-his-voice-is-heard"—
Thus saith the oracle.
This stormy birth portends a stormy fate—
And since the warring heavens, that should affright,
Called forth these daring boys on such a night,
Their names must own the event that marked their birth—
The elder, "As-he-walks-he-shakes-the-earth,"
The younger twin, "Coming-his-voice-is-heard"—
Thus saith the oracle.
This mighty word
Darkens the mother's heart with nameless dread,
But casts no shadow on the unconscious head
Of either sturdy twin. Their mutual play
With joyous echoes fills the livelong day!
From helpless infancy to boyhood grown,
One brother never had been seen alone,
Till sudden sorrow bowed the mother's pride—
The elder sickened and untimely died.
Darkens the mother's heart with nameless dread,
But casts no shadow on the unconscious head
Of either sturdy twin. Their mutual play
With joyous echoes fills the livelong day!
From helpless infancy to boyhood grown,
One brother never had been seen alone,
Till sudden sorrow bowed the mother's pride—
The elder sickened and untimely died.
The gossips point to him that's left alone—
"He, too, will die, for half himself is gone!"
At first, distraught he seemed—unlike a child;
He ate not, slept not, neither spoke nor smiled.
Then sought the forest—wandered there alone
For days—his tender mother frantic grown—
Till he returned to her, and smiling, said,
"My spirit meets and talks with him that's dead!"
Thenceforth he seemed as one who, hand-in-hand,
Walks with a brother in the spirit land.
"He, too, will die, for half himself is gone!"
At first, distraught he seemed—unlike a child;
He ate not, slept not, neither spoke nor smiled.
Then sought the forest—wandered there alone
For days—his tender mother frantic grown—
Till he returned to her, and smiling, said,
"My spirit meets and talks with him that's dead!"
Thenceforth he seemed as one who, hand-in-hand,
Walks with a brother in the spirit land.
Among the Sioux, in those heroic days,
When certain valor gained the meed of praise,
The seasoned warrior, old and full of scars,
Counted the hero of a hundred wars,
Yet craving higher honor, went alone,
On foot, to meet the enemy, and won
(If he returned victorious), on that day
A proud distinction.
When certain valor gained the meed of praise,
The seasoned warrior, old and full of scars,
Counted the hero of a hundred wars,
Yet craving higher honor, went alone,
On foot, to meet the enemy, and won
(If he returned victorious), on that day
A proud distinction.
Fancy her dismay,—
The mother of a tender youth untried,—
When he, the twin we know of, seeks her side
And murmurs in her ear, who loves him so,—
"Mother, my elder brother bids me go
On a lone war-path." Knowing well 'twere vain
To plead with him, her tears must fall like rain
On 'broidered moccasins for those dear feet;
His pouch, her choicest store of pounded meat
Must fill before the dawn, which sends him forth
On foot, alone, to pierce the savage north.
The mother of a tender youth untried,—
When he, the twin we know of, seeks her side
And murmurs in her ear, who loves him so,—
"Mother, my elder brother bids me go
On a lone war-path." Knowing well 'twere vain
To plead with him, her tears must fall like rain
On 'broidered moccasins for those dear feet;
His pouch, her choicest store of pounded meat
Must fill before the dawn, which sends him forth
On foot, alone, to pierce the savage north.
(DAKOTA WAR SONG.)
I hear them coming who made thee weep![A]
Leap on thy father's steed
And urge him to his utmost speed,
And rush to meet the warlike host,
And meet them first, who hurt thee most.
Strike one among ten thousand,
And make but one to bleed!
So shall thy name be known,
Through all the world be known,
If one is made to bleed!
Heh-eh-eh-eh! Heh!
Leap on thy father's steed
And urge him to his utmost speed,
And rush to meet the warlike host,
And meet them first, who hurt thee most.
Strike one among ten thousand,
And make but one to bleed!
So shall thy name be known,
Through all the world be known,
If one is made to bleed!
Heh-eh-eh-eh! Heh!
Now to the journey gallantly addressed,
(Still at his twin's mysterious behest),
He kills a buck with branching horns, and takes
The tongue and heart for food—then straightway makes
A sacrifice to that stern deity—
The thunder-god—who rules his destiny.
On a fair, level spot, encompassed round
With trees, he pins the carcass
(Still at his twin's mysterious behest),
He kills a buck with branching horns, and takes
The tongue and heart for food—then straightway makes
A sacrifice to that stern deity—
The thunder-god—who rules his destiny.
On a fair, level spot, encompassed round
With trees, he pins the carcass