Western Scenes and Reminiscences Part 46

This of course is exceedingly simple, but be it remembered these chaunts are always so in the most refined life. The ideas are the same, that of tenderness and protective care only, the ideas being few, the language is in accordance. To my mind it has been a matter of extreme interest to observe how almost identical are the expressions of affection in all states of society, as though these primitive elements admit of no progress, but are perfect in themselves. The e-we-yea of the Indian woman is entirely a.n.a.logous to the lul la by of our language, and will be seen to be exceedingly pretty in itself.

2. The original words of this, with their literal import, are also added, to preserve the ident.i.ty.

(a.)

Wa wa--wa wa--wa we yea, (Swinging, twice, lullaby.) Nebaun--nebaun--nebaun, (Sleep thou, thrice.) Nedaunis-ais, e we yea, (Little daughter, lullaby.) Wa wa--wa wa--wa wa, (Swinging, thrice.) Nedaunis-ais, e we yea, (Little daughter lullaby.)

(b.)

Keguh, ke gun ah wain e ma, (Your mother cares for you.) Nebaun--nebaun--nebaun, e we yea, (Sleep, thrice, lullaby.) Kago, saigizze-kain, nedaunis-ais, (Do not fear, my little daughter.) Nebaun--nebaun--nebaun, (Sleep, thrice.) Kago, saigizze-kain, wa wa, e we yea, (third line repeated.)

(c.)

Wa wa--wa wa--wa we yea, (Swinging, twice, lullaby.) Kaween neezheka kediausee, (Not alone art thou.) Ke kan nau wai, ne me go, suhween, (Your mother is caring for you.) Nebaun--nebaun--nedaunis-ais, (Sleep, sleep, my little daughter.) Wa wa--wa wa--wa we yea, (Swinging, &c. lullaby.) Nebaun--nebaun--nebaun, (Sleep! sleep! sleep.[51])

THE HARE AND THE LYNX.

3. The story of the Wabose, (Hare,) and the Pighieu, (Lynx,) will at once remind the reader of the so often recited tale of little Red Riding Hood, in which the reciter imitates the tones of the wolf, and the little nursery listener hears with a growing amazement, and starts as if he felt the real wolf's teeth at the close.

This story is partly spoken and partly sung. The Teller imitating alternately the Hare, and its enemy, the Lynx.

There was once, she says, a little Hare living in the lodge with its grandmother, who was about to send it back to its native land. When it had gone but a little way, a Lynx appeared in the path, and began to sing,

Where pretty white one?

Where little white one, Where do you go?

Tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! cried the Hare, and ran back to its grandmother. "See, grandmother," said the timid little creature, "what the Lynx is saying to me," and she repeated the song. "Ho! Nosis," that is to say, courage my grandchild, run along, and tell him you are going home to your native land: so the Hare went back and began to sing,

To the point of land I roam, For there is the white one's home,-- Whither I go.

Then the Lynx looked at the trembling Hare, and began to sing,

Little white one, tell me why Like to leather, thin and dry, Are your pretty ears?

Tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! cried the Hare, and she ran back to her grandmother, and repeated the words. "Go Nosis, and tell him your uncles fixed them so, when they came from the South." So the Hare ran back and sang,

From the south my uncles came, And they fixed my ears the same,-- Fixed my slender ears.

and then the Hare laid her pink ears upon her shoulders, and was about to go on, but the Lynx began to sing again,--

Why, why do you go away?

Pretty white one, can't you stay?

Tell me why your little feet, Are made so dry and very fleet?

Tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! tshwee! said the poor little Hare, and she ran back again to the lodge to ask again. "Ho! Nosis!" said the grandmother, who was old and tired, "do not mind him, nor listen to him, nor answer him, but run on."

The Hare obeyed, and ran as fast as she could. When she came to the spot where the Lynx had been, she looked round, but there was no one there, and she ran on. But the Lynx had found out all about the little Hare, and knew she was going across to the neck of land; and he had nothing to do but reach it first, and waylay her; which he did: and when the innocent creature came to the place, and had got almost home, the Lynx sprang out of the thicket and eat her up.

The original chant, omitting the narrative part as given above, runs in this fas.h.i.+on, word for word.

Lynx. Tah kau (where ah!) Tah hau (where ah!) Wa bose (little white one) Wa bose (little white one) Ke te e zha (are you going?) Hare. Na kwa ous.h.i.+ng (to the point of land) Ain dah nuk e aum baun (in my native country) In de e zha (I go.) Lynx. Au neen (what!) Au neen (what!) A nau be kaus o yun aig (causes it,) Kish ke mun ing (why like stripes of leather) Ish o tow ug a una, (are your ears?) Hare. Nish ish sha ug (my uncles,) O sha wun e nong (when from the south) Ke e zha waud (they came,) Ningeeaizh e goob un eeg (they did fix me so.) Lynx. Tah kau (where ah!) Tah kau (where ah!) Wa bose (little white one,) Wa bose (little white one,) Ke de e zha (are you going?) Au neen (why?) Na naub o kos o yun (look they so,) Kish ke mun a, (like dry bits of leather,) I izh e zida una, (your feet ha!)

4. THE KITE AND THE EAGLE.

This is a specimen of Indian satire. The coward is boastful when there is no danger: pretension succeeds in the absence of real merit! A Kite was boasting how high he could fly, and ventured to speak disparagingly of the eagle, not knowing that the latter overheard him. He began to sing in a loud voice,

I upward fly I! I alone disdain the air Till I hang as by a hair Poised in the sky.

The Eagle answers disdainfully, looking down from a branch far above the Kite,

Who _mounts_ the sky?

Who is this, with babbling tongue As he had on the storm-cloud hung, Who flies so high?

The Kite in a shrinking, feeble voice,

The great Khakake I've sometimes thought he flew so high That he must see within the sky The dawn awake.

The Eagle despises him, and yet cannot forbear to answer,

I spurn you all, ye prating throng How often have I pa.s.sed ye by When my broad pinions fleet and strong, Soared up where leapt the thunder cry!

Nor ye with feeble wing might dare, Those hill-tops high, to mount in air.

and he soared off, up, up into the sky till the boaster could not behold him. But no sooner was the Kite left alone to himself than he began to sing again so as to be heard on every side,

I upward fly I, I alone disdain the air Till I hang as by a hair Poised in the sky.

Literally thus.

Kite. Neen a (I alone) Neen a (I alone) Ta wa e ya (can go up) Bai bwau } As shau dau } (so as to seem as if hanging by a hair) Wa ke ge naun } O shau wush ko geezhig oong a (from the blue sky.) Eagle. Au wa nain (Who is this?) Au wa nain (Who is this?) Tshe mud je wa wa (with babbling tongue, who boasts) Ke pim o saing. (of flying so high?)

Kite (shrinkingly) replies, "Oh I was only singing of the great Khakake, it is he who is said to fly so high."

Eagle disdainfully replies, "Tshe mud je wa wa, that is great babbler, or bad-tongue, you are below my notice," &c., and soars aloft.

Kite, resuming its boasting tone, as soon as the eagle is out of hearing,

Neen a (I alone &c., the whole being a Neen a repet.i.tion of the first part.) Ta we ya Bai bwau As shau dau Wa ke ge naun, O shau wush ko, geezhig oong a.

5. THE RAVEN AND WOODp.e.c.k.e.r.

A still farther view of Indian manners and opinions is hid under this simple chant. Opinion among the forest race, makes the whole animated creation cognizant and intelligent of their customs.

A young married woman is supposed to go out from the lodge, and busy herself in breaking up dry limbs, and preparing wood, as if to lay in a store for a future and approaching emergency.

A raven, perched on a neighbouring tree, espies her, at her work, and begins to sing; a.s.suming the expected infant to be _a boy_.