The Story of Hiawatha Part 13

"Pleasant is the sound!" he murmured, "Pleasant is the voice that calls me!"

On the outskirts of the forest, 'Twixt the shadow and the suns.h.i.+ne, Herds of fallow deer were feeding, But they saw not Hiawatha; To his bow he whispered, "Fail not!"

To his arrow whispered, "Swerve not!"

Sent it singing on its errand, To the red heart of the roebuck; Threw the deer across his shoulder, And sped forward without pausing.

At the doorway of his wigwam Sat the ancient Arrow-maker, In the land of the Dacotahs, Making arrow-heads of jasper, Arrow-heads of chalcedony.

At his side, in all her beauty, Sat the lovely Minnehaha, Sat his daughter, Laughing Water, Plaiting mats of flags and rushes; Of the past the old man's thoughts were, And the maiden's of the future.

He was thinking, as he sat there, Of the days when with such arrows, He had struck the deer and bison, On the Muskoday, the meadow; Shot the wild goose, flying southward On the wing, the clamorous Wawa; Thinking of the great war-parties, How they came to buy his arrows, Could not fight without his arrows.

Ah, no more such n.o.ble warriors Could be found on earth as they were!

Now the men were all like women, Only used their tongues for weapons!

She was thinking of a hunter, From another tribe and country, Young and tall and very handsome, Who one morning, in the Spring-time, Came to buy her father's arrows, Sat and rested in the wigwam, Lingered long about the doorway, Looking back as he departed.

She had heard her father praise him, Praise his courage and his wisdom; Would he come again for arrows To the Falls of Minnehaha?

On the mat her hands lay idle, And her eyes were very dreamy.

Through their thoughts they heard a footstep, Heard a rustling in the branches, And with glowing cheek and forehead, With the deer upon his shoulders, Suddenly from out the woodlands Hiawatha stood before them.

Straight the ancient Arrow-maker Looked up gravely from his labor, Laid aside the unfinished arrow, Bade him enter at the doorway, Saying, as he rose to meet him, "Hiawatha, you are welcome!"

At the feet of Laughing Water Hiawatha laid his burden, Threw the red deer from his shoulders; And the maiden looked up at him, Looked up from her mat of rushes, Said with gentle look and accent, "You are welcome, Hiawatha!"

Very s.p.a.cious was the wigwam, Made of deer-skin dressed and whitened, With the G.o.ds of the Dacotahs Drawn and painted on its curtains And so tall the doorway, hardly Hiawatha stooped to enter, Hardly touched his eagle-feathers As he entered at the doorway.

Then uprose the Laughing Water, From the ground fair Minnehaha Laid aside her mat unfinished, Brought forth food and set before them, Water brought them from the brooklet, Gave them food in earthen vessels, Gave them drink in bowls of ba.s.swood, Listened while the guest was speaking, Listened while her father answered But not once her lips she opened, Not a single word she uttered.

Yes, as in a dream she listened To the words of Hiawatha, As he talked of old Nokomis, Who had nursed him in his childhood, As he told of his companions, Chibiabos, the musician, And the very strong man, Kwasind, And of happiness and plenty In the land of the Ojibways, In the pleasant land and peaceful.

"After many years of warfare, Many years of strife and bloodshed, There is peace between the Ojibways And the tribes of the Dacotahs."

Thus continued Hiawatha, And then added, speaking slowly, "That this peace may last forever And our hands be clasped more closely, And our hearts be more united, Give me as my wife this maiden, Minnehaha, Laughing Water, Loveliest of Dacotah women!"

And the ancient Arrow-maker Paused a moment ere he answered, Smoked a little while in silence, Looked at Hiawatha proudly, Fondly looked at Laughing Water, And made answer very gravely: "Yes, if Minnehaha wishes; Let your heart speak, Minnehaha!"

And the lovely Laughing Water Seemed more lovely, as she stood there, Neither willing nor reluctant, As she went to Hiawatha, Softly took the seat beside him, While she said, and blushed to say it, "I will follow you, my husband!"

This was Hiawatha's wooing!

Thus it was he won the daughter Of the ancient Arrow-maker, In the land of the Dacotahs!

From the wigwam he departed, Leading with him Laughing Water; Hand in hand they went together, Through the woodland and the meadow, Left the old man standing lonely At the doorway of his wigwam, Heard the Falls of Minnehaha Calling to them from the distance, Crying to them from afar off, "Fare thee well, O Minnehaha!"

And the ancient Arrow-maker Turned again unto his labor, Sat down by his sunny doorway, Murmuring to himself, and saying: "Thus it is our daughters leave us, Those we love, and those who love us!

Just when they have learned to help us, When we are old and lean upon them, Comes a youth with flaunting feathers, With his flute of reeds, a stranger Wanders piping through the village, Beckons to the fairest maiden, And she follows where he leads her, Leaving all things for the stranger!"

Pleasant was the journey homeward, Through interminable forests, Over meadow, over mountain, Over river, hill, and hollow.

Short it seemed to Hiawatha, Though they journeyed very slowly, Though his pace he checked and slackened To the steps of Laughing Water.

Over wide and rus.h.i.+ng rivers In his arms he bore the maiden; Light he thought her as a feather, As the plume upon his head-gear; Cleared the tangled pathway for her, Bent aside the swaying branches, Made at night a lodge of branches, And a bed with boughs of hemlock, And a fire before the doorway With the dry cones of the pine-tree.

All the traveling winds went with them, O'er the meadow, through the forest; All the stars of night looked at them, Watched with sleepless eyes their slumber; From his ambush in the oak-tree Peeped the squirrel, Adjidaumo, Watched with eager eyes the lovers; And the rabbit, the Waba.s.so, Scampered from the path before them, Peering, peeping from his burrow, Sat erect upon his haunches, Watched with curious eyes the lovers.

Pleasant was the journey homeward!

All the birds sang loud and sweetly Songs of happiness and heart's-ease; Sang the bluebird, the Owaissa, "Happy are you, Hiawatha, Having such a wife to love you!"

Sang the Opechee, the robin, "Happy are you, Laughing Water, Having such a n.o.ble husband!"

From the sky the sun benignant Looked upon them through the branches, Saying to them, "O my children, Love is suns.h.i.+ne, hate is shadow, Life is checkered shade and suns.h.i.+ne, Rule by love, O Hiawatha!"

From the sky the moon looked at them, Filled the lodge with mystic splendors, Whispered to them, "O my children, Day is restless, night is quiet, Man imperious, woman feeble; Half is mine, although I follow; Rule by patience, Laughing Water!"

Thus it was they journeyed homeward; Thus it was that Hiawatha To the lodge of old Nokomis Brought the moonlight, starlight, firelight, Brought the suns.h.i.+ne of his people, Minnehaha, Laughing Water, Handsomest of all the women In the land of the Dacotahs, In the land of handsome women.

XI

HIAWATHA'S WEDDING FEAST

YOU shall hear how Pau-Puk-Keewis, How the handsome Yenadizze Danced at Hiawatha's wedding; How the gentle Chibiabos, He the sweetest of musicians, Sang his songs of love and longing; How Iagoo, the great boaster, He the marvelous story-teller, Told his tales of strange adventure, That the feast might be more joyous, That the time might pa.s.s more gayly, And the guests be more contented.

Sumptuous was the feast Nokomis Made at Hiawatha's wedding; All the bowls were made of ba.s.swood, White and polished very smoothly, All the spoons of horn of bison, Black and polished very smoothly.

She had sent through all the village Messengers with wands of willow, As a sign of invitation, As a token of the feasting; And the wedding guests a.s.sembled, Clad in all their richest raiment, Robes of fur and belts of wampum, Splendid with their paint and plumage, Beautiful with beads and ta.s.sels.

First they ate the sturgeon, Nahma, And the pike, the Maskenozha, Caught and cooked by old Nokomis; Then on pemican they feasted, Pemican and buffalo marrow, Haunch of deer and hump of bison, Yellow cakes of the Mondamin, And the wild rice of the river.

But the gracious Hiawatha, And the lovely Laughing Water, And the careful old Nokomis, Tasted not the food before them, Only waited on the others, Only served their guests in silence.

And when all the guests had finished, Old Nokomis, brisk and busy, From an ample pouch of otter, Filled the red-stone pipes for smoking With tobacco from the South-land, Mixed with bark of the red willow, And with herbs and leaves of fragrance.

Then she said, "O Pau-Puk-Keewis, Dance for us your merry dances, Dance the Beggar's Dance to please us, That the feast may be more joyous, That the time may pa.s.s more gayly, And our guests be more contented!"

Then the handsome Pau-Puk-Keewis, He the idle Yenadizze, He the merry mischief-maker, Whom the people called the Storm-Fool, Rose among the guests a.s.sembled.

Skilled was he in sports and pastimes, In the merry dance of snow-shoes, In the play of quoits and ball-play; Skilled was he in games of hazard, In all games of skill and hazard, Pugasaing, the Bowl and Counters, Kunta.s.soo, the Game of Plum-stones.

Though the warriors called him Faint-Heart, Called him coward, ShauG.o.daya, Idler, gambler, Yenadizze, Little heeded he their jesting, Little cared he for their insults, For the women and the maidens Loved the handsome Pau-Puk-Keewis.

He was dressed in s.h.i.+rt of doeskin, White and soft, and fringed with ermine, All inwrought with beads of wampum; He was dressed in deer-skin leggings, Fringed with hedgehog quills and ermine, And in moccasins of buck-skin, Thick with quills and beads embroidered.

On his head were plumes of swan's down, On his heels were tails of foxes, In one hand a fan of feathers,

[Ill.u.s.tration: HE BEGAN HIS MYSTIC DANCES--_Page 204_]

And a pipe was in the other.

Barred with streaks of red and yellow, Streaks of blue and bright vermilion, Shone the face of Pau-Puk-Keewis.

From his forehead fell his tresses, Smooth, and parted like a woman's, s.h.i.+ning bright with oil, and plaited, Hung with braids of scented gra.s.ses, As among the guests a.s.sembled, To the sound of flutes and singing, To the sound of drums and voices, Rose the handsome Pau-Puk-Keewis, And began his mystic dances.

First he danced a solemn measure, Very slow in step and gesture, In and out among the pine-trees, Through the shadows and the suns.h.i.+ne, Treading softly like a panther.

Then more swiftly and still swifter, Whirling, spinning round in circles, Leaping o'er the guests a.s.sembled, Eddying round and round the wigwam, Till the leaves went whirling with him, Till the dust and wind together Swept in eddies round about him.

Then along the sandy margin Of the lake, the Big-Sea-Water, On he sped with frenzied gestures, Stamped upon the sand, and tossed it Wildly in the air around him; Till the wind became a whirlwind, Till the sand was blown and sifted Like great snowdrifts o'er the landscape, Heaping all the sh.o.r.es with Sand Dunes, Sand Hills of the Nagow Wudjoo!

Thus the merry Pau-Puk-Keewis Danced his Beggar's Dance to please them, And, returning, sat down laughing There among the guests a.s.sembled, Sat and fanned himself serenely With his fan of turkey-feathers.

Then they said to Chibiabos, To the friend of Hiawatha, To the sweetest of all singers, To the best of all musicians, "Sing to us, O Chibiabos!

Songs of love and songs of longing, That the feast may be more joyous, That the time may pa.s.s more gayly, And our guests be more contented!"

And the gentle Chibiabos Sang in accents sweet and tender, Sang in tones of deep emotion, Songs of love and songs of longing; Looking still at Hiawatha, Looking at fair Laughing Water, Sang he softly, sang in this wise: "Onaway! Awake, beloved!

Thou the wild-flower of the forest!

Thou the wild-bird of the prairie!

Thou with eyes so soft and fawn-like!

"If thou only lookest at me, I am happy, I am happy, As the lilies of the prairie, When they feel the dew upon them!

"Sweet thy breath is as the fragrance Of the wild-flowers in the morning, As their fragrance is at evening, In the Moon when leaves are falling.

"Does not all the blood within me Leap to meet thee, leap to meet thee, As the springs to meet the suns.h.i.+ne, In the Moon when nights are brightest?

"Onaway! my heart sings to thee, Sings with joy when thou art near me, As the sighing, singing branches In the pleasant Moon of Strawberries!

"When thou art not pleased, beloved, Then my heart is sad and darkened, As the s.h.i.+ning river darkens When the clouds drop shadows on it.

"When thou smilest, my beloved, Then my troubled heart is brightened, As in suns.h.i.+ne gleam the ripples That the cold wind makes in rivers.

"Smiles the earth, and smile the waters, Smile the cloudless skies above us, But I lose the way of smiling When thou art no longer near me!

"I myself, myself! behold me!

Blood of my beating heart, behold me!

O awake, awake, beloved!

Onaway! awake, beloved!"

Thus the gentle Chibiabos Sang his song of love and longing And Iagoo, the great boaster, He the marvelous story-teller, He the friend of old Nokomis, Jealous of the sweet musician, Jealous of the applause they gave him, Saw in all the eyes around him, Saw in all their looks and gestures, That the wedding guests a.s.sembled Longed to hear his pleasant stories, His immeasurable falsehoods.

Very boastful was Iagoo; Never heard he an adventure But himself had met a greater; Never any deed of daring But himself had done a bolder; Never any marvelous story But himself could tell a stranger.

Would you listen to his boasting, Would you only give him credence, No one ever shot an arrow Half so far and high as he had; Ever caught so many fishes, Ever killed so many reindeer, Ever trapped so many beavers!

None could run so fast as he could, None could dive so deep as he could, None could swim so far as he could; None had made so many journeys, None had seen so many wonders, As this wonderful Iagoo, As this marvelous story-teller!

Thus his name became a by-word And a jest among the people; And whene'er a boastful hunter Praised his own address too highly, Or a warrior, home returning, Talked too much of his achievements, All his hearers cried, "Iagoo!

Here's Iagoo come among us!"

He it was who carved the cradle Of the little Hiawatha, Carved its framework out of linden, Bound it strong with reindeer sinew; He it was who taught him later How to make his bows and arrows, How to make the bows of ash-tree, And the arrows of the oak-tree.

So among the guests a.s.sembled At my Hiawatha's wedding Sat Iagoo, old and ugly, Sat the marvelous story-teller.

And they said, "O good Iagoo, Tell us now a tale of wonder, Tell us of some strange adventure, That the feast may be more joyous, That the time may pa.s.s more gayly, And our guests be more contented!"

And Iagoo answered straightway, "You shall hear a tale of wonder.

You shall hear the strange adventures Of Osseo, the Magician, From the Evening Star descended."