Indian Legends of Minnesota Part 12

Now, in autumn, when the aster Nods its purple plumes in pride; When the black-eyed Susan coyly 'Neath the gorgeous sumach hides; And the golden-rod so stately, To outs.h.i.+ne all others tries; In the mist of early evening Two dark forms are seen to rise.

Chaska and his dusky daughter, Shades from out the spirit-land, Flitting, falling, downward, downward, Till they reach the s.h.i.+ning sand.

Vanish then beside the river, Where her faithless lover's bark Once was moored. The waves, all lonely, Lap the sands with shadows dark.

IDA s.e.xTON SEARLS.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The Sea-Gull.[18]

A LEGEND OF LAKE SUPERIOR. OJIBWAY.

_In the measure of Hiawatha._

[The numerals refer to Notes to The Sea-Gull, in Appendix.]

On the sh.o.r.e of Gitchee Gumee[19]-- Deep, mysterious, mighty waters-- Where the manitoes--the spirits-- Ride the storms and speak in thunder, In the days of Neme-Shomis,[20]

In the days that are forgotten, Dwelt a tall and tawny hunter-- Gitchee Pez-ze-u--the Panther, Son of Waub-Ojeeg,[21] the warrior, Famous Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior.

Strong was he and fleet as roebuck, Brave was he and very stealthy; On the deer crept like a panther; Grappled with Makwa,[22] the monster, Grappled with the bear and conquered; Took his black claws for a necklet, Took his black hide for a blanket.

When the Panther wed the Sea-Gull, Young was he and very gladsome; Fair was she and full of laughter; Like the robin in the spring-time, Sang from sunrise till the sunset; For she loved the handsome hunter.

Deep as Gitchee Gumee's waters Was her love--as broad and boundless; And the wedded twain were happy-- Happy as the mated robins.

When their first-born saw the sunlight Joyful was the heart of Panther, Proud and joyful was the mother, All the days were full of suns.h.i.+ne, All the nights were full of starlight.

Nightly from the land of spirits On them smiled the starry faces-- Faces of their friends departed.

Little moccasins she made him, Feathered cap and belt of wampum From the hide of fawn a blanket, Fringed with feathers, soft as sable; Singing at her pleasant labor, By her side the tekenagun,[23]

And the little hunter in it.

Oft the Panther smiled and fondled, Smiled upon the babe and mother, Frolicked with the boy and fondled.

Tall he grew and like his father, And they called the boy the Raven-- Called him Kak-kah-ge--the Raven.

Happy hunter was the Panther.

From the woods he brought the pheasant,

[Ill.u.s.tration: WELCOME ISLAND, THUNDER BAY.]

Brought the red-deer and the rabbit, Brought the trout from Gitchee Gumee-- Brought the mallard from the marshes-- Royal feast for boy and mother: Brought the hides of fox and beaver, Brought the skins of mink and otter, Lured the loon and took his blanket, Took his blanket for the Raven.

Winter swiftly followed winter, And again the tekenagun Held a babe--a tawny daughter, Held a dark-eyed, dimpled daughter; And they called her Waub-omee-mee-- Thus they named her--the White-Pigeon.

But as winter followed winter Cold and sullen grew the Panther; Sat and smoked his pipe in silence; When he spoke he spoke in anger; In the forest often tarried Many days, and homeward turning, Brought no game unto his wigwam; Only brought his empty quiver, Brought his dark and sullen visage.

Sad at heart and very lonely Sat the Sea-Gull in the wigwam; Sat and swung the tekenagun Sat and sang to Waub-omee-mee: Thus she sang to Waub-omee-mee, Thus the lullaby she chanted:

Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea; Kah-ween, nee-zheka ke-diaus-ai, Ke-gah nau-wai, ne-me-go s'ween, Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is ais, Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea; Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is-ais, E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea, E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea.

TRANSLATION:

Swing, swing, little one, lullaby; Thou'rt not left alone to weep; Mother cares for you--she is nigh; Sleep, my little one, sweetly sleep; Swing, swing, little one, lullaby; Mother watches you--she is nigh; Gently, gently, wee one, swing; Gently, gently, while I sing E-we wa-wa--lullaby, E-we wa-wa--lullaby.

Homeward to his lodge returning Kindly greeting found the hunter, Fire to warm and food to nourish, Golden trout from Gitchee Gumee, Caught by Kah-kah-ge--the Raven.

With a snare he caught the rabbit-- Caught Wabose,[24] the furry-footed, Caught Penay,[24] the forest-drummer; Sometimes, with his bow and arrows, Shot the red-deer in the forest, Shot the squirrel in the pine-top, Shot Ne-ka, the wild-goose, flying.

Proud as Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior, To the lodge he bore his trophies.

So when homeward turned the Panther, Ever found he food provided, Found the lodge-fire brightly burning, Found the faithful Sea-Gull waiting, "You are cold," she said, "and famished; Here are fire and food, my husband."

Not by word or look he answered; Only ate the food provided, Filled his pipe and pensive puffed it, Sat and smoked in sullen silence.

Once--her dark eyes full of hunger-- Thus she spoke and thus besought him: "Tell me, O my silent Panther, Tell me, O beloved husband, What has made you sad and sullen?

Have you met some evil spirit-- Met some goblin in the forest?

Has he put a spell upon you-- Filled your heart with bitter waters, That you sit so sad and sullen, Sit and smoke, but never answer, Only when the storm is on you?"

Gruffly then the Panther answered: "Brave among the brave is Panther Son of Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior, And the brave are ever silent; But a whining dog is woman, Whining ever like a coward."

Forth into the tangled forest, Threading through the th.o.r.n.y thickets, Treading trails on marsh and meadow, Sullen strode the moody hunter.

Saw he not the bear or beaver, Saw he not the elk or roebuck; From his path the red-fawn scampered, But no arrow followed after; From his den the sly wolf listened, But no tw.a.n.g of bow-string heard he.

Like one walking in his slumber, Listless, dreaming, walked the Panther; Surely had some witch bewitched him, Some bad spirit of the forest.

When the Sea-Gull wed the Panther, Fair was she and full of laughter; Like the robin in the spring-time, Sang from sunrise till the sunset; But the storms of many winters Sifted frost upon her tresses, Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles, Not alone the storms of winters Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles.

Twenty winters for the Panther Had she ruled the humble wigwam; For her haughty lord and master Borne the burdens on the journey, Gathered f.a.gots for the lodge-fire, Tanned the skins of bear and beaver, Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer; Made him moccasins and leggins, Decked his hood with quills and feathers-- Colored quills of Kaug,[25] the th.o.r.n.y, Feathers from Kenew,[25] the eagle.

For a warrior brave was Panther; Often had he met the foemen, Met the bold and fierce Dakotas, Westward on the war-path met them; And the scalps he won were numbered, Numbered seven by Kenew-feathers.

Sad at heart was Sea-Gull waiting, Watching, waiting in the wigwam; Not alone the storms of winters Sifted frost upon her tresses.

Ka-be-bon-ik-ka, the mighty,[26]

He that sends the cruel winter, He that turned to stone the Giant, From the distant Thunder-mountain, Far across broad Gitchee Gumee, Sent his warning of the winter, Sent the white frost and Kewaydin,[27]

Sent the swift and hungry North-wind.

Homeward to the South the Summer Turned and fled the naked forests.

With the Summer flew the robin, Flew the bobolink and blue-bird.

Flock-wise following chosen leaders, Like the shaftless heads of arrows Southward cleaving through the ether, Soon the wild-geese followed after.

One long moon the Sea-Gull waited, Watched and waited for her husband, Till at last she heard his footsteps, Heard him coming through the thicket.

Forth she went to meet her husband, Joyful went to greet her husband.

Lo behind the haughty hunter, Closely following in his footsteps, Walked a young and handsome woman, Walked the Red Fox from the island-- Gitchee Menis--the Grand Island-- Followed him into the wigwam, Proudly took her seat beside him.

On the Red Fox smiled the hunter, On the hunter smiled the woman.

Old and wrinkled was the Sea-Gull, Good and true, but old and wrinkled.

Twenty winters for the Panther Had she ruled the humble wigwam, Borne the burdens on the journey, Gathered f.a.gots for the lodge-fire, Tanned the skins of bear and beaver, Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer, Made him moccasins and leggins, Decked his hood with quills and feathers, Colored quills of Kaug, the th.o.r.n.y, Feathers from the great war-eagle; Ever diligent and faithful, Ever patient, ne'er complaining.

But like all brave men the Panther Loved a young and handsome woman; So he dallied with the danger, Dallied with the fair Algonkin,[28]

Till a magic mead she gave him, Brewed of buds of birch and cedar,[29]

Madly then he loved the woman; Then she ruled him, then she held him Tangled in her raven tresses, Tied and tangled in her tresses.

Ah, the tall and tawny Panther!

Ah, the brave and brawny Panther!

Son of Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior!

With a slender hair she led him, With a slender hair she drew him, Drew him often to her wigwam; There she bound him, there she held him Tangled in her raven tresses, Tied and tangled in her tresses.

Ah, the best of men are tangled-- Sometimes tangled in the tresses Of a fair and crafty woman.

So the Panther wed the Red Fox, And she followed to his wigwam.

Young again he seemed and gladsome, Glad as Raven when the father Made his first bow from the elm-tree, From the ash-tree made his arrows, Taught him how to aim his arrows, How to shoot Wabose--the rabbit.

Then again the brawny hunter Brought the black bear and the beaver, Brought the haunch of elk and red-deer, Brought the rabbit and the pheasant-- Choicest bits of all for Red Fox.

For her robes he brought the sable, Brought the otter and the ermine, Brought the black-fox tipped with silver.

But the Sea-Gull murmured never, Not a word she spoke in anger, Went about her work as ever, Tanned the skins of bear and beaver, Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer, Gathered f.a.gots for the lodge fire, Gathered rushes from the marshes; Deftly into mats she wove them; Kept the lodge as bright as ever.

Only to herself she murmured, All alone with Waub-omee-mee.

On the tall and toppling highland, O'er the wilderness of waters; Murmured to the murmuring waters, Murmured to the Nebe-naw-baigs-- To the spirits of the waters; On the wild waves poured her sorrow.

Save the infant on her bosom With her dark eyes wide with wonder, None to hear her but the spirits, And the murmuring pines above her.

Thus she cast away her burdens, Cast her burdens on the waters; Thus unto the good Great Spirit, Made her lowly lamentation: "Wahonowin!--Wahonowin![30]