The White Doe Part 6

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote Z: See Appendix, Note _s_.]

V

THE HUNT

In the Land-of-Wind-and-Water Long the Summer-Glory lingered, Loath to yield its ripened beauty To the cold embrace of Winter.

And the greenness of the forest Gave no sign of coming treason, Till the White Frost without warning Hung his banners from the tree-tops.

Then a blush of brilliant color Decked each shrub with tinted beauty; Gold, and brown, and scarlet mingled Till no color seemed triumphant; And the Summer doomed to exile Fled before the chilling Autumn.

While the glow of colors deepened, The proud Weroance Win-gin-a, Chief of Das-a-mon-gue-pue land, Made a feast for all his people; Called them forth with bow and arrow To a test of skill and valor.

He was weary of the mysteries Whispered of the famous White Doe, Whose strange courage feared no hunter, For no arrow ever reached her.

"Ha!" said he, "a skilful hunter Is not daunted by a white doe; Craven hearts make trembling fingers, Arrows fail when shot by cowards.

_I_ will shoot this doe so fearless, Her white skin shall be my mantle,[AA]

Her white meat shall serve for feasting, And my braves shall cease from fearing.

From the fields the maize invites us, Sturgeons have been fat and plenty.

We are weary of fish-eating, We will feast on meat of white deer."

Messengers of invitation Sent he to the other nations, Saying, "Come and hunt the White Doe, Bring your surest, fleetest arrows; We will eat the meat of white deer, We will drink the purple grape-juice, Burn the uppowoc in pipe-bowls, While we shame the trembling hunters."

But the Cro-a-to-ans kept silence, Sent no answer to his greeting.

They believed the charmed White Doe Was Wi-no-na Ska's pure spirit, Who in freedom still was happy, And they would not wound or harm her, They would shoot no arrows at her, Nor help feast upon her body.

Then O-kis-ko answered boldly; "I will go and hunt this White Doe, I will shoot from my own ambush, I will take my fleetest arrow."

And the men and women wondered, For they knew his former loving.

But O-kis-ko kept his secret, Showed no one his new-made arrow; 'Round his shoulders threw a mantle Made of skins of many sea-gulls, So that he could hide his arrow, And no mortal eye could see it Till he sent it on its mission Winged with magic, fraught with mercy.

Thus he went to Ro-a-no-ak, Love, and hope, and faith impelling, Conscious of his aim unerring, Trusting in the arrow's power.

From Po-mou-ik came Wan-ches-e, For the hunt and feast impatient, Boasting of his skill and valor, Saying in his loud vainglory: "I will teach the braves to shoot deer, Young men now are not great hunters, Hearts like squaws they have within them, Nothing fears them but a papoose."

Wan-ches-e had crossed the water[AB]

In the s.h.i.+ps with wings like sea-birds, And the Pale-Face Weroanza, Whom he saw in her own country, Him to please and show her friends.h.i.+p, Gave an arrow-head of silver To him as a mark of favor.

This he now brought proudly with him, As of all his arrows fleetest; Bearing in its l.u.s.trous metal, As he thought, some gift of power From the mighty Weroanza Which would bring success unto him; And the warriors all would praise him As around the feast they gathered, Saying as he walked among them: "There is none like brave Wan-ches-e, He can bend the bow with firmness, He has arrow-points of silver, And the White Doe falls before him."

And he polished well the arrow Which he thought would bring him praises.

Where the deer were wont to wander All the hunters took their stations, While the stalkers sought the forest, From its depths to start the deer-herd.

Near the sh.o.r.e Win-gin-a lingered That he first might shoot his arrow, And thus have the certain glory Of the White Doe's death upon him.

By a pine-tree stood Wan-ches-e With his silver arrow ready; While O-kis-ko, unseen, waited Near by in his chosen ambush, Where he oft had watched the White Doe, Where he knew she always lingered.

Soon the stalkers with great shouting Started up the frightened red deer; On they came through brake and thicket, In the front the White Doe leading, With fleet foot and head uplifted, Daring all the herd to follow.

Easy seemed the task of killing, So Win-gin-a tw.a.n.ged his bow-string, But his arrow fell beside her As she sprang away from danger.

Through the tanglewood, still onward, Head uplifted, her feet scorning All the wealth of bright-hued foliage Which lay scattered in her pathway.

Up the high sand-dunes she bounded, In her wake the whole herd followed, While the arrows aimed from ambush Fell around her ever harmless.

On she sped, towards the water, Nostrils spread to sniff the sea-breeze; Through the air a whizzing arrow Flew, but did not touch the White Doe; But a stag beside her bounding Wounded fell among the bushes, And the herd fled in confusion, Waiting now not for the leader.

On again, with leaping footsteps, Tossing head turned to the sea-sh.o.r.e; For one fatal minute standing Where the White Man's Fort had once stood; In her eyes came wistful gleamings Like a lost hope's fleeting shadow.

While with graceful poise she lingered, Swift, Wan-ches-e shot his arrow Aimed with cruel thought to kill her; While from near and secret ambush, With unerring aim, O-kis-ko Forward sent his magic arrow, Aimed with thought of love and mercy.

To her heart straight went _both_ arrows, And with leap of pain she bounded From the earth, and then fell forward, p.r.o.ne, amidst the forest splendor.

O-kis-ko, with fond heart swelling, Wan-ches-e, with pride exultant, To the Doe both sprang to claim it, Each surprised to see the other.

Suddenly, within the forest, Spread a gleaming mist around them, Like a dense white fog in summer, So they scarce could grope their pathway.

Slowly, as if warmed by sunbeams, From one spot the soft mist melted, While within its bright'ning dimness, With the misty halo 'round her, Stood a beautiful white maiden,-- _Stood the gentle, lost Wi-no-na_.

Through her heart two arrows crosswise Pierced the flesh with cruel wounding; Downward flowed the crimson blood-tide, Staining red the snow-white doe-skin Which with grace her form enveloped, While her arms with pleading gesture To O-kis-ko were outstretching.

As they gazed upon the vision, All their souls with wonder filling; While the white mist slowly melted, _Prostrate fell the wounded maiden_.

Then revealed was all the myst'ry, Then they saw what had befallen.

To her heart the magic arrow First had pierced, and lo! Wi-no-na Once more breathed in form of maiden.

But while yet the charm was pa.s.sing Came the arrow of Wan-ches-e; To her heart it pierced unerring, Pierced the pearl-inlaid triangle, Struck and broke the shark's tooth narrow, _Charm and counter-charm undoing_; Leaving but a mortal maiden Wounded past the hope of healing.

Woe to love, and hope, and magic!

Woe to hearts whom death divideth!

While upon her bleeding bosom Fatal arrows made the Cross-Sign, Wistful eyes she turned to Heaven; "O forget not your Wi-no-na,"

Whispered she unto O-kis-ko, As her soul pa.s.sed to the silence.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote AA: See Appendix, Note _p_.]

[Footnote AB: See Appendix, Note _l_.]

VI

THE SILVER ARROW

Fear seized on the bold Wan-ches-e When he saw the Pale-Face maiden Standing where had poised the White Doe, Where the White Man's Fort had once stood.