The Feast of the Virgins and Other Poems Part 14

Forth she went to met 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,[11]

Till a magic mead she gave him, Brewed of buds of birch and cedar.[12]

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!--showiness![13]

Gitchee Manito, bena-nin!

Nah, Ba-ba, showain nemes.h.i.+n!

Wahonowin!--Wahonowin!"

Ka-be-bon-ik-ka,[9] the mighty, He that sends the cruel winter, From the distant Thunder-mountain On the sh.o.r.e of Gitchee Gumee, On the rugged northern border, Sent his solemn, final warning, Sent the white wolves of the Nor'land.[14]

Like the dust of stars in ether-- In the Pathway of the Spirits,[15]

Like the sparkling dust of diamonds, Fell the frost upon the forest, On the mountains and the meadows, On the wilderness of woodland, On the wilderness of waters.

All the lingering fowls departed-- All that seek the South in winter, All but s.h.i.+ngebis, the diver;[16]

He defies the Winter-maker, Sits and laughs at Winter-maker.

Ka-be-bon-ik-ka, the mighty, From his wigwam called Kewaydin-- From his home among the icebergs, From the sea of frozen waters, Called the swift and hungry North-wind.

Then he spread his mighty pinions Over all the land and shook them.

Like the white down of Waubese[17]

Fell the feathery snow and covered All the marshes and the meadows, All the hill-tops and the highlands.

Then old Peboan[18]--the winter-- Laughed along the stormy waters, Danced upon the windy headlands, On the storm his white hair streaming, And his steaming breath, ascending, On the pine-tops and the cedars Fell in frosty mists of silver, Sprinkling spruce and fir with silver, Sprinkling all the woods with silver.

By the lodge-fire all the winter Sat the Sea-Gull and the Red Fox, Sat and kindly spoke and chatted, Till the twain seemed friends together.

Friends they seemed in word and action, But within the breast of either Smoldered still the baneful embers-- Fires of jealousy and hatred-- Like a camp-fire in the forest Left by hunters and deserted; Only seems a bed of ashes, But the East wind, Wabun-noodin, Scatters through the woods the ashes, Fans to flame the sleeping embers, And the wild-fire roars and rages, Roars and rages through the forest.

So the baneful embers smoldered, Smoldered in the breast of either.

From the far-off Sunny Islands, From the pleasant land of Summer, Where the spirits of the blessed Feel no more the fangs of hunger, Or the cold breath of Kewaydin, Came a stately youth and handsome, Came Segun,[19] the foe of Winter.

Like the rising sun his face was, Like the s.h.i.+ning stars his eyes were, Light his footsteps as the Morning's, In his hand were buds and blossoms, On his brow a blooming garland.

Straightway to the icy wigwam Of old Peboan, the Winter, Strode Segun and quickly entered.

There old Peboan sat and s.h.i.+vered, s.h.i.+vered o'er his dying lodge-fire.

"Ah, my son, I bid you welcome; Sit and tell me your adventures; I will tell you of my power; We will pa.s.s the night together."

Thus spake Peboan--the Winter; Then he filled his pipe and lighted; Then by sacred custom raised it To the spirits in the ether; To the spirits in the caverns Of the hollow earth he lowered it.

Thus he pa.s.sed it to the spirits, And the unseen spirits puffed it.

Next himself old Peboan honored; Thrice he puffed his pipe and pa.s.sed it, Pa.s.sed it to the handsome stranger.

"Lo I blow my breath," said Winter, "And the laughing brooks are silent.

Hard as flint become the waters, And the rabbit runs upon them."

Then Segun, the fair youth, answered: "Lo I breathe upon the hillsides, On the valleys and the meadows, And behold as if by magic-- By the magic of the spirits, Spring the flowers and tender gra.s.ses."

Then old Peboan replying: "_Nah!_[20] I breathe upon the forests, And the leaves fall sere and yellow; Then I shake my locks and snow falls, Covering all the naked landscape."

Then Segun arose and answered: "_Nashke!_[20]--see!--I shake my ringlets; On the earth the warm rain falleth, And the flowers look up like children Glad-eyed from their mother's bosom.

Lo my voice recalls the robin, Brings the bobolink and bluebird, And the woods are full of music.

With my breath I melt their fetters, And the brooks leap laughing onward."

Then old Peboan looked upon him, Looked and knew Segun, the Summer.

From his eyes the big tears started And his boastful tongue was silent.

Now Keezis--the great life-giver, From his wigwam in Waubu-nong[21]

Rose and wrapped his s.h.i.+ning blanket Round his giant form and started, Westward started on his journey, Striding on from hill to hill-top.

Upward then he climbed the ether-- On the Bridge of Stars[22] he traveled, Westward traveled on his journey To the far-off Sunset Mountains-- To the gloomy land of shadows.

On the lodge-poles sang the robin-- And the brooks began to murmur.

On the South-wind floated fragrance Of the early buds and blossoms.

From old Peboan's eyes the tear-drops Down his pale face ran in streamlets; Less and less he grew in stature Till he melted down to nothing; And behold, from out the ashes, From the ashes of his lodge-fire, Sprang the Miscodeed[23] and, blus.h.i.+ng, Welcomed Segun to the North-land.

So from Sunny Isles returning, From the Summer-Land of spirits, On the poles of Panther's wigwam Sang Opee-chee--sang the robin.

In the maples cooed the pigeons-- Cooed and wooed like silly lovers.

"Hah!--hah!" laughed the crow derisive, In the pine-top, at their folly-- Laughed and jeered the silly lovers.

Blind with love were they, and saw not; Deaf to all but love, and heard not; So they cooed and wooed unheeding, Till the gray hawk pounced upon them, And the old crow shook with laughter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEGUN AND PEBOAN]

On the tall cliff by the sea-sh.o.r.e Red Fox made a swing. She fastened Thongs of moose-hide to the pine-tree, To the strong arm of the pine-tree.

Like a hawk, above the waters, There she swung herself and fluttered, Laughing at the thought of danger, Swung and fluttered o'er the waters.

Then she bantered Sea-Gull, saying, "See!--I swing above the billows!

Dare you swing above the billows-- Swing like me above the billows?"

To herself said Sea-Gull--"Surely I will dare whatever danger Dares the Red Fox--dares my rival; She shall never call me coward."

So she swung above the waters-- Dizzy height above the waters, Pushed and aided by her rival, To and fro with reckless daring, Till the strong tree rocked and trembled, Rocked and trembled with its burden.

As above the yawning billows Flew the Sea-Gull like a whirlwind, Red Fox, swifter than red lightning, Cut the thongs, and headlong downward, Like an osprey from the ether, Like a wild-goose pierced with arrows, Fluttering fell the frantic woman, Fluttering fell into the waters-- Plunged and sunk beneath the waters!

Hark!--the wailing of the West-wind!

Hark!--the wailing of the waters, And the beating of the billows!

But no more the voice of Sea-Gull.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FLUTTERING FELL THE FRANTIC WOMAN]

In the wigwam sat the Red Fox, Hushed the wail of Waub-omee-mee, Weeping for her absent mother.

With the twinkling stars the hunter From the forest came and Raven.

"Sea-Gull wanders late," said Red Fox, "Late she wanders by the sea-sh.o.r.e, And some evil may befall her."

In the misty morning twilight Forth went Panther and the Raven, Searched the forest and the marshes, Searched for leagues along the lake-sh.o.r.e, Searched the islands and the highlands; But they found no trace or tidings, Found no track in marsh or meadow, Found no trail in fen or forest, On the sh.o.r.e-sand found no footprints.