Chaska and his dusky daughter,
Shades from out the spirit-land,
Flitting, falling, downward, downward,
Till they reach the shining 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 SEXTON SEARLS.
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 shore of Gitchee Gumee[19]—
Deep, mysterious, mighty waters—
Where the mânitoes—the spirits—
Ride the storms and speak in thunder,
In the days of Némè-Shómis,[20]
In the days that are forgotten,
Dwelt a tall and tawny hunter—
Gitchee Péz-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 Makwá,[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 sunshine,
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 tekenâgun,[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 Kâk-kâh-gè—the Raven.
Happy hunter was the Panther.
From the woods he brought the pheasant,