按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Till the wind became a whirlwind；
Till the sand was blown and sifted
Like great snowdrifts o'er the landscape；
Heaping all the shores 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 assembled；
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 pass 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 sunshine；
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 shining river darkens
When the clouds drop shadows on it！
〃When thou smilest； my beloved；
Then my troubled heart is brightened；
As in sunshine 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！
Oh awake； awake； beloved！
Onaway！ awake； beloved！〃
Thus the gentle Chibiabos
Sang his song of love and longing；
And Iagoo； the great boaster；
He the marvellous 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 assembled
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 marvellous 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 beaver！
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 marvellous 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 sinews；
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 assembled
At my Hiawatha's wedding
Sat Iagoo； old and ugly；
Sat the marvellous 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 pass 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 descending。〃
XII
THE SON OF THE EVENING STAR
Can it be the sun descending
O'er the level plain of water？
Or the Red Swan floating； flying；
Wounded by the magic arrow；
Staining all the waves with crimson；
With the crimson of its life…blood；
Filling all the air with splendor；
With the splendor of its plumage？
Yes； it is the sun descending；
Sinking down into the water；
All the sky is stained with purple；
All the water flushed with crimson！
No； it is the Red Swan floating；
Diving down beneath the water；
To the sky its wings are lifted；
With its blood the waves are reddened！
Over it the Star of Evening
Melts and trembles through the purple；
Hangs suspended in the twilight。
No； it is a bead of wampum
On the robes of the Great Spirit
As he passes through the twilight；
Walks in silence through the heavens。
This with joy beheld Iagoo
And he said in haste： 〃Behold it！
See the sacred Star of Evening！
You shall hear a tale of wonder；
Hear the story of Osseo；
Son of the Evening Star； Osseo！
〃Once； in days no more remembered；
Ages nearer the beginning；
When the heavens were closer to us；
And the Gods were more familiar；
In the North…land lived a hunter；
With ten young and comely daughters；
Tall and lithe as wands of willow；
Only Oweenee； the youngest；
She the wilful and the wayward；
She the silent； dreamy maiden；
Was the fairest of the sisters。
〃All these women married warriors；
Married brave and haughty husbands；
Only Oweenee； the youngest；
Laughed and flouted all her lovers；
All her young and handsome suitors；
And then married old Osseo；
Old Osseo； poor and ugly；
Broken with age and weak with coughing；
Always coughing like a squirrel。
〃Ah； but beautiful within him
Was the spirit of Osseo；
From the Evening Star descended；
Star of Evening； Star of Woman；
Star of tenderness and passion！
All its fire was in his bosom；
All its beauty in his spirit；
All its mystery in his being；
All its splendor in his language！
〃And her lovers； the rejected；
Handsome men with belts of wampum；
Handsome men with paint and feathers。
Pointed at her in derision；
Followed her with jest and laughter。
But she said： 'I care not for you；
Care not for your belts of wampum；
Care not for your paint and feathers；
Care not for your jests and laughter；
I am happy with Osseo！'
〃Once to some great feast invited；
Through the damp and dusk of evening；
Walked together the ten sisters；
Walked together with their husbands；
Slowly followed old Osseo；
With