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These are ghosts that come to haunt you；
From the kingdom of Ponemah；
From the land of the Hereafter！〃
Homeward now came Hiawatha
From his hunting in the forest；
With the snow upon his tresses；
And the red deer on his shoulders。
At the feet of Laughing Water
Down he threw his lifeless burden；
Nobler； handsomer she thought him；
Than when first he came to woo her；
First threw down the deer before her；
As a token of his wishes；
As a promise of the future。
Then he turned and saw the strangers；
Cowering； crouching with the shadows；
Said within himself； 〃Who are they？
What strange guests has Minnehaha？〃
But he questioned not the strangers；
Only spake to bid them welcome
To his lodge； his food； his fireside。
When the evening meal was ready；
And the deer had been divided；
Both the pallid guests； the strangers；
Springing from among the shadows；
Seized upon the choicest portions；
Seized the white fat of the roebuck；
Set apart for Laughing Water；
For the wife of Hiawatha；
Without asking； without thanking；
Eagerly devoured the morsels；
Flitted back among the shadows
In the corner of the wigwam。
Not a word spake Hiawatha；
Not a motion made Nokomis；
Not a gesture Laughing Water；
Not a change came o'er their features；
Only Minnehaha softly
Whispered； saying； 〃They are famished；
Let them do what best delights them；
Let them eat； for they are famished。〃
Many a daylight dawned and darkened；
Many a night shook off the daylight
As the pine shakes off the snow…flakes
From the midnight of its branches；
Day by day the guests unmoving
Sat there silent in the wigwam；
But by night； in storm or starlight；
Forth they went into the forest；
Bringing fire…wood to the wigwam；
Bringing pine…cones for the burning；
Always sad and always silent。
And whenever Hiawatha
Came from fishing or from hunting；
When the evening meal was ready；
And the food had been divided；
Gliding from their darksome corner；
Came the pallid guests； the strangers；
Seized upon the choicest portions
Set aside for Laughing Water；
And without rebuke or question
Flitted back among the shadows。
Never once had Hiawatha
By a word or look reproved them；
Never once had old Nokomis
Made a gesture of impatience；
Never once had Laughing Water
Shown resentment at the outrage。
All had they endured in silence；
That the rights of guest and stranger；
That the virtue of free…giving；
By a look might not be lessened；
By a word might not be broken。
Once at midnight Hiawatha；
Ever wakeful； ever watchful；
In the wigwam； dimly lighted
By the brands that still were burning；
By the glimmering； flickering firelight
Heard a sighing； oft repeated；
Heard a sobbing； as of sorrow。
From his couch rose Hiawatha；
From his shaggy hides of bison；
Pushed aside the deer…skin curtain；
Saw the pallid guests； the shadows；
Sitting upright on their couches；
Weeping in the silent midnight。
And he said： 〃O guests！ why is it
That your hearts are so afflicted；
That you sob so in the midnight？
Has perchance the old Nokomis；
Has my wife； my Minnehaha；
Wronged or grieved you by unkindness；
Failed in hospitable duties？〃
Then the shadows ceased from weeping；
Ceased from sobbing and lamenting；
And they said； with gentle voices：
〃We are ghosts of the departed；
Souls of those who once were with you。
From the realms of Chibiabos
Hither have we come to try you；
Hither have we come to warn you。
〃Cries of grief and lamentation
Reach us in the Blessed Islands；
Cries of anguish from the living；
Calling back their friends departed；
Sadden us with useless sorrow。
Therefore have we come to try you；
No one knows us； no one heeds us。
We are but a burden to you；
And we see that the departed
Have no place among the living。
〃Think of this； O Hiawatha！
Speak of it to all the people；
That henceforward and forever
They no more with lamentations
Sadden the souls of the departed
In the Islands of the Blessed。
〃Do not lay such heavy burdens
In the graves of those you bury；
Not such weight of furs and wampum；
Not such weight of pots and kettles；
For the spirits faint beneath them。
Only give them food to carry；
Only give them fire to light them。
〃Four days is the spirit's journey
To the land of ghosts and shadows；
Four its lonely night encampments；
Four times must their fires be lighted。
Therefore； when the dead are buried；
Let a fire； as night approaches；
Four times on the grave be kindled；
That the soul upon its journey
May not lack the cheerful firelight；
May not grope about in darkness。
〃Farewell； noble Hiawatha！
We have put you to the trial；
To the proof have put your patience；
By the insult of our presence；
By the outrage of our actions。
We have found you great and noble。
Fail not in the greater trial；
Faint not in the harder struggle。〃
When they ceased； a sudden darkness
Fell and filled the silent wigwam。
Hiawatha heard a rustle
As of garments trailing by him；
Heard the curtain of the doorway
Lifted by a hand he saw not；
Felt the cold breath of the night air；
For a moment saw the starlight；
But he saw the ghosts no longer；
Saw no more the wandering spirits
From the kingdom of Ponemah；
From the land of the Hereafter。
XX
THE FAMINE
Oh the long and dreary Winter！
Oh the cold and cruel Winter！
Ever thicker； thicker； thicker
Froze the ice on lake and river；
Ever deeper； deeper； deeper
Fell the snow o'er all the landscape；
Fell the covering snow； and drifted
Through the forest； round the village。
Hardly from his buried wigwam
Could the hunter force a passage；
With his mittens and his snow…shoes
Vainly walked he through the forest；
Sought for bird or beast and found none；
Saw no track of deer or rabbit；
In the snow beheld no footprints；
In the ghastly； gleaming forest
Fell； and could not rise from weakness；
Perished there from cold and hunger。
Oh the famine and the fever！
Oh the wasting of the famine！
Oh the blasting of the fever！
Oh the wailing of the children！
Oh the anguish of the women！
All the earth was sick and famished；
Hungry was the air around them；
Hungry was the sky above them；
And the hungry stars in heaven
Like the eyes of wolves glared at them！
Into Hiawatha's wigwam
Came two other guests； as silent
As the ghosts were； and as gloomy；
Waited not to be invited
Did not parley at the doorway
Sat there without word of welcome
In the seat of Laughing Water；
Looked with haggard eyes and hollow
At the face of Laughing Water。
And the foremost said： 〃Behold me！
I am Famine； Bukadawin！〃
And the other said： 〃Behold me！
I am Fever； Ahkosewin！〃
And the lovely Minnehaha
Shuddered as they looked upon her；
Shuddered at the words they uttered；
Lay down on her bed in silence；
Hid her face； but made no answer；
Lay