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All the wild beasts of the forest
Hide themselves in holes and caverns；
And the earth becomes as flintstone！〃
〃When I shake my flowing ringlets；〃
Said the young man； softly laughing；
〃Showers of rain fall warm and welcome；
Plants lift up their heads rejoicing；
Back into their lakes and marshes
Come the wild goose and the heron；
Homeward shoots the arrowy swallow；
Sing the bluebird and the robin；
And where'er my footsteps wander；
All the meadows wave with blossoms；
All the woodlands ring with music；
All the trees are dark with foliage！〃
While they spake； the night departed：
From the distant realms of Wabun；
From his shining lodge of silver；
Like a warrior robed and painted；
Came the sun； and said； 〃Behold me
Gheezis； the great sun； behold me！〃
Then the old man's tongue was speechless
And the air grew warm and pleasant；
And upon the wigwam sweetly
Sang the bluebird and the robin；
And the stream began to murmur；
And a scent of growing grasses
Through the lodge was gently wafted。
And Segwun； the youthful stranger；
More distinctly in the daylight
Saw the icy face before him；
It was Peboan； the Winter！
From his eyes the tears were flowing；
As from melting lakes the streamlets；
And his body shrunk and dwindled
As the shouting sun ascended；
Till into the air it faded；
Till into the ground it vanished；
And the young man saw before him；
On the hearth…stone of the wigwam；
Where the fire had smoked and smouldered；
Saw the earliest flower of Spring…time；
Saw the Beauty of the Spring…time；
Saw the Miskodeed in blossom。
Thus it was that in the North…land
After that unheard…of coldness；
That intolerable Winter；
Came the Spring with all its splendor；
All its birds and all its blossoms；
All its flowers and leaves and grasses。
Sailing on the wind to northward；
Flying in great flocks； like arrows；
Like huge arrows shot through heaven；
Passed the swan； the Mahnahbezee；
Speaking almost as a man speaks；
And in long lines waving； bending
Like a bow…string snapped asunder；
Came the white goose； Waw…be…wawa；
And in pairs； or singly flying；
Mahng the loon； with clangorous pinions；
The blue heron； the Shuh…shuh…gah；
And the grouse； the Mushkodasa。
In the thickets and the meadows
Piped the bluebird； the Owaissa；
On the summit of the lodges
Sang the robin； the Opechee；
In the covert of the pine…trees
Cooed the pigeon； the Omemee；
And the sorrowing Hiawatha；
Speechless in his infinite sorrow；
Heard their voices calling to him；
Went forth from his gloomy doorway；
Stood and gazed into the heaven；
Gazed upon the earth and waters。
From his wanderings far to eastward；
From the regions of the morning；
From the shining land of Wabun；
Homeward now returned Iagoo；
The great traveller； the great boaster；
Full of new and strange adventures；
Marvels many and many wonders。
And the people of the village
Listened to him as he told them
Of his marvellous adventures；
Laughing answered him in this wise：
〃Ugh！ it is indeed Iagoo！
No one else beholds such wonders！〃
He had seen； he said； a water
Bigger than the Big…Sea…Water；
Broader than the Gitche Gumee；
Bitter so that none could drink it！
At each other looked the warriors；
Looked the women at each other；
Smiled； and said； 〃It cannot be so！〃
Kaw！〃 they said； it cannot be so！〃
O'er it； said he； o'er this water
Came a great canoe with pinions；
A canoe with wings came flying；
Bigger than a grove of pine…trees；
Taller than the tallest tree…tops！
And the old men and the women
Looked and tittered at each other；
〃Kaw！〃 they said； 〃we don't believe it！〃
From its mouth； he said； to greet him；
Came Waywassimo； the lightning；
Came the thunder； Annemeekee！
And the warriors and the women
Laughed aloud at poor Iagoo；
〃Kaw！〃 they said； 〃what tales you tell us！〃
In it； said he； came a people；
In the great canoe with pinions
Came； he said； a hundred warriors；
Painted white were all their faces
And with hair their chins were covered！
And the warriors and the women
Laughed and shouted in derision；
Like the ravens on the tree…tops；
Like the crows upon the hemlocks。
〃Kaw！〃 they said； 〃what lies you tell us！
Do not think that we believe them！〃
Only Hiawatha laughed not；
But he gravely spake and answered
To their jeering and their jesting：
〃True is all Iagoo tells us；
I have seen it in a vision；
Seen the great canoe with pinions；
Seen the people with white faces；
Seen the coming of this bearded
People of the wooden vessel
From the regions of the morning；
From the shining land of Wabun。
〃Gitche Manito； the Mighty；
The Great Spirit； the Creator；
Sends them hither on his errand。
Sends them to us with his message。
Wheresoe'er they move； before them
Swarms the stinging fly； the Ahmo；
Swarms the bee； the honey…maker；
Wheresoe'er they tread； beneath them
Springs a flower unknown among us；
Springs the White…man's Foot in blossom。
〃Let us welcome； then； the strangers；
Hail them as our friends and brothers；
And the heart's right hand of friendship
Give them when they come to see us。
Gitche Manito； the Mighty；
Said this to me in my vision。
〃I beheld； too； in that vision
All the secrets of the future；
Of the distant days that shall be。
I beheld the westward marches
Of the unknown； crowded nations。
All the land was full of people；
Restless； struggling； toiling； striving；
Speaking many tongues； yet feeling
But one heart…beat in their bosoms。
In the woodlands rang their axes；
Smoked their towns in all the valleys；
Over all the lakes and rivers
Rushed their great canoes of thunder。
〃Then a darker； drearier vision
Passed before me； vague and cloud…like；
I beheld our nation scattered；
All forgetful of my counsels；
Weakened； warring with each other；
Saw the remnants of our people
Sweeping westward； wild and woful；
Like the cloud…rack of a tempest；
Like the withered leaves of Autumn！〃
XXII
HIAWATHA'S DEPARTURE
By the shore of Gitche Gumee；
By the shining Big…Sea…Water；
At the doorway of his wigwam；
In the pleasant Summer morning；
Hiawatha stood and waited。
All the air was full of freshness；
All the earth was bright and joyous；
And before him； through the sunshine；
Westward toward the neighboring forest
Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo；
Passed the bees； the honey…makers；
Burning； singing in the sunshine。
Bright above him shone the heavens；
Level spread the lake before him；
From its bosom leaped the sturgeon；
Sparkling； flashing in the sunshine；
On its margin the great forest
Stood reflected in the water；
Every tree…top had its shadow；
Motionless beneath the water。
From the brow of Hiawatha
Gone was every trace of sorrow；
As the fog from off the water；
As the mist from off the meadow。
With a smile of joy and triumph；
With a look of ex