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Chapter 2
- Michigan State University Press
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· 105 · CHAPTER 2 Near the summer’s close, while living there, a little maiden, ever now and then, appeared across the stream, with waist of red and skirt of brown, with raven tresses floating in the breeze, following up, but never down the stream. She was always singing, as she gaily tripped along, in mimicry of the music of the birds.Sometimes in her songs,in fancy I could hear and see close by, in bush or brake, the bobolink tuning his voice to cheer his nesting mate.At other times I would look up, almost convinced that I could see him dancing in the air, on wing, rising and falling with time and tune,then at the close alighting on the bush from whence he rose. Then, changing time and tune, in fancy I could see some robin perched on topmost bough of tree above, pouring forth his song in tones of richest melody. At times, a snow-white deer about the maiden played in circles, like the lamb; and again, after she had passed along and out of sight, like a dog hunting for his master, he would follow on her track. At first I felt impressed that she must be from the happy hunting-ground beyond; and how it was that she could mimic woodland birds, and throw her voice across the stream, and so deceive my ears, was to me a hidden mystery. While I was fishing along the river’s bank for several days, each morning she so appeared while I was all alone, awakening such sacred feelings in my soul that I held it as a vital secret from my mother. · 106 · Simon Pokagon One morning just before the rising sun, I stood upon the river’s shore watching the maid in admiration of her warbling song, when a gentle footstep reached my ears, and looking up, there stood “ningaw” (my mother) close beside me. Quietly she said, “Negwisesh (my son), why are you here at such an early hour as this?” Hiding the real feelings of my heart, I pointed out to her the maid beyond the stream, and said,“Do hear her sing; and see the deer of white around her play.” She replied, “Negwisesh (my son), newob quayzans (I see the girl), but hear no song except the songs of penayshenog (birds).” I then said, “Ogawshimaw (mother), she has the time, tune, and song of all the feathered warblers of the woods. Come, sit down upon this log, and listen.” She complied with my request, and as she harkened most intently, gazing in all directions, finally said,“Gwaiak (surely), it must be nin bibagiwin (her voice) I hear, and in niagamon (her song) she brings before me menoma (the bobolink), opitchi (the robin), and kikibikomeshi (lark); and what seems so strange and droll to me is, it really sounds as if they were on this side of sebin (the river), near by us; but when I look for them, none can be seen. It must be she is from Manito Auke (the spirit world) beyond.” During the remainder of that day, my anxiety greatly increased to learn all I could about the woodland maid and the deer of white,and so I concluded to cross the stream, as soon as I could construct a boat for that purpose. On the following day I went to work with a will, made a small bark canoe large enough to carry one, and launched it at close of day in a bay close by.The next morning before the break of day, I dressed myself with moccasins and pants, all of deerskin made, wearing a birch-bark cap with quills and feathers trimmed. Thus attired in native style, with bow and arrows armed, I went forth, and in my newmade “tchiman,” crossed the river deep and broad. As I neared the other shore, all was still. No breeze disturbed the glass-like surface of the stream; every leaf was motionless, and quiet as the morning air. No artist hand could paint the beauty of the inverted shore as in the water it appeared, fringed with trees, brush, grass, flags, and flowers, with sky below deep down as heaven is high. Carefully I rowed my frail bark under some overhanging willow brush that fringed the shore, and there, almost concealed, with deep anxiety watched and listened, that I might catch with eye or ear the little maiden’s first approach. Nor waited long, for soon...