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The Sea-Gull.[1]

by Hanford Lennox Gordon

THE LEGEND OF THE PICTURED ROCKS 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[2]

Deep, mysterious, mighty waters

Where the m'nitoes the spirits

Ride the storms and speak in thunder,

In the days of N'm'-Sh'mis,[3]

In the days that are forgotten,

Dwelt a tall and tawny hunter

Gitchee P'z-ze-u the Panther,

Son of Waub-Ojeeg,[4] 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 Makw',[5] 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 teken'gun, [6]

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 K'k-k'h-g' the Raven.

Happy hunter was the Panther.

From the woods he brought the pheasant,

Brought the red deer and the rabbit,

Brought the trout from Gitchee Gumee

Brought the mallard from the marshes

Royal feast for boy and mother:

Brought the hides of fox and beaver,

Brought the skins of mink and otter,

Lured the loon and took his blanket,

Took his blanket for the Raven.

Winter swiftly followed winter,

And again the teken'gun

Held a babe a tawny daughter,

Held a dark-eyed, dimpled daughter;

And they called her Waub-ome'-me'

Thus they named her the White-Pigeon.

But as winter followed winter

Cold and sullen grew the Panther;

Sat and smoked his pipe in silence;

When he spoke he spoke in anger;

In the forest often tarried

Many days, and homeward turning,

Brought no game unto his wigwam;

Only brought his empty quiver,

Brought his dark and sullen visage.

Sad at heart and very lonely

Sat the Sea-Gull in the wigwam;

Sat and swung the teken'gun

Sat and sang to Waub-ome'-me':

Thus she sang to Waub-ome'-me',

Thus the lullaby she chanted:

W'-wa, w'-wa, w'-we-ye';

Kah-w'en, nee-zh'ka k'-diaus-'i,

Ke-g'h nau-w'i, ne-m'-go s'w'en,

Ne-b'un, ne-b'un, ne-d'un-is 'is,

W'-wa, w'-wa, w'-we-ye';

Ne-b'un, ne-b'un, ne-d'un-is-'is,

E-we w'-wa, w'-we-ye',

E-we w'-wa, w'-we-ye'.

TRANSLATION

Swing, swing, little one, lullaby;

Thou'rt not left alone to weep;

Mother cares for you she is nigh;

Sleep, my little one, sweetly sleep;

Swing, swing, little one, lullaby;

Mother watches you she is nigh;

Gently, gently, wee one, swing;

Gently, gently, while I sing

E-we w'-wa lullaby,

E-we w'-wa lullaby.

Homeward to his lodge returning

Kindly greeting found the hunter,

Fire to warm and food to nourish,

Golden trout from Gitchee Gumee,

Caught by K'h-k'h-g' the Raven.

With a snare he caught the rabbit

Caught Wab'se,[7] the furry-footed,

Caught Pen'y,[7] the forest-drummer;

Sometimes with his bow and arrows,

Shot the red deer in the forest,

Shot the squirrel in the pine-top,

Shot Ne-k', the wild-goose, flying.

Proud as Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior,

To the lodge he bore his trophies.

So when homeward turned the Panther,

Ever found he food provided,

Found the lodge-fire brightly burning,

Found the faithful Sea-Gull waiting.

"You are cold," she said, "and famished;

Here are fire and food, my husband."

Not by word or look he answered;

Only ate the food provided,

Filled his pipe and pensive puffed it,

Sat and smoked in sullen silence.

Once her dark eyes full of hunger

Thus she spoke and thus besought him:

"Tell me, O my silent Panther,

Tell me, O beloved husband,

What has made you sad and sullen?

Have you met some evil spirit

Met some goblin in the forest?

Has he put a spell upon you

Filled your heart with bitter waters,

That you sit so sad and sullen,

Sit and smoke, but never answer,

Only when the storm is on you?"

Gruffly then the Panther answered:

"Brave among the brave is Panther

Son of Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior,

And the brave are ever silent;

But a whining dog is woman,

Whining ever like a coward."

Forth into the tangled forest,

Threading through the thorny thickets,

Treading trails on marsh and meadow,

Sullen strode the moody hunter.

Saw he not the bear or beaver,

Saw he not the elk or roebuck;

From his path the red fawn scampered,

But no arrow followed after;

From his den the sly wolf listened,

But no twang of bow-string heard he.

Like one walking in his slumber,

Listless, dreaming, walked the Panther;

Surely had some witch bewitched him,

Some bad spirit of the forest.

When the Sea-Gull wed the Panther,

Fair was she and full of laughter;

Like the robin in the spring-time,

Sang from sunrise till the sunset;

But the storms of many winters

Sifted frost upon her tresses,

Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles.

Not alone the storms of winters

Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles.

Twenty winters for the Panther

Had she ruled the humble wigwam;

For her haughty lord and master

Borne the burdens on the journey,

Gathered fagots for the lodge-fire,

Tanned the skins of bear and beaver,

Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer;

Made him moccasins and leggins,

Decked his hood with quills and feathers

Colored quills of Kaug,[8] the thorny,

Feathers from Ken'w,[8] the eagle.

For a warrior brave was Panther;

Often had he met the foemen,

Met the bold and fierce Dakotas,

Westward on the war-path met them;

And the scalps he won were numbered,

Numbered seven by Ken'w-feathers.

Sad at heart was Sea-Gull waiting,

Watching, waiting in the wigwam;

Not alone the storms of winters

Sifted frost upon her tresses.

Ka-be-b'n-'k-ka, the mighty,[9]

He that sends the cruel winter,

He that turned to stone the Giant,

From the distant Thunder-mountain,

Far across broad Gitchee Gumee,

Sent his warning of the winter,

Sent the white frost and Kew'ydin,[10]

Sent the swift and hungry North-wind.

Homeward to the South the Summer

Turned and fled the naked forests.

With the Summer flew the robin,

Flew the bobolink and blue-bird.

Flock-wise following chosen leaders,

Like the shaftless heads of arrows

Southward cleaving through the ether,

Soon the wild-geese followed after.

One long moon the Sea-Gull waited,

Watched and waited for her husband,

Till at last she heard his footsteps,

Heard him coming through the thicket.

Forth she went to met her husband,

Joyful went to greet her husband.

Lo behind the haughty hunter,

Closely following in his footsteps,

Walked a young and handsome woman,

Walked the Red Fox from the island

Gitchee M'nis the Grand Island

Followed him into the wigwam,

Proudly took her seat beside him.

On the Red Fox smiled the hunter,

On the hunter smiled the woman.

Old and wrinkled was the Sea-Gull,

Good and true, but old and wrinkled.

Twenty winters for the Panther

Had she ruled the humble wigwam,

Borne the burdens on the journey,

Gathered fagots for the lodge-fire,

Tanned the skins of bear and beaver,

Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer,

Made him moccasins and leggins,

Decked his hood with quills and feathers,

Colored quills of Kaug, the thorny,

Feathers from the great war-eagle;

Ever diligent and faithful,

Ever patient, ne'er complaining.

But like all brave men the Panther

Loved a young and handsome woman;

So he dallied with the danger,

Dallied with the fair Alg'nkin,[11]

Till a magic mead she gave him,

Brewed of buds of birch and cedar.[12]

Madly then he loved the woman;

Then she ruled him, then she held him

Tangled in her raven tresses,

Tied and tangled in her tresses.

Ah, the tall and tawny Panther!

Ah, the brave and brawny Panther!

Son of Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior!

With a slender hair she led him,

With a slender hair she drew him,

Drew him often to her wigwam;

There she bound him, there she held him

Tangled in her raven tresses,

Tied and tangled in her tresses.

Ah, the best of men are tangled

Sometimes tangled in the tresses

Of a fair and crafty woman.

So the Panther wed the Red Fox,

And she followed to his wigwam.

Young again he seemed and gladsome,

Glad as Raven when the father

Made his first bow from the elm-tree,

From the ash-tree made his arrows,

Taught him how to aim his arrows,

How to shoot Wab'se the rabbit.

Then again the brawny hunter

Brought the black bear and the beaver,

Brought the haunch of elk and red-deer,

Brought the rabbit and the pheasant

Choicest bits of all for Red Fox.

For her robes he brought the sable,

Brought the otter and the ermine,

Brought the black-fox tipped with silver.

But the Sea-Gull murmured never,

Not a word she spoke in anger,

Went about her work as ever,

Tanned the skins of bear and beaver,

Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer,

Gathered fagots for the lodge-fire,

Gathered rushes from the marshes;

Deftly into mats she wove them;

Kept the lodge as bright as ever.

Only to herself she murmured,

All alone with Waub-ome'-me',

On the tall and toppling highland,

O'er the wilderness of waters;

Murmured to the murmuring waters,

Murmured to the N'be-n'w-baigs

To the spirits of the waters;

On the wild waves poured her sorrow.

Save the infant on her bosom

With her dark eyes wide with wonder,

None to hear her but the spirits,

And the murmuring pines above her.

Thus she cast away her burdens,

Cast her burdens on the waters;

Thus unto the good Great Spirit,

Made her lowly lamentation:

"Wahon'win! showiness![13]

Gitchee M'nito, ben'-nin!

Nah, Ba-b', show'in nem'shin!

Wahon'win! Wahon'win!"

Ka-be-b'n-'k-ka,[9] the mighty,

He that sends the cruel winter,

From the distant Thunder-mountain

On the shore of Gitchee Gumee,

On the rugged northern border,

Sent his solemn, final warning,

Sent the white wolves of the Nor'land.[14]

Like the dust of stars in ether

In the Pathway of the Spirits,[15]

Like the sparkling dust of diamonds,

Fell the frost upon the forest,

On the mountains and the meadows,

On the wilderness of woodland,

On the wilderness of waters.

All the lingering fowls departed

All that seek the South in winter,

All but Shingeb's, the diver;[16]

He defies the Winter-maker,

Sits and laughs at Winter-maker.

Ka-be-b'n-'k-ka, the mighty,

From his wigwam called Kew'ydin

From his home among the icebergs,

From the sea of frozen waters,

Called the swift and hungry North-wind.

Then he spread his mighty pinions

Over all the land and shook them.

Like the white down of Waub's'[17]

Fell the feathery snow and covered

All the marshes and the meadows,

All the hill-tops and the highlands.

Then old P'b''n[18] the winter

Laughed along the stormy waters,

Danced upon the windy headlands,

On the storm his white hair streaming,

And his steaming breath, ascending,

On the pine-tops and the cedars

Fell in frosty mists of silver,

Sprinkling spruce and fir with silver,

Sprinkling all the woods with silver.

By the lodge-fire all the winter

Sat the Sea-Gull and the Red Fox,

Sat and kindly spoke and chatted,

Till the twain seemed friends together.

Friends they seemed in word and action,

But within the breast of either

Smoldered still the baneful embers

Fires of jealousy and hatred

Like a camp-fire in the forest

Left by hunters and deserted;

Only seems a bed of ashes,

But the East wind, W'bun-no'din,

Scatters through the woods the ashes,

Fans to flame the sleeping embers,

And the wild-fire roars and rages,

Roars and rages through the forest.

So the baneful embers smoldered,

Smoldered in the breast of either.

From the far-off Sunny Islands,

From the pleasant land of Summer,

Where the spirits of the blessed

Feel no more the fangs of hunger,

Or the cold breath of Kew'ydin,

Came a stately youth and handsome,

Came Seg'n,[19] the foe of Winter.

Like the rising sun his face was,

Like the shining stars his eyes were,

Light his footsteps as the Morning's,

In his hand were buds and blossoms,

On his brow a blooming garland.

Straightway to the icy wigwam

Of old P'b''n, the Winter,

Strode Seg'n and quickly entered.

There old P'b''n sat and shivered,

Shivered o'er his dying lodge-fire.

"Ah, my son, I bid you welcome;

Sit and tell me your adventures;

I will tell you of my power;

We will pass the night together."

Thus spake P'b''n the Winter;

Then he filled his pipe and lighted;

Then by sacred custom raised it

To the spirits in the ether;

To the spirits in the caverns

Of the hollow earth he lowered it.

Thus he passed it to the spirits,

And the unseen spirits puffed it.

Next himself old P'b''n honored;

Thrice he puffed his pipe and passed it,

Passed it to the handsome stranger.

"Lo I blow my breath," said Winter,

"And the laughing brooks are silent.

Hard as flint become the waters,

And the rabbit runs upon them."

Then Seg'n, the fair youth, answered:

"Lo I breathe upon the hillsides,

On the valleys and the meadows,

And behold as if by magic

By the magic of the spirits,

Spring the flowers and tender grasses."

Then old P'b''n replying:

"Nah![20] I breathe upon the forests,

And the leaves fall sere and yellow;

Then I shake my locks and snow falls,

Covering all the naked landscape."

Then Seg'n arose and answered:

"Nashk'![20] see! I shake my ringlets;

On the earth the warm rain falleth,

And the flowers look up like children

Glad-eyed from their mother's bosom.

Lo my voice recalls the robin,

Brings the bobolink and bluebird,

And the woods are full of music.

With my breath I melt their fetters,

And the brooks leap laughing onward."

Then old P'b''n looked upon him,

Looked and knew Seg'n, the Summer.

From his eyes the big tears started

And his boastful tongue was silent.

Now Keez's the great life-giver,

From his wigwam in Waub'-nong[21]

Rose and wrapped his shining blanket

Round his giant form and started,

Westward started on his journey,

Striding on from hill to hill-top.

Upward then he climbed the ether

On the Bridge of Stars[22] he traveled,

Westward traveled on his journey

To the far-off Sunset Mountains

To the gloomy land of shadows.

On the lodge-poles sang the robin

And the brooks began to murmur.

On the South-wind floated fragrance

Of the early buds and blossoms.

From old P'b''n's eyes the tear-drops

Down his pale face ran in streamlets;

Less and less he grew in stature

Till he melted down to nothing;

And behold, from out the ashes,

From the ashes of his lodge-fire,

Sprang the Miscodeed[23] and, blushing,

Welcomed Seg'n to the North-land.

So from Sunny Isles returning,

From the Summer-Land of spirits,

On the poles of Panther's wigwam

Sang Ope'-chee sang the robin.

In the maples cooed the pigeons

Cooed and wooed like silly lovers.

"Hah! hah!" laughed the crow derisive,

In the pine-top, at their folly

Laughed and jeered the silly lovers.

Blind with love were they, and saw not;

Deaf to all but love, and heard not;

So they cooed and wooed unheeding,

Till the gray hawk pounced upon them,

And the old crow shook with laughter.

On the tall cliff by the sea-shore

Red Fox made a swing. She fastened

Thongs of moose-hide to the pine-tree,

To the strong arm of the pine-tree.

Like a hawk, above the waters,

There she swung herself and fluttered,

Laughing at the thought of danger,

Swung and fluttered o'er the waters.

Then she bantered Sea-Gull, saying,

"See! I swing above the billows!

Dare you swing above the billows

Swing like me above the billows?"

To herself said Sea-Gull "Surely

I will dare whatever danger

Dares the Red Fox dares my rival;

She shall never call me coward."

So she swung above the waters

Dizzy height above the waters,

Pushed and aided by her rival,

To and fro with reckless daring,

Till the strong tree rocked and trembled,

Rocked and trembled with its burden.

As above the yawning billows

Flew the Sea-Gull like a whirlwind,

Red Fox, swifter than red lightning,

Cut the thongs, and headlong downward,

Like an osprey from the ether,

Like a wild-goose pierced with arrows,

Fluttering fell the frantic woman,

Fluttering fell into the waters

Plunged and sunk beneath the waters!

Hark! the wailing of the West-wind!

Hark! the wailing of the waters,

And the beating of the billows!

But no more the voice of Sea-Gull.

In the wigwam sat the Red Fox,

Hushed the wail of Waub-ome'-me',

Weeping for her absent mother.

With the twinkling stars the hunter

From the forest came and Raven.

"Sea-Gull wanders late," said Red Fox,

"Late she wanders by the sea-shore,

And some evil may befall her."

In the misty morning twilight

Forth went Panther and the Raven,

Searched the forest and the marshes,

Searched for leagues along the lake-shore,

Searched the islands and the highlands;

But they found no trace or tidings,

Found no track in marsh or meadow,

Found no trail in fen or forest,

On the shore-sand found no footprints.

Many days they sought and found not.

Then to Panther spoke the Raven:

"She is in the Land of Spirits

Surely in the Land of Spirits.

High at midnight I beheld her

Like a flying star beheld her

To the waves of Gitchee Gumee

Downward flashing through the ether.

Thus she flashed that I might see her,

See and know my mother's spirit;

Thus she pointed to the waters,

And beneath them lies her body,

In the wigwam of the spirits

In the lodge of Nebe-n'w-baigs."[24]

Then spoke Panther to the Raven:

"On the tall cliff by the waters

Wait and watch with Waub-ome'-me'.

If the Sea-Gull hear the wailing

Of her infant she will answer."

On the tall cliff by the waters

So the Raven watched and waited;

All the day he watched and waited,

But the hungry infant slumbered,

Slumbered by the side of Raven,

Till the pines' gigantic shadows

Stretched and pointed to Waub'-nong[21]

To the far-off land of Sunrise;

Then the wee one woke and, famished,

Made a long and piteous wailing.

From afar where sky and waters

Meet in misty haze and mingle,

Straight toward the rocky highland,

Straight as flies the feathered arrow,

Straight to Raven and the infant,

Swiftly flew a snow-white sea-gull

Flew and touched the earth a woman.

And behold, the long-lost mother

Caught her wailing child and nursed her,

Sang a lullaby and nursed her.

Thrice was wound a chain of silver

Round her waist and strongly fastened.

Far away into the waters

To the wigwam of the spirits

To the lodge of Nebe-n'w-baigs

Stretched the magic chain of silver.

Spoke the mother to the Raven:

"O my son my brave young hunter,

Feed my tender little orphan;

Be a father to my orphan;

Be a mother to my orphan

For the crafty Red Fox robbed us

Robbed the Sea-Gull of her husband,

Robbed the infant of her mother.

From this cliff the treacherous woman

Headlong into Gitchee Gumee

Plunged the mother of my orphan.

Then a Nebe-n'w-baig caught me

Chief of all the Nebe-n'w-baigs

Took me to his shining wigwam,

In the cavern of the waters,

Deep beneath the mighty waters.

All below is burnished copper,

All above is burnished silver

Gemmed with amethyst and agates.

As his wife the Spirit holds me;

By this silver chain he holds me.

"When my little one is famished,

When with long and piteous wailing

Cries the orphan for her mother,

Hither bring her, O my Raven;

I will hear her I will answer.

Now the Nebe-n'w-baig calls me

Pulls the chain I must obey him."

Thus she spoke, and in the twinkling

Of a star the spirit-woman

Changed into a snow-white sea-gull,

Spread her wings and o'er the waters

Swiftly flew and swiftly vanished.

Then in secret to the Panther

Raven told his tale of wonder.

Sad and sullen was the hunter;

Sorrow gnawed his heart like hunger;

All the old love came upon him,

And the new love was a hatred.

Hateful to his heart was Red Fox,

But he kept from her the secret

Kept his knowledge of the murder.

Vain was she and very haughty

Oge-m'-kwa[25] of the wigwam.

All in vain her fond caresses

On the Panther now she lavished;

When she smiled his face was sullen,

When she laughed he frowned upon her;

In her net of raven tresses

Now no more she held him tangled.

Now through all her fair disguises

Panther saw an evil spirit,

Saw the false heart of the woman.

On the tall cliff o'er the waters

Raven sat with Waub-ome'-me',

Sat and watched again and waited,

Till the wee one, faint and famished,

Made a long and piteous wailing.

Then again the snow-white Sea-Gull,

From afar where sky and waters

Meet in misty haze and mingle,

Straight toward the rocky highland,

Straight as flies the feathered arrow,

Straight to Raven and the infant,

With the silver chain around her,

Flew and touched the earth a woman.

In her arms she caught her infant

Caught the wailing Waub-ome'-me',

Sang a lullaby and nursed her.

Sprang the Panther from the thicket

Sprang and broke the chain of silver!

With his tomahawk he broke it.

Thus he freed the willing Sea-Gull

From the Water-Spirit freed her,

From the Chief of Nebe-n'w-baigs.

Very angry was the Spirit;

When he drew the chain of silver,

Drew and found that it was broken,

Found that he had lost the woman,

Very angry was the Spirit.

Then he raged beneath the waters,

Raged and smote the mighty waters,

Till the big sea boiled and bubbled,

Till the white-haired, bounding billows

Roared around the rocky headlands,

Rolled and roared upon the shingle.

To the wigwam happy Panther,

As when first he wooed and won her

Led his wife as young and handsome.

For the waves of Gitchee Gumee

Washed away the frost and wrinkles,

And the spirits by their magic

Made her young and fair forever.

In the wigwam sat the Red Fox,

Sat and sang a song of triumph,

For she little dreamed of danger,

Till the haughty hunter entered,

Followed by the happy mother,

Holding in her arms her infant.

When the Red Fox saw the Sea-Gull

Saw the dead a living woman,

One wild cry she gave despairing,

One wild cry as of a demon.

Up she sprang and from the wigwam

To the tall cliff flew in terror;

Frantic sprang upon the margin,

Frantic plunged into the waters,

Headlong plunged into the waters.

Dead she tossed upon the billows;

For the Nebe-n'w-baigs knew her,

Knew the crafty, wicked woman,

And they cast her from the waters,

Spurned her from their shining wigwams;

Far away upon the shingle

With the roaring waves they cast her.

There upon her bloated body

Fed the cawing crows and ravens,

Fed the hungry wolves and foxes.

On the shore of Gitchee Gumee,

Ever young and ever handsome,

Long and happy lived the Sea-Gull,

Long and happy with the Panther.

Evermore the happy hunter

Loved the mother of his children.

Like a red star many winters

Blazed their lodge-fire on the sea-shore.

O'er the Bridge of Souls[26] together

Walked the Sea-Gull and the Panther.

To the far-off Sunny Islands

To the Summer-Land of Spirits,

Sea-Gull journeyed with her husband

Where no more the happy hunter

Feels the fangs of frost or famine,

Or the keen blasts of Kew'ydin,

Where no pain or sorrow enters,

And no crafty, wicked woman.

There she rules his lodge forever,

And the twain are very happy,

On the far-off Sunny Islands,

In the Summer-Land of Spirits.

On the rocks of Gitchee Gumee

On the Pictured Rocks the legend

Long ago was traced and written,

Pictured by the Water-Spirits;

But the storms of many winters

Have bedimmed the pictured story,

So that none can read the legend

But the Jossakeeds,[27] the prophets.