e Sea-Gull in the wigwam;
Sat and swung the tekenagun
Sat and sang to Waub-omee-mee:
Thus she sang to Waub-omee-mee,
Thus the lullaby she chanted:
Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea;
Kah-ween, nee-zheka ke-diaus-ai,
Ke-gah nau-wai, ne-me-go s'ween,
Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is ais,
Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea;
Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is-ais,
E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea,
E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea.
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 wa-wa--lullaby,
E-we wa-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 Kah-kah-ge--the Raven.
With a snare he caught the rabbit--
Caught Wabose,[24] the furry-footed,
Caught Penay,[24] 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-ka, 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 wo
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