登陆注册
15729400000079

第79章

All the birds were singing gayly, All the streamlets flowing swiftly, And the heart of Pau-Puk-Keewis Sang with pleasure as the birds sing, Beat with triumph like the streamlets, As he wandered through the village, In the early gray of morning, With his fan of turkey-feathers, With his plumes and tufts of swan's down, Till he reached the farthest wigwam, Reached the lodge of Hiawatha.

Silent was it and deserted;

No one met him at the doorway, No one came to bid him welcome;But the birds were singing round it, In and out and round the doorway, Hopping, singing, fluttering, feeding, And aloft upon the ridge-pole Kahgahgee, the King of Ravens, Sat with fiery eyes, and, screaming, Flapped his wings at Pau-Puk-Keewis.

"All are gone! the lodge is empty!"

Thus it was spake Pau-Puk-Keewis, In his heart resolving mischief;--"Gone is wary Hiawatha, Gone the silly Laughing Water, Gone Nokomis, the old woman, And the lodge is left unguarded!"By the neck he seized the raven, Whirled it round him like a rattle, Like a medicine-pouch he shook it, Strangled Kahgahgee, the raven, From the ridge-pole of the wigwam Left its lifeless body hanging, As an insult to its master, As a taunt to Hiawatha.

With a stealthy step he entered, Round the lodge in wild disorder Threw the household things about him, Piled together in confusion Bowls of wood and earthen kettles, Robes of buffalo and beaver, Skins of otter, lynx, and ermine, As an insult to Nokomis, As a taunt to Minnehaha.

Then departed Pau-Puk-Keewis, Whistling, singing through the forest, Whistling gayly to the squirrels, Who from hollow boughs above him Dropped their acorn-shells upon him, Singing gayly to the wood birds, Who from out the leafy darkness Answered with a song as merry.

Then he climbed the rocky headlands, Looking o'er the Gitche Gumee, Perched himself upon their summit, Waiting full of mirth and mischief The return of Hiawatha.

Stretched upon his back he lay there;

Far below him plashed the waters, Plashed and washed the dreamy waters;Far above him swam the heavens, Swam the dizzy, dreamy heavens;Round him hovered, fluttered, rustled Hiawatha's mountain chickens, Flock-wise swept and wheeled about him, Almost brushed him with their pinions.

And he killed them as he lay there, Slaughtered them by tens and twenties, Threw their bodies down the headland, Threw them on the beach below him, Till at length Kayoshk, the sea-gull, Perched upon a crag above them, Shouted: "It is Pau-Puk-Keewis!

He is slaying us by hundreds!

Send a message to our brother, Tidings send to Hiawatha!"XVII

THE HUNTING OF PAU-PUK-KEEWIS

Full of wrath was Hiawatha When he came into the village, Found the people in confusion, Heard of all the misdemeanors, All the malice and the mischief, Of the cunning Pau-Puk-Keewis.

Hard his breath came through his nostrils, Through his teeth he buzzed and muttered Words of anger and resentment, Hot and humming, like a hornet.

"I will slay this Pau-Puk-Keewis, Slay this mischief-maker!" said he.

"Not so long and wide the world is, Not so rude and rough the way is, That my wrath shall not attain him, That my vengeance shall not reach him!"Then in swift pursuit departed Hiawatha and the hunters On the trail of Pau-Puk-Keewis, Through the forest, where he passed it, To the headlands where he rested;But they found not Pau-Puk-Keewis, Only in the trampled grasses, In the whortleberry-bushes, Found the couch where he had rested, Found the impress of his body.

From the lowlands far beneath them, From the Muskoday, the meadow, Pau-Puk-Keewis, turning backward, Made a gesture of defiance, Made a gesture of derision;And aloud cried Hiawatha, From the summit of the mountains:

"Not so long and wide the world is, Not so rude and rough the way is, But my wrath shall overtake you, And my vengeance shall attain you!"Over rock and over river, Through bush, and brake, and forest, Ran the cunning Pau-Puk-Keewis;Like an antelope he bounded, Till he came unto a streamlet In the middle of the forest, To a streamlet still and tranquil, That had overflowed its margin, To a dam made by the beavers, To a pond of quiet water, Where knee-deep the trees were standing, Where the water lilies floated, Where the rushes waved and whispered.

On the dam stood Pau-Puk-Keewis, On the dam of trunks and branches, Through whose chinks the water spouted, O'er whose summit flowed the streamlet.

From the bottom rose the beaver, Looked with two great eyes of wonder, Eyes that seemed to ask a question, At the stranger, Pau-Puk-Keewis.

On the dam stood Pau-Puk-Keewis, O'er his ankles flowed the streamlet, Flowed the bright and silvery water, And he spake unto the beaver, With a smile he spake in this wise:

"O my friend Ahmeek, the beaver, Cool and pleasant is the water;Let me dive into the water, Let me rest there in your lodges;Change me, too, into a beaver!"

Cautiously replied the beaver, With reserve he thus made answer:

"Let me first consult the others, Let me ask the other beavers."Down he sank into the water, Heavily sank he, as a stone sinks, Down among the leaves and branches, Brown and matted at the bottom.

On the dam stood Pau-Puk-Keewis, O'er his ankles flowed the streamlet, Spouted through the chinks below him, Dashed upon the stones beneath him, Spread serene and calm before him, And the sunshine and the shadows Fell in flecks and gleams upon him, Fell in little shining patches, Through the waving, rustling branches.

From the bottom rose the beavers, Silently above the surface Rose one head and then another, Till the pond seemed full of beavers, Full of black and shining faces.

To the beavers Pau-Puk-Keewis Spake entreating, said in this wise:

同类推荐
  • 佛说解节经

    佛说解节经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 扁鹊难经

    扁鹊难经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 摩诃止观义例随释

    摩诃止观义例随释

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 重阳全真集

    重阳全真集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 宗范

    宗范

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 中外神话故事(语文新课标课外必读第二辑)

    中外神话故事(语文新课标课外必读第二辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • TFBOYS之遇见你是我的幸福

    TFBOYS之遇见你是我的幸福

    这是三个女生和三只的故事,他们有着不一样的爱情,希望大家喜欢本篇小说
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 铁甲威虫之茉莉语香

    铁甲威虫之茉莉语香

    她,只能留下,悲痛的眼泪,去默默地看着,她长得那么貌不起眼,只能看美丽脱俗的另一个人,她真心希望他能幸福,悲痛只被她独自承受······她并没有想到,这背后中的背后竟还有着层层迷云·····揭露后,竟发现,这后面竟还有着更大,不为人知的秘密······茉莉语香,迷域流墨!
  • 斩妖屠魔剑

    斩妖屠魔剑

    身世的迷离,成长的烦恼,感情的纠缠;奸邪的陷害,恶魔的凶暴;欲望的煎熬,名利的诱惑,绝望的前路。善良的本心,热血的身躯;珍贵的友情,温暖的亲情,甜蜜的爱情,远方的希望。我们别无选择,只能挥舞利刃,杀出一条血路,到达我们心中的彼岸。
  • 阿天之开天辟地

    阿天之开天辟地

    天地间最原始的力量幻化而成,本来可以无忧无虑的生活,可是世人却逼着他成为世间最强大的所在,收服妖兽,对战天龙,粉身碎骨,灰飞烟灭,机遇巧合之下再次重生,血雨腥风,再战古代仙侠。
  • 宿命之沉沦

    宿命之沉沦

    她是魔界魔尊,手染鲜血,脚踏枯骨。他是九天之上的神君,清雅绝伦。那年那天,他手中的剑刺穿她的胸膛,她含泪微笑着。终于,她选择忘却,却不曾如愿。她坠入了无尽的黑暗,他一如既往的高高在上。故人重逢,却是大战之际。执子之手,与子偕老,他却终究没能抓住她的手……
  • TFboys之雪月

    TFboys之雪月

    树的茁壮,是叶的奉献,还是风的依恋?“放心,我们的爱情不会有大风,不会有残花,只剩下白雪和愉悦。”唉,简单来说,就是三小只啦。
  • 时光腐蚀的爱恋

    时光腐蚀的爱恋

    当初的恋人如今变成了路人,这中间到底发生了什么?多年之后当叶小珛再次回国,居然成为了叶梓敬的私人摄影师。而叶梓敬居然成为了当红明星,他忘不了她,在工作之余也不忘撩一下叶小珛。在一旁的女工作人员都两眼放光,唯独只有叶小珛无动于衷。他对她说过:“全世界都可以是你的而你只能是我的!”只要是一般的女人都会因为他这句话而心动,可是她没有。
  • 重回年少时光

    重回年少时光

    一觉回到初中,赵年年的第一个反应是嚎啕大哭,不用承担三十一岁还没有嫁出去的烦恼,不用考虑买不起房的压力,不用每日为了生计来回奔波的生活,真的是太好了!知识才能改变命运,古人诚不欺我,这一世,她要做学霸!撩男神!成为人生赢家!--情节虚构,请勿模仿