--- title: The Game of Ball. [2] — Legends of the Northwest · full text with trees description: The Game of Ball. [2], «Legends of the Northwest» by Hanford Lennox Gordon: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Clear was the sky as a silver shield; The bright sun blazed on the frozen field. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/6/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Legends of the Northwest](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/) / The Game of Ball. \[2\] # The Game of Ball. \[2\] The Game of Ball. \[2\] of «Legends of the Northwest» by Hanford Lennox Gordon: the whole text, 34 sentences and 897 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. Clear was the sky as a silver shield; The bright sun blazed on the frozen field.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") On icebound river and white robed prairie The diamonds gleamed in the flame of noon; But cold and keen were the breezes airy Wa-zi-ya \[3\] blew from his icy throne.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") On the solid ice of the silent river The bounds are marked, and a splendid prize, A robe of black fox lined with beaver-- Is hung in view of the eager eyes; And fifty merry Dakota maidens, The fairest moulded of woman kind, Are gathered in groups on the level ice.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") They look on the robe and its beauty gladdens, And maddens their hearts for the splendid prize.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Lo the rounded ankles and raven hair That floats at will on the wanton wind, And the round brown arms to the breezes bare, And breasts like the mounds where the waters meet, \[4\] And feet as fleet as the red deer's feet, And faces that glow like the full, round moon When she laughs in the luminous skies of June.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") The leaders are chosen and swiftly divide The opposing parties on either side.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiwâstè \[5\] is chief of a nimble band.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The star-eyed daughter of Little Crow; \[6\] And the leader chosen to hold command Of the band adverse is a haughty foe-- The dusky, impetuous Hârpstinà, \[7\] The queenly cousin of Wapasa.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") \[8\] Kapóza's chief and his tawny hunters Are gathered to witness the queenly game.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The ball is thrown and a bat encounters, And away it flies with a loud acclaim.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Swift are the maidens that follow after, And swiftly it flies for the farther bound: And long and loud are the peals of laughter, As some fair runner is flung to ground; While backward and forward, and to and fro, The maidens contend on the trampled snow.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") With loud "Ihó!--Itó!--Ihó!"[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") \[9\] And waving the beautiful prize anon, The dusky warriors cheer them on.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") And often the limits are almost passed, As the swift ball flies and returns.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") At last It leaps the line at a single bound From the fair Wiwâstè's sturdy stroke, Like a fawn that flies from the baying hound.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Wild were the shouts, and they rolled and broke On the beetling bluffs and the hills profound, An echoing, jubilant sea of sound.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Wakâwa, the chief, and the loud acclaim Announced the end of the well-fought game, And the fair Wiwâstè was victor crowned.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Dark was the visage of Hârpstinà When the robe was laid at her rival's feet, And merry maidens and warriors saw Her flashing eyes and her look of hate, As she turned to Wakâwa, the chief, and said:-- "The game was mine were it fairly played.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") I was stunned by a blow on my bended head, As I snatched the ball from slippery ground Not half a fling from Wiwâstè's bound.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") And the cheat--behold her! for there she stands With the prize that is mine in her treacherous hands.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The fawn may fly, but the wolf is fleet; The fox creeps sly on Magâ's \[10\] retreat; And a woman's revenge--it is swift and sweet."[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") She turned to her lodge, but a roar of laughter And merry mockery followed after.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Little they heeded the words she said, Little they cared for her haughty tread, For maidens and warriors and chieftain knew That her lips were false and her charge untrue.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiwâstè, the fairest Dakota maiden, The sweet-faced daughter of Little Crow, To her teepee \[11\] turned with her trophy laden-- The black robe trailing the virgin snow.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Beloved was she by her princely father, Beloved was she by the young and old, By merry maidens and many a mother, And many a warrior bronzed and bold.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") For her face was as fair as a beautiful dream, And her voice like the song of the mountain stream; And her eyes like the stars when they glow and gleam.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Through the somber pines of the nor'land wold, When the winds of winter are keen and cold.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Mah-pí-ya Dú-ta \[12\] the tall Red Cloud, A hunter swift and a warrior proud, With many a scar and many a feather, Was a suitor bold and a lover fond.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Long had he courted Wiwâstè's father, Long had he sued for the maiden's hand.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Aye, brave and proud was the tall Red Cloud, A peerless son of a giant race, And the eyes of the panther were set in his face.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") He strode like a stag, and he stood like a pine: Ten feathers he wore of the great Wanmdeè; \[13\] With crimsoned quills of the porcupine His leggins were worked to his brawny knee.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The bow he bent was a giant's bow; The swift red elk could he overtake, And the necklace that girdled his brawny neck Was the polished claws of the great Mató \[14\] He grappled and slew in the northern snow.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Wiwâstè looked on the warrior tall; She saw he was brawny and brave and great, But the eyes of the panther she could but hate, And a brave Hóhé \[15\] loved she better than all.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Loved was Mahpíya by Hârpstinà, But the warrior she never could charm or draw; And bitter indeed was her secret hate For the maiden she reckoned so fortunate.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [A Legend of the Dakotas.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/5/) - next →: [Heyóka Wacípee \[16\]--the Giant's Dance.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/7/) - ↑ back to [Legends of the Northwest](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/)