--- title: The Feast of the Virgins., part 2 — Legends of the Northwest · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Feast of the Virgins., part 2, «Legends of the Northwest» by Hanford Lennox Gordon: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: But where is Wiwâstè? --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/9/page/2/) [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 Feast of the Virgins., part 2 # The Feast of the Virgins., part 2 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/9/) **2** And what of the lovers? you ask, I trow.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") She told him all ere the sun was low,-- Why she fled from the Feast to a safe retreat.[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") She laid her heart at her lover's feet, And her words were tears and her lips were slow.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") As she sadly related the bitter tale His face was aflame and anon grew pale, And his dark eyes flashed with a brave desire, Like the midnight gleam of the sacred fire.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") \[65\] "Mitâwin," \[66\] he said, and his voice was low, "Thy father no more is the false Little Crow; But the fairest plume shall Wiwâstè wear Of the great Wanmdeè \[13\] in her midnight hair.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") In my lodge, in the land of the tall Hóhé, The robins will sing all the long summer day To the beautiful bride of the brave Chaskè."[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") Aye, love is tested by stress and trial Since the finger of time on the endless dial Began its rounds, and the orbs to move In the boundless vast, and the sunbeams clove The chaos; but only by fate's denial Are fathomed the fathomless depths of love.[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") Man is the rugged and wrinkled oak, And woman the trusting and tender vine-- That clasps and climbs till its arms entwine The brawny arms of the sturdy stoke.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") \[67\] The dimpled babes are the flowers divine That the blessing of God on the vine and oak With their cooing and blossoming lips invoke.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") To the pleasant land of the brave Hóhé Wiwâstè rode with her proud Chaskè.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") She ruled like a queen in his bountiful tee, And the life of the twain was a jubilee.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") Their wee ones climbed on the father's knee, And played with his plumes of the great Wanmdeè.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") The silken threads of the happy years They wove into beautiful robes of love That the spirits wear in the lodge above; And time from the reel of the rolling spheres His silver threads with the raven wove; But never the stain of a mother's tears Soiled the shining web of their happy years.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") When the wrinkled mask of the years they wore, And the raven hair of their youth was gray, Their love grew deeper, and more and more; For he was a lover for aye and aye, And ever her beautiful, brave Chaskè.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") Through the wrinkled mask of the hoary years To the loving eyes of the lover aye The blossom of beautiful youth appears.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") At last, when their locks were as white as snow, Beloved and honored by all the band, They silently slipped from their lodge below, And walked together, and hand in hand, O'er the Shining Path \[68\] to the Spirit-land; Where the hills and the meadows for aye and aye Are clad with the verdure and flowers of May, And the unsown prairies of Paradise Yield the golden maize and the sweet wild rice.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") There ever ripe in the groves and prairies Hang the purple plums and the luscious berries.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") And the swarthy herds of bison feed On the sun-lit slope and the waving mead; The dappled fawns from their coverts peep, And countless flocks on the waters sleep; And the silent years with their fingers trace No furrows for aye on the hunter's face.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") WINONA.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") TRAVELS, PUBLISHED AT LONDON, IN 1778, FROM A SURVEY AND SKETCH MADE BY CAPT.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") J. CARVER, NOV. 17, 1766.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") PERPENDICULAR FALL, 30 FEET; BREADTH NEAR 600 FEET.\][72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") \_When the meadow-lark trilled o'er the leas and the oriole piped in the maples, From my hammock, all under the trees, by the sweet scented field of red-clover, I harked to the hum of the bees, as they gathered the mead of the blossoms, And caught from their low melodies the rhythm of the song of Winona\_.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") (In pronouncing Dakota words give "a" the sound of "ah,"--"e" the sound of "a,"--"i" the sound of "e" and "u" the sound of "oo."[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Sound "ee" the same as in English.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") The numerals 1-2 etc. refer to notes in the appendix).[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Two hundred white Winters and more have fled from the face of the Summer, Since here on the oak shaded shore of the dark winding swift Mississippi, Where his foaming floods tumble and roar, on the falls and white rolling rapids, In the fair, fabled center of Earth, sat the Indian town of Ka-thá-ga.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") \[86\] Far rolling away to the north, and the south, lay the emerald prairies, Alternate with woodlands and lakes, and above them the blue vast of ether.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") And here where the dark river breaks into spray and the roar of the Ha-Ha, \[76\] Were gathered the bison-skin tees of the chief tawny tribe of Dakotas; For here, in the blast and the breeze, flew the flag of the chief of Isantees, \[86\] Up-raised on the stem of a lance --the feathery flag of the eagle.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") And here to the feast and the dance, from the prairies remote and the forests, Oft gathered the out-lying bands, and honored the gods of the nation.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") On the islands and murmuring strands they danced to the god of the waters, Unktéhee, \[69\] who dwelt in the caves deep under the flood of the Ha-Ha; \[76\] And high o'er the eddies and waves hung their offerings of fur and tobacco.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") \[a\] And here to the Master of life --Anpé-tu-wee, \[70\] god of the heavens, Chief, warrior, and maiden, and wife, burned the sacred green sprigs of the cedar.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And here to the Searcher-of-hearts --fierce Tá-ku Skan-skán, \[51\] the avenger, Who dwells in the uttermost parts --in the earth and the blue, starry ether, Ever watching, with all-seeing eyes, the deeds of the wives and the warriors, As an osprey afar in the skies, sees the fish as they swim in the waters, Oft spread they the bison-tongue feast, and singing preferred their petitions, Till the Day-Spirit \[70\] rose in the East --in the red, rosy robes of the morning, To sail o'er the sea of the skies, to his lodge in the land of the shadows, Where the black winged tornadoes \[b\] arise --rushing loud from the mouths of their caverns.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") And here with a shudder they heard, flying far from his tee in the mountains, Wa-kin-yan, \[32\] the huge Thunder-Bird, --with the arrows of fire in his talons.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") \[a\] See Hennepin's Description of Louisiana by Shea pp 243 and 256.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Parkman's Discovery p. 246--and Carver's Travels, p. 67[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") \[b\] The Dakotas like the ancient Romans and Greeks think the home of the winds is in the caverns of the mountains, and their great Thunder bird resembles in many respects the Jupiter of the Romans and the Zeus of the Greeks.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") The resemblance of the Dakota mythology to that of the older Greeks and Romans is striking.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Two hundred white Winters and more have fled from the face of the Summer, Since here by the cataract's roar, in the moon of the red blooming lilies, \[71\] In the tee of Ta-té-psin \[a\] was born Winona --wild-rose of the prairies.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") Like the summer sun peeping, at morn, o'er the hills was the face of Winona; And here she grew up like a queen --a romping and lily-lipped laughter, And danced on the undulant green, and played in the frolicsome waters, Where the foaming tide tumbles and twirls o'er the murmuring rocks in the rapids; And whiter than foam were the pearls that gleamed in the midst of her laughter.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Long and dark was her flowing hair flung, like the robe of the night to the breezes; And gay as the robin she sung, or the gold-breasted lark of the meadows.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") Like the wings of the wind were her feet, and as sure as the feet of Ta-tó-ka; \[b\] And oft like an antelope fleet o'er the hills and the prairies she bounded, Lightly laughing in sport as she ran, and looking back over her shoulder, At the fleet footed maiden or man, that vainly her flying steps followed.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") The belle of the village was she, and the pride of the aged Ta-té-psin, Like a sunbeam she lighted his tee, and gladdened the heart of her father.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/9/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/9/) - next →: [The Feast of the Virgins., part 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/10/) - ↑ back to [Legends of the Northwest](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/)