Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-10
Children's department.
HOW THE ROBINS CAME.
AN INDIAN LEGEND.

wan fires on cold winter nights, away up on
the shores of Lake Superior. For Indian
children like pretty much the same things
that white ones do, and are every bit as fond
of listening to stories.
This story is abouta little boy named Ojib-
waice, which means in their language, "Lit
tie Chippewa"
He was very different from the other boys
in the village where he lived. They were all
strong, healthy fellows, who could run like
squirrels, and swim like fish, and wouldn't
stake dare" to jump off the highest rock in
the neighborhood and when they did Jump,
they always managed, somehow, to come down
on their feet like cats, and would bounce up
as lightly as if they were india-rubber instead
of Indian boys.
But Ojibwaice was very small and weak,
and couldn't do any of these things If these
had been white boys, he would have beaten
all the others at his books, for he had plenty
of sense and was very anxious to please his
fatber-he had no mother-whom he loved
very much. But the Indians didn't have
any books, and instead of such lessons as
white children learn they taught their sons to
be good hunters and trappers and fishers, and
to stand cold and hunger and fatigue, so that
they might be able to provide food and cloth
ing for themselves and their families when
they should grow up. 1t was considered
great thing for boy to do any Of the things
the men we're accustomed to do, and the more
like men they acted the prouder their parents
were Of them.
The boys used to 60 out hunting and bring
home such small game as they could kill with
their little bows and arrows; and the boy
who brought back the greatest number of
birds, hares, or squirrels, and who stood the
cold and wearness best, was praised by the
whole village, and everybody said he would
grow up to be good hunter and brave,
strong man.
But poor little Ojibwaice never got any
praise from anybody. His strength would
give away as soon as he tried to walk beyond
the village, and his weak arms could not even
lift what the other boys could carry about
without any trouble at all. The children
laughed at him, and the grown people said he
would never be Of any use in the world, and
it would have been better if he had never
been born. He wouldn't have minded all
that very much if he had not known how un-
happy it made his father; but the thought of
his sorrow about him, and the idea Of having
such son, almost broke his heart. Some
times he would make desperate effort to
keep up with other boys when they went out
on their expeditions into the woods, because
he thought it would please his father. But
long before the others had begun to feel tired
he would turn faint and sick, and would sink
down on the ground unable to move.
At last the time came when he was to 90
through something that all the Chippewa
boys had to bear when they were about thir-
teen years old. They we're taken to lonely
place in the woods, far away from home, and
little bark hut was made for them to live
in while they were there. They had to stay
all alone in this place, without anything at
all to eat, as long as they could possibly stand
it; and the Indians thought this would cause
them to have guardian spirit, who would
watch over them and shield them all through
their lives. The longer they could stay there
without eating, the stronger and the better
able to protect them their spirits would be.
Now Ojibwaices father thought that if his
son could manage to bear the hunger a very
long time he would have spirit that would
cure his weakness and make him great man.
So when he took him to the little hut he had
built for him far away in the woods, he told
him he would have to try to keep his fast for
twelve days, which was more than any other
Indian boy had ever done. The poor boy
was ready to undertake anything that he
thought would please his father and prom
ised that he would try his best to do what he
wished.
He watched his father till he was out of
sight, and then he began to feel how terrible
it was to be all alone in that strange lonesome
place. The tall trees rose up around him on
every side, and their leaves seemed to be talk
ing about him. He thought they murmured
to each other, "He's very little, weak child.
He won't live long here His father will find
him dead when he comes back" The wind
came sighing sadly through the branches, and
he thoug ght it said, "Ah, no! he'll never see
his father again.
The tears came and blinded him so that he
had to grope his way into the hut There he
laid down and covered up his face, and prayed
to the Great Good Spirit he had been taught
was God. Night and day he prayed that the
Grea. Spirit would pity him, and let him see
his dear father once again before he died.
His face grew thinner and thinner, and his
hands wasted away until they were not much
more than skin and bone. His sight grew
very dim, and the bright light Of day began
to be nothing more than dull, gray gloom.
On the seventh day his father came, and he
knew that the Great Spirit had answered his
prayers He could just see his fathers form
kneeling by his side, but when he tried to put
his arms around him, he found he could not
make them move.
His father praised him, and said that as he
had done so we'll he must try to keep it up
for at least four days more, and then he would
have powerful spirit, who would make him
a very great man. But he was quite sure he
could not live that long, and that if his faith
er left him then, it would be the last time
voice that could hardly be heard, he asked to
be allowed to stop then, and try again some
other time when he should be stronger, and
might be able to fast the whole twelve days.
But his father said it would be better to 90
on and get through with it at once and then
he hurried away to avoid being persuaded.
Then the gray light he had been able to
see suddenly faded out altogether, and night
and day were all the same to the little, lonely
child, lying still and silent in the middle Of
the great, wide forest.
On the twelfth day the father came back
with some food in little kettle. AS he grew
near he heard some one talking softly inside
the hut. The voice had strange sound but
it was like his sons voice, too. He approach
ed, quickly, full of joy at the thought that
the boy was still alive, and when he came to
the hut he looked in through hole in the
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