The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-03-10
SELECTED.
Creation of the Arbutus .

The most interesting paper received a
the meeting of the American Folk Lor,
Society in Washington was that prepared
by CONGRESSMAN c. L. Belknsp, of Mich
gan, and read a. follows;
On the south shore of Lake Superior, il
he vicinity of the pictured rocks, grow
TO PERFECTION the dearest and sweetest OF
all wild flowers, the arbutus--the plant
that the tender, loving touch OF woman
even, can not cause to grow i'll hot house
or garden.
There SIRE two things that the lesrned
white man does not understandable lodi
an and the arbutus. From time to time,
sitting by the camp fires in the evening. |
| have been told of the creation OF many an
imals and birds by the great Manaboosho
and his captains, the Manitos, and this is
the legend, as told me, of the origin or
creation of the arbutus, 1t was many,
many moons ago that there ived an OLD
man alone i'll his lodge beside Il frozen
stream in the forest His locks and beard
were long and white with age; he was
heavily clad in fine furs, for all the word
was winter snow and Ice everywhere.
The winds went wild through the forests,
searching every bush aud tree for birds
to chill, chasing evil spirits DER hill and
vale, and the old nan went about sesrch-
ing in the deep snow for pieces of wood to
keep up the fire in the lodge.
In d spair he returned to the lodge, and
sitting down by the last few dying Goals,
he cried to Manahoosho that lie might not
per sh
And the wind blew aside the door of the
lodge and here came in II most beautiful
maiden. Her cheeks We're red aud made
of wild roses, her eyes were large, and
| glowed like the eyes of fawns at night ;
her hair WAS long and black as the ravens,
and it touched the ground as she walked
Her hands Were covered with willow buds,
her bonnet was wreath of Wild howers-
and her clothing OF sweet grasses ano
ferns, and her moccasins were white lines
aud when she breAthed the air of the lodgt
becsme warm.
The old man said "My daughter.
am glad to see My lodge is cold and
CHI erless, but it will shield you from the
tempest of to night.
"l}ut tell me who you are that you dare
to come to my lodge in such strange cloth
ing! Come, st here and tell me of thy
{, untry and thy victories, and ! will tell
thee of my exploits, for am Manito'
He then filled two pipes with tobacco,
when The smoke had warmed the old nan' :
tongue he said II am Mantle blow
my breath and the waters of the river
stand still"
The maiden said: 81 breathe, snd the
flowers spring up on all the plains The
old man said: II shade my locks, and
snow covers all the ground II shake
my curls," said the maiden, land warm
rains fall from the clouds. The old man
said: "When | walk about the leaves fall
from the trees at my command; the nui
mails hide in their holes in the ground.
snd the birds get up out Of the water and
| fly away"
| The maiden said: Nv When | walk about
the plants lift up their heals, the trees
cover their nakedness with many leaves,
Il birds come back, and all who see III
sing; there is music everywhere And
thus they talked, and the air became
warm in the lodge. The old mans head
dropped upon his breast and he sl' pit.
Then the sun came back, and a blue bird
came to the top of the lodge and called,
"say -ee, say.ee! am thirstym And tn
river called back, 81 am free, Come and
drink
And ms the old man slept the maiden
passed her hands above his head, and lie
began to grow small. Streams of water
ran out of his mouth and soon he WAS =
smsl mass upon the ground, and his cloth
ing turned to green leaves. and then the
maiden, kneeling upon the ground, TOOK
from her bosom the most precious white
flowers and hid them all about under the
leaves Then she bresthed upon them
ard said: II give thee all my virtues and
my sweetest breath, and ali who would
pick thee shall do so upon Bonded knee
Then the maiden moved away through
the woods and over the plains, and all the
birds sang to her. and wherever she step-
p and nowhere else, grows the arbulus