Daily camera., 1901-08-15
BIRTH OF THE WATER LILY.
Indian Legend Of the Falling ssai
Which Became . Flower.

Indian Legend Of the Falling star
which Became . Flower.
From the twilight skies n pale star
looked down with wistful longing upon
the beautiful green earth. All about
it its brother and sister stars were
bright and happy and in bands sported
together upon the measureless shining
plain in which they lived or collected
thickly along the broad road which is
the pathway OF ghosts (the milky way)
in their journey to the fnr-off country
Of souls, the spimen-kah-wi-u, the fair
land above. But this one star was alone
in heaven and sorrowful with longing.
1t turned away from the soft light OF
the moon when she walked forth adown
the broad heavens and shuddered and
hid its face when the sun, the bright
heart of the sky, flung wide gates for
the beautiful wabun, the smiling dawn
maidens. Fairer under the light of the
Young moons or the bright simmer
of the sun seemed the lovely earth than
all besides, and the still green meadows,
the cool waving forest. the blue rivers.
more blissful than the star-lodges set
in the sky.
Every night at twilight the star saw
its pale image reflected in tranquil
lake set round with green rushes. and
mighty forest trees with wide arms
interlaced. and it looked with envy upon
the namagoosh TROUT and the sly
kenozha (pickereD leaping in the sun
light or flashing in the moonlight; upon
the dainda (frog) calling among the
reeds and rushes, and upon the bright
wa-wa-tais-sa Qightning bug) fitting
through the darkness above the muir
muring water. Every night the loon
called to the echo hiding upon the shore
and the whippoorwill answered clear
and sweet in the purple distance. The
wild geese stretched their lazy fight
acros. the quiet surface, the plover
piped from the sedges. the owl hooted
afar in the lonely forest.
All through the long months of the
moon the star looked down upon the
fair lake lying tranquil with waves
splashing in soft undertone Of all hap
py things, saw the sweet blossoms in
the bright Moon OF Flowers (May)
creep down to its borders; saw the
gentle fawns in the Month Of the Deer
(July) come trooping down to drink
Of its cool waters, until now in the gray
month of the Beaver (November) the
star had grown wan and more pale,
breathing its life away in sighs OF long
ing.
Then the great Master of Life, Taren-
ya-wa-ga, Holder of the Heavens. saw
with compassion and gave the star his
wish, because OF his love which keeps
all things within the circle of his arm.
Slowly, gently, through the purple twi-
light, when Gush Kewan, the darkness,
and Weeng. the gentle spirit of sleep,
hovered in the air. the star came drift
ing downward. floating. drifting, fall
ing from the far plains Of heaven. the
fair land above.
Through the forest q band Of hunters
came laden with game. Silently but
quickly they traversed in unerring GER
tainty the trackless solitudes. They
knew that just beyond. not far away,
the twinkling fires OF their wigwams
cleaned redly through the darkness.
flaming upon the laughing children at
play upon the smooth turf about the
lodges, flashing from the glittering
ornaments OF the women as they moved
about preparing the evening repast, and
shining redly upon the grave faces OF
the braves and elders as they sat smok-
ing the calumet and listening to the
voice OF the Che-neega-ha, the story
teller, as he sung of their deeds OF valor.
All but one of the hunters hastened on
ward, seeing all this awaiting them at
the end of their wearisome march.
But ha, the Dreamer. the one who saw
where there was naught. he, looking
skyward, beheld the star falling swift
" through the darkness with all its
paleness gone. flaming in ruddy splen-
dor across the sky. "See," he says. sit
is the Wakendendas, the meteor!"
Then they turned to look in wonder
and the wonder grew, Us the star famed
downward, until it rested at length
upon the bosom of the slumbering lake,
when, 10! straightwayi it blossomed forth
an earth flower. with slowly unfolding
silvery petals and heart Of gold. lying
rocked in blessed rest and peace upon
the softly whispering water.
Thus was born the beautiful O-kun-
dun-moee, the water lily.-Detroit
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