Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-18
CHIPPEWA FOLK TALE
TELLS LEGEND OF ROBIN

among the braves of his people, it was
necessary for him to pass through
season of fasting-twelve long days and
night-during which the great Manitou
would come to him and free him from
his childhood's nature and in its stead
give to him the strength and endur-
ance of braver manhood. One unable
to endure this test to the end would
be forever despised of his tribe. and
would not be allowed to join with the
braves in the hunt, or to go with them
into battle.
Because of his gentle nature, when
his time of trial arrived, the son of a
great chief did not wish to follow his
father into the deep forest to the trial
lodge, which was to be the scene OF his
fasting Though he was brave, he did
not wish to be as the warriors who
went forth to kill He longed only to
make others happy.
But the chief commanded and the
son dared not refuse. During the long
walk he was sad at heart, though the
father sought to cheer him by telling
him how the tribe would honor him
when he appeared at the great feast
to be served when he had proved him
self strong to endure. Thus the father
talked, every now and then stopping
to mark the trees in the picture Ian
guage of the Indian, that the way to
their wigwam might not be lost.
On arriving, he spread for the youth
the mat of reeds the Indian mother
had proudly woven for him, her first
born, and who now laid himself face
downward upon it, beside the great
bow and arrows and tomahawk of his
father.
With a heavy heart he heard the
cOund Of his ia thar'C fOnfCtpnC
ing fainter and fainter as he departed;
then he was alone with the silence.
All through the long day and the
long night he lay there alone. Morn
ing, bringing light and gladness to
others, brought no joy to the sad youth
in the forest.
When the father came to ask if any
dreams had come to him the boy re-
piled: "Oh, my father, such dreams as
you wish will never come to me. Let
me give up this cruel fasting and re-
turn with you to our wigwam." But
the father, whose Indian pride pre-
vented his yielding to the beseechings
of his child, would talk only of the
glad time when the fast would be
ended, and told of the days of his
own fasting with its glorious ending.
Each day with cheering words the
chief returned, only to find the youth
growing weaker. On the tenth morn
Ai5 iC dih ilOl IISc " greet IHG IdIner
as he had done before. His weakened
limbs would no longer support him.
spare me, o father and take me
home" he whispered; mo dreams will
come. l am so weak that surely death
will take me before the great Manitou
comes Give me food that I NAV break
this dreadful fast"
But the unyielding chief replied: 'If
you wait with brave and patient heart,
my son, soon you shall be a great hun
ter, never knowing lack of food YOU
shall be a great warrior, wise as the
fox and strong as the bear and many
scalps you shall wear at your belt. Bet
ter that you should die of hunger than
that boy and squaw should cry, Shame
upon your fathers son!' Be brave!"
On the eleventh day the youth had
grown so faint with fasting that his
voice could no longer he heard. Still
the father said: BE brave!" And again
the dying footsteps and the silence and
the hunger!
While yet the dew glistened on the
hemlock bough on the following morn
ing, the chief hastened to the trial
lodge bearing thick boiled sap and
meat of moose to revive the famished
youth. But to his Rise and eat, my
son; come, the great feast is spread"
no answer came. Only an echo was
heard
AS he stopped to listen, bird such
as he had never seen, on a bough near
by, called to him. Thinking some evil
spirit had lured the boy away and had
returned in bird form to mock at him,
the father raised his bow to shoot
do not shoot" sang the bird, as if
with human tongue. mo evil spirit has
harmed me; a good spirit came to me
and bade me live. The pathway of the
spirits 1 shall never walk, but will ever
live on the earth, as you see me now.
Though I shall never be a strong war
rior I am still your son and shall al
ways be brave. My food 1 shall find
among the hills and valleys, and in
taking 1t I shall help your people.
Mourn not for me, my father for my
happiness will come through helping
others, not through destroying them.
And the song I sing from the trees will
be what my heart is ever calling, Be
more gentle, be more lovng."
In the moon of melting SHOWS, when
the buds swell red on the NAPLES, the
Onaaoha ca1ls n iOUous tones m nc To