The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-12-01

LET us return!" said the young
est maiden, but the others replied
But look! Here are field mice
running about. Let us chase them!"
The little mice ran in all directions
and the maidens ran after them,
laughing and threatening them with
their silver wands.
And the one that the youngest
maiden chased ran far from the
others. Then, just as the maiden
reached him, and would have struck
him with her wand, the little field
mouse changed suddenly to the form
of man-and it was Waupee.
He caught the maiden in his arms
and he told her how she had won his
heart by her loneliness and begged
her to stay with him.
The other maidens, frightened at
the sight of Waupee, sprang into
their boat, and it rose and bore them
away.
Then the youngest maiden wept,
but Waupee comforted her, for he
was strong and brave and mighty
hunter. And her heart was won, and
she went with him to the village.
So Waupee was welded to the Star
Maiden, and she was the lovliest
maiden in all the tribe.
The next year Waupee and his
bride were made still happier by the
coming of baby boy, and the White
Hawk was the proudest father in all
the tribe.
But after many moons had passed
the Star Maiden grew lonely for her
father, and for the scenes of her star
home in the sky. And so, one day
she took her little son by the hand
and led him to the magic circle in the
grass of the prairie. In the center Of
the circle she placed boat which
she had woven from the grass and
rushes and she and her little son
stepped into it. Then she sang the
song of the silvery bells which had
been always in her heart, and the
boat of woven rushes began to rise
| Up and up 1t went until It carried
the Star MAIDEN and her son fai
away to the Sky Land.
Waupee, far away at the chase
heard the strains of the magic song
and ran to the spot, but he was toe
late. He saw the boat with its oc-
cupants disappear among the clouds
and then he sat down upon the
prairie, covered his head with his
blanket and mourned. And no one
in all the tribe could comfort him
The Star Maiden and her son were
welcomed by her father, and FOL
some time they were happy. Then
the boy began to long for his father
the White Hawk, who was so strong
and brave. And his mother, too
secretly longed for Waupee and the
home he had made for her.
One day her father, who had no.
ticed, said to her go, my daughter
back to the earth country. Tell your
husband that l want him to visit me
, in the land of stars, and bring him
here to dwell with you and your son
, But before he comes have him shoot
one of every kind of bird and beast
, and bring specimen of each to Oul
Sky Land.
So the Star Maiden gladly took hel
son and stepped into her boat. Then
singing the magic song which was
always in her heart, they were car
ried back to earth.
4 Waupee's heart leaped up like a
deer when he heard the music of the
song, and running to the magic circle
he clasped his wife and his son in his
, strong, loving arms.
i The Star Maiden gave him the
message from her father and the
Waupee loved the forests and
prairies, he prepared to go to the
Sky Land. He hunted day after day
and from each bird or animal that
he shot he cut wing, or a foot, or a
J tail, to carry with him. At last he
was ready and with the Star aMiden
and their son, he stepped into the
magic boat and was carried far up to
the land of stars.
All the people of that far-off
country gathered to greet him, and
to welcome the return of the Star
Maiden and her boy. Her father
took the great bundle of strange OBJ
jects that Waupee had brought, and
he said to his people: Come, Twill
let you choose! Those of you who
wish to stay in the Star Land may
remain as you are. The others may
select one object from this strange
bundle and according to your choice,
SO shall you be in the future"
Many of the people crowded for
ward and one took the tail of deer,
and immeditely he was changed into
a deer and bounded away to the
earth country. Another took the
claw of a bear, and at once he be-
came a bear and shuffled off to find
his way to the earth. And so it was
with the choice of every one. Some
became birds and flew away.
Come" said Waupee, to the Star
Maiden, "let me choose the wing of
the White Hawk, and do you the
same, and our son. Then we may
visit both the earth and the sky, and
be always together"
So they chose. And so they have
liver ever since.-Indian Myths by
Julia Darfow Coles, copyright and
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