登陆注册
5142200000022

第22章

"Then Osseo gazed around him, And he saw the nine fair sisters, All the sisters and their husbands, Changed to birds of various plumage.

Some were jays and some were magpies, Others thrushes, others blackbirds;And they hopped, and sang, and twittered, Perked and fluttered all their feathers, Strutted in their shining plumage, And their tails like fans unfolded.

"Only Oweenee, the youngest, Was not changed, but sat in silence, Wasted, wrinkled, old, and ugly, Looking sadly at the others;Till Osseo, gazing upward, Gave another cry of anguish, Such a cry as he had uttered By the oak-tree in the forest.

"Then returned her youth and beauty, And her soiled and tattered garments Were transformed to robes of ermine, And her staff became a feather, Yes, a shining silver feather!

"And again the wigwam trembled, Swayed and rushed through airy currents, Through transparent cloud and vapor, And amid celestial splendors On the Evening Star alighted, As a snow-flake falls on snow-flake, As a leaf drops on a river, As the thistledown on water.

"Forth with cheerful words of welcome Came the father of Osseo, He with radiant locks of silver, He with eyes serene and tender.

And he said: `My son, Osseo, Hang the cage of birds you bring there, Hang the cage with rods of silver, And the birds with glistening feathers, At the doorway of my wigwam.'

"At the door he hung the bird-cage, And they entered in and gladly Listened to Osseo's father, Ruler of the Star of Evening, As he said: `O my Osseo!

I have had compassion on you, Given you back your youth and beauty, Into birds of various plumage Changed your sisters and their husbands;Changed them thus because they mocked you In the figure of the old man, In that aspect sad and wrinkled, Could not see your heart of passion, Could not see your youth immortal;Only Oweenee, the faithful, Saw your naked heart and loved you.

"`In the lodge that glimmers yonder, In the little star that twinkles Through the vapors, on the left hand, Lives the envious Evil Spirit, The Wabeno, the magician, Who transformed you to an old man.

Take heed lest his beams fall on you, For the rays he darts around him Are the power of his enchantment, Are the arrows that he uses.'

"Many years, in peace and quiet, On the peaceful Star of Evening Dwelt Osseo with his father;Many years, in song and flutter, At the doorway of the wigwam, Hung the cage with rods of silver, And fair Oweenee, the faithful, Bore a son unto Osseo, With the beauty of his mother, With the courage of his father.

"And the boy grew up and prospered, And Osseo, to delight him, Made him little bows and arrows, Opened the great cage of silver, And let loose his aunts and uncles, All those birds with glossy feathers, For his little son to shoot at.

"Round and round they wheeled and darted, Filled the Evening Star with music, With their songs of joy and freedom Filled the Evening Star with splendor, With the fluttering of their plumage;Till the boy, the little hunter, Bent his bow and shot an arrow, Shot a swift and fatal arrow, And a bird, with shining feathers, At his feet fell wounded sorely.

"But, O wondrous transformation!

同类推荐
  • 佛说无能胜旛庄严陀罗尼经

    佛说无能胜旛庄严陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南岳单传记

    南岳单传记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝观妙经

    太上洞玄灵宝观妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 颜氏家谱

    颜氏家谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 留别吉州太守宗人迈

    留别吉州太守宗人迈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 来不及

    来不及

    沿着濑户内海东侧的海岸线一直向外延伸,临近伊予滩的地方有几个相连的小镇。这几个小镇合称万天,它们虽经济繁荣却相对封闭,类似巫术妖魔一类的东西,还是被大多数人相信着。顺着东万天有一条建到一半废弃的铁路,由于万天四周矗立着险要的高山峻岭,工程不得不被搁置。传说那条铁路的尽头,是取之不尽的黄金珠宝。万天人从来没见过太阳,他们头顶的天空总是阴雨连绵,夏冬两季占据了整年的五分之四。这会儿正值夏季,闷热潮湿的空气里充斥着聒噪的蝉鸣。
  • 河畔之星

    河畔之星

    这是“五一”长假中一个风和日丽的日子,正是出游的好时候。珍珠泉公园里到处都是游人。高军和李路带着儿子也来珍珠泉公园踏青。季节正是春天,公园里花红柳绿,雀飞鸟叫。游人们三三两两在一起散步、拍照。每个游乐项目都有人在排队买票。市郊的珍珠泉公园,不光“五一”这种长假,每个周末都有很多市民来玩儿。为此,市公交总公司专门开辟了一条公交线路,从市中心的鼓楼直达珍珠泉公园。这条线路没有数字名字,比如:三十六路、九十一路。它只是按起止地点叫做鼓珍线。虽然珍珠泉公园一带早就被纳入城市范围内,但这条公交线路一直没有改名。
  • 中国户籍制度变迁:个人权利与社会控制

    中国户籍制度变迁:个人权利与社会控制

    在中国,户籍制度不仅是一般意义上的人口信息制度,往往还是制士处民、征收贡赋、规定禄食、兴发力役、组织军旅的基本依据。本书考察和讨论了个人及由个人结成的团体的行动及其对制度框架特别是户籍制度的影响,以期为未来我国户籍制度改革的取向及个人、团体、国家行动的选择和调整提供一定的参考。同时,通过对中国户籍制度中变迁的解释,检验、修正制度经济学相关理论。
  • 电话销售细节全书

    电话销售细节全书

    无数成功销售精英的经历告诉我们,良好的电话销售功底对销售工作的成败产生决定性的影响。电话销售的成功在很大程度上可以归结为销售员对电话销售技能的合理运用与发挥。《电话销售细节全书》总结了众多优秀电话销售人员的工作方法与经验,对成千上万奋战在一线的电话销售人员在工作中最有可能遇到的各种销售问题进行了全面盘点。它巧妙地将电话销售理论、方法与情景训练、案例分析融为一体,希望广大电话销售人员通过阅读《电话销售细节全书》,能够切实提高技能水平,迅速提升自己的业绩,用完美的结果去温暖人生。
  • 快穿之男主别心急

    快穿之男主别心急

    新文已开《快穿系统:男主别着急!》【此文看一半就好,再直接跳结局,人生第一本书!】她有一个攻略男主的系统。混迹这么多的世界,每次撩完男主都能全身而退。直到男主越来越黄暴……被关进小黑屋的她请求和男主坐下来好好谈谈。余白:男主,我们来谈一场简单小清新的恋爱好吗?男主眼眸暗沉:要清新?是怎样的清新程度?嗯?1.尽职尽责影后演技女主x黑化男主。2.苏!无脑苏!欢迎加入肎家小木屋,群号码:539927519
  • 打劫

    打劫

    刘浪,生于70年代,中国作家协会会员,黑龙江省作家协会签约作家,鲁迅文学院第十五期高研班学员。若干诗歌、中短篇小说发表于《飞天》《文学界》《山花》《作品》等数十家期刊,多篇小说被《小说选刊》等报刊转载。
  • 你若安好我已无悔

    你若安好我已无悔

    如果哪天你累了,我可以做蛋糕养你呀如果哪天我走了,你一定要幸福如果哪天我不爱你了,那么那天是世界末日了!
  • 家有余粮

    家有余粮

    钟灵重生在大夏国一个山疙瘩沟里普通农户家中。上有善装糊涂的爷爷奶奶,下有好赌的叔伯。亲爹肺痨不能劳作,小家碧玉出身的亲妈奈何错嫁小山村,弟弟年幼乖巧却不能支撑门户。且看女主如何利用现代农艺经商种田家有余粮,吃喝不慌!
  • 所有花朵开满的春天

    所有花朵开满的春天

    在白丘我看到了最美的荷花。但我不是到这儿来看荷花的,我是来找一种叫白珍珠的石头。人们说,要是在这样的石头上下工夫,就会离自己的梦想很近,成为雕刻大师的梦想。是在一本书上,我知道白丘这地方,它的怀抱里,藏着梦一样的白珍珠。那时候,不知道更有一种意外,白丘竟是向文登出生的地方。白丘荷花的美,在娇羞,这显然是因为远离人迹的缘故。它们逃开了人的眼睛,所以能营造一个纯粹心灵的世界,并沉浸其中。其实,并不是根本没有人注视它们,有的,是一双儿童的眼睛,七岁半的一个男孩。
  • 古学考

    古学考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。