Sailing on the wind to northward, Flying in great flocks, like arrows, Like huge arrows shot through heaven, Passed the swan, the Mahnahbezee, Speaking almost as a man speaks;And in long lines waving, bending Like a bow-string snapped asunder, Came the white goose, Waw-be-wawa;And in pairs, or singly flying, Mahng the loon, with clangorous pinions, The blue heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, And the grouse, the Mushkodasa.
In the thickets and the meadows Piped the bluebird, the Owaissa, On the summit of the lodges Sang the robin, the Opechee, In the covert of the pine-trees Cooed the pigeon, the Omemee;And the sorrowing Hiawatha, Speechless in his infinite sorrow, Heard their voices calling to him, Went forth from his gloomy doorway, Stood and gazed into the heaven, Gazed upon the earth and waters.
From his wanderings far to eastward, From the regions of the morning, From the shining land of Wabun, Homeward now returned Iagoo, The great traveller, the great boaster, Full of new and strange adventures, Marvels many and many wonders.
And the people of the village Listened to him as he told them Of his marvellous adventures, Laughing answered him in this wise:
"Ugh! it is indeed Iagoo!
No one else beholds such wonders!"
He had seen, he said, a water Bigger than the Big-Sea-Water, Broader than the Gitche Gumee, Bitter so that none could drink it!
At each other looked the warriors, Looked the women at each other, Smiled, and said, "It cannot be so!"Kaw!" they said, it cannot be so!"
O'er it, said he, o'er this water Came a great canoe with pinions, A canoe with wings came flying, Bigger than a grove of pine-trees, Taller than the tallest tree-tops!
And the old men and the women Looked and tittered at each other;"Kaw!" they said, "we don't believe it!"
From its mouth, he said, to greet him, Came Waywassimo, the lightning, Came the thunder, Annemeekee!
And the warriors and the women Laughed aloud at poor Iagoo;"Kaw!" they said, "what tales you tell us!"In it, said he, came a people, In the great canoe with pinions Came, he said, a hundred warriors;Painted white were all their faces And with hair their chins were covered!
And the warriors and the women Laughed and shouted in derision, Like the ravens on the tree-tops, Like the crows upon the hemlocks.
"Kaw!" they said, "what lies you tell us!
Do not think that we believe them!"
Only Hiawatha laughed not, But he gravely spake and answered To their jeering and their jesting:
"True is all Iagoo tells us;
I have seen it in a vision, Seen the great canoe with pinions, Seen the people with white faces, Seen the coming of this bearded People of the wooden vessel From the regions of the morning, From the shining land of Wabun.
"Gitche Manito, the Mighty, The Great Spirit, the Creator, Sends them hither on his errand.
Sends them to us with his message.
Wheresoe'er they move, before them Swarms the stinging fly, the Ahmo, Swarms the bee, the honey-maker;Wheresoe'er they tread, beneath them Springs a flower unknown among us, Springs the White-man's Foot in blossom.
"Let us welcome, then, the strangers, Hail them as our friends and brothers, And the heart's right hand of friendship Give them when they come to see us.
Gitche Manito, the Mighty, Said this to me in my vision.
"I beheld, too, in that vision All the secrets of the future, Of the distant days that shall be.
I beheld the westward marches Of the unknown, crowded nations.
All the land was full of people, Restless, struggling, toiling, striving, Speaking many tongues, yet feeling But one heart-beat in their bosoms.
In the woodlands rang their axes, Smoked their towns in all the valleys, Over all the lakes and rivers Rushed their great canoes of thunder.
"Then a darker, drearier vision Passed before me, vague and cloud-like;I beheld our nation scattered, All forgetful of my counsels, Weakened, warring with each other:
Saw the remnants of our people Sweeping westward, wild and woful, Like the cloud-rack of a tempest, Like the withered leaves of Autumn!"
