Chapter I: Preface

In this land of change it is important that we may learn a little of the childlike people who preceded us; who hunted, fished and worshipped long ago where we now make our homes and lead our lives. No other legends have so strange a charm, or such appealing local interest, as legends of the wildwood, and nowhere are these so well expressed as in Longfellow's poem of Hiawatha.

To furnish a simple medium through which both younger and older people of today may be brought closer, by Longfellow, to the mystery of the forest, this prose rendering of "Hiawatha" has been written. It follows closely the narrative of the poem, and in many places Longfellow's own words have been introduced into its pages, for the purpose of this volume is to awaken interest and pleasure in the poem itself.

CONTENTS

THE STORY OF HIAWATHA

PAGE
PREFACE vii
CHAPTER
I. THE PEACE-PIPE 1
II. THE FOUR WINDS 3
III. HIAWATHA'S CHILDHOOD 11
IV. HIAWATHA AND MUDJEKEEWIS 15
V. HIAWATHA'S FASTING 19
VI. HIAWATHA'S FRIENDS 23
VII. HIAWATHA'S SAILING 27
VIII. HIAWATHA'S FISHING 30
IX. HIAWATHA AND THE PEARL-FEATHER 34
X. HIAWATHA'S WOOING 38
XI. HIAWATHA'S WEDDING FEAST 43
XII. THE SON OF THE EVENING STAR 47
XIII. BLESSING THE CORNFIELDS 53
XIV. PICTURE WRITING 57
XV. HIAWATHA'S LAMENTATION 60
XVI. PAU-PUK-KEEWIS 65
XVII. THE HUNTING OF PAU-PUK-KEEWIS 70
XVIII. THE DEATH OF KWASIND 76
XIX. THE GHOSTS 80
XX. THE FAMINE 84
XXI. THE WHITE MAN'S FOOT 88
XXII. HIAWATHA'S DEPARTURE 92

CONTENTS

THE SONG OF HIAWATHA

PAGE
INTRODUCTION 99
CANTO
I. THE PEACE-PIPE 105
II. THE FOUR WINDS 111
III. HIAWATHA'S CHILDHOOD 123
IV. HIAWATHA AND MUDJEKEEWIS 133
V. HIAWATHA'S FASTING 144
VI. HIAWATHA'S FRIENDS 156
VII. HIAWATHA'S SAILING 163
VIII. HIAWATHA'S FISHING 168
IX. HIAWATHA AND THE PEARL-FEATHER 178
X. HIAWATHA'S WOOING 189
XI. HIAWATHA'S WEDDING FEAST 200
XII. THE SON OF THE EVENING STAR 210
XIII. BLESSING THE CORNFIELDS 225
XIV. PICTURE WRITING 234
XV. HIAWATHA'S LAMENTATION 241
XVI. PAU-PUK-KEEWIS 250
XVII. THE HUNTING OF PAU-PUK-KEEWIS 260
XVIII. THE DEATH OF KWASIND 274
XIX. THE GHOSTS 279
XX. THE FAMINE 288
XXI. THE WHITE MAN'S FOOT 295
XXII. HIAWATHA'S DEPARTURE 304

ILLUSTRATIONS

"OF ALL BEASTS HE LEARNED THE LANGUAGE" _Cover_

"FROM THE FULL MOON FELL NOKOMIS" _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

"DEAD HE LAY THERE IN THE SUNSET" 22

"PLEASANT WAS THE JOURNEY HOMEWARD" 42

"SEVEN LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS HE SAT THERE" 86

"GIVE ME OF YOUR ROOTS, O TAMARACK" 164

"TAKE MY BAIT, O KING OF FISHES" 170

HE BEGAN HIS MYSTIC DANCES 204

"HELD BY UNSEEN HANDS BUT SINKING" 222

"AND EACH FIGURE HAD A MEANING" 236

"HURLED THE PINE CONES DOWN UPON HIM" 278

"WESTWARD, WESTWARD HIAWATHA
SAILED INTO THE FIERY SUNSET" 310

THE STORY OF HIAWATHA