HIAWATHA

I always enjoyed it when one of my parents would read the story of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). After many decades I could only recall lines such as:-

"By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water," and"Lives the Arrow-maker's daughter, Minnehaha, Laughing Water".

After searching the internet, I found several versions and it seems that my parents were only reading the last installment to me, which is known as Hiawatha's departure. Here is the part which most resembles what I recall:-

By the shores of Gitche Gumee
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis,
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.

Then the little Hiawatha
Learned of every bird its language,
Learned their names and all their secrets,
How they built their nests in Summer,
Where they hid themselves in Winter,
Talked with them whene'er he met them,
Called them "Hiawatha's Chickens."

And behold! the young Mondamin,
With his soft and shining tresses,
With his garments green and yellow,
With his long and glossy plumage...

Suddenly upon the greensward
All alone stood Hiawatha,
Panting with his wild exertion,
Palpitating with the struggle;
And before him breathless, lifeless,
Lay the youth, with hair dishevelled
Plumage torn, and garments tattered,
Dead he lay there in the sunset.

"Give me of your bark, O Birch-tree!
Of your yellow bark, O Birch-tree!
Growing by the rushing river,
Tall and stately in the valley!
I a light canoe will build me,
Build a swift Cheemaun for sailing,
That shall float upon the river,
Like a yellow leaf in Autumn,
Like a yellow water-lily!"

"In the land of the Dacotahs
Lives the Arrow-maker's daughter
Minnehaha, Laughing Water,
Handsomest of all the women.
I will bring her to your wigwam,
She shall run upon your errands,
Be your starlight, moonlight, firelight,
Be the sunlight of my people!"

Westward, westward Hiawatha
Sailed into the fiery sunset,
Sailed into the purple vapors,
And the people from the margin
Watched him floating, rising, sinking
Till the birch canoe seemed lifted
High into that sea of splendor,
Till it sank into the vapors
Like the new moon slowly, slowly
Sinking in the purple distance.
And they said, "Farewell forever!"
Said, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the forest, dark and lonely,
Moved through all their depth of darkness,
Sighed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"