Day-yu-da-gont: a Poem/Day-yu-da-gont
Day-yu-da-gont
WILD weird tale I've heard the Indians tell,
Of Day-yu-da-gont and her magic spell.
"I'll kill her! Get her out! tell her to go!"
At daylight she had gone. In feathery snow
With empty traps the two were left alone,
For heartlessness to Day-yu-da-gont shown.
She smiled, and touched and melted both their hearts;
This time successful with her magic arts.
"My nephew, she's your wife! thus Indians wed;
I'm very glad she's come," the uncle said.
They neared the wigwam. Day-yu da gont sang,
And all the forest with the music rang.
She louder sang, and sweeter than before:
A whir of wings, and universal roar
They plied their arrows thick and fast as hail.
They chased the game through many a well-worn trail.
Day-yu-da-gont
WILD weird tale I've heard the Indians tell,Of Day-yu-da-gont and her magic spell.
"Brilliant and sparkling" her name signifies—
True index of her character and eyes.
True index of her character and eyes.
As crystal water flashes forth the light
As diamond stars illume the brow of Night:
As diamond stars illume the brow of Night:
So Day-yu-da-gont by her matchless grace,
Shed lustrous glory on her dusky race.
Shed lustrous glory on her dusky race.
An old man and his nephew dwelt together:
And fished and hunted in all sorts of weather.
And fished and hunted in all sorts of weather.
One morn their traps were full. The fish and game
They marveled at! Some witch had made them tame.
They marveled at! Some witch had made them tame.
Fat steak of bears, plump birds, rich furs and deer,
In heaps before the wigwam, brought good cheer.
In heaps before the wigwam, brought good cheer.
While resting from their toil, a sudden cry,
As of a child in great distress hard by,
As of a child in great distress hard by,
Astonished them! Against an old oak tree,
They found, on searching, something strange to see—
They found, on searching, something strange to see—
A baby girl! with eyes as bright as stars,
Enwrapped in curling bark, with twigs for bars!
Enwrapped in curling bark, with twigs for bars!
She smiled, and moved the nephew's tender heart.
"I'll. care for you," he said, "and share a part
"I'll. care for you," he said, "and share a part
Of all my game with you, till you are grown."
He'd not have promised this it he had known
He'd not have promised this it he had known
His uncle's mind. He took the baby up,
And hurried to the wigwam, helped her sup
And hurried to the wigwam, helped her sup
From out his ladle: stirred the dying fire.
In came the uncle.—All his slumburing ire
In came the uncle.—All his slumburing ire
Awoke "My nephew, drive her out!" In vain
The nephew pleaded, "She will help us gain
The nephew pleaded, "She will help us gain
An easier living; she will hoe the maize,
Supply our fire"—"My nephew, if she stays
Supply our fire"—"My nephew, if she stays
"I'll kill her! Get her out! tell her to go!"
At daylight she had gone. In feathery snow
She left a woman's track. By night she'd blown.
Like opening flower, to womanhood, and flown.
Like opening flower, to womanhood, and flown.
"Well, uncle, she has gone, and let her go!
What bad luck she'd have made us we don't know."
What bad luck she'd have made us we don't know."
She sang a song, and all the beasts and birds
Went after her, charmed by her magic words.
Went after her, charmed by her magic words.
The whole creation flocked where'er she sang;
With not a wild bird's note the forest rang.
With not a wild bird's note the forest rang.
No squirrel chattered: not a creature stayed:
Untimely twilight fell with deep'ning shade.
Untimely twilight fell with deep'ning shade.
With empty traps the two were left alone,
For heartlessness to Day-yu-da-gont shown.
They starved and died, and wild birds picked their bones,
And He-no[1] strung a necklace of their groans.
And He-no[1] strung a necklace of their groans.
"Now I'll become a babe again and cry,
And capture me a husband by and by."
And capture me a husband by and by."
Thus Day-yu-da-gont mused. Against a tree
She leaned her cradle where no eye could see.
She leaned her cradle where no eye could see.
A trapper and his nephew in those parts
There chanced to live; on them she tried her arts.
There chanced to live; on them she tried her arts.
Homeward at th' end of a laborious day,
With bursting packs they slowly made their way.
With bursting packs they slowly made their way.
While resting from their toil, a sudden cry,
As of a child in great distress hard by,
As of a child in great distress hard by,
Astonished them. Against a hemlock tree
They found, on searching, something strange to see—
They found, on searching, something strange to see—
A baby girl, with eyes as bright as stars,
Enwrapped in curling bark with twigs for bars.
Enwrapped in curling bark with twigs for bars.
She smiled, and touched and melted both their hearts;
This time successful with her magic arts.
The uncle whispered, "Nephew, we shall see
Good luck; we'll hunt and fish, and trap, and she
Good luck; we'll hunt and fish, and trap, and she
Will plant our maize, prepare our wood and meat,
Our soup, parched corn, and all things good to eat.
Our soup, parched corn, and all things good to eat.
We'll shelter her, and shield her from the storm,
Wrap her in choicest furs to keep her warm."
Wrap her in choicest furs to keep her warm."
So planned they, while the soup—a savory lot—
The nephew ladled out, now steaming hot.
The nephew ladled out, now steaming hot.
But first they fed the babe. The Indians' guest
Is served alone, and then they feed the rest.
Is served alone, and then they feed the rest.
Next morning when the wigwam floor was swept,
The nephew, eager, to the cradle crept,—
The nephew, eager, to the cradle crept,—
And lo! no babe! but full-grown woman there!
Of fascinating grace, and queenly air.
Of fascinating grace, and queenly air.
"My nephew, she's your wife! thus Indians wed;
I'm very glad she's come," the uncle said.
The nephew was delighted: so was she.
"In this arrangement we can all agree."
"In this arrangement we can all agree."
While both the men were looking to their traps,
With white stone from her pack she gave sharp raps
With white stone from her pack she gave sharp raps
On massive trees, and, with a magic sweep,
Piled fire-wood up in one broad pond'rous heap!
Piled fire-wood up in one broad pond'rous heap!
The men returned, but every trap was lean.
All day they hunted, but no game was seen.
All day they hunted, but no game was seen.
They neared the wigwam. Day-yu da gont sang,
And all the forest with the music rang.
The birds were moved; they chirped. The eagles screamed.
With moles and squirrels swift the woodpile teem'd.
With moles and squirrels swift the woodpile teem'd.
She louder sang, and sweeter than before:
A whir of wings, and universal roar
Of beasts throughout the forest, hurrying near,
Fell doubtfully upon the uncle's ear.
Fell doubtfully upon the uncle's ear.
"Now shoot the game as far as you can see,"
Said Day-yu-da-gont. "ere the beasts shall flee."
Said Day-yu-da-gont. "ere the beasts shall flee."
They plied their arrows thick and fast as hail.
They chased the game through many a well-worn trail.
The crowded traps that met their wondering gaze.
For Day-yu-da-gont filled their mouths with praise.
For Day-yu-da-gont filled their mouths with praise.
They had enough. At once she ceased her song.
And into wild, dark solitudes, the throng
And into wild, dark solitudes, the throng
Of birds and beasts each took their several way.
Thus Day-yu-da-gont gave reward that day.
Thus Day-yu-da-gont gave reward that day.
For kindly treatment to a helpless child,
Out in the forest desolate and wild.
Out in the forest desolate and wild.
As crystal water flashes back the light,
As diamond stars illume the brow of Night.
As diamond stars illume the brow of Night.
So Day-yu-da-gont, by her matchless grace,
Shed lustrous glory on her dusky race.
Shed lustrous glory on her dusky race.
- ↑ He-no was the Indian Spirit who handled the thunder-bolts and brought the storms.